When it comes to making educational resources, nobody knows better than teachers themselves. At PBS NewsHour Classroom, our advisory board of educators helps us make content that works for you!
Last year, you met 15 of our wonderful teacher advisors. This year, we're thrilled to introduce you to the 11 brilliant educators who have joined the ranks for the 2023-2024 school year! Check out last year's post, and then keep reading to get to get to know the new additions to our teacher advisory team.
Dane Harris
10th grade humanities teacher from Columbia, South Carolina
School: Palmetto Excel
Why use current events in the classroom? Real life connectivity to the lessons and skills fosters engagement and authentic learning.
What advice would you give to organizations making educational resources for teachers? Don’t just attempt to recreate, innovate!
What snack should always be stocked in the faculty room? Orange peanut butter crackers
Chuck Hensey
10th-12th grade economics, human geography and psychology teacher from Raleigh, North Carolina
School: Wakefield High School
Why use current events in the classroom? I believe that current events allow students to connect the abstract material we cover in class to concrete things which are taking place in real time. This can assist them in understanding what is going on in the world.
What advice would you give to organizations making educational resources for teachers? They need to provide items for all levels of students and reach a diverse set of interests. If the materials speak to a student's interests, then they will invest themselves in the learning.
What snack should always be stocked in the faculty room? Zaps Pretzel Sticks
Chris Hitchcock
Guest teacher and social studies teacher from Bloomington, Indiana
School: Monroe County Community School Corporation
Why use current events in the classroom? In my previous work as a full time social studies teacher, current events helped students make connections between the past and today as well as understand their roles in their community, country and world.
What advice would you give to organizations making educational resources for teachers? Try to have materials that reflect a variety of entry points (different reading levels, video and images as well as text, etc.) that can be used for different learners.
What snack should always be stocked in the faculty room? Something salty
Michelle Huff
5th-8th grade health and physical education teacher from Green Brook, New Jersey
School: Edgar Middle School, Metuchen Public Schools District
Why use current events in the classroom? Current events are used to keep our kids engaged and informed on relevant information that impacts and influences their daily lives.
What advice would you give to organizations making educational resources for teachers? Provide teachers with professional development and up-to-date resources that are purposeful and relevant to our students' learning and success in school, as well as their overall health and happiness in life.
What snack should always be stocked in the faculty room? All kinds of fruit! :)
Monika Moorman
Elementary school gifted, robotics, coding and and Green Team teacher from Plantation, Florida
School: Central Park Elementary
Why use current events in the classroom? Age-appropriate discussions on contemporary issues helps connect classroom learning to the world around them, fostering critical thinking and promoting an informed, active citizenry.
What advice would you give to organizations making educational resources for teachers? When creating educational resources, prioritize a ...student! Is your content authentic through real-world examples? Does it ensure relevance to the community for meaningful learning experiences? Does it emphasize practical application, collaboration and feedback mechanisms complemented by professional development support for teachers? Lastly, does it ensure accessibility and inclusivity for a broad impact on student growth?
What snack should always be stocked in the faculty room? Fruits
Patrick Stinson
7th grade math and social studies teacher from Kansas City, Kansas
School: Argentine Middle School
Why use current events in the classroom? Students need to be aware of the world they are living in.
What advice would you give to organizations making educational resources for teachers? Teacher facing documents and resources need to be applicable and relevant to teaching today's students.
What snack should always be stocked in the faculty room? Chocolate!
Dr. Precious T. Symonette
9th-12th grade English and literature teacher from Miami, Florida
School: Miami Norland Senior High School
Why use current events in the classroom? To help students to learn about the world around them and to help students to grow into global citizens.
What advice would you give to organizations making educational resources for teachers? Ask teachers about their experiences and use their feedback to assist them with making decisions about educational resources.
What snack should always be stocked in the faculty room? Fruit snacks
Kathryn Vaughn
Elementary art and after school STEM teacher from Covington, Tennessee
School: Brighton Elementary
Why use current events in the classroom? I teach with current events because it’s a great way to connect to my students’ lives.
What advice would you give to organizations making educational resources for teachers? I would tell organizations making resources for teachers to make them free and easily accessible. I would also tell them to make them printer friendly.
What snack should always be stocked in the faculty room? Bags of popcorn
LaToya Washington
11th-12th grade science, environmental systems and biology teacher from Baytown, Texas
School: North Shore Senior High School (Houston, TX)
Why use current events in the classroom? Current events make content relevant to the students. Students not only learn the content better but also care about the topic when they can make connections.
What advice would you give to organizations making educational resources for teachers? Teachers are probably looking for quality, low-prep materials. Having access to resources that don't require a lot of money or time is important to me and my colleagues.
What snack should always be stocked in the faculty room? Coffee and gummy bears
Stacy Yung
Teacher educator and former middle school history teacher from Orange County, California
School: UC Irvine
Why use current events in the classroom? Current events help connect the content and skills students learn in class to the world around them and make learning learning relevant to their lives.
What advice would you give to organizations making educational resources for teachers? Involve actual classroom teachers when creating educational resources. Whenever possible, include student input as well.
What snack should always be stocked in the faculty room? Chocolate
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