Tag Archives: Class Act

Class Act! 10 questions for Zenobia Ochoa

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zenobia-ochoa

Submitted by Denair Elementary Charter Academy

Name: Zenobia Ochoa

Family: Joseph Allen, Dylan Rasmussen and David Rasmussen

School: Denair Elementary Charter Academy

Subject taught: Kindergarten Dual Immersion

Experience and education: I worked for the Migrant Education Program for 15 years, taught  ESL for the Stanislaus County Office of Education for 12 years, Turlock Junior High for three, and dual immersion in Riverbank and Tracy. I also worked as a counselor assistant for the Modesto High School through Migrant Education. I graduated from Stanislaus State University with a double major in political science and education, and a minor in philosophy. Last, I finished my master’s degree in multilingualism, speak two languages fluently as well as some Russian, Italian and Portuguese.

Why most inspires you about teaching? My students feeling excited about learning and making progress at the end of the year.  That is my inspiration.

What are your biggest challenges as a teacher? My biggest challenge is to teach young students to think and explain every answer in a logical and sensible way. It is important to dig into ideas and add lots of details. Students at a young age have difficulties being rational, but have to be taught to think and have deeper understanding of the subjects. The task is not easy for me or my kids.

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? Using lots of large dice and household materials that help students make a connection between math and the real world. I try to do activities that are fun and motivating to kids. Learning is a lot more fun when you are experiencing the world of learning, not just sitting through it.

How has Common Core affected your classroom strategy? First, its goal is to prepare students for college or career. Collaboration and teamwork is one of my strategies I use in my classroom.  It teaches students how to be responsible for their learning and the learning of their peers. They learn to share ideas and work together. This prepares them for the future and the global business environment. Continue reading “Class Act! 10 questions for Zenobia Ochoa” »

Class Act! 10 questions for Monica Roberts

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Monica Roberts

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Name:  Monica Roberts

Family: Daughter Eliana and son Dylan

School: Denair High School

Subject taught: Principal’s Secretary

Experience and education:  13 years working in education.  Past positions include speech aide, attendance secretary, dance teacher and language arts teacher. B.S. in physical education with a minor in dance and concentration in teaching from San Jose State University. Previous co-owner of Backstage Academy of Dance in Turlock.

What most inspires you about working in Denair High School?  The staff and students inspire me on a daily basis.  We have so many wonderful things happening on our campus and I love to see everything play out and come together.

What are your biggest challenges as a classified staff member? My biggest challenge as a classified staff member is not having enough hours in the day to assist everyone.

What is your favorite support tool or activity? My favorite support tool is communication.  I ask questions constantly.  Other staff members at the high school and throughout the district are used to me calling around for an answer or solution to something!

What do you want your students to remember? I want the students to remember to be kind, courteous and patient.  We are not only teaching them to learn subjects in school, but also reinforcing polite behavior on a daily basis.  Also, remember to smile!  It will get you far in life!!

How can parents support what you do? Parents can continue to be friendly when asking a question or needing assistance.  It can sometimes take a while to solve a problem or get the correct answer so patience is always good too! Continue reading “Class Act! 10 questions for Monica Roberts” »

A Class Act! 10 Questions for Gina Michael

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Gina Michael

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Name:  Gina Michael

Family: Husband, 2 sons, 5 dogs, 4 horses

School: Denair Middle School

Subject taught: World history in the Middle Ages for seventh-graders; U.S. history through industrialism & intro to civics for eighth-graders

Experience and education: Third year here at Denair Middle School. Five years at Hickman Charter School as seventh- and eighth-grade history teacher and education coordinator for families; administrative Assistant prior to that. B.A. in social science with a concentration in history and political science, Chapman University.

What most inspires you about teaching? I love it when I see students start to make connections about events happening currently in the world and realize that some conflicts and issues are hundreds, if not thousands, of years old.  I really believe I get to teach the best subject because I get to introduce students to the story of our history as a nation and also the stories and cultures of people around the world.

What are your biggest challenges as a teacher? My biggest challenge is trying to connect things that happened hundreds or thousands of years ago to the daily lives of a middle schooler in 2016. At ages 12 and 13, kids often don’t see any relevance of historical events to their lives.  So many times, an understanding (and sometimes even love!) of history doesn’t come until we’re older and have been out in the world a little bit.  My goal is to spark some curiosity and lay a foundation so that when they get older they’ll say, “Hey! I remember when we learned about that in Mrs. Michael’s class!”

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? I love using a variety of tools and techniques in the classroom.  I enjoy designing lessons in which the students use computers as an integral research tool and engage in self-directed learning activities so they are able to discover information on their own. I also enjoy adapting games like Jeopardy, Would You Rather, Guess Who? and others in order to have fun while we’re learning.  That’s one of the things I love about teaching – it can be different every day! Continue reading “A Class Act! 10 Questions for Gina Michael” »

A Class Act! 10 Questions for Patricia Guillen

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Patricia Guillen

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Name: Patricia Guillen

Family: Husband, Guillermo; daughters, Alexis and Marissa

School: Denair Middle School

Subject taught: 6th Grade

Experience and education: 12 years teaching experience. BA from California State University, Stanislaus

Why most inspires you about teaching? Student success is my greatest inspiration. Those “aha” moments from students and the pride and confidence that comes with that learning are what keeps me in this profession.

What are your biggest challenges as a teacher? My biggest challenge is having the sufficient time to collaborate with all teachers at my campus, not just my grade level.

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? Student group discussions are my favorite activity. Listening to their discourse as they engage in designing a plan to solve a problem. Great learning happens when students are exploring new ideas among themselves.

How has Common Core affected your classroom strategy? Common Core has allowed increased opportunities for student creativity and self-discovery. For example, students utilize a variety of strategies or visuals to demonstrate their learning and mastery of a math concept.

What do you want your students to remember? I would like for my students to remember our class motto: “We can only get better!” Regardless of where life may take them, they should always strive to improve. Challenges are not a barrier, but a learning opportunity.

How can parents support what you do? Parents can support their children by having them read at home on a daily basis and provide them a place to do their homework. This will help reinforce their learning at school. Continue reading “A Class Act! 10 Questions for Patricia Guillen” »

A Class Act! 10 Questions for Kara Binkley

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Kara Binkley

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Name: Kara Binkley

Family: I have a hubby and three kiddos: McKinley, McKenzie and Madden.

School: Denair Charter Academy

Experience and education: One year of teaching fifth grade, three years teaching kindergarten and I am starting my sixth year of Independent Studies with high school students! I also love that I have the opportunity to coach students in my cross training class and lead counseling sessions for students on campus.

What most inspires you about teaching? Teaching can be exhausting, yet the most rewarding career! I am truly inspired every week by my students and their drive to succeed! DCA has given me the opportunity to see my students not only as a “student,” but also as a young person opening up and sharing their life experiences both good and bad. Their transparency gives me the push to better myself and for that I am thankful.

What are your biggest challenges as a teacher? Helping students to believe in themselves and their potential for college is one of my biggest challenges.

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? My favorite weekly activity is “Bink’s Vocab!” My students are required to read each night and choose one word that they didn’t know the definition of. The word must be quoted from the book and defined. Each student writes it on my whiteboard for all to see. I find myself learning new words weekly!

How has Common Core affected your classroom strategy? DCA is unique in the fact that we meet one on one with our students. As teachers, we are finding creative ways to teach the common core standards. Last year, I had my junior and senior students use digital media to give an oral presentation on any U.S. president. It was such an incredible feeling to see them stand with pride and most definitely built up their confidence. Continue reading “A Class Act! 10 Questions for Kara Binkley” »