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Jane
Shea,
Excellence in Teaching Awardee
 Jasper
High School
Ninth Grade French Teacher
Philosophy
of Teaching
Educational/Professional
Background
School
Principal Comments
Philosophy of Teaching
On day one, I challenge my new French students to bring their
imaginations and a good attitude
to class with them every day. These are the secrets, I tell them, to
their success. Next,
I tell them about my family
and myself, making sure they know that j’adore high school students
and j’adore le
français. After questioning them about why they have
chosen to be French students,
I share the truth about why I choose to teach them each day.
I tell them that I love my job
and consider it fun. Why
do they need to know this? Because one of their new jobs when
they come to class is to make sure
Madame Shea has fun! In addition,
they are to make sure they never get in the way of that fun!
I make certain they understand
I will treat them with respect
and I expect the same from them. This is how I lay the foundation
for learning.
I share with them the reality that learning a
foreign language is hard
work that requires time, energy, and commitment.
I tell them I plan to give 100%
effort to every class and I give them permission to raise their hand and politely
let me know if I am not following through on that commitment. I then ask them
to give their all in terms of focus, preparedness, and participation, even
when they’re not feeling in top form. I explain I am aware that there
may be days when they don’t feel anywhere near 100%. It is on those days
that they will need to be excellent actors and actresses!
I plan activities
to help students learn everyone’s name in the class
and give them opportunities to share about their families, personalities, and
passions in life. They know I expect them to greet me and their classmates
by name, be it in the Jasper hallway or at the mall, be it this semester or
ten years from now!
Speaking a foreign language requires imagination and dedication. As students
learn to produce new sounds, we have plenty of reasons to laugh at ourselves.
Laughter is essential to the learning process! I strive to make my
classroom a place where the students feel comfortable taking risks
and working hard,
yet have fun learning. I want them to do their best academically, be prepared
for the next level of French, and enjoy themselves in the process. I know
that they may use or lose the French they learn, but they will live with
themselves
for the rest of their lives. My greatest hope for them is that they will
develop their character and become the best individuals they can be. To
me, this is
what teaching is all about!
Educational
/ Professional Background
Experience
- Plano ISD (currently
at Jasper High School) July 1993 to Present
French Teacher and French Club/French National Honor Society co-sponsor
· Have taught French levels 1, 2, and 2 Honors and English as a Second
Language to 9th and 10th graders
· Prepare and take students to French competitions
(Team placed 2nd overall at La Fête Française regional competition,
7 students placed nationally on the National French Exam)
Speech Communications Specialist 1996-1997
ESL Teacher
·
Taught a weekly ESL class to company’s foreign professionals at Nortel
Networks in Richardson, TX.
- Prospect Park School District (Interboro High
School) 1974-1984
French Teacher and French Club sponsor (also Girls
J.V. Lacrosse Team Coach 1979-1980)
· Taught French to students in grades 9-12
· Coordinated International Festival
· Chaperoned Spring Break trips to Quebec and Montreal, Canada
· Organized a trip to France
Awards
- Jasper High School Teacher of the Year 2004-2005
1978
Excellence in Secondary Teaching, Plano
Independent School District 2005
Education
- West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Master of Arts with Honors: Teaching English as
a Second Language 1978
- Shippingsburg University,
Shippensburg, PA 1973
Bachelor of Science with Honors: Secondary Education,
French K-12
- L'Universite de Montpellier, Montpellier,
France 1972-1973
·
Studied education and language as part of West Chester
University’s Junior Year Abroad Program
Professional Development
- Plano ISD - 1999-present
· Games, Games, Games: Interactive Learning in the
Foreign Language Classroom
· Nothing Succeeds Like Success
· Inclusion and Assessment in the Foreign Language
Classroom
· Bridges to Success: Creating A Positive Culture in
the Workplace
- Deleware County Intermediate Unit,
Media, PA 1979-1982
· Teacher Effectiveness Training
· Instructional Television- From Classroom to District
Wide Distribution
· The Classroom as a Laboratory for Living
· Non-Verbal Communication in the Classroom
- University of Maryland, Baltimore,
MD 1978
Teacher Corps Workshop on Leadership and Effective
Organizational Change
- Rider College, Lawrenceville, NJ 1977
French Language Institute
Community Service and Activities
- ST. MARK’S
CHURCH Plano, TX 1999-2003
· Facilitator for 8th Grade Confirmation Retreat (1999)
· Taught Vacation Bible School (2000, 2003)
· Member RENEW Faith Group
- Bible Study Fellowship, Dallas,
TX 1995-2003
· Graduate of 7 year Study
- Lady Wildcat Booster Club, Soccer and Vollyball
- Weatherford Elementary, Plano,
TX 1986-1994
· PTSA Volunteer
· School Improvement Council (1992-1994)
· Coordinator for Lucky Language Lunchers, a program
to promote interest in the cultures and languages
of the ESL students
(1992-1995)
- Dallas Associatio for Parent Education, Dallas,
TX 1985-1987
· Director on the Board of Directors
· Breastfeeding Education Coordinator and Instructor
· Developed the curriculum and counselor training program
· Taught breastfeeding course to expectant mothers
and fathers every month
Professional Associations
- American Association of
Teachers of French
- Texas Foreign Language Association
- Association
of Teachers and Professional Educators
School
Principal's Recommendation
Please accept this letter as a most positive recommendation
for Jane Shea as Plano ISD’s Experienced Teacher
of the Year. Jane has taught French at Jasper High
School for the past seven years.
Jane is an excellent teacher. Her students learn
to love French because she is always enthusiastically
teaching and caring for them. Her enthusiasm is the
reason students love her so much and enjoy her class.
She is very knowledgeable about French language and
culture and she brings authenticity through her experience
of studying and living in France. She goes above
and beyond the call of duty by preparing lessons
in character development in addition to her French
lessons.
Jane sponsors French Club and French National Honor
Society at Jasper HS. Although all this takes up
a great amount of time, she does it gladly because
of her love for the students and her job. Jane is
also an active member of American Association of
Teachers of French, a professional organization.
Jane has a Masters of Arts degree in English as
a Second Language. She has attended many professional
development sessions to obtain new information to
apply in her classroom. She is a wonderful teacher
in every way and she goes the extra mile.
I have observed many outstanding teachers throughout
my career. I can honestly say that Jane Shea is one
of the very best teachers I have ever worked with.
I am quite confident that the district selection
committee will feel the same way once they get an
opportunity to interview her. We are very privileged
to have a teacher as dedicated and respected as Jane
Shea. She is a vital member of the Jasper High School
team, and I know she is very deserving of the district’s
experienced teacher of the year award.
Sincerely,
Michael Novotny
Principal
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