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Kathy
Severson,
Excellence in Teaching Awardee
 Boggess
Elementary School
Fourth Grade Teacher
Philosophy
of Teaching
Educational/Professional
Background
School
Principal Comments
Philosophy of Teaching
“What do you want to be doing in twenty years?” was
the question my fourth grade teacher posed to the class. I immediately
knew the answer to that question and began drawing a picture of a red
headed lady standing in front of a chalkboard teaching to a classroom
of students. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to
teach. As a ten year old, the allure of teaching came from being fascinated
by my own teachers.
I wanted to grade papers, create beautiful bulletin
boards, and make copies on that machine that printed
paper with purple ink and smelled “fresh off the press.” I
wanted to hang out in the teachers’ lounge where the Coke machine
was and eat the gourmet lunch that I was certain the teachers were
being served.
Yes, being a teacher was going to be fabulous!
I
didn’t take into account at that time, however, the patience
it must have taken to deal with kids with behavior
issues or the time it took to make each and every one of us feel special
in the eyes of
our teachers. What was their philosophy of teaching
and do I emulate those same characteristics in my own classroom today?
My reasons for
pursuing a career in education changed throughout
the years, but my ambition to somehow make a difference in kids’ lives
never did. I have been extremely fortunate to have an amazing career
thus far,
and if there is one thing I have learned it is that
kids are kids.
“Look, Mrs. Severson, I can balance this ruler on
my tongue, add weights to each side, and have a homemade
balance scale!” Promoting
creativity is one of the true joys of teaching, and
having a sense of humor is a must. Being able to adapt lesson plans to take advantage
of a “teachable moment” allows me to capture the excitement
my students find in learning. Teaching takes form
in a variety of ways and it is my philosophy that I must do what is
right for my students
at any particular time or place. Although their needs
change from time to time, all kids need attention, all kids need praise,
and all kids
need love.
“Danny” suffered from autism and needed me to hold his
hand during music because he would get startled by the loud noise
and become frightened. “Jermaine” needed
a hug for reassurance upon entering school each day
because circumstances at home prevented him from entering the classroom ready
to learn. Children
have many needs and having many strategies for meeting
those needs is imperative. Being pragmatic in my teaching gives me the flexibility
to adapt to change and focus on attending to, praising,
and loving
all my students.
Eleven years after taking that leap
into teaching I am still thankful for the choice I made. On days
when frustration gets the best of me and I contemplate
a career change, I can never come up with anything more fulfilling or more
important than teaching. Nothing can replace the
inner jubilance of observing a dyslexic
student read fluently on grade level for the very first time. No other career
can place a struggling math student in my hands and allow me to help guide
him/her to strategies that before that moment had
not existed in their world. In no other
work place would I have the opportunity to convince an overweight child that
he/she is beautiful or a neglected child that he/she is special. In times of
frustration that this profession often brings, I remind myself of these small
moments in time that occur in the classroom, in the hallway, and on the playground.
My philosophy is to embrace these moments to help make a difference in kids’ lives.
I
still have that picture I drew of myself in the fourth grade, and I feel
blessed that I knew at such a young age the path my life would take.
I am thankful
for
those teachers I had long ago and am certain that somehow they impacted my
views on teaching today. I fulfilled my dream of grading papers, creating
bulletin boards, and making copies on the copy machine (although I
miss the purple ink!).
I am still waiting, however, for those gourmet lunches to be served to me
in the teachers ’ lounge.
Educational
/ Professional Background
Education
- University of North Texas, Denton, TX,
August, 1999
Master of Education degree: Elementary
Education
Specialization: Language Arts
- The University of
Texas at Austin, August, 1994
Bachelor of Science degree: Applied Learning & Development
Concentration: English
Employment Experience
- Plano Independent School District, Plano, TX
2002-present
Boggess Elementary School
· 4th grade teacher (all subjects)
· Math Vertical Team Chairperson, 2002-present
· PASAR Site Manager, 2003-present
· SBIC committee member, 2004-present
· Completed Gifted and Talented Certification, 2004
·
Completed 40 Developmental Assets Training and presented
at Principal’s Meeting, 2003
District Math Curriculum Department
· Assisted in the writing of the 4th grade math curriculum, summer 2003
· Assisted in the writing of the AIM 3, 4, and 5 curriculum guides, summer
2004
PAL Summer School
· Assisted in the writing of the 4th grade math curriculum,
spring 2004
· Served as the lead math coordinator at PAL West summer
school, summer 2004
- New York City Public Schools,
New York, NY
2001-2002 Public School 183, Community School District
Two
· 5th grade teacher (Language Arts and Math)
· After-school Clubhouse Teacher
· Extended Day Math Teacher
- Las Virgenes Unified School District, Calabasas,
CA
1999-2001 Yerba Buena Elementary School- A California
Distinguished School
· 4th and 5th grade teacher (all subjects)
o Nominated for Disney’s Teacher of the Year,
2000 & 2001
· After-School Tutoring Program Teacher, 1999-2001
· Project Socrates Mentor, 2000-2001
o Mentored high school seniors in preparation for
a career in education
· Student Council Advisor, 2000-2001
· Outdoor Education Committee Member, 2000-2001
Plano Independent School District, Plano, TX
- 1994-1999 Saigling Elementary School- Blue Ribbon
School
· 4th grade teacher (all subjects)
· Assistant Team Leader, 1997-1999
· Math Clinic Program Director, 1995-1999
School
Principal's Recommendation
The staff of Boggess Elementary School has proudly
selected Kathy Severson as their 2004-05 Teacher
of the Year. It is my pleasure and privilege to recommend
Mrs. Severson for the Plano Independent School District’s
Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Severson, a fourth grade
teacher, is an exceptional representative of the
beliefs and values of our school district. Mrs. Severson
represents the “ALL means ALL” attitude
that ensures this district helps every student succeed.
Mrs. Severson demonstrates the devotion to her students
that comes with the heart of a natural born teacher.
Her story begins right here in Plano ISD, where she
attended elementary school and graduated from Plano
Senior High. As a fourth grader at Sigler Elementary,
she was asked to illustrate a picture of where she
would be in twenty years. Her picture showed a grown
up Kathy standing in front of a chalkboard. Her desire
to teach did not fade, and as a student at PSHS,
she participated in their educator preparation program.
In her own words, she teaches because “nothing
can replace the jubilance of observing a dyslexic
student read fluently on grade level for the first
time” and “no other career can place
a struggling math student in her hands and allow
her to guide him or her to strategies that before
that moment had not existed in their world.” As
a principal, I would hope to find this kind of devotion
in every teacher on my staff.
Mrs. Severson is in her eleventh year of teaching.
She began her career at Saigling Elementary in 1994,
holding the leadership positions of assistant team
leader and Math Clinic Director during her five-year
tenure there. Following her time at Saigling, her
husband’s education took her to New York and
California, where she continued teaching, mentored
high school seniors interested in a career in education,
and was twice nominated for the Disney Teacher of
the Year Award. In 2002, she returned to Plano to
assist in opening Boggess Elementary School. At Boggess,
Mrs. Severson serves as the Math Vertical Team Chairperson
and PASAR site manager. She serves on the School
Based Improvement Committee and chairs the SBIC Math
Committee. Her influence extends beyond the school
walls to the district as a whole. Mrs. Severson assisted
in the writing of both the 4th grade math curriculum
and the AIM programming guides. She also presented
a training session on the 40 Developmental Assets
Children Need to Succeed to the district’s
principals in 2003.
Mrs. Severson’s dedication and commitment
to educating children sets up a positive climate
in her 4th grade classroom. Every time you enter
her room, you are immediately struck with the sense
that her students are working with confidence and
security. Mrs. Severson’s love for education
is apparent in the success of her students. They
feel safe and secure when taking on the challenges
of the fourth grade curriculum with Mrs. Severson
as their guide.
Boggess Elementary is extremely proud to have Kathy
Severson as our teacher of the Year. We feel that
she would be an exemplary representative for Plano
ISD and wholeheartedly support her candidacy for
the district’s Teacher of the Year.
Sincerely,
Mark Speck
Boggess Elementary School Principal
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