|
|
|
Misti Ann Perry,
Excellence in Teaching Awardee
Philosophy of Teaching
Walk into my classroom and you will see posters, articles, and students'
work displayed on the wall. A discerning eye, however, will also
find a small sign, a memento, actually, from a past
vacation that instructs the reader to "Mind the Gap." First
time riders of London's subway system "the Tube"
are often unaware of the dangerous three inch gap
that exists between the car and the
platform; this gap may catch an unsuspecting foot
causing injury. The
sign attempts to assure that every rider arrives
at his or her destination safely. I kept the sign at home for
several years as a keepsake. However,
the longer I taught, the less it reminded me of my
vacation and the more it became symbolic of my vocation. "Mind
the Gap" became
my professional creed. It reminded me to do just that - to
be aware that my students have, at times, stumbled,
and have been at risk of falling through the cracks.
The beginning of each school year brings new students who approach
the classroom in the same manner that first time riders
of the Tube approach the platform: with caution
and trepidation. Throughout their educational lives
many of my students have been given various labels,
all of which reference the gap, such as: "at-risk," "learning
disabled," "unmotivated," "struggling," and "behaviorally
problematic." However, that is not what I see when I look
at my students; labels, test data, and academic records
do not define who a student is or what he/she can
accomplish.
Because of past struggles or failures, my English I and II students
often come into my class feeling defeated and therefore
do not even want to try. My first priority is to
try and get to know my student "through
their school and home lives, outside interests, and
friends "trying
to bridge the gap between their "school world" and
their "real world." I see them as individuals, not
names or labels, and definite NOT as failures. The
students also get to know me before I attempt to
present the content that they will learn and expectations
they are
to meet. One cannot fully address an educational "gap" without
minding other key factors, such as students' personalities,
interests, hopes, and fears. All of these factors greatly impact
the learning environment; students bring them to
class each day; therefore, they must always be thought
of while teaching. The
more I believe in my students, the more they believe
in themselves. They
begin to risk, to try, and ultimately, to succeed. It becomes
easier for them to believe that any "gap" is fleeting and
surmountable.
If I did not already have this belief, my third year of teaching
would have firmly established it. "JT" came to my co-taught
English I class with modifications because he was
diagnosed with a significant learning disability
in written expression. Because
I believe in supporting my students while challenging
them, JT's modifications were removed, and he successfully
completed English I
with regular credit. For English II he was moved
from a co-taught classroom into a traditional class; not only was
he successful, his teacher recommended JT for Honors
English III. None
of this would have been accomplished if I had relied
only on what his file reported
and if I had not believed in JT.
It is not until having successfully disembarked from the subway that
passengers' hesitations fade and confidence grows. This
can be said of students as well. It is not until exiting the
classroom, having been successful, that a student's
belief in him or herself is indelibly established. "Mind
the gap," I
say, so that my students may continue on their journey
with the knowledge that even though there may be
more challenges ahead, they can confidently
step over those "gaps" and arrive at their next destination.
Educational
/ Professional Background
University Degrees
- B.S. – University of North Texas
- M.Ed. – University of North Texas
Certifications
- Special Education Certification, Pre-K through twelfth grade
- Reading and English Language Arts Certification, eighth through twelfth grade
Employment History
2000 to Present - Jasper High School
- Saturday TAKS tutorial teacher
- Inclusion Specialist in English I and English II
- Inclusion Specialist in English I and English II
- Resource English I and II Teacher
- Special Education Teacher for students with Autism
- Special Education Resource Math Teacher
- Mentor Liaison and Teacher
- School Based Improvement Committee
- Students Taking Action Not Drugs Retreat Sponsor
- Student Council Co-chairman
School
Principal's Recommendation
Please accept this letter as a most positive recommendation for Misti Perry as Plano ISD’s Experienced Teacher of the Year. Misti is a special education teacher at Jasper High School.
Misti has been very involved in the school and district during all
seven years she has been in the district. She has been an integral
part of many Admission Review and Dismissal (ARD)
committees and Central Intervention Team (CIT) meetings. She
also supervises our Friday Night Live " detentions
and make sure students benefit academically during their
time there.
Misti has spent many hours working on curriculum and instruction for
Plano ISD. She adapts and modifies the curriculum for students
with special needs. She
does such a good job with this that she has been
utilized by the district's curriculum and special education departments
to help with this district-wide.
Yet the reason Misti was chosen as Jasper's experienced teacher of
the year was because of the incredible job she does teaching
her students.
She co-teaches all of our sheltered English classes for at-risk, special
education, PASP, and struggling students. She does an outstanding
job instructing and connecting with our most difficult students. Thanks
to her efforts, compared to the 151 high schools in the Dallas/Fort
Worth area, Jasper High School students achieved the second-highest
scores on the ninth grade reading TAKS test and the highest on the
tenth grade English/language arts TAKS test.
Due to the district's budget constraints, our limited special education
staffing allotment makes it difficult to meet the needs
of all students.
For the past few years, Misti has helped us with this by voluntarily
giving
up her conference period and teaching an extra class. Her incredible
work ethic is demonstrated by the number of evenings
and weekends that she works on behalf of her students.
I have observed many outstanding teachers throughout my years in education. I
can honestly say that Misti Perry 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 visit with her and observe her in action. Her efforts are
appreciated by not only her students but their parents
and her peers as well. 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
Jasper High School
Principal
|
|
