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Sarah T. Craig
Excellence in Teaching Awardee
Philosophy of Teaching
Parlez-vous, francais? It has often been said that
in order to perfect a foreign language, you must
immerse yourself within the culture and environment. I would
say, 'c'est
vrai!" [it's true!}. Well, that is the extent of my
skills in the French language, but it conveys my
beliefs that as a teacher, I want to immerse myself
into the subject, the school and
the culture of the community. By plunging into each
teaching experience, the learning curve is always
high and the benefits are everlasting. There
is a quote by M. Ghandi that continues to inspire
me which is, "LIVE as if you are going to die tomorrow,
LEARN as if you are going to live
forever." I am always striving to learn, grow, seek
out new experiences, and I love to model and share this
passion with my students.
The seventh grade science curriculum is centralized around the intricate
balance of a tropical rainforest, yet I had no real
world experience to help my students in Plano understand
its value and importance. Therefore,
I applied for a summer grant that would allow me
to work with scientists in the Costa Rican rainforest,
studying caterpillars. This immersion
into a new ecosystem made me realize just how damp,
humid and warm the rainforest really is. I was able
to experience not only the bio diversity and beauty
of the rainforest but also to
face some of
the issues that threaten its existence. After this
experience, I shared pictures and stories with my
students, which evoked an immediate response, "Let's
turn our classroom into a rainforest!" By rearing
their own caterpillars, students became excited about the
rainforest and were able to discover how native caterpillars
are an integral part
of our ecosystem in Plano. The Dallas World Aquarium,
which is modeled after a rainforest, is now an annual
field trip for my seventh graders. By immersing myself,
whether it is the rainforest or Newton's Laws, I
am able to awaken joy, passion and understanding in my students.
My first teaching experience was in a low-income school in the inner
city of San Antonio. Immediately, I began to immerse
myself by creating a science club for all my students
that were hanging around after school
and were full of curiosity for tomorrow
's lessons. Students were given the opportunity
to immerse themselves in engineering competitions,
explore the grounds of NASA and visit the Science
Place in Dallas. Many
of my students had never been outside of their community,
let alone the city of San
Antonio. I
remember students being so excited, thanking me
for each experience and immediately asking, "Where
are we going next?" This
not only clarifies that students are enthusiastic
about learning but also that I have provided a classroom
that is welcoming and inspiring.
I have had a variety of student populations in my career. I have
taught in the inner city of San Antonio, an upper
class private school in London, England and currently
in the ever-changing city of Plano. All
of my students have shaped my teaching by their unique
experiences. In
San Antonio, I learned that even though a community
and the exterior of a school was eroding away, that
children still want to learn, soaking
up as much knowledge as possible, and if you are
willing to put in the effort, students will achieve
the greatest rewards, such as getting
into a university or winning first place in engineering
competitions. In
London, I learned that even though students may come
from an affluent background, all students need their teachers
for guidance, stability and expertise.
In the Plano schools,
I have learned from my students that even though
they may be labeled either as learning disabled or
gifted, all students have their strengths and it
is up to me to show them how to tap into that invaluable
resource. As
Harry Wong reminds us all, "If you dare to teach,
you must never cease to learn."
Educational
/ Professional Background
University Degrees
- B.A. – Trinity University
- M.Ed. – Trinity University
Certifications
- Graduate Marketing Certificate -
Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University
- Gifted and Talented Training
- Pre-AP Science Training - St. Marty's Hall
Employment History
2002 to Present - Wilson Middle School
- Science Teacher for Honors 7th & 8th Grade
- Head of Science Department
- Subject Team Leader
- AVID Site Team Member
- Science Fair Coordinator
- National Junior Honors Society Sponsor
- Extended Day Tutoring
- Science Curriculum Writer
- Summer School Teacher
- Mentor Teacher for Region X and Texas A & M
2000 to 2002 -
The American School in England (TASIS), Surrey, England
- Sixth and Eighth Grade Science Teacher
- Athletic Coaching Staff
1996 to 2000 - Cooper Middle School, San Antonio, TX
- Sixth through Eighth Grade Science Teacher
- Head of Science Department
- Young Astronauts Club Founder
- Drama Club Founder
- Mentor Teacher for Region X and Texas A & M
School
Principal's Recommendation
Whether it's digging in the dirt, manipulating genome
characteristics in plants, or cultivating caterpillars,
Sarah Craig is always capturing our imaginations. Starting
in inner city San Antonio, next a stint in a British
private school, we hired Sarah four years ago to
teach science at our rapidly changing middle school. Sarah
quickly rose to positions of leadership and service
to “cause” projects on our campus. She
is recognized as a teacher gifted at creating impressionistic
moments in time and visionary tapestry for our students
and staff.
In just four years at Wilson, Sarah has become Science
Department Coordinator, and science subject team
leader. For a campus which has maintained "exemplary"
and "recognized" ratings
from the Texas Education Agency throughout its history,
Sarah has captured this leadership prominence from
a school of many leaders! This was done through
some impressive feats. Sarah "wowed" us
through her summer internship study and subsequent
classroom lesson designs of caterpillar life in the
Central American rainforest. She revolutionized
our campus approach to the prestigious Science Fair
competition thereby allowing more students to participate
at higher performance levels. Passionate about
inspiring female interest and savvy in science studies,
she pioneered a girl's science club that collaborated
with women professionals in math and science occupations. Whether
it was staring awestruck at the vegetative appetites
of some really exotic caterpillars or imagining what
innovations in science projects that our students
could achieve, Sarah led us on a path of discovery
that would have made John Dewey or Sir Isaac Newton
quite proud.
But amidst the accolades and leadership adventures,
Sarah's greatest skill in shaping vision and impressionistic
moments is found in her character. A model
of forbearance and a beacon of altruism, Sarah brings
peace and reflection to all. Middle school
students inadvertently bring chaos to almost every
endeavor. Sarah's patient spirit and
unconditional acceptance can smite disorder into
reflecting pools of learning. Exuding care
for their welfare and enthusiasm for the topic at
hand, Sarah's students instinctively find calm
and consideration for the lesson. They consistently
respond with hands in the air. A learner centered
environment emerges with Sarah at the center. As
a staff, we enjoy the same warm personal regard that
oozes from her soul and clearly makes Wilson Middle
School a better place.
While our school girds up for the challenge of a rapidly changing demographic composition, teachers like Sarah Craig give me confidence we will succeed. Sarah creates classroom experiences that makes us wonder and leads us in programs that shape our imaginative character.
Sincerely,
George King
Wilson Middle School Principal
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