Tech Titans

(Continued from District Digest)

"The Tech Titans and Titan Fast Tech Awards provide the premier recognition of fast-growing, highly innovative companies that contribute to the vibrancy of the North Texas economy and make our region an exciting place to live and work," said Cindi Keith, partner/technology marketing industry leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and co-chair of the MTBC's Tech Titans steering committee. "We have enjoyed showcasing these true leaders in our industry and celebrating their hard work and creativity."

Inspiration from the Titans

Jacqui Lewis

I developed the 50 Minute Sprint with Talent Balanced Teams program as a survival technique during my first year of teaching. My classes consisted of 75% minority students, and 43% were economically disadvantaged. The first six weeks of school were unbelievably difficult with very high failure rate. After I implemented this program the students became focused and inspired, and I ended up with a 5% failure rate!

The 50 Minute Sprint is basically a commitment between myself and my students that we will complete all assignments during the 50 minutes of class. They have no homework if we can complete this (and we always do).

These are the commitments that I make on the first day of class:

My only goal is their success!
I will come everyday with a well planned lesson for their success.
They will never see me sit down or work on my computer except to take roll.
I am here for THEM and will work with THEM the entire 50 minutes of class.
Their collective grade is my grade and WE WILL be successful!
Homework and Class work will not be graded, as they are vehicles for learning.
I COMMIT to grade and return their tests and quizzes within 24 hours.

The commitments that they make are:

To immediately start their warm ups upon entering the classroom.
To run a 50 MINUTE SPRINT with NO DISCUSSION outside of the work we are doing.
To give 100% effort during our 50 minutes.
To not pack up to leave before the bell rings and do not leave the classroom for ANY REASON.
They commit to make their orthodontist and doctor's appointments during ENGLISH! :)

To build Talent Balanced Teams, I sort the students in a spreadsheet based on their major evaluation scores (or previous TAKS scores) and build teams of 3-4 students. The average scores of each team are nearly equal.

A high percentage of my students are dependent learners, however there is not enough time for me to be a one-on-one tutor for that many students. I rely heavily on Peer Tutoring and so the teams are seated together. The motivation of the 50 minute sprint and on-going team competitions, encourage the Peer Tutoring that is required. Students LOVE competition and they love the speed of the 50 Minute Sprint. They are happy to help each other.

This year my three regular geometry classes had 88 students: 35% were dependent learners (based on standardized tests), 53% minority students and 30% entered the class below grade level.

This demographic would lead one to expect a general lack of focus, learning issues and a classroom management nightmare. But as a result of the 50 Minute Sprint and Talent Balanced Teams no disciplinary actions were required. The students were 100% engaged daily, they maintained an 85% Median on Tests and Quizzes and this resulted in a 3% failure rate!

This was far beyond even my expectations!

Wes Kirpach

It is hard for me not to be excited by science. I feel that if every student could experience what I know of science, they would have no choice but to be drawn in. If they only knew how amazing this word is, they, too, would question and explore and not just memorize and regurgitate.

I have attempted in my career to instill a curiosity in my students, so that they become competent navigators in their own adventure. A specific example has involved the often controversial and sometimes intangible theory of evolution. I approach the subject by asking the students to draw, write and discuss the meaning of evolution. The responses vary greatly, and are often laced with emotion, doubt, uncertainty and often apathy. I then explain to the students that evolution, like all other aspects of biological science, has been proven many times in the past by hard evidence.

Some evidences of evolution are, given our short lifespan, impossible to observe. Evidence such as comparative anatomy and the fossil record, however, afford the opportunity for students to witness, question, experiment, analyze data and respond to the subject in real time. I realized very early that I could utilize the paleontological resources we have in north Texas for the benefit of all levels of students.

My lesson truly begins with a little adventure. The entire class every year follows me down to the drainage ditch next to the student parking lot on our campus. Here the students observe a seemingly lifeless and uninteresting white rock "creek" bed. They have passed it by a thousand times, but today they are scientists. Inevitably a student points out something unusual in the rock, very soon after someone sees a shell.

The students question, "where did the shells come from?..." "how old are they?..."and,"...aren't these marine shells?" I tell them that we are nearly 650 feet above sea level and ask for hypotheses. They deliver, and slowly but surely begin to become a part of science instead of simply memorizing it.

On more than one occasion, I have been fortunate enough to take this lesson a few steps further. Students have several times uncovered scientifically significant fossil remains in this little "creek." These have included the vertebrae of an 85 million year old giant fish, shark's teeth that are equal in size to that of "Jaws." And most recently, a skull and neck of an extremely rare mosasaur. These fossils have prompted the cooperation of SMU's paleontologists with our students and myself to uncover not only the identity and relative and radiometric age, but also an understanding of the pathology and taphonomy of these creatures and the composition of their ancient environments.

Students find themselves participating in modern, cutting edge research on some of this Earth's most fascinating mysteries. In short, they live the science they are used to only reading about.

It's been said that you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. This is true. The horse may not be thirsty enough. The trick is to let the horse seek the water on its own. A student who doesn't want to learn, won't. I feel my job is to subtly allow the student's innate curiosity to make science so irresistible that they can't help wanting to know more. It is beneficial that the vast majority of my students are inherently amazing.

Each seems to be teeming with a curiosity about their natural world, so much so that my presentations are only catalysts to push each student past the threshold of educational passiveness.

This and last year I taught over a dozen National Merit Scholarship Finalists. These students have already achieved more than I can imagine. I have to keep up with minds that are truly elite, and I have been humbled and remain in awe. Of my AP Biology students, fully 95% seek majors in biology or the biological sciences, most of these majors are pre-med. A similar percentage of my students enter college with 8 hours of biology credits due to exemplary scores on SAT 2 and AP Biology tests.

Many of my Biology I students choose to attend college or community college after the year in my class to take science courses that will continue their education in biological fields. Their decision undoubtedly gives them the chance at a brighter future, and me a great sense of pride in their tenacity and hard work.

I consider myself extremely fortunate. I have taught future doctors and researchers, teachers and surgeons. I became a teacher because of a teacher, and others teach because of me. I am privileged to play a small part in helping these kids have, and eventually achieve, their dreams. These dreams will change the world. There is no question that all of the students I teach are my future. I feel truly honored to know that my students leave with a love of science and with their eyes open.

Related Link: www.metroplextbc.org/techtitans

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