|
Rebecca Cituk, Portsmouth, RI
 "My
interest in science started with my love of the outdoors and when I began
wondering why things work the way they do. I feel that also from my students.
Every time we do science experiments, they keep asking why, you know, and
they want to know why is the sky blue, for example. I feel like teaching
is a learning experience for everyone involved, including the teacher.
I want my students to realize that I’m still learning, too, that
it doesn’t stop here. And for them, that’s how it will be,
and that this is just a stepping stone to the next adventure that is coming
for them."
School at a Glance:
Portsmouth Middle School
Portsmouth, RI
Grades: 5-8
Enrollment: 924
Students per Teacher: 14.4
Ethnicity:
96% White
2% Asian
1% Hispanic
2% African American
Percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch: 6% versus
a state average of 38%
Rebecca has been teaching for seven years — the last
four at the Portsmouth Middle School. She is currently enrolled in a master’s
in science education program at the University of Rhode Island, and also
participates in a summer program in the engineering department at Brown
University called "Research Experience for Teachers," where she
has developed modules that integrate math and science.
Portsmouth Middle
School is divided into “learning centers,” each
with about 70 students. Each learning center is in a square that’s
divided by walls that can open and close. In Rebecca’s center, there
are three classrooms and one open classroom. The students rotate from one
class to the other and see different teachers throughout the day. According
to Rebecca, “The whole concept behind it is that it gives the teachers
an opportunity to work as a team… We can open up the walls and do
something as a whole group, or we can close them up if we need to. Most
of all, it allows us to give the students an environment where they feel
safe to ask us questions, and where they feel comfortable.”
|
prev:
children's ideas
