Under the supervision of their cooperating teachers and Associate Professor of Education Doris Santoro, three Scholars are working toward demonstration of competency in each of the ten Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Standards. Upon successful completion of their practicum, seminar and portfolio defense, they will be eligible for recommendation by Bowdoin’s state-approved teacher certification program for initial teacher licensure in their content area.
Cailey Oehler ’15, a Spanish major and Art History minor from Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is teaching introductory Spanish to students at King Middle School in Portland under the supervision of AnneMarie Orth.
With Cailey at King MS is Earth and Oceanographic Science major Dominique Wein ’15 from Memphis, Tennessee. She is teaching 8th grade Physical Science with esteemed Bowdoin teaching program alum Peter Hill ’02.
Just up the road at Portland High School is Bill Griffiths ’14, a History major from Darien, Connecticut. Prior to returning for Bowdoin Teacher Scholars, Bill taught urban studies and creative writing courses at Choate Rosemary Hall Summer Program and worked as a substitute teacher in Weston, Connecticut. Bill is teaching early American history under the guidance of cooperating teacher Troy Crabtree.
Because all three Scholars are working in Portland Schools, King Middle School has graciously allowed them to hold their weekly seminars in a classroom after school hours. These seminars provide a way for the Scholars to come together to share their experiences, discuss problems of practice, and begin to cultivate a professional community of support. They are also developing a professional portfolio, based on the InTASC standards, that contains rationales and artifacts to demonstrate that they have sufficiently met each standard. They will present a defense of their portfolio and practice in early May before a celebratory dinner with cooperating teachers, education department faculty, and invited guests.
For more information about the Bowdoin Teacher Scholars program, visit http://www.bowdoin.edu/education/programs/bowdoin-teacher-scholars.shtml.
