Teacher Spotlight Sponsored by COUNTRY Financial
The OSSAA & COUNTRY Financial are teaming up to recognize the efforts of educators and coaches/advisors who go beyond the call of duty to positively impact the lives of Oklahoma high school students inside and outside of the classroom.
Jenny Allen-Price, as Special Education and English Teacher for Purcell High School, is September’s honoree…
Current teaching role & some history of your teaching career.
Special Education and English Teacher and Transitions Coordinator at Purcell High School. Also served as a paraprofessional at Whittier Middle School in Norman, Ok.
What is the most rewarding part of being a teacher at your school?
I really enjoy building relationships with students and watching them grow academically, socially, and in some instances emotionally. A close second is watching students have that lightbulb moment after watching them struggle with a concept. Coupled with my relationship with them as a foundation, the trust that they have in me that they will get to the solution eventually is very sacred to me, and it’s awesome to watch the ah-ha happen in real time.
What are some ways you continue to motivate your classroom and students?
I use my relationships with my students to motivate them. I take pieces of their life, what’s happening in them, or things they want to do later in their lives, and I make an assignment or lesson relatable. Then it’s not just a lesson or an assignment, it’s a connection to life, which makes it mean more and engages students. The more connections they find between a lesson or assignment and their lives the more motivated they are to get it done. And when that fails, they rely on the fact that I wouldn’t steer them wrong, and there’s a good reason that I have them doing the lesson.
Share your best teaching story or memory.
My best teaching memory happened during my first year of teaching. I was a 7th-grade ELA teacher, and we were working on a nonfiction unit about Phineas Gage, discussing the brain. I reached out to the high school biology department for anything related to brains for a hands-on idea I had. The science teacher loaned me a pull-apart brain model and three pig brains. One of the assignments was to have the students do a debate over the different types of brain injuries, but to make it more engaging, I turned the classroom into a convention. I made name tags for each student and told them that everyone there would be referred to as Dr. and their last name. Students were using the text to make arguments and were engaged in several different discussions. The students really enjoyed it, and at the end of the year, many listed it as one of their favorite activities of the year. Several students took selfies with the pig brains, and so did I. It was a great day.
Who is a mentor that has made a lasting impact on your education or teaching career and why?
My biggest mentor has been Claudia Swisher. She was my freshman English teacher in high school, and she has been in my corner throughout my entire adult life. She was one of the main reasons that I stuck with teaching through my rough first year when I doubted myself and my teaching ability. She was a Teacher of the Year many times, a National Teacher of the Year, and for many years she was an NBCT. As an educator, I try to model my teaching after her. She made me feel like I was more than just a student in her classroom, like I mattered to her- which I did. High school was difficult for me, and her class was one of the few that I did well in. I know the impact she had on her students, as many of us have gone on tobecome educators, administrators, politicians, and other people-centered occupations. I try to be theSwisher for my students that she was for me and my peers, both past and present.
Give an example of how you have best felt supported in your education career.
I have been the best supported by my current admin team. They have all made themselves available to staff and teachers to come to them for anything. I am a person who tends to ask a lot of questions because I like to know why and understand context which helps me connect to concepts better. Anytime I stop by their offices they take the time to answer my questions. During my post-observations they give great constructive feedback and ways that I can improve. My future plans are to move into an administrative role and they’ve each shared advice on how I can prepare myself and my perspective towards being more admin-minded. They’ve all been helpful in my professional growth especially in the past two years as I’ve added the additional role of Transition Coordinator to my list.
Donna Deason, a science teacher for Grove Public Schools, was August’s honoree…
Current teaching role & some history of your teaching career.
I currently teach eighth-grade general science and eighth-grade Honors Science. I am starting my 31st year teaching science. I was a graduate of Northeastern State University, where I received an outstanding education and the tools needed for my long and rewarding journey. I have led my students to 19 consecutive years of winning the Oklahoma State Science and Engineering Fair grand champions. Letting the students perform scientific research independently is one of the best gifts I can give my students. I work very diligently trying to research and implement new techniques and strategies to use in the classroom.
What is the most rewarding part of being a teacher at your school?
The most rewarding part of teaching is definitely the student’s laughter and smiles that they bring into the classroom each and every day. I feel I have traveled all around the world through my student’s stories of their vacations. Some of the students have rough home situations, and if I can give them a smile, encouragement, and hope, it feels good. The feeling that “I” am making a difference in some small way is rewarding enough. After 30 years, I can still say I love my job!
What are some ways you continue to motivate your classroom and students?
I work very hard to keep my classroom fun and exciting. Some students are very hard to motivate, and some just don’t like the “rainbows and lollipop” environment, but most of them come around and learn to have a good time while learning new skills. I use a variety of teaching methods to complete a standard. Some are lectures followed by an activity. The students love to get up and move around so we have learning stations to reinforce many standards. Labs are a “rule of them” in my classroom, which the kids
love.
Share your best teaching story or memory.
After 30 years of teaching, I have many stories but a few will never leave. I had a young male about ten years ago. He was very gifted, and wore his feelings on his sleeve. He was also an extremely gifted clarinet player. I remember he came in after school one day in tears because an extracurricular instructor had scolded him for missing that class due to he was at Senior Citizen’s building testing older folks for his science research project. I calmed him down, and then took to our principal to “tell his story”. Everything did eventually work out, and he calmed down. That year he won first at the Oklahoma State Science and Engineering Fair, and first in a competition from the extracurricular activity class competition. He excelled in every aspect of his life. I followed him through college and watched him excel in every activity from leadership to band. He sent me a message one day, out of the blue, of how he tried to model me in every single thing he accomplished in his college days. He said he always said to himself, “What would Mrs. Deason do”? I think this was one of the nicest comments anyone ever gave me. He is now in a graduate program in Minnesota. The moral of this story is that we, as teachers, do make a difference.
Who is a mentor that has made a lasting impact on your education or teaching career and why?
The principal who hired me, Mr. Vic Clouse, is the person who has made the biggest impact on my teaching career. Mr. Clouse was a “down-to-earth” principal who understood teachers having diverse personalities and styles. He would ask every Monday morning, “Anybody need anything?” He meant it. He was very supportive of teachers raising small children and told us to always put family first. He had been a former science teacher in his earlier years, so he was always supportive of our local science fair and
competitive science team. I think what Mr. Clouse taught me was to be fair, consistent, and work hard. My career could have had a different outcome had I not had encouragement in the beginning. Give an example of how you have best felt supported in your education career.
My current principal, Mrs. Mindy Collins, has been the most generous principal I have ever had. She always has the resources to purchase the newest equipment needed to perform the labs and activities in the classroom. Not only is she generous with monetary items, she has always supported our needs if we need in other ways, like needing to put our families first. There is no making us feel guilty, or counting off on evaluations for being absent. She supports a learning environment for all students, and will go out of her way to help teachers achieve this.
Are you also currently coaching a sport or activity? Yes
High School Coaching (school, sport/activity, level, and how long you’ve been there, overall years).
30 years
What is the most rewarding part of being a coach?
I coach a competitive scientific research team. Mentoring students has many advantages, such as getting to know them outside the classroom, watching them shine, or just watching them strive to do their very best. It is awesome to watch them win but just as rewarding to watch them congratulate their teammates for winning. I love building relationships that will last a lifetime. I have many students email me from college thanking me for teaching them scientific research. It makes my heart melt!!
Favorite game, meet, memory or moment from coaching so far?
When our small school took students to the Oklahoma State Science and Engineering Fair in 2002, our students won many of the categories, but little did I know they would recognize a Grand Champion. When they called our little schools name, we all went nuts with pride!! After this team set the example, every year they excelled for 19 years straight. It certainly makes you proud of the students and their hard
work for being recognized.
What are some ways you continue to motivate your team and build your program?
I motivate my academic team by modeling, encouraging, and praising. Kids will respond to a positive environment. My student’s goal is usually to attend the Oklahoma State Science and Engineering Fair held in Stillwater, OK. They are able to stay overnight, tour the college, and meet new students from all over the state. Students learn very quickly the enjoyment to walk across stage and receive awards.
What is or was your team’s mindset/motto heading into this year’s season?
The science research team always has the mindset to practice and do your best. That’s all you can ask. The more they put into their projects, the payback was greater. The students generally have very good positive attitudes and are a joy to teach and compete.
