Valerie Walsh

Walsh’s winning program, “Let’s Get Together”, is designed to strengthen the math department at Stanton Middle School and help the faculty evolve into 21^st century teachers. The program was created to help math teachers at the school collaborate more effectively with one another and the tutors they utilize to help improve students’ math skills. Senteos will be used to help students respond to and assess their learning. With the use of a Ladibug projector, teachable moments such as projecting student work and pictures of math manipulatives will be captured. By printing and inserting the projections into student notebooks, the program will also provide parents/guardians with strategies to assist their children with homework. The program will be evaluated by comparing student scores from one year to the next. It will also show the effectiveness of increasing manipulatives and implementing more technology for students. The department will benefit from the program by helping them reach their district goals in math through weekly assessments of their students’ comprehension.  Walsh, who lives in Northfield, hopes the program will not only increase students’ scores and help the school reach its goals, but that it will also foster an environment for students and teachers to collaborate.