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Award
Year -- 2001
Environmental Educator - Elementary School Level
The Plainfield School
Brenda Johnson
55 River Road
Hanover, NH 03755
603/469-3250 (O)
brenda.r.johnson@valley.net
Biographical Data
Brenda Johnson received an AB in Social Services from Syracuse University,
Syracuse, NY in 1971 and a Masters in Foundations in Education from
Antioch/New England in 1991. She has had extensive additional professional
training and development in a variety of areas. Johnson has taught in
Lebanon, Hanover and Canaan, NH; Madison, WI; and Norwich, VT; and has
been an advisor and cooperating teacher with Antioch New England. Since
1986 she has taught at Plainfield Elementary School in Meriden, NH.
Characteristics Leading
to the Award
Brenda Johnson's sixth grade class responded to a challenge issued by
Time for Kids to do something to improve the local environment and to
educate the local community. The class researched bats, built bat houses
and developed an educational presentation for the community and school.
In her teaching, Johnson tries to involve students in interesting projects
which they help design and set standards for. Her philosophy is based
on a constructivist student-centered approach, resulting in part from
her work at Antioch New England's 'Education by Design' program. Her
strength is developing a community of learners where students work toward
the high standards they help to set. Johnson advises interns and teachers
at Antioch New England Graduate School.
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Award
Year -- 2003
Environmental Educator - Elementary School Level
Gilford
Elementary School
Wendy Oellers
20 Penny Lane
Laconia, NH 03246
603/524-1661 (O)
603/524-7705 (H)
weoellers@metrocast.net
Biographical
Data
Wendy Oellers received an MEd from Antioch New England Graduate School
and a BS in Child Development/Education from the University of Maine,
Orono. Oellers has been the Primary Looping Teacher in Gilford Elementary
School since 1993. From 1988-1993 she was and educator on an Early Intervention
Tam at Community Health and Hospice, and was a primary teacher at Moultonborough
Elementary School from 1974-1979. In 1996 she co-developed the award
winning Integrated Instructional Model (IIM Model), received a Promising
Practice Award from the NH Dept. of Education in 2000, and received
a research and training grant of a half million dollars from the Federal
Department of Arts in Education in 2001. Since 1997 Wendy has served
as an adjunct with Antioch New England Graduate School, where she presents
workshops in IIM and Arts Integration.
Characteristics
Leading to the Award
In Wendy’s teaching, she uses the key question, "How does
where you live impact how you live?" Using the trail system behind
her school, Wendy helps guide students to learn about the outdoors.
In her teaching, she uses the Integrated Instructional Model, which
uses inquiry and problem based instruction, development of a compassionate
and democratic community, and a full integration of subject areas and
the arts. She developed the two-year spiral curriculum that utilizes
the environment as an integrating concept and is utilized at Gilford
Elementary school. In the first year, students explore what is happening
now in their environment. During the second year, they explore the history
of their area, including the impact on a community of change over time.
She has formed a Junior Naturalist Club that meets bi-weekly and involves
the support of middle school students, parents, and community members.
She presents workshops to teachers both in and out of her school to
help them develop unity that follow the NH Frameworks and encourage
students to care about the environment.
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