Colleen's Page

Profile Information

School / Work Affiliation: Fourth Grade Generalist

Blog: http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=6496

Website: http:///webfc.ahisd.net/~cderk/?OpenItemURL=S00327D36

About Me: When I graduated from U.T.S.A. in 1989, I started teaching freshman English at Clark High School. A few months after I began teaching, I developed some health issues that took me out of the classroom. I was devastated to be leaving the front lines of education, but I was very fortunate to be able to continue working with children and schools when the San Antonio Spurs hired me. I developed and worked with several programs that the organization took into our area schools. In this capacity, I developed curriculum and materials that teachers could use in the classroom. I also wrote a performance program that encouraged character development and a healthy lifestyle. I worked with many wonderful people in the business community, the non-profit community, and the sports/entertainment community. All of these experiences gave me wonderful insight and ideas for creating a stimulating and exciting learning environment.

After eight years with the Spurs organization, I left my full-time position to start a family with my husband, Tim. I continued to work part-time with the Spurs Media and other media while I raised our two children. My favorite work experience at this time was hosting a show produced by City Public Service called THE HOME AND LIFESTYLE SHOW. The show aired five years on local network affiliates. As the children grew and Griffin started Kindergarten at Howard, my work with the show allowed me to be able to spend a good bit of time at the school. I knew the time was quickly approaching when the children would no longer need my attention quite as much, and I would be able to reconsider my dream of working on the front lines of education back in the classroom.

Ironically, it was again some major health issues in our family forced me to "accelerate" another career shift. While I hate to use a cliché, I can tell you that there is indeed such a thing as a "silver lining." I have always wanted to be back in the classroom working more directly with students. Little did I know that I would have the privilege to work in one of the most visionary public schools around and be surrounded by one of the finest faculty I have ever encountered.

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At 5:31pm on April 24, 2008, Tracy said…: Welcome! Fellow Texan here in Arlington. I love what you're doing with your 4th graders and the blog ( I taught 3-4 grades for quite a few years!). I hope to do some similar things with my middle school ESL students.