Extraordinary Educators: Class of 2020

Join us in celebrating these Extraordinary Educators! Check out the information below to learn about these amazing educators and what they're doing to impact student learning.

What makes an Extraordinary Educator?
Curriculum Associates Extraordinary Educators in the teacher program:

  • Have taught for at least two years
  • Have experience using i-Ready® and/or Ready® in their classrooms
  • Illustrate growth and achievement via formal assessment(s)
  • Demonstrate classroom innovation and engagement practices for students
  • Are evangelists for high standards and student achievement
  • Are champions of equity

Curriculum Associates Extraordinary Educators in the Extraordinary Educators Leadership Collaborative:

  • Are principals in their first through third years in the role
  • Have experience using i-Ready and/or Ready
  • Illustrate growth and achievement via formal assessment(s)
  • Demonstrate schoolwide innovation and engagement practices for students
  • Are evangelists for high standards and student achievement
  • Are champions of equity

Class of 2020

Photo of Cathy Anderson.

Cathy Anderson, Grade 4 Math Teacher

Thames Elementary School, MS

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
safe, creative, respectful

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
I am a firm believer that it is vital for students to own their data. Getting students to own their data occurs by having data chats and viewing their weekly progress. Students earn points at the end of the week for having their time (45 mins. and above) and making 100.

Photo of Rose Becker.

Rose Becker, Grade 4 Teacher

Neinas Dual Language Learning Academy, MI

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
positive, goal-driven, fun

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
The iReady Mathematics 80 and Up club: During the week, students who score an 80% or higher write their name on an anchor chart in the classroom. On Friday, they receive one raffle ticket for each time they wrote their name.

Photo of Anna Bone.

Anna Bone, Teacher

Boaz Elementary School, AL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
focused, supportive, energetic

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
I use Tier 1, Tier 2, and intervention small group instruction depending on need, daily Online Instruction in reading and mathematics, and student data chats regarding progress, growth, performance, and goal setting.

Megan Boyter, High Ability Teacher, Grades 4–6

Knapp Elementary School, IN

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
motivated, innovative, collaborative

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
I create a motivational system in which I have a garden of sunflowers under my front chalk board. Each flower stands for five lessons passed. The students each decorate a bee and a butterfly. As they pass their Reading and Mathematics iReady lessons, they get to move their bees and butterflies through the flowers.

Photo of Kyle Cantrell.

Kyle Cantrell, Grade 5 Math and Science Teacher

John Pittard Elementary School, TN

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
teamwork, growth, purpose

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
I have a data wall that I use to display Online Instruction data and total lessons passed for each class and to shout out students who are reaching their goal of 45 minutes on iReady and at least one lesson passed. This empowers students to take ownership of their data.

Photo of Cynthia Chapman.

Cynthia Chapman, Grade 5 Teacher

Elsie C. Johnson Elementary School, IL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
kind, determined, supportive

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
iReady growth folders; class goals; Friday celebrations for passing online lessons; certificates of 100%

Photo of Carrie Claypool.

Carrie Claypool, i‑Ready Incentives Coordinator and Math Teacher

Lakeside Middle School, CA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
supportive, persistent, collaborative

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
I have taken the lead role in coordinating and organizing the iReady incentives program. Our incentives program engages students with iReady by rewarding progress and achievement.

Photo of Heather DeJordy.

Heather DeJordy, Grade 2 Teacher

Brophy Elementary School, MA

Describe your classroom culture in one word.
growth

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
iReady bucks: Classroom incentive program that allows students to not only gain praise for a job well done, but is also tangible motivation that can be exchanged for rewards. We have red iReady bucks that are earned through achieving 100% on a lesson and yellow iReady bucks that are earned through achieving an 80%–99% on a lesson.

Photo of Larry Edward Duncan.

Larry Edward Duncan, Teacher

Hawkins Elementary School, MS

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
supportive, student-centered, interactive

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
I use the Teacher Toolbox to pull up the FUNNY interactive videos that go with each lesson. I LOVE how I can pull up their Standards Mastery test and go over it on the board with common misconceptions. I can sum this up by saying three words: iReady learning paths!

Curriculum Associates Inspire Award
Cari Stanley, Special Education Program Specialist
Etiwanda, CA

Cari was selected as an exemplar of the strong bonds with school-based visionaries who take i‑Ready to its highest heights in their work.

How did you take your work in the classroom and apply it to your district role?
I have been continuing the work in a different capacity—ensuring we have specialized programs for our students. We could not do the work that we are doing here without the use of the iReady Diagnostic. Our teachers feel empowered to adequately target instruction due to frequent reporting with data that aligns with every student’s individual needs. Therefore, we have seen a significant improvement in academic performance and self-efficacy.

Photo of Megan Ford.

Megan Ford, Teacher

Flat Rock Middle School, NC

Describe your classroom culture in two words.
data-driven, differentiated

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
Personalized seating based on needs in the classroom; Discussions about growth and goal setting; Small group instruction during classroom lessons

Photo of Blakely Fore.

Blakely Fore, Teacher

Popp's Ferry Elementary, MS

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
safe, fun, interactive

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
They are engaged through classroom competitions (between each of my classes on who scored the highest on their Standards Mastery) and with growth stickers (students have these on their desks to show their growth goal for their next Diagnostic).

Photo of Tricia Goodyear.

Tricia Goodyear, Teacher

Farmersville Elementary School, IN

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
flexible, engaging, student-centered

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
My students participate in iReady incentive programs to help encourage them to achieve 80% or higher on lessons. For example, with iReady Madness, the students were put into brackets and competed for the highest growth percentage on the end-of-year Diagnostic.

Photo of Sachiko Green.

Sachiko Green, Teacher

Pelham Oaks Elementary School, AL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
safe, diverse, supportive

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
We utilize the PowerPoint® in each session within the Teacher Toolbox in whole group (some parts are with a partner) or in small group (Try–Discuss–Connect). I use the reports to monitor progression and growth and/or to adjust my instruction.

Sandra Humphreys, Grade 7 Math Teacher

Haywood Middle School, TN

Describe your classroom culture in two words.
motivated, goal-oriented

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
I begin each lesson with students working through the activities in the prerequisite videos. This is accomplished in whole group. Based on the students’ performance with the prerequisite videos, I either move into the lesson or check the progression chart to identify which lessons will help build students’ capacity for new learning and group students accordingly.

Photo of Amanda Jane Kipnis.

Amanda Jane Kipnis, Specialized Academic Instruction Teacher

San Altos Elementary School, CA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
dynamic, meaningful, fun

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
I use independent practice, one-on-one instruction, and whole group instruction/ discussion for certain lessons that tend to stump the whole class.

Photo of Meghan Mayer.

Meghan Mayer, English Language Arts Teacher

Woodland Middle School, FL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
nurturing, energized, creative

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
We have weekly incentives where students receive school currency “paw cards” for each lesson they pass, as well as a 100s club where students receive special prizes when they pass at least five lessons with a 100% pass rate. We also have class parties that are leveled, so every week students earn a different part of their party. 

Photo of Christi Moore.

Christi Moore, i‑Ready Reading Skills Plus Interventionist

Harold E. Winkler Middle School, NC

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
supportive, structured, student-driven

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
Have students use the iReady tracker I have created to show the difference between completion and mastery. I also use iReady conferences to compare completed lessons to passed lessons, see the data, and have conversations with students.

Photo of Mindy Newell.

Mindy Newell, Grade 6 English Language Arts Teacher

Union Middle School, OH

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
safe, engaging, rigorous

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
Setting and tracking iReady goals; Completing iReady intervention lessons; Using Teacher Toolbox for instruction

Kathy Nguyen, Teacher

Outley Elementary School, TX

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
inviting, safe, understanding

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
Students have a schedule during the math block period they get on iReady so they can reach their week’s goal of 30 minutes. Classroom incentives are given when students pass lessons. If the class passes a certain number of lessons, they are rewarded with a small class incentive.

Photo of Nelida Pagan.

Nelida Pagan, Teacher

P.S. 160—The Walt Disney Magnet STEAM School, NY

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
engaging, student-centered, collaborative

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
Individual goal setting using iReady punch cards; Race to 100 lessons passed with 100% class challenge; Allowing students to complete iReady lessons for homework instead of traditional homework options

Lorraine Pascarella, Grade 6 Teacher

Elmcrest Elementary School, NY

Describe your classroom culture in one word.
safe

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
Utilizing the Think–Share–Compare routine for students to explore new and unique strategies of mathematical thinking. This is the most beneficial time, as I love to highlight student mistakes as a learning experience and in a safe environment for students to understand common misconceptions in the mathematical world. 

Photo of Rebecca Ray.

Rebecca Ray, Grade 4 Teacher

Elbert County Elementary School, GA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
structured, friendly, consistent

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
Individual lessons: Students who keep a 70% average and have good time each week get to play the Learning Games; Whole group: Work together on Teacher-Assigned Lessons with a watch, stop and discuss, apply technique.

Photo of Anna Redding.

Anna Redding, Grade 4 Teacher

George Welch Elementary School, LA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
positive, trusting, engaging

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
Using the Guided Math approach in my classroom, I teach a small group of students with the Ready Instruction book along with the slides on the Teacher Toolbox, while the other group is engaged in an iReady lesson. When I am working with my small group, my students are engaged in productive math talk by using the Math Discourse Cards.

Photo of Alicia Renaud.

Alicia Renaud, Grade 3 Math Teacher

Drew Elementary School, LA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
engaged, intentional, energetic

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
The instructional routine, Think–Share– Compare, supports student engagement through whole group, small group, and independent activities. The Math Discourse Cards initiate student discussion, debate, and deeper mathematical thinking and reasoning. The online Interactive Tutorials are a fun and engaging way to give students additional support during free time or center time in my classroom.

Caitlin Robbie, Grade 3 Teacher

Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School, MA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
engaging, encouraging, rigorous

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
I like to use iReady lessons to push students who are above grade level by giving them a fourth grade lesson on whatever third grade topic I am teaching. Differentiation is so much easier with iReady, and it certainly helps push students who are ready for a challenge.

Photo of Kimberly Robinson.

Kimberly Robinson, Teacher

Literacy Leadership Technology Academy, FL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
interactive, engaging, mindful

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
Positive affirmations, step-by-step engagement with each lesson passed and failed, weekly reward systems (visit from Snargg), pictures with the iReady data board, and moving your stars as you pass your lessons

Photo of Olivia Ruggirello.

Olivia Ruggirello, Grade K Teacher

Johnston Elementary School, GA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
welcoming, exciting, nurturing

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
I encourage students to meet the recommended 45 minutes a week with iReady. I eat lunch on Fridays with anyone who meets this goal. It has helped my students not only challenge themselves on iReady, but also build relationships in my classroom between myself and students and relationships between themselves.

Photo of Adam Schuch.

Adam Schuch, Grade K Teacher

Columbus Africentric Early College, OH

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
differentiated, independent, fun

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
Students compete in the classroom and display their passed lessons on a sticker chart; Using iReady data, students are given mini-lessons to reinforce struggling areas; After a group has finished their weekly iReady time, the whole class celebrates each sticker earned together!

Photo of Tina Skukan.

Tina Skukan, Grade 1 Teacher

St. Hilary School, IL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
engaging, safe, fun

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
I use iReady during both reading and math centers. We also go to the computer lab once a week in order to work on some lessons.  Whenever we have extra time throughout the days, I allow the students to go on iReady.

Photo of Brook Marie Veldkamp.

Brook Marie Veldkamp, Grade K Teacher

Challenger Elementary School, MI

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
gritty, communal, empowering

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
I motivate students with fun and engaging iReady competitions. An iReady Rockstar chart is displayed in our classroom. Students who earn this award get their picture posted on the board.  We choose a variety of ways our students can receive this recognition to celebrate all learners.

Photo of Amy Wright.

Amy Wright, Teacher

Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy, TX

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
respectful, connected, focused

How do you engage students with iReady and/or Ready in your classroom?
Identify and remediate gaps in mathematical understanding that is foundational to the current year’s instruction. Refresh and extend students’ prior knowledge about a concept before beginning instruction. 

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