In the Fall of 2015, three teachers, one literacy specialist, one technology teacher specialist, and a team of supporters embarked on a journey from which they decided never to return. This journey changed how they teach, how they learn, how they teach students to learn, and how they created classrooms in which students ponder, collaborate, and communicate. They want to share their story with you.
Lauren Graziano is an English teacher at Oakdale High School in Ijamsville, Maryland. She graduated from Clarion University in 2012 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education with a focus in English Education and an Intermedia Arts Degree. She is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Hood College. Lauren began her journey into a Blended Classroom in the Fall of 2015 when she started working with representatives from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to incorporate the company's Collections Anthology into the Frederick County Ninth Grade Curriculum. She, along with Alysa, first implemented Blended in the Spring Semester of 2016 with her ninth grade English classes. Due to the success with Blended Learning at Oakdale, Lauren became a part of a team that supported other teachers as Blended grew throughout the county. She has presented to small groups of English teachers, and lead Professional Learning sessions on Blended. She continues to use Blended Learning in her ninth and tenth grade classes at Oakdale using Google Classroom, Google Cast for Education, NewsELA, NoRedInk, PlayPosit, Listen Wise and Quizlet Live.
Alysa Greer is an English teacher at Oakdale High School in Ijamsville, Maryland. She graduated from Roanoke College in 2011 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. In 2013, she completed her Master’s Degree in Secondary Education at McDaniel College. Alysa began her journey into a Blended Classroom in the Fall of 2015 when she started working with representatives from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to incorporate the company's Collections Anthology into the Frederick County Ninth Grade Curriculum. She first implemented Blended in the Spring Semester of 2016 with her ninth grade English classes. Due to the success with Blended Learning at Oakdale, Alysa became a part of a team that supported other teachers as Blended grew throughout the county. She has presented to small groups of English teachers, and lead Professional Learning sessions on Blended. She continues to use Blended Learning in her ninth and tenth grade classes at Oakdale using Canvas, Newsela, NoRedInk, and Listen Wise.
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Carrie Mehl is the Literacy Specialist and English department chairperson at Oakdale High School in Ijamsville, Maryland. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English and Master’s of Education and certification as a Reading Specialist from Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.
Carrie began her Blended Learning journey in the Fall of 2015 with Alysa and Lauren and as they joined with a team of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt educational consultants, an FCPS technology teacher specialist, and a team of support personnel from FCPS Central Office. She worked diligently to ensure that the blended learning teachers received the support necessary as they devoted themselves to the success of the personalized learning initiative. She continues to be the point person for arranging the delivery of services and materials as well as arranging for classroom support and visits from local and national representatives. With Alysa and Lauren, she presented Blended Learning to FCPS English teachers and lead professional learning sessions on Blended. She, too, plans to devote herself to the redesign of the classroom for the 21st Century as she creates her own Blended Learning tenth grade classroom during the 2017 Spring Semester. She uses Google Classroom but hopes to venture, successfully, into CANVAS. She also includes NewsELA, NoRedInk, and StoryCorps in her lessons. And, of course, poetry, always poetry! Carrie was recently selected as an FCPS All-Star and previously as an FCPS First Class Employee. She has presented numerous times at curriculum inservice days, lead sessions three times at the the State of Maryland International Reading Conference (SoMIRAC), once at the Maryland Association of School Librarians conference, and once at the Maryland State Education Association Conference. She has attended SoMIRAC, Common Ground (Ocean City, MD), and Scholastic Summit (Atlanta, GA) conferences. She has experience teaching grades 7-12 in five of Frederick County Public Schools, holding the position of a Literacy Specialist at two county high schools, leading professional development courses, and working as a secondary ELA teacher specialist. She was selected as one of four Frederick County English teachers to travel to Washington D.C. to meet with Senior Officials within the U.S. Department of Education. She was invited to work with a team of teachers and specialists who crafted the redesign and alignment of the Maryland State Department of Education English curriculum to Common Core State Standards. She continues to serve as the Master Teacher for English teachers new to FCPS. She loves learning and finds energy each moment she shares with students and teachers. |
Caitlin Patrick is an English teacher at Oakdale High School in Ijamsville, Maryland. She graduated from Virginia Tech in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree in Professional Writing. In 2013, she completed her secondary English certification at Towson University. Caitlin began her journey into a Blended Classroom in the Fall of 2015 when she started working with representatives from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to incorporate the company's Collections Anthology into the Frederick County Ninth Grade Curriculum.
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The OHS Blended Learning team continues to apply to conferences within the tri-state region and beyond as they look for audiences who want to hear the personalized education message.