Posted 3:49 p.m. Thursday, May 15, 2014
Janelle Laufenberg welcomes a new group of about 30 middle school students into her Spanish class every 40 minutes. So it’s no surprise that she’s appreciative of an extra set of hands, eyes and ears in her classroom each semester.
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Teacher candidate Terry Anzueto, a UW-L senior, teaches a Logan Middle School classroom. Cooperating teacher Janelle Laufenberg is in the background.[/caption]
Janelle Laufenberg welcomes a new group of about 30 middle school students into her Spanish class every 40 minutes. So it’s no surprise that she’s appreciative of an extra set of hands, eyes and ears in her classroom each semester.
Laufenberg, ’87 and ’00, has been a cooperating teacher — or teacher who hosts UW-L student teacher candidates in her class — for nearly 18 years.
She tells college students that it’s busy like this all the time. So, if they don’t like it, they should potentially reconsider teaching.
Teacher candidate Terry Anzueto, a UW-L senior, was surprised to see how much energy sixth graders have — and how much he must have in return to focus that energy on education.
“The environment of the class with Janelle is always fun and exciting,” says the Spanish education major. “She always has a smile on her face and really sets the mood for the class.”
Laufenberg, a Logan Middle School teacher, was one of five teachers awarded a Pre-Service Educator Mentor Awards during the “Celebration of Education Recognition Ceremony” in April. The event honored students admitted to the School of Education, teachers in their first years of teaching and pre-service mentor teachers for their outstanding work.
Laufenberg says she has had the pleasure of working with many dedicated college students over the years. She’s enjoys helping them get a peek at their future profession.
“I tell them ‘We need you more and more every year and we need you to be dedicated to what you do — The kids need you to be dedicated to what you do,’” she says.
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Teacher candidate Terry Anzueto pictured with cooperating teacher Janelle Laufenberg from Logan Middle School.[/caption]
Shanon Bills, a cooperating teacher from Hintgen Elementary School, tells teacher candidates the importance of connecting with the kids in her Kindergarten classroom.
“Make them feel special and it will all fall into place,” advises Bills. “I remind them every one of these kidos is someone’s whole world.”
Bills, who earned an undergraduate degree from Viterbo University, earned her Master of Education — Professional Development at UW-L. As a teacher in training, she experienced a variety of teaching styles.
“I learned there are a million different ways to teach children,” she says. “I tell the teacher candidates they don’t need to copy everything I do, but find ways that work for them.”
Laufenberg, an alum of UW-L’s teacher education program and ME-PD program, remembers the positive experience she had with her cooperating teacher. Deciding to become one was a way to pay it back.
“I feel strongly about that,” she says. “My parents taught me you have your time to take and your time to give. Now is my time to give.”
Teacher candidate Terry Anzueto, a UW-L senior, teaches a Logan Middle School classroom. Cooperating teacher Janelle Laufenberg is in the background.[/caption]
Janelle Laufenberg welcomes a new group of about 30 middle school students into her Spanish class every 40 minutes. So it’s no surprise that she’s appreciative of an extra set of hands, eyes and ears in her classroom each semester.
Laufenberg, ’87 and ’00, has been a cooperating teacher — or teacher who hosts UW-L student teacher candidates in her class — for nearly 18 years.
She tells college students that it’s busy like this all the time. So, if they don’t like it, they should potentially reconsider teaching.
Teacher candidate Terry Anzueto, a UW-L senior, was surprised to see how much energy sixth graders have — and how much he must have in return to focus that energy on education.
“The environment of the class with Janelle is always fun and exciting,” says the Spanish education major. “She always has a smile on her face and really sets the mood for the class.”
Laufenberg, a Logan Middle School teacher, was one of five teachers awarded a Pre-Service Educator Mentor Awards during the “Celebration of Education Recognition Ceremony” in April. The event honored students admitted to the School of Education, teachers in their first years of teaching and pre-service mentor teachers for their outstanding work.
Laufenberg says she has had the pleasure of working with many dedicated college students over the years. She’s enjoys helping them get a peek at their future profession.
“I tell them ‘We need you more and more every year and we need you to be dedicated to what you do — The kids need you to be dedicated to what you do,’” she says.
[caption id="attachment_34302" align="alignleft" width="350"] Teacher candidate Terry Anzueto pictured with cooperating teacher Janelle Laufenberg from Logan Middle School.[/caption]
Shanon Bills, a cooperating teacher from Hintgen Elementary School, tells teacher candidates the importance of connecting with the kids in her Kindergarten classroom.
“Make them feel special and it will all fall into place,” advises Bills. “I remind them every one of these kidos is someone’s whole world.”
Bills, who earned an undergraduate degree from Viterbo University, earned her Master of Education — Professional Development at UW-L. As a teacher in training, she experienced a variety of teaching styles.
“I learned there are a million different ways to teach children,” she says. “I tell the teacher candidates they don’t need to copy everything I do, but find ways that work for them.”
Laufenberg, an alum of UW-L’s teacher education program and ME-PD program, remembers the positive experience she had with her cooperating teacher. Deciding to become one was a way to pay it back.
“I feel strongly about that,” she says. “My parents taught me you have your time to take and your time to give. Now is my time to give.”
Award recipients:
This year each UW institution gave five Early Career awards to alumni teachers with three years or less teaching experience, and five mentor awards to outstanding student teacher mentors. Award winners and words from those who nominated them include: Pre-Service Educator Mentor Awards went to:- Joseph Anglehart, ’87 and ’89, Central High School, La Crosse – Science. Anglehart’s “infectious passion for teaching” encourages his student teachers to develop their own personal style of teaching, to engage in their classes and become life-long learners. He models using technology in the learning process and finds creative ways to make content meaningful. Anglehart was also selected as the Wisconsin Association for Teacher Education (WACTE) Pre-Service Educator Mentor state award winner.
- Kate Spires. Tomah High School, Tomah – Health Education. Spires’ “warm and enthusiastic personality helps her easily connect” with her students as well as pre-service teachers. According to one of her past student-teachers, Spires “always went out of her way to compliment what I was doing well before focusing on my needs for improvement.”
- Janelle Laufenberg, ’87 and ’00 – Logan Middle School, La Crosse – World Language. UW-L student teachers who work with Laufenberg “always leave with more than they arrived with” due in part to her passion and dedication to working with middle school students. She provides pre-service teachers with the confidence and independence to develop their own style of teaching.
- Shanon Bills, ’03,– Hintgen Elementary School, La Crosse – Kindergarten. Bills assists teacher candidates in designing activities that are meaningful and engaging and she inspires “our teacher candidates to provide high-quality learning opportunities for all students.” The Early Childhood-Middle Childhood majors consistently acknowledge the time and dedication Bills has for her students and UW-L teacher candidates.
- Jackie Elstad, ’78, – La Crescent-Hokah Elementary School, La Crescent – fourth grade. Elstad has always “greeted the pre-service teachers as co-workers while modeling professional expectations for them.” She encourages student teachers to learn about and study their own practice, reflect on their experiences to grow and develop to the best of their abilities.
- Sarah Lieder, ’11 – Coulee Christian School, West Salem – Physical Education. Lieder has a unique role as an early career educator in that she wears a variety of hats and is asked to juggle multiple responsibilities every day. According to her nominators Lieder “carries out these roles with a contagious positive attitude, an eye for detail, and a genuine desire to do what is best for her students.”
- Heidi Wysocki, ’12 – Logan Middle School, La Crosse – Sixth grade. Wysocki’s dedication to developing a new Spanish immersion program has led to her assuming leadership in this area even though she is only a second year teacher. Wysocki is having an “extremely positive impact on the La Crosse School district’s initiative to offer students immersion experiences in a second language.”
- Kyle Emmert ’12, – Prairie Elementary, Waunakee – Kindergarten. As an early career educator, Emmert, connects well with children at various levels and has excellent collaboration skills. His commitment to doing everything he can to support young learners is accompanied by professionalism and enthusiasm. His school principal describes Emmert as “top notch” and feels very fortunate to have him teaching at Prairie. Emmert also represented UW-L as the Wisconsin Association for Teacher Education (WACTE) Early Career Educator state award winner.
- Sarah Higley, ’11 – Baraboo Elementary School, Baraboo – Art Education. Providing an “atmosphere of exploration and positivity in her classroom,” is an important part of Higley’s dedication to her students. Higley is a leader in curriculum development and formed the After School Art Club to offer the students extra art experiences.
- Amanda Johnson, ’12 – Milwaukee Roosevelt Creative Arts Middle School, Milwaukee – Sixth grade mathematics. Johnson has continuously demonstrated her dedication to improving student learning by creating a positive learning experience for her students. She also “designs lessons that support the schools mission of creating opportunities for students to participate in multicultural lifelong learning experiences.”