download the spring 2014 issue of inside the art of teaching

InsIde the ARt of teAChInGspRInG 2014

Table of ContentsA Word from Jerry Harris

Artful Teaching in the Digital Age

Math Lab Days Expand Their Reach

Cotsen Fellow Filmed for Math Project

Math Leadership Corps One Year Later

Artful Teaching in the Digital Age (continued)

Celebrating Young Writers

Tustin Models Coaching on ART of TEACHING

Alumni: Where are They Now?

A Luncheon to Remember

Pictures: Nor Cal and So Cal End-of-Year Luncheons

2014 Graduating Mentors and Fellows

Incoming Class of Mentors and Fellows

ART of TEACHING Team

page 3

page 4

page 5

page 6

page 7

pages 8-10

page 11

page 12

page 13

pages 14-15

pages 16-21

page 22

page 23

page 24

ART of TEACHING participants from Tustin Unified School District at the Southern California end-of-year luncheon. Photo by Roy Persinko.

Inside the ART of TEACHING - Spring 2014

A Word from Jerry Harris

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The ART of TEACHING developed from the germ of an idea

that was formed out of Lloyd Cotsen’s fond remembrances of

his elementary teachers, who made school and learning magical.

Now a vibrant organization, the ART of TEACHING has supported

more than 800 teachers from 22 school districts in Los Angeles,

Orange, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. And just as the

outstanding educators we serve seek to continuously meet the

ever-emerging challenges and opportunities that populate the ed-

ucational landscape, we too are always looking for ways to better

support you.

This year, that quest led us to create and offer professional

development opportunities that support the implementation of the

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and instructional technol-

ogy.

While artful teaching may be timeless, the context in which

it occurs is very time specific. We recognize that in this time and

space, the CCSS and instructional technology are very real forces

that must be addressed in the world of classrooms and schools.

So we are pleased to have been able to offer you some of the best

resources available to assist you in those areas.

In the following pages of Inside the ART of TEACHING, you

will find snapshots of the outstanding work that has taken place

this year in the ART of TEACHING. While it is impossible to cap-

ture the depth and breadth of the adult learning that occurred, we

hope that this document provides you with a flavor of this year’s

efforts.

My deepest thanks to the ART of TEACHING staff, and our

outstanding consultants who worked tirelessly to provide artful

experiences for adult learners. But most of all, thank you for the

magic you create in your classrooms every day that challenges

and inspires the boys and girls you serve.

Sincerely,

Jerry Harris, Executive Director

Cotsen Foundation for the ART of TEACHING

Jerry Harris addresses the 2014 ART of TEACHING graduates at the Southern California end-

of-year luncheon. Photo by Roy Persinko.

In response to the increasing prominence that technology plays in the

21st century, the Cotsen Foundation for the ART of TEACHING has

added an instructional technology component to our work. With the

guidance of Dr. Sharon Sutton, former Coordinator of Technology and

Outreach at the UCLA Lab School, the ART of TEACHING sponsored

a series of events to help administrators ‘envision the possibilities for

integrating technology into artful teaching.’

Beginning with a Principals’ Technology Survey, the foundation

was able to identify two areas where principals expressed a need for

help with technology integration: Examples of artful teaching utilizing

technology and examples of other administrators leading and trans-

forming schools with technology

Based on this feedback, the ART of TEACHING offered three

Artful Teaching in the Digital Ageevents over the course of the year. Two observations -- one in Los

Angeles County, and one in Orange County -- were arranged for princi-

pals to observe, in a school setting, technology’s role in artful teaching

and learning that addressed 21st century skills in the context of the

Common Core Standards. The final event, the Principals’ Technology

Workshop, provided an opportunity for principals to come together to

not only see ‘artful teaching utilizing technology,’ but to also hear ex-

amples of success stories for ‘leading and transforming schools with

technology’ from other administrators.

The first observation at Melrose Elementary Math/Science/Tech-

nology Magnet in the Los Angeles Unified School District allowed par-

ticipants to observe a school that was in its fourth year of a one-to-one

program. They were also in their third year of implementing project-

continued on page 8

Melrose Elementary Math/Science/Technology Magnet in LAUSD. Melrose Elementary Math/Science/Technology Magnet in LAUSD.


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Success with the introduction of “lab days” for math professional de-

velopment in the 2012-2013 year resulted in almost a doubling of the

offerings in the 2013-2014 school year.

This year lab days were conducted at nine participating Cotsen

schools compared to five in 2012-2013. Cotsen fellows in five districts

opened their doors as lab sites for math observations by their Cotsen

colleagues. Schools participating were from Myford, Heideman and Thor-

man in Tustin Unified School District; Andrews from Whittier City School

District; Park Western and Paseo del Rey in Los Angeles Unified School

District; La Ballona and Linwood Howe in Culver City Unified School Dis-

trict; and LaVerne Science and Technologhy Charter in Pomona Unified

School District.

Building on the professional development in Cognitively Guided In-

struction in math offered during the first month of school, fellows who fo-

cused on math were able to participate in one or more of the lab days, ei-

ther as a demonstration teacher or as an observer. Typically, two or three

math teachers planned a lesson with Angela Chan Turrou, Ph.D. and then

on a “lab day” each co-taught a lesson with Dr. Turrou coaching while a

group of Cotsen colleagues watched and later participated in a thorough

debrief of the lesson observed.

Noting the power of the day, the number of observers continued

to increase over the year. In 2012-2013, 55 math teachers participated

as demonstration teachers or observers. This year, 140 teachers either

taught or watched others teach with Dr. Turrou. The practice of making

teaching public has grown in the Cotsen network with an expansion of the

practice to lab days in reading and writing as well. Not only are teachers

learning more from watching each others’ practice, Cotsen fellows and

mentors are laying the groundwork for a supportive and ongoing com-

munity of practice.

Math Lab Days Expand Their Reach

Top left to right: Chelsea Schneider (fellow ‘15) works alongside Angela Chan Turrou and a student; Vivian Chinneli (fellow ‘15) and student. Middle left to right: Student’s work; agenda from a math lab day. Bottom left to right: Student explains work to Ira Proctor (fellow ‘15), Deb Arancibia (fellow ‘15) discusses a math problem with a student.

Second-year Cotsen Fellow Cynthia Hirdler (‘14) spent an especially interesting two

days teaching in her Whittier City classroom at Andrews Elementary. On March 13 and 14, two professors of mathematics education documented her every move and word.

Selected to be filmed as part of a re-search project on Responsive Decision Mak-ing undertaken by Professor Susan Empson of the University of Texas, Hirdler taught, lis-tened, and responded to the mathematical thinking of her fourth-grade students as Emp-son and Professor Vicki Jacobs of the Univer-sity of North Carolina filmed two lessons and later documented six one-on-one math con-ferences between Hirdler and selected fourth-grade students.

Hirdler bases her math teaching on the philosophy of Cognitively Guided Instruction and had been identified as an appropriate practitioner for Empson’s research for UT, a collaboration with the University of North Car-olina and SRI International. Hirdler, like many of her CGI colleagues, has frequently refer-enced other research by Empson, particularly

her book Extending Children’s Mathematical Thinking.Empson’s current work on Responsive Decision Making refers to instructional deci-

sions by teachers who elicit and build on children’s ever-changing ideas and actions. The full research project that Empson is directing will study “its development in the context of a professional development design experiment in the challenging domain of rational numbers in grades 3-5.”

The questions that the study will address are “1) What characterizes teachers’ re-sponsive decision making in the domain of rational numbers? 2) How can professional development support the development of teachers’ responsive decision making? 3) How is teachers’ responsive decision making related to student-learning gains?”

Both delighted and somewhat nervous to be selected for the research project, Hirdler and her fourth-graders soon became oblivious to the large camera and the up-close shots, moving in to record student–teacher conversations about numbers selected and strategies taken.

Cotsen Mentor Patty Leano (‘14), Principal Alicia Aceves, and Cotsen Fellows Victo-ria Waite (‘14) and Bianca Marchese (‘14) looked on proudly at the level of achievement that Hirdler has fostered in her two years as a Cotsen math fellow and now as a participant in a national research study.

Cotsen Fellow Filmed for Math Research Project

Left to right: Cynthia Hirdler, Bianca Marchese, and Patty Leano. Professors Jacobs and Empson.


Math Leadership Corps Going Strong One Year LaterFellows in the ART of TEACHING at Linwood

Howe Elementary and La Ballona Elemen-tary in Culver City are completing their first year in the fellowship this June. Like others in their first year of the program, they have participated in the coaching cycle with their mentors nearly every week, attended school visits to observe artful teaching, participated in trainings to sup-port their learning, met monthly as an inquiry group, and implemented new practices in their classrooms in pursuit of ever greater student learning. In contrast to others in the ART of TEACHING, however, Culver City participants all focused on one content area, math, as a part of the Mathematics Leadership Corps (MLC). MLC is a collaboration between the district, Cotsen Foundation for the ART of TEACHING, and Loyola Marymount University, with fund-ing support from the Leonetti/O’Connell Fam-ily Foundation, the Louis L. Borick Foundation, California Community Foundation, and Boeing.

After more than 1000 hours of profession-al development in this first year, the nine fel-lows and two mentors in Culver City have had a tremendous impact. All have chosen to learn about the Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) approach to teaching mathematics. In practice, this requires a deep content knowledge on the part of the teacher so that they can recognize and build on students’ mathematical thinking. It also requires, along with the Common Core

State Standards in math, that students be able to explain their thinking. Nicholas Johnson, a Ph.D. candidate in education with years of ex-perience with CGI, has observed these skills develop across all of the classrooms he has visited in Culver City, noting of one, for exam-ple, that “the shared ownership of thinking, and the comfort with which students were taking risks in front of and alongside their peers was noteworthy.”

Parents too have noted the impact of the ART of TEACHING in their own students’ learn-ing, engagement, and interest in math. One parent spoke on behalf of the program at a Cul-ver City Unified School District Board meeting,

stating that previously her son was not chal-lenged by the traditional curriculum but is now much more engaged.

The success of the first year of the pro-gram in Culver City has generated a great deal of interest among other teachers at the two schools, as well as at the remaining elemen-tary schools in the district. In addition, two new schools, El Marino Language Academy and Farragut Elementary, will be joining the ART of TEACHING and Mathematics Leadership Corps in 2014-2015. With the leadership of the pioneering fellows and mentors at the two initial sites, the second year of MLC in Culver City is bound to be as successful as the first.

La Ballona and Linwood Howe mentors and felllows pose alongside Nick Johnson at the Southern California end-of-year luncheon. Photo by Roy Persinko.

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based learning but were just beginning to embrace Reading and Writ-

ing Workshop. They were also facing the challenge of how to replen-

ish “older” technology while on-boarding a third of their faculty and a

new principal. Teachers whose classrooms were observed included

Jessica Valera and Kelly Willis, as well as Kevin Gaffield and Sachiko

Miyaji (both Cotsen fellows ‘14). Participants were able to observe two

of four lessons:

• Second graders using Scratch to represent their research findings

on the body parts of an insect.

• Fourth and fifth graders presenting evidence to support an opinion

piece in a classroom blog: fourth graders on a debate over the ban

of Flaming Hot Cheetos in school and fifth graders on the point of

view of a Loyalist or Patriot on the topic of taxation.

• Kindergartners representing what they know on how parachutes

function (engineering component of their science curriculum) by

explaining their thinking in a whiteboard application for the iPad

called Show Me.

As one participant stated, “I loved that technology was integrated

in the teaching and learning and not acting as a replacement. I appre-

ciate that there was a lot of purpose behind the technologies used. I

was really impressed.”

During the observation at Myford Elementary School in the Tu-

stin Unified School District, participants observed a school that had

implemented Writing Workshop, Reading Workshop, and CGI Math

instruction for several years but was new to utilizing technology. With

the passage of a technology bond last fall, teachers began integrating

technology into their classroom instruction through the use of iPads.

Teachers whose classrooms were observed included Kristina Weiss, continued on next page

Emily Neddersen, and Michelle Ciecek (Cotsen alumnae ‘12). Although

teachers were still in the beginning phase of technology implementa-

tion (they received the iPads in January), they could see that by incor-

porating these devices into their instruction, the learning became more

engaging. Participants observed two of four lessons at Myford:

• Kindergarteners using iPads in small instructional groups. Some

scholars were sorting beginning sounds using the Popplet app.

Others were using QR codes and the QR reader to listen to a

book from their author study to prepare for a class discussion. The

teacher worked with a third group solving real-world math prob-

lems using Educreations.

• Small instructional groups in a second grade classroom. One

Melrose Elementary Math/Science/Technology Magnet in LAUSD.

Artful Teaching in the Digital Age (continued from p4)


9

group was developing details for their prewriting using the Popplet app

and emailing it to their personal email account. Another group was publish-

ing their persuasive writing piece in a 5-slide Educreations video. The final

group was creating a persuasive advertisement using the app Animoto.

• Writing Workshop lesson in a fourth grade. The teacher used flipped learn-

ing to familiarize the students with the book, The Fantastic Flying Books of

Mr. Morris Lessmore. Students viewed a wordless short film at home, re-

sponded to a virtual discussion post, and had a follow-up class discussion

on what they believed the film was really about. After the class discussion,

students logged onto the class online discussion board and provided a

‘counter-argument’ or an ‘agree statement’ to their writing partner’s online

opinion of the book. During the final part of the lesson the teacher played the

video, and using an app and Apple TV made the book come alive through

augmented reality.

• A Fourth grade CGI lesson focused on the relationship between fractions

and decimals. Students had to solve a problem by representing the values

as either fractions or decimals and explaining their strategy for solving the

problem using one of three apps: Popplet, Prezi, and Educreations. During

the ‘share out’ time students used the interactive whiteboard to share their

strategies with others. The goal of this ‘share out’ (run by students for stu-

dents) was to have them build strategies for their personal toolbox

In both observations, lessons were followed by a debrief with teachers. It

was interesting to hear one participant comment, “I can hardly wait to get our

school into the 21st century! All the students I observed were engaged and

tech savvy — and appropriately respectful of the technology. My concerns fell

away as I watched students work. One student even taught me how to better

use my Educreations App.”continued on next page

Myford Elementary in TUSD.

Myford Elementary in TUSD.


On May 14th Cotsen held its first Principals’ Technology Work-

shop. More than 40 administrators from 12 districts attended this half-

day workshop at the Norwalk-La Mirada USD Professional Development

Center. The purpose was not only to help them ‘envision the possibilities

of technology utilization into artful teaching,’ but also to come together

in self-selected cohorts to plan their own professional development for

achieving the next steps in integrating technology into artful teaching.

Administrators began the morning by observing four 15-minute snap-

shot sessions on either ‘Artful Teaching’ or ‘Leading and Transforming.’

These snapshot sessions were presented by ‘artful teachers’

or ‘transforming administrators’ from a variety of districts and Cotsen

schools. The day’s presenters included Emy Flores (Director of Edu-

cational Services, Fullerton School District); Brett Geithman (Executive

Director for Human Resources, Manhattan Beach Unified School Disi-

trct); Michelle Ciecek (Cotsen alumna ‘12 and fourth grade teacher at

Myford Elementary); Stacey Duff (Cotsen alumna ‘10 and kindergarten

teacher at Arroyo Elementary); Garrett Kerr (Coordinator of Educational

Technology, Tustin Unified School District); Amanda Johnson (Cotsen

alumna ‘13) and Brandee Ramirez (Digital Learning Coaches at Tustin

Unified School District); Jessica Valera (fourth grade teacher, Melrose

Elementary); and Gina Lems-Tardif (Cotsen alumna ‘09 and first grade

teacher at Lee Elementary).

The final portion of the workshop was designed to allow adminis-

trators to self-select colleagues with similar needs and create a profes-

sional development plan to address those needs.

Administrators were appreciative for the opportunity to “collabo-

rate with colleagues,” and to be given time to “reflect and think about

next steps in integrating technology.” Others were eager for “follow-up

conversations with some of the presenters to get more implementation

ideas.”

Principals’ Technology Workshop at the Norwalk-La Mirada USD Professional Development Center. Principals’ Technology Workshop at the Norwalk-La Mirada USD Professional Development Center.



Writing Workshop continues to be an important practice

among both current Cotsen fellows and their alumni col-

leagues. The model, developed by Lucy Calkins at Teachers Col-

lege in New York, comprises many critical literacy learning activi-

ties for both students and their teachers. One, however, promotes

participation by those outside the classroom community: the cel-

ebration that culminates the completion of a writing unit.

Two alumnae, Kathy Anderson, ‘13, of Hoover in Whittier

City, and LaShawn Moore, ‘12, from McKinley in Santa Monica

shared some photographs of recent celebrations to which parents

and friends of the respective schools were invited. The celebra-

tions, though different – different grade levels and different genres

– both reflected the recognition of student work as a means of

communicating information as well as creative expression.

Anderson’s second-graders celebrated their work in writing

Writing Workshop: Celebrating Young Writersinformational text during an Author’s Tea the students hosted for

their parents. Twenty-nine families attended to hear the young au-

thors read their respective texts. The event was so successful that

it has generated great excitement about another Tea, this one to

be on the upcoming work in research books.

At McKinley, the celebration in LaShawn Moore’s class took

the form of a Poetry Café presented by her kindergarten/first grade

combination class. The event was student-run by hostesses and

masters of ceremonies. Some students presented poetry from the

stage while others taught parents and visitors how to write a vari-

ety of poems while they shared the Café’s refreshments.

Anderson and Moore are just two of the Cotsen alumnae

who continue to engage parents in the school lives of their chil-

dren by showcasing not only their student work but their ability to

present and explain it.

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Poetry Café at McKinley Elementary in SMMUSD.Poetry Café at McKinley Elementary in SMMUSD. Author’s Tea at Hoover Elementary in WCSD.

Tustin Models Coaching on the ART of TEACHINGThe Tustin Unified School District has taken a page from the

Cotsen Mentor Manual for the ART of TEACHING. Starting in

September of 2013, the district launched a cadre of Digital Learn-

ing Coaches whose assignment is to coach teachers in the use of

tablets and laptops purchased through a thirty million dollar tech-

nology bond. The selection of coaches, their specific assignment,

and their case load are based on the structure and philosophy of

the ART of TEACHING.

Cotsen alumna Amanda Johnson (Loma Vista, Elementa-

ry, ’13), her colleague Brandee Ramirez, and eleven others were

among those selected. As Digital Learning Coaches, Johnson and

Ramirez have been facilitating district-wide professional develop-

ment with classroom teachers, (called “fellows” as in Cotsen), this

past year through the integration of technology into specific aca-

demic disciplines and structures, such as reading and writing work-

shop.

Selected by application with attention to academic disciplines

in which they would coach, the coaches work weekly in classrooms

with their assigned fellows using the coaching cycle of plan/ob-

serve/debrief, modeled after the Cotsen practice. The caseload for

each coach is, like Cotsen’s, relatively small. Johnson works with

nine teachers and depending on the fellows’ needs, fashions her

coaching as cognitive, collaborative, or facilitative, again a Cotsen

practice. And, similar to the ART of TEACHING, the DLCs (Digital

Learning Coaches) meet regularly to research, plan, and communi-

cate with each other.

The expertise of the DLCs in integrating technology as

a vehicle to enhance rigorous content knowledge has been

highlighted by their participation in a number of presentations,

including the 2014 CUE Conference in Palm Springs and the

Cotsen Principals’ Technology Workshop held in Norwalk in

May of 2014.

The Cotsen Foundation for the ART of TEACHING was

gratified by the recognition accorded its coaching model

through the district’s development of the DLC project. And

the project has had the added effect of inspiring and motivat-

ing Johnson and Ramirez to pursue their doctorates. Both are

headed to USC in the fall, deeply committed to strengthening

their knowledge in the pursuit of student-centered teaching

through meaningful integration of technology to enhance stu-

dent learning.

Amanda Johnson (left) and Brandee Ramirez (right).

ART of TEACHING Alumni Where are they now?

Since 2001, the ART of TEACHING alumni community has grown to include more than 700 educators from Northern and Southern California schools, who have in turn touched the lives of thousands upon thousands of students long after their fellowship has come to an end. This is why one of our top priorities is to remain connected with our alumni and provide them with the ongoing support, grants, and professional development they need to continue to strenghten their teaching and enrich their students’ lives. Recently we heard from some of our past fellows and mentors who updated us on what they have been up to at their schools these days. We beam with pride as they continue their professional growth in their tireless pursuit of teaching excellence...

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Gina Lems-Tardif (alumna mentor ‘09) re-mains committed to the work she started as a mentor in the ART of TEACHING by continuing “to learn about and practice Reading and Writ-ing Workshops and CGI instruction.” She is also a literacy coach at her school and continues her professional development by attending seminars and conferences.

Last summer, Joanna Wake-land (alumna mentor ‘13) moved and is now working at Bronzeville Lighthouse Charter School on the south side of Chicago, as the Lower Academy Director of Teacher Lead-ership. She joined this school to help implement the Reading Workshop model K-8 in an effort to address the high number of K-8 students read-ing below grade level.

Cindy Bak (alumna fellow ‘13) has been busy working with teachers and students as a literacy coach in Rowland USD. She tells us, “As I demo lessons and coach teachers in implementing the rigorous Common Core standards, I am so thankful to Mr. Cotsen and the foun-dation for giving me the gift of time... to learn, collaborate, and hone in on my teaching practice. Now, I’m in the role of a mentor/coach supporting teachers in their learning...”

Kristina Carter (alumna fellow ‘10) continues to work to perfect her “teaching of writing in the format of Writing Workshop.” She is currently us-ing the new first grade Common Core unit on non-fiction writing by Lucy Calkins. She is also com-mited to sharing her learning as the grade level leader at her site.

A Luncheon to Remember: Cotsen mentors and fellows join the alumni family

The Cotsen Auditorium at the Skirball Cultural Center was abuzz on Satur-day, May 3, 2014 as more than 130 Cotsen teachers, principals, friends,

and supporters gathered for this year’s Southern California end-of-year lun-cheon in celebration of the 2014 graduating class of ART of TEACHING participants.

This year’s luncheon at the Skirball was a particularly moving affair, as many past ART of TEACHING participants were in attendance to welcome graduates into the Cotsen alumni community. Among this year’s grads were 44 fellows and 9 mentors from various public elementary schools in the Long Beach Unified School District, Los Angeles Unified School District, Tustin Unified School District, and Whittier City School District.

The luncheon commenced with welcoming remarks by Dr. Barry Munitz, the president of the Cotsen Foundation for the ART of TEACHING, who ac-knowledged key board members in attendance, including Dr. Steven Lavine (President, California Institute of the Arts) and Margit Cotsen, who is also the wife of Lloyd Cotsen, the founder and chairman of the ART of TEACHING. Mrs. Cotsen – in a sincere and impromptu moment – addressed the room-ful of educators, thanking them for their dedication and efforts, which have made Mr. Cotsen’s vision a reality.

The head of the Skirball Cultural Center’s School and Teacher Pro-grams, Rachel Bernstein Stark, was also on hand to say a few words about the shared passion for supporting educators that is at the heart of the mis-sion at the Skirball and the ART of TEACHING.

Barbara Golding, the ART of TEACHING associate director reminded teachers that while their fellowship was coming to an end, their affiliation with the ART of TEACHING would continue on as alumni. These sentiments were echoed by ART of TEACHING alumna Claudette Pantney (‘11) who advised graduating mentors and fellows to take advantage of the many professional development, grant, and networking opportunities the ART of TEACHING offers its alumni.

Southern California ART of TEACHING participants at the luncheon on May 3, 2014.

Photo by Roy Persinko.

Several teachers from the 2012-2014 cohort were invited to share their ex-periences as ART of TEACHING participants, including Catherine Lien (Heideman Elementary, Tustin), who described the “love of reading” that has swept across her classroom. Tim Schugt (Tincher Preparatory, Long Beach) and Jo Ann Carva-jal (UCLA Community School, Los Angeles) recalled the increase in collaboration among teachers at their respective schools as a result of their participation in the ART of TEACHING. Cynthia Hirdler (Andrews Elementary, Whittier City) reflected on her students’ enthusiasm for fractions, which she ascribed to her growth as a teacher. And Renee Ybarra (Thorman Elementary, Tustin) attributed her school’s Common Core preparedness in great part to the extensive professional develop-ment the ART of TEACHING has made available to her and her colleagues.

The day came to an end with closing remarks from the Executive Director, Jerry Harris, who thanked ART of TEACHING participants for their commitment to strengthening their craft and sent them off with a reminder that they will always be a part of the Cotsen community.

The following Saturday, May 10, 2014, the Cotsen Foundation for the ART of TEACHING hosted a second end-of-year luncheon in Santa Cruz, in honor of the Northern California educators graduating from the ART of TEACHING fellowship.

The luncheon honored 19 graduating mentors and fellows, including teach-ers from Mintie White Elementary and Radcliff Elementary (both in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District), and teachers from Soquel Elementary (in the Soquel Union School District).

Kicking off the ceremony was the New Teacher Center’s Terri Thillet. Guest speakers included Ellen Moir (Executive Director, New Teacher Center); Julie Haff, Superintendent, San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District); and Suzanne Denham (alumna ‘10, Main St. Elementary, Soquel Union District).

Graduating fellows, Julie Livingstone from Soquel Elementary and Erin Legor-reta, Radcliff Elementary, were on hand to deliver poignant remarks reflecting on the highlights of their time in the ART of TEACHING.

Cotsen Foundation for the ART of TEACHING proudly welcomes the 2014 graduating mentors and fellows into its thriving and growing alumni community of more than 700 educators from public schools across Northern and Southern California.

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Margit Cotsen addresses the 2014 ART of TEACHING graduates at the Southern California end-of-year luncheon. Photo by Roy Persinko.

Catherine LienHeideman ElementaryTustin Unified School District

“... Simply put the ART of TEACH-ING has had an indelible impact on me, my students, and my col-leagues… If you think this new found enthusiasm for learning was contained just inside the fellows’ rooms, you’d be mistaken…”

2014 End of Year Luncheons:Northern California and Southern California Pictures

Top left to right: Uli Kummerow (principal at Radcliff Elementary) and Ellen Moir (New Teacher Center); Rachelle McKinsey-John (fellow ‘14), Amy Fedderly (principal at Myford Elementary), and Emily Neddersen (alumna ‘12). Bottom left to right: Luz Cantrell (fellow ‘14), Becky Roumimper (fellow ‘14), Jen Resendiz (fellow ‘14), Catherine Lien (fellow ‘14), Eric Kilian (principal at Heideman Elementary), Annette Stankovich (mentor ‘14), and Megan Bennett (fellow ‘14); Lyndon Catayong, Barbara Golding, and Daryl Tamez (alumna ‘11). All Photos on page by Roy Persinko, except where noted otherwise.

Photo by Chris Urias

Cynthia HirdlerAndrews Elementary SchoolWhittier City School District

“… I look back to where my journey started and where I am today and I see that I am a completely differ-ent person. I’m a completely different teacher. And my students are com-pletely different students...”


Guests at the Southern California end-of-year luncheon -- which included current mentors and fellows in the ART of TEACHING, alumni pariticpants, board members, foundation leaders and staff, and members of the Cotsen family -- listen intently to the day’s speakers. Photo by Roy Persinko.

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Claudette PantneyLa Verne Science & Technology Charter SchoolPomona Unified School District

“…When I was in the program, I ob-served exemplary teachers and teaching practices at school-based institutes, and attended stellar confer-ences… Mentors and fellows, take ad-vantage of all the alumni opportunities that the foundation provides. And if you think you’re done, you’ve only just begun…”

Top left to right: Io McNaughton (mentor ‘14), Teresa Haro (fellow ‘14), Jimmy Torres (fellow ‘14), Jo Ann Carvajal (fellow ‘14), and Daniel Sotelo (fellow ‘14); Uli Kummerow and Graciela Dias Lourenco (mentor ‘14). Bottom left to right: Barry Munitz and Margit Cotsen; ART of TEACHING graduating men-tors and fellows give a standing ovation to the Cotsens at the Southern California end-of-year luncheon. All photos on page by Roy Persinko, except where noted otherwise.



Jo Ann CarvajalUCLA Community SchoolLos Angeles Unified School District

“… The ART of TEACHING program has not only helped our teachers re-affirm what they are doing but also has helped us deepen our knowl-edge and expand our repertoire in different content areas…”

Top left to right: Jerry Harris; Lillian Berla (mentor ‘15), Graciela Dias Lourenco, and Erin Legorreta (fellow ‘14). Bottom left to right: Lindsay Light (alumna ‘05), LaShawn Moore (alumna ‘12), and Kristen Mowry (alumna ‘12). All photos on page by Roy Persinko, except where noted otherwise.



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Tim SchugtTincher PreparatoryLong Beach Unified School District

“... I was a pretty experienced teach-er and I think I was relatively skilled, but the journey has definitely made me a better teacher and now I un-derstand what it means to be an art-ful teacher...”

Top left to right: Sharon Sutton, Barbara Golding, and Lindsay Light; Patty Argumedo (mentor ‘13), Dianne Glinos, Chris Quirarte (mentor ‘13), Cheri Kaplan (mentor ‘14), Lyndon Catayong, and Melisa Lauer (mentor ‘13). Bottom left to right: Judith Keltner (fellow ‘14), Tim Schugt (fellow ‘14), Heather Peterson (mentor ‘16), Jennifer Wojcik (fellow ‘14), Deborah Drab (fellow ‘14), Jamie Vallianos (fellow ‘14), Elisa Turien (fellow ‘14), Dolores Lobaina (principal at La Verne Science & Technology Charter School), and Claudette Pantney (alumna ‘11). All photos on page by Roy Persinko.


Renee YbarraThorman ElementaryTustin Unified School Disitrct

“… We were the first cohort to work with the Common Core State Stan-dards as our focus... quickly I realized how fortunate we were to be exposed to the standards in advance of our dis-trict-wide implementation... we would reap the benefits of extensive profes-sional development that the Cotsen Foundation was offering…”

Top left to right: Julie Haff (superintendent from the San Lorenzo Valley Unifed School District) and Denise Fosburgh (alumna ‘10); Danielle Brown (fel-low ‘14), Kathy Anderson (alumna ‘13), Bianca Marchese (fellow ‘14), and Cynthia Hirdler (fellow ‘14); Bottom: Northern California participants at the end-of-year luncheon in Santa Cruz, CA. Top right photo and bottom photo by Chris Urias. All other photos on page by Roy Persinko.


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Long Beach Unified School DistrictTincher PreparatoryDeborah DrabMichele JohnsonJudith KeltnerHeather Peterson*Tim SchugtElisa TurienJamie VallianosJennifer Wojcik

Willard ElementaryGeorge GarciaYany GastelumJeff Lamperts*Cheryl Spencer

Los Angeles Unified School DistrictMelrose ElementaryKevin GaffieldTamara MatzLeslie MedinaSachiko MiyajiRobin Wynne-Davis*

UCLA Community SchoolJo Ann CarvajalAdriana De Los SantosTeresa HaroIo McNaughton*Stella ParkDaniel SoteloJimmy Torres

Congratulations to the 2012-2014 cohort of mentors and fellows!

Hicks Canyon ElementaryRachelle McKinsey-JohnCheri Kaplan*

Loma Vista ElementaryKrista JohnsonRenee Ybarra*

Myford ElementaryMegan CarderDanielle ClawsonJoanne GrahamCheri Kaplan*Jane PtuchaLisa RyanWhitney SchellChristine Valles

Thorman ElementarySunita SharoffJenny StephensRenee Ybarra*

Tustin Ranch ElementaryTheodora BeauchampRenee Ybarra*

Whittier City School DistrictAndrews ElementaryDanielle BrownCynthia HirdlerAndrew HuffakerPatty Leano*Bianca MarcheseMichelle TorresVictoria Waite

Pajaro Valley Unified School DistrictMintie White ElementaryLillian Berla*Nancy Claspill-NavarroLanny LeightonJane Wong

Radcliff ElementaryKevin BeckGraciela Dias Lourenco*Victoria Galvan HarperErin LegorretaMarisol Zamora

Soquel Union Elementary School DistrictSoquel ElementaryErica AkinDiane BockAnn Cardoza*Christopher Carey-StronckElizabeth CharltonPatrick FosterBarbara HuebnerJulie LivingstoneMegan PereiraMichelle Spahn

Tustin Unified School DistrictHeideman ElementaryMegan BennettLuz CantrellCatherine LienElizabeth LindburgJennifer ResendizBecky RoumimperAnnette Stankovich*

*denotes mentor

Southern California end-of-year luncheon at the Skirball. Photo by Roy Persinko.


Introducing the 2014-2016 cohort of mentors and fellows... Welcome to the ART of TEACHING!

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Culver City Unified School DistrictEl Marino Language SchoolMonica BellJohanna Egan-CovarrubiasElizabeth Mejia*Marisela PadillaCristina PaulMaria Rodriguez

Farragut Elementary Alicia Jackson*Kristian KnightTeresa NoonanMartha RomeroDoris SchafferMargaret TsubakiyamaCarlaAnn Zimmermann-Madrid

Fullerton School DistrictAcacia ElementaryTracey AndersonKim BrewerKristina CathcartStephanie Given*Debra KojimaLara LewisKristine Spencer

Valencia Park ElementaryCaroline BoehmMaria EscobarJennifer MortensenKyle Myers*Paul RamirezTracy RamontCindy Rowe

Long Beach Unified School DistrictJackie Robinson AcademyShayla BrownRasheka HenryJennifer Kolb*Amy LoveLuke ServissLeticia Walsh Tincher PreparatoryErin BradyAnnemarie LanderJamie MatheusEdmee MyrickHeather Peterson*Allison StratfordHeidi Undlin

Los Angeles Unified School DistrictBraddock Drive Elementary Robert BrownCelia Jimenez-Sosa*Janet LeCatesMarilyn MoraWendy NobleGabriela PadillaSatjeet PuriRosalba Villanueva

Oak Grove School DistrictBertha Taylor ElementaryDebra Cogliandro*Julie CorbyAngela DukeNancy HagmannMarcy NagataniSarah NolanPatti Thompson

Pajaro Valley Unified School DistrictRio Del Mar Elementary Caryn AllenDevin AveyAlyssa Davis*Carroll MayerPatrick McMillanMary Sandman

San Lorenzo Valley Unifed School DistrictBoulder Creek Elementary Amanda CongerLaurie ConradRachel DahlMegan DennisJulianne FoxworthyKristin GibneyLisa Muirhead*Melissa Pasa Tustin Unified School DistrictLambert ElementarySheri Bauer*Mary BergerRafael MaduenoKristen MillerVanessa SiemsenJennifer TrinhKimberly Williams

Tustin Memorial AcademyMegan CaporicciKaren Heilig*Debbie MulliganCarrie PedersenCourtney SmithDevra StallerSandie Toohey*denotes mentor

All: New participant orientation on June 7, 2014 in Long Beach, CA.

Board of Directors

Mr. Lloyd Cotsen

Mrs. Margit Cotsen

Mrs. Peggy Funkhouser

Mr. Gary K. Hart

Dr. Steven Koblik

Ms. Lucia Laguarda

Dr. Steven Lavine

Dr. Barry Munitz

StaffLyndon Catayong

Dana Farahani

Vivian Galanti

Dianne Glinos

Barbara Golding

Jerry Harris

Gregory Nicholson, Ph.D.

Tyler Sanders

Officers

Lloyd Cotsen Founder and Chairman of the Board

Barry Munitz, Ph.D.President

Marilyn PayneChief Financial Officer

David HardacreVice President and Corporate Secretary

the ART of TEACHING teamdedicated to the development of gifted teachers

download the spring 2014 issue of inside the art of teaching

Documents