ALPHA DELTA KAPPA DECEMBER 2010 - Gedung Kuning

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many workshops for
parents, teachers
and students I have
conducted. The
parent workshops
give them hands-on
opportunities, as
well as sharing with
them what their
children are learning
at school. The STEM
Nights @ the Computer
allow students to complete
their project with teacher and
parental help. The teacher
workshops help them keep up
with the latest technology. I
have enjoyed teaching workshops
on the use of multi-media
technology across the curriculum,
differentiating the curriculum
using technology and ways
to use digital cameras to meet
the state technology standards
for students and teachers. It has
been my pleasure to present at
various conferences and conventions
including “Powering Up
With Technology,” MSET, the
Maryland ADK State Convention,
at the Southeast Regional
Conference, and at the 2009
International Convention.
During the summer, I have
the privilege of teaching reading,
math, writing, science and technology
classes I have developed
for elementary students in the
“Kids on Campus” program at
Montgomery College.
Each year brings new faces,
challenges, laughter, joy and
memories that are being created.
My youngest daughter
is now a first-year teacher. It is
exciting and rewarding watching
her blossom as a teacher,
and humbling and flattering
when she asks me for ideas or
advice. My goal as an educator
is to provide a safe and caring
learning environment for all of
my students which will bring
them into the 21st century as
human beings who will enrich
the world, make it a better place
to live, preserve our resources
for future generations, and live
Twyla Preising
life to the fullest by
having a solid educational
foundation.
Southwest Region
Twyla Preising
Arizona Alpha Nu
Chapter
As a 26-year
teacher, I am proud
of many things.
I have had the
distinct privilege to
educate students in Florida and
Arizona in many subjects, but
my greatest legacy is in the field
of United States history. I have
taught U.S. history on all levels
and believe that sharing the
history of one’s own country is
vital. Students have been given
an opportunity to see the mistakes
and successes of our past
leaders and average citizens.
They are now armed with the
foresight to use the past in order
to meet the challenges that
face us today and tomorrow.
I am also proud of the fact
that I was able to pioneer several
new courses at West Nassau
High School and Chaparral
High School. I was the first
social studies teacher to offer
advanced placement U.S. history,
psychology II, anthropology,
world history honors and
dual-enrollment U.S. history for
the West Nassau High School
students. It was indeed an
honor to offer a more expansive
and challenging curriculum for
an isolated and rural community.
I believe that the students
benefited from a selection of
courses that otherwise might
not been available. I was also
able to offer the students an
opportunity to participate in a
World Showcase of Countries
project for the first time at both
schools.
I was also honored during
the 2007-2008 school year to
be the first teacher at Chaparral
High School to offer United
States history at the honors
level. I believed that our department
needed to offer advanced
Educational Excellence in Action
U.S. history to the students
who did not qualify for advanced
placement courses, but
needed to be challenged beyond
what the regular classes could
offer. The course has become
so popular that I have increased
the number of course offerings
from the original two to four!
Perhaps my most noteworthy
professional accomplishment
in the Scottsdale School
district is the recognition by
our social studies coordinator,
Donna Schell, as the most
successful advanced placement
United States history teacher. I
took over the course at Chaparral
High School in 2004 and
began with the students achieving
a 54 percent pass rate on the
national AP exam. My pass rate
has continued to climb each
year. In 2007, 100 percent of my
students took the test and 94
percent passed. I truly believed
that this would be the pinnacle
of my success. Imagine my
surprise last year when 100
percent of my students took the
national test and 97 percent of
them passed! This was a district
record and a Chaparral record
as well. Is it possible that my
present and future classes could
top this record? We welcome
the challenge!
Outside of the classroom,
my most noteworthy professional
accomplishment is my membership
in Alpha Delta Kappa. I
was asked to join in 1988, and
have enjoyed the opportunities
for service and to learn
the skills of leadership. I have
been blessed to travel and meet
sisters from all over the world,
and to give my contributions to
the many fine altruistic projects
as well. There are no words
that can fully communicate how
much Alpha Delta Kappa means
to me. I believe my most important
contribution to Alpha Delta
Kappa was my opportunity to be
the colonization coordinator for
the new Florida Epsilon Alpha
Chapter.t