Editor’s note: To read profiles of all 2015-2016 Blackboard Awards honorees, click HERE!
Marvin Cadornigara
Grade 6 Science, High School Living Environment, And High School Research
NEST+m
Tell us about some of the special joys and challenges you’ve experienced as a teacher.
When I first taught middle school Science in 2004, I have convinced myself that I cannot handle middle school. Yet school year after school year, I managed to convince myself that with the love for teaching and for children, I can turn my weaknesses and shortcomings into learning experiences. I am still teaching middle school Science even after 10 years!
My greatest challenge in teaching is how to inspire my students to constantly work towards improving their weaknesses and refining their strengths. It naturally springs from the observation I gathered from students who would be contented with giving minimum effort in their classroom outputs; who would be happy to respond merely with a word or a phrase rather than a sentence; who would consider quick careers rather professional ones. When I first taught middle school Science ten years ago, I took it upon myself to teach literacy as well. Even in Science class, I considered it my burden to lead students into writing and orally expressing their responses in complete sentences. I painstakingly established rubrics for projects that raise the bar of students’ level of writing and speaking. I introduced the culture of doing what is above and beyond the expectations in every single requirement. When I introduced the use of technology in my Science class 3 years ago, I was confronted with the problem of the lack of technology in the classroom. Despite the struggles of obtaining a means of accessing technology, such as the competition of borrowing the laptop cart in the building, I persevered and continued to believe that I can integrate the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the classroom. Aside from building up educational resources in Science, I also needed to build up digital resources to guide students in their use of ICTs in their digital projects and requirements.
I have learned to celebrate even one student who showed improvement in work ethic, understanding of concepts, or application of learning to a real-life situation. I rejoiced when my hard work and innovation worked when my students demonstrated the importance of diligence and industry through their projects, classwork, and laboratory reports. I have found delight in the quality of work that students achieve when they give more than what is required, research more than what is obvious, impress more through their ingenuity and creativity, and reflect more maturely on issues that affect their environment and their society.
In my 6th grade Science class, I consider it a reward to read students’ laboratory reports that cite and evaluate information and resources, incorporate data collection and analysis, provide evidences through images and videos, and finally communicate the information to the class. I consider it an honor to grade a digital output created through collaboration, creativity, resourcefulness, and hard work!
Please share a special project or achievement (or two) that you are particularly proud of from this year.
This year, I was able to engage all my 6th grade students in science, technology and engineering competitions that challenged them to research information, write essays and proposals, think for future, and build prototypes. Other than being engaged in challenging lessons and digital projects in the classroom, students were involved in researching for and writing experimental proposals to be sent to the International Space Station.
The students also participated in this year’s ExploraVision competition sponsored by Toshiba and the National Science Teachers Association. A team of students again garnered Honorable Mention certificates this year, duplicating our class’ achievement last year when another team won the same award.
For the first time this year, all students participated in the New York Metropolitan Regional Finals of the Future City Competition and collaborating with another Science teacher, 10 entries were submitted Each entry consisted of the future city essay, a city narrative, and a prototype model of the city that the students built themselves. During the competition in January 2015 and held at the Sony Wonder Museum, one team won the 2nd place trophy, and two other teams received the Creative Use of Materials and Most Environmental Friendly City special award plaques.
Over the course of your career, what do you consider one or two of your greatest accomplishments?
As a teacher, I consider it a great achievement to have been invited to be a speaker during the “Online Assessment” as part of the first 1st National Digital Educators’ Summit in the Philippines in February 2015. Despite the tiresome 18 hours of one-way air travel from New York City and another 18 hours back, I felt a sense of achievement sharing what I have practiced in class, particularly advocating the use of information and communication technologies in the classroom. While in the Philippines during this year’s mid-winter recess, I was also able to share two workshops on “Digital Learning and 21st Century Skills”and “Digital Strategies for Instruction: Towards 21st Century Learning Seminar Workshop” with teachers in my hometown. I also had the honor to facilitate another workshop on “Edmodo as a Social Learning Tool in the Classroom” in April 2015. This was the third Edmodo workshop that I have conducted in New York City; the first two workshops on Edmodo were conducted in November and February of 2014.
What drives you? What keeps you motivated and committed to being a dedicated and hard-working educator?
I started teaching in Sunday School when I was age 13. From then on, I was involved in teaching during summer camps, youth retreats and fellowships. With a 15-year teaching experience in my home country and another 10 years in New York City, I realized that had I not developed the love and passion for educating the young mind, then I would not have stayed true to this calling. Teaching is a pretty tough and challenging job because a teacher has to consider more than 30 minds, hearts, and sentiments all at the same time. More often than not, teachers are burnt out at the end of the day. They feel frustrated and worn out dealing with different learning styles and learning capabilities. But at the end of the day, teachers can finally sit down and reflect on what has been achieved for the day. Somehow, as one or more minds were opened to the basic concepts of life or felt the understanding look from teachers, and were guided into discovering their inner worth, a teacher’s worth can never be measured by the mere weariness of the day. This what motivated me to work hard for my students.
Evaluating the day’s exit quiz scores provides me an opportunity to evaluate what material was missed and offers me relief to see that the majority of the students has mastered the skills for the day. Grading the students’ projects and outputs brings me joy and inspiration when I see that they were able to connect their learning in the classroom to real-life situations, apply the principles of Science into creating models, and reflect on the importance of their roles in preserving core human values and importance of the environment and human life. Observing how the young minds emerged from being hesitant to being equipped to share experiential learning in the classroom is a reward for me and serves as another reason for me to commit myself to yet another day of purposeful discussion and meaningful discoveries. School year after school year, the passion for educating the mind and the heart of the young people declines towards the end of school, yet seeing in my heart that the future belongs to the young minds compels me to continue giving myself to the education of both the heart and the mind.
Any special advice for parents on how they can best support their children academically at the grade level you teach? And more generally? And how they can have the most productive relationship with their children’s teacher and school?
Teaching grade 6 students with a highly challenging curriculum has provided me insights into the needs of students. As a teacher, I would love to see parents find time to sit with their children to guide them into becoming self-reliant learners, knowing how to complete independent homework assignments and project outputs on their own. Then parents should be there to check on their children until they accomplish their assignments and projects. I believe that it is rewarding for parents to discuss the purpose of completing the assignment so that students can find meaning and purpose in completing their learning tasks. In my Science class, I provide the learning resources for my students through our social media class page, the homework assignment for parents to check on another support website, and the scores and grades of students on an online grading system for parents to monitor. Parents can best be partners to teachers when they get involved in accessing and utilizing these resources for their respective children.
I also believe that the best advice I can share with parents is for them to provide quality time with their children. Even when career time is utterly demanding and insistent, parents can find quality time with their children, no matter how limited it is. Because children need the presence of their parents for support and inspiration in their educational endeavors, the time parents spend with the children discussing their school day, listening to both their struggles and accomplishments, guiding them with establishing routines, checking on their progress, scaffolding their inadequacies, and celebrating their victories are all affirmations of their children’s worth in the family. Through the years, I considered parents who take an active interest in their respective children’s journey to learning comprise the best support system.
Parents are encouraged to become partners with teachers. As teachers assume the role of parents inside the classroom, it is helpful for the learning process when parents teach their children how to respect the adults in the classroom and train them to consider teachers as educators and guides in life. As character is taught at home, it is formed and verified in school and in the community. Parents and teachers can both share insights into the journey of learning that happens at home and in school.
