Profiles » Denver Teacher Residency

Chris Plesko

By admin | Published: October 6, 2011

Chris Plesko

2010-2011 Residency
Completing residency at Henry World Middle School, Secondary Math

I’ve been living in Colorado for 11 years since moving here from St.Louis, Missouri to study mechanical engineering at the University of Colorado-Boulder. I worked as an engineer with Ball Corporation for five years as well as a guest teacher for Denver Public Schools for one year. I love all the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer, particularly mountain biking and alpine climbing. My wife is a teacher in Denver Public Schools and I learned of the Denver Teacher Residency program from several of the district emails she received. Initially the program didn’t train teachers in secondary mathematics so I volunteered and guest taught for Denver Public Schools until DTR expanded in secondary math this past year.

I think that the Denver Teacher Residency offers the best opportunity to teach students in the highest need areas along with the support needed to be as effective as possible. The program pairs people who are driven to teach with highly effective lead teachers who are already making that difference. I’m looking forward to being in the same classroom everyday and further getting to know my students so that I can be successful in teaching them. At the same time I am fortunate to observe great teaching and combine that with DU’s graduate program so that I can develop my own teaching beliefs and philosophy. I think the biggest challenge for urban teachers today is continuing to be innovative and flexible in overcoming obstacles to learning. Regardless of background or socioeconomic status all students can be successful if we as teachers can find a way to reach them.

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Carolyn Lohr

By admin | Published: October 6, 2011

Carolyn Lohr

I moved to Denver in 2008 after completing my BA degrees in music and theater. My deep interest in the performing arts serendipitously led me to Denver Teacher Residency. I have been engaged in a number of children’s theater productions and have taught singing lessons to middle schoolers. Watching and helping eager young performers find their voices and learn and grow into theatrical parts convinced me to pursue education.

I chose Denver Teacher Residency because the program seemed to be the most enriching, comprehensive, and sensible path to becoming an effective teacher. I’m looking forward to spending the entire school year with a teaching mentor. I learn from this dedicated, experienced, and impassioned teacher and instill my values and hopes in the Denver Public School system. Programs like DTR show that change is coming, and that perhaps the biggest challenge is the here and now. Students already struggling have no time to wait. Urban teachers face the immediate challenge of catching up current students affected by the achievement gap.

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Caitlin O’Brien

By admin | Published: October 6, 2011

Caitlin O'Brien

2010-2011 Residency
Completing residency at Cole Arts & Science Academy, 1st Grade

I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and was exposed to the world of teaching growing up while my mom worked as a first grade teacher. More recently, I have lived in Omaha, NE for the past four years while attending college before moving to Denver. I am very passionate about traveling and have had amazing opportunities to learn about education abroad – especially during a study abroad trip to Peru. While on this trip, I was able to live in both rural Andean settings as well as in an Amazonian village where I helped to teach English and documented the education that children were receiving so that the government could provide them with more funding. Being in these settings has made me very passionate about ensuring that all children receive a quality education in a setting where they feel secure and can develop their own confidence and life goals. From this background, I became very committed to empowering others through education and hope to continue that in the Denver Teacher Residency.

I graduated in May from Creighton University with a degree in Cultural Anthropology and Spanish. While in school, I had the opportunity to teach Spanish classes at an elementary school in rural Iowa that really helped to ignite my love of teaching. Through this experience, I also became involved in urban education programs in Omaha and used my background of Anthropology to research child preparation and other family situations within this realm. This research really worked to expand my view of education and I have loved getting involved in special education initiatives as well as English as a second language programs.

I chose Denver Teacher Residency because it seemed like the perfect fit for me. It not only completely prepares residents with best practices and plenty of hands-on learning in the classroom, it also focuses on wider issues such as closing the achievement gap and delving into situations specific within an urban setting. In addition to this focus on specifically urban education, I also really love the attention it gives to English language learners and how it teaches us specific strategies to help make these students more successful. Overall, the goal of the program – to provide all students with an excellent education – really fits in with my own personal mission to teach the whole child in the most effective way possible.

I am very excited to be in the classroom setting and developing my own teaching style and classroom culture. Urban teachers today have the amazing opportunity to offer a holistic education to children that not only teaches them academic content, but that also instills in them the confidence to create and pursue their own dreams because they know they have all the support and necessary preparation to succeed despite any challenges that may exist in their lives.

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Caitlin Lente

By admin | Published: October 6, 2011

Caitlin Lente

2010-2011 Residency
Completing residency at Montclair School of Academics & Enrichment, 3rd Grade

I grew up in Lakewood, CO and attended University of Colorado Denver where I earned a degree in political science/pre-law and Spanish in 2011 with honors. I have one sister and I love to go snowboarding, exercise, and play volleyball. I like to travel and my favorite destination is Mexico. I enjoy going to the mountains and river rafting in the summer and snowboarding in the winter.

I’ve always been interested in teaching and helping underprivileged students, so when the Denver Teacher Residency recruiter spoke in my Spanish class, I knew I had to apply. I’m getting to know my mentor teacher and our students and having new experiences at the school every day I’m there. The language barrier is a big challenge, and DTR is equipping me with linguistically diverse education teaching strategies.

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Daniell Williams

By admin | Published: October 6, 2011

Daniell Williams

2010-2011 Residency
Completing residency at Cole Arts & Science Academy, Kindergarten

I am one of three kids, and am a Native American originally from Oklahoma. I enjoy many outdoor activities and am very family oriented. I studied at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond and also taught Spanish there as an adjunct professor for three years.

I first found about Denver Teacher Residency while looking into getting an alternative teaching license in Colorado. I chose DTR because I really like the idea of working in the classroom for a year with a mentor teacher. The training process and support of DTR shows Denver Public Schools’ commitment to quality educators and making a positive change in the school system. I look forward to learning how to provide a positive learning environment for students, and teaching strategies that will help them progress and succeed. I also look forward to being a positive influence and advocate for them. It is exciting being part of a group of people who are setting out to change the face of education.

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Danielle Hoppe

By admin | Published: October 6, 2011

Danielle Hoppe

2010-2011 Residency
Completing residency at Montclair Elementary, 5th Grade

I was born and raised in California, where I knew early on that I wanted to be an educator. My childhood was filled with made-up lesson plans and dry erase markers because all I wanted to do was teach. Although I dabbled in a few other directions along the way, my desire to teach was true then, and it’s especially true now. I spent the past several years in the corporate realm of the restaurant industry. I eventually found myself working with the training department in a non-traditional learning setting where I rekindled my desire to teach. After volunteering at a local elementary school for a semester to further explore my passion, I made up my mind for certain that education was where I needed to be. As I’ve gained personal and professional experiences, I have been able to better solidify this desire to educate.

Finding the Denver Teacher Residency was a very fortunate accident for me. Having just taken a weekend trip to Denver, I was curious to see what teaching opportunities might be available. So after what felt like endless days of searching on Craigslist, a posting popped up from DTR. It sounded too good to be true – as I learned more about the opportunity, however, I knew I had to apply. Like I’m sure most people entering the profession would say, I want to help. I want to make a difference. But even more so, I want to work towards improving the quality of education so that every student has a fair chance. I was particularly drawn to the Denver Teacher Residency for this reason because the program seemed so focus on always putting the student first and closing the achievement gap. I also really liked that the program provides the chance to develop alongside a mentor teacher. None of the others programs I looked into could even compare – everything was so well organized and accessible with DTR, it was no contest for me. I am honored to be a part of a program that is adamant about putting students first. Just being a teacher is a privilege in itself, but being a part of this program is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I am so eager to get soak up all that I can in the classroom. I am getting my “feet wet” right away and learning from my mentor teacher. I feel I learn best by doing, and I think the benefits of a congruent and interactive classroom environment are immense. Getting the opportunity to work with students four days a week for an entire year is a gift. I have become increasingly aware of the need for betterment in education, and not only do I believe it is possible, I get to be a part of it. With this program, I get to join the school community right from the start. I year ahead is proving to be challenging, but I am looking forward to mastering what it means to be a truly effective teacher.

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Bizzy Gart

By admin | Published: October 6, 2011

Bizzy Gart

2010-2011 Residency
Completing residency at Montclair Elementary, 2nd Grade

I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. I earned by BA from Connecticut College in 2011. I worked as an intern in the Denver Teacher Residency office during the summer of 2010 and I was very impressed by the program so I applied.

I chose the Denver Teacher Residency because I believe this program will help me make a difference in education. I have an amazing opportunity to learn from a mentor teacher while also learning in the classroom. I think these two things combined will help me to be the best educator I can. I am excited to be in the classroom and be working with my students and fellow teachers. I think the biggest challenge is engaging all of the students in the classroom. Everyone comes from different backgrounds and it is important to make the classroom a place where everyone feels comfortable.

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Heather Gray

By admin | Published: October 6, 2011

Heather Gray

2010-2011 Residency
Completing residency at Gust Elementary, 2nd Grade

I consider myself a Colorado Native, although I was born in Michigan. My parents are natives and except for short stints in Florida, Australia, and Maine, I’ve lived here my entire life. I enjoy everything Colorado has to offer from theatre to hiking to snowboarding and am looking forward to staying here with my commitment to Denver Public Schools. I hold a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado in Marketing and worked in advertising for just over 14 years. I originally went to UNC for teaching but decided I just wasn’t ready at 19. So 17 years later I’m jumping in!

A number of different friends, knowing that my dream was to change careers and become a teacher, sent me links to the Denver Teacher Residency website, an article from The Denver Post and one friend even attended an Information Session. DTR offers the best opportunity to apply learning in the classroom on a daily basis. I’ve taken part-time courses pursuing certification in a traditional university program and I never had the ability to connect what I was learning to the reality of a classroom. This program offers that and so much more. I’m looking forward to being in a classroom more, seeing how students respond and learn, and learning how to teach. I’m also really enjoying getting to know my cohort and creating long-term friendships.

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James-Rocco Stevens

By admin | Published: October 6, 2011

James-Rocco Stevens

2010-2011 Residency
Completing residency at Gust Elementary, 4th Grade

I am a Denver native and have lived here my whole life. I attended Denver Public Schools for my entire school career. I am very close with my family and love to spend time with my niece and nephew. I spend my free time at the gym, playing basketball, playing chess, or reading. I graduated from Metro State College with a double B.A. in Multimedia Production and Chicano Studies. I spent a semester studying in Guadalajara, Mexico to improve my Spanish. After graduating I spent two years working as a paraprofessional for DPS at Academia Ana Marie Sandoval in a Spanish component classroom. It was there that I found my love for education and desire to pursue teaching.

I heard about the Denver Teacher Residency in a newspaper article that had a picture of a high school friend who was a part of the first cohort. I then researched the program more on my own. After reading about the program I felt it was exactly what I was looking for to further my education and embark on a new career path. I feel that the residency year with a mentor teacher is an invaluable experience that I could not have gotten anywhere else. I am most looking forward to working with my mentor teacher and learning the intricacies of managing a classroom. I am also excited to work with the students and see the academic growth they make throughout the year.

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Kate Scheineson

By admin | Published: October 6, 2011

Kate Scheineson

2010-2011 Residency
Completing residency at Gust Elementary, 3rd Grade

I hail from the great state of Ohio. I spent my summers in college working at a summer camp in the mountains as a backpacking counselor. Mentoring and educating youth has always been my passion. I love the outdoors and have an inexplicable attraction to the harmonica. I attended Lake Forest College, a small liberal arts school outside of Chicago. I graduated in 2005 with a BA in creative writing and psychology. Shortly thereafter I moved to the wonderful state of Colorado (mostly because I’m addicted to mountains)
and worked as a paraprofessional at a residential treatment facility for adolescents with diagnosed psychological and behavioral disorders. I also volunteered for several therapeutic horseback riding programs, where I had the opportunity to work with both children and adults with disabilities.

A post on Craigslist advertising Denver Teacher Residency was my first introduction to the program. I chose DTR because of its structure – designed to educate urban teachers – is innovative and effective. With
hands-on comprehensive learning, a supportive cohort, specific training for the needs of DPS, and high expectations for both teachers and students, the choice was easy. I am eager to learn from the diverse backgrounds of my instructors, mentor teacher, and peers, and positively impact student achievement. Students often enter grades with knowledge gaps for various reasons. As well prepared, effective teachers, we can overcome impeding external obstacles and close those gaps to see vastly improved achievement from our students.

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