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Jennifer Palmer Promotes Positivity & Professionalism
posted by: Cindy Omlin | May 05, 2015, 08:37 PM   

Congratulations to Jennifer Palmer, 11th-12th grade Math teacher a Madison High School in Rexburg, ID.  Ms. Palmer was recently presented with a $300 teacher scholarship from Northwest Professional Educators by Brenda Miller, Regional Director for Outreach and Membership in Idaho.  Ms. Palmer will use the funds to help pay for her attendance at the July 2015 Intermountain AP Institute in Bountiful, Utah.  The conference is College Board approved and is designed to provide teachers with assistance and guidance to teach AP courses.  Tips are given for refreshing and improving existing AP courses as well as strategies and activities for teaching course content.

This professional development opportunity will afford Ms. Palmer the information she needs to upgrade her Statistics class.  As the only AP Statistics teacher in her school, she lacks colleagues with whom she can collaborate.  Attending a conference will allow her to meet, network, and share ideas with other AP Statistics teachers so that she can better provide meaningful activities to introduce or reinforce concepts for the AP test. She’s very excited to learn from AP Statistics expert, Ms. Lee Kucera, PhD, who is a retired high school teacher who taught AP Statistics since its inception in 1996.  Dr. Kucera has served as a reader for the AP Statistics Test and is currently a College Board consultant.

jennifer palmerA twenty year teaching veteran, Ms. Palmer has observed one common component in her career, namely, dedicated teachers improving the lives of students.  She is concerned that the public rarely hears the positives about education.  Focusing more on the positives will improve the professionalism of educators in her estimation.  “While we will always strive to improve curriculum and look for more funding, educators strive to make improvements in lives today.”

Active engagement, speaking up and not letting others put down the profession of teaching are important elements for helping get out good news about education.  “We need to become active in organizations that support teachers, volunteer for community events, and become involved politically. . .We need to become public relations specialists for education.  While there is room for improvement, we are not completely broken.  Many very well educated and contributing members of society were affected by a teacher and the current education system.”

Ms. Palmer recognizes the need for professional associations and has experienced their diversity.  After resigning membership in the National Education Association and its local affiliate, whose negotiations work she appreciates, she ultimately decided to join Northwest Professional Educators for its superior liability protection, low dues, and nonpartisan agenda.  “A few years ago, I chose not to renew my NEA membership because . . . I could not afford, both financial and politically, to continue to be a member.”

After learning about Northwest Professional Educators’ (NWPE) benefits for professional protection and support at a 2014 Idaho Council of Teachers of Mathematics conference, she decided to join NWPE.  “I have been very impressed with the support and information that I have received.  I enjoy reading about the upcoming events, workshops, and tips for the teacher.  Finally, I feel that I have the insurance that I need at a price I can afford.”

We are excited to support Ms. Palmer’s professional development and meet her needs for an organization focused on the positives of teaching and the professional protection teachers need to have peace of mind that their career is protected!

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