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PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE
Blaine High School ’ s Hana Tadesse wins Donaldson Science Award
Blaine High School ( BHS ) senior Hana Tadesse loves computer coding — writing computer software and apps .
“ Coding allows me to build my own world and create my own rules — a space to let my imagination flow freely ,” she said . “ There ' s just something exciting and relieving in coding .”
And thanks to her love and passion for coding , she ’ s excelled at it . So much so that Hana is one of four students from around the state to win a 2018 Donaldson STEM Award , which recognizes students of color who have demonstrated outstanding skills in science . Hana was recognized Jan . 13 at the Science Museum of Minnesota during the African Americans in Science event .
“ This award means a lot to me ,” Hana said . “ It proves to me that my journey to discovering my passion for coding was worth all my effort .”
Hana was first introduced to coding during her sophomore year at BHS , where she was a member of the Center for Engineering , Math and Science ( CEMS ) program at the school . She said she realized then how passionate she was for coding , but was afraid to accept that computer science ( CS ) was a career she could pursue as an African American woman .
But Hana ’ s curiosity and passion for coding led her to explore her interest in CS further . Before her junior year , she participated in Facebook ’ s “ Girls Who Code ” summer immersion program , where her team built an interactive mobile app to bring awareness to the homeless experience in America . This year , as a senior , Hana is taking CS courses at the University of Minnesota as a PSEO student .
“ Through continued exposure to CS and surrounding myself with other incredible girls who code , I have become fearless in my pursuit of CS . I realize that CS is a place for women and people of color as it is for others ,” she said . “( And ) receiving the Donaldson STEM Award shows me that I have the support and encouragement of my community to continue pursuing CS .”
The Donaldson STEM Award includes a $ 500 scholarship and a free , one-year household membership to the Science Museum of Minnesota .
“ The $ 500 scholarship I get from the award takes a huge burden off of me and my mother as it will cover some upcoming college fees ,” said Hana , who has already been accepted into Stanford University through the school ’ s early action deadline . At Stanford , she says she ’ ll major in CS with a focus on communication and security . She is particularly interested in exploring security practices in third world countries and in devising a way to provide proper security and equal protection rights to all people .
“ I think computers are fascinating — if we communicate with them correctly and very carefully , we can produce some of the best things possible . There is no limit to what we can code up ,” she said .
For now , Hana is focusing on wrapping up her senior year . She currently serves as a peer mentor through the Bengal Pride Leaders program , and is an active member of the BHS service learning club , Bengals in Action .
Blaine High School Senior Hana Tadesse was recognized Jan . 13 with a 2018 Donaldson STEM Award during an event at the Minnesota Science Museum in St . Paul .
But she ’ s also excited for the future .
“ I ' m just excited to see where my next adventure lies ,” she said . “ And I hope that if there is any girl out there interested in coding , don ' t be afraid to code and create your world .” ■
District to update middle and high school math instructional materials
When it comes to teaching students , it seems that today ’ s classrooms offer a wider variety of opportunities for students than ever before . Math classrooms are no different .
And that ' s why , for the past two years , Anoka- Hennepin has been looking at updating its middle and high school math curriculum , piloting new math resources to help create classrooms that will offer greater opportunities for students .
Math classrooms of the past primarily focused on procedures seen in textbooks that instilled the same concept over and over again , and students thought of themselves as good or bad at math based on their ability to remember intricate formulas and procedures . Think back to the classrooms of old : students in long rows of desks , the teacher in the front of the room , students working along on homework sheets drilling whatever the day ’ s procedure or operation lesson was .
“ What we ’ ve discovered is that if you walk into today ’ s math classrooms , they should look different than they did in the 70s ,” said Kim Pavlovich , Anoka- Hennepin ’ s director of secondary curriculum . “ So many things have improved , from technology to the way students learn , so we ’ re trying to answer the question : ‘ what is good instruction ?’”
After months of study , it seems Anoka-Hennepin is getting closer to an answer to this question due to the work of the Secondary Math Study Committee . Math teachers , administrators , community members , and teaching and learning specialists have found two math resources to help create classrooms that will offer greater opportunities for students . The ultimate goal of any math program is to prepare students for success in various post-high school settings , whatever they may be .
This year , many of Anoka-Hennepin ’ s secondary math teachers and their students piloted two updated math curriculums — and both reimagined the way math is learned .
The first , enVision , by Pearson Education , was piloted in the high schools this year after having been piloted in the middle schools last year . The second , Core Connections , by College Preparatory Math , was piloted at each middle and high school this year . And while the pilots are finished , some school teams may be continuing to use piloted materials during the remainder of the year .
Both resources engage students in a different manner by offering teachers a way to immerse students in critical thinking , according to Jeff McGonigal , the district ’ s associate superintendent for secondary education .
“ Instead of a classroom with desks all facing a blackboard to learn from the teacher ’ s lecture , we want the classroom to be more cooperative and collaborative between students and the teacher ,” McGonigal said . “ Frequently in groups , students are asked to make sense of a problem posed by either the teacher or the classroom materials , rather than hearing about an operation they memorize .”
It ’ s an improvement math teachers in Anoka-Hennepin have been working toward for the better part of a decade , with professional development and collaborative conversations .
“ Before , teachers talked to kids , but today , students are talking to one another
For the past two years Anoka-Hennepin has been looking at updating its middle and high school math curriculum .
more , and it ’ s improving the outcomes for kids ,” Renee Voltin , the district ’ s teaching and learning specialist for high school mathematics , said . “ When working together , students can bounce ideas and perspectives off one another and it improves how they learn .”
As part of that update , last month , parents were asked for their feedback during an information night hosted by the Secondary Math Study Committee , which is leading the change . At the event , parents asked questions , engaged in a math classroom experience , and learned about the two publishers Anoka-Hennepin is considering for its next secondary math curriculum .
In addition to parent feedback , the committee has received input from many other groups as well . The committee will now pour over the input and feedback it has received and make a recommendation to the Anoka-Hennepin School Board on which new math materials to use across middle and high school math classes starting the 2018-19 school year . Parents , staff and the community can expect that to be done in the coming months . ■