When I was asked to write this final blog post, I had already been thinking about it weeks before. I knew from the very first day I started working here that I was going to dread the day I leave, and I knew I would have to write about it. But now that the day is upon me, I fear words may fail to express the range of my thoughts and emotions – there is just so much to say!

But to start, these last two months have been filled with some of the most enriching moments in my life.

Because of this internship, I was given the opportunity to meet and talk with some of the most influential people in education, people who have done so much to change the way we teach the students of this nation. And each time I heard about their accomplishments and what they are striving to do, I was left in awe that I was even able to converse with them, let alone stand in the same room as them! I have been humbled more times than I can count.

Because of this internship, I learned to better value my own talents and abilities, and to not take for granted what others see as worthwhile. We all have our own unique gifts, strengths, and weaknesses that shape who we are, and this internship has allowed me to reevaluate who I am.

Because of this internship, I have made new friendships that I will never, ever forget, and it has helped me strengthen my ties to existing ones.

Because of this internship, and the people of Laying the Foundation/National Math and Science, I have been blessed with one of the best summers of my life. I will always remember the work that I have done here, and the work that the people at this organization do every single day.

And to those people, I would like to say this: Never forget why you are here. Never forget what you are doing. You are changing lives. With every lesson that you compile, with every teacher that you train, with every spreadsheet that you update, you are contributing to the change that our public education system so desperately needs. Your work touches the lives of students and teachers across the nation. You are laying the foundation for change and success. Take pride in that, and continue to strive for excellence. You are all amazing people, and you have my deepest thanks and admiration for all that you do.

I would also like to specifically thank my boss/coworkers, Kaci Schack and Sarah Jensen, for all the encouragement and support they have given me this summer. They have helped me every step of the way, even if that meant letting me run on my own, and their many words of wisdom will never be forgotten.

As for what I will be doing now that my summer is over, in one week I will begin my pursuit of an English degree at Texas A&M University in Commerce. I am extremely excited to embark this new adventure (this will be my first semester at a true university) and I am looking forward to all of the reading and writing that I will be doing (in one course alone, I have to read five different novels outside of the textbook). It is going to be a lot of work, a lot of fun, and I cannot wait to start.

Until we meet again, everyone!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Best wishes,

~Timothy Huneycutt

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs dictates that before we can satisfy safety needs – needs such as security, protection, and stability – we must first meet our physiological needs. To ensure success in our day-to-day lives, we must make sure we are getting healthy meals, restful sleep, and energizing exercise.

Teachers, to ensure success in your classrooms, you must do the same. If you are not well rested, well fed, and energized, your students will notice disturbances in the effectiveness of your teaching.

Now, you may argue that you are putting the needs of your students above yours, that you are staying up late and skipping breakfast because you love your kids so much. But there comes a time when you must take care of yourself before others. A great example is, when you’re on an airplane, you are told to put the oxygen mask over your own mouth before the mouth of your child’s. This is not because they expect you to neglect the child in favor of yourself. In fact, it is the exact opposite. How can you help your child if you can’t even take a breath yourself?

If you don’t place your needs first, you are only hurting yourself. But you can fix that in just three easy steps! With good sleep, a healthy breakfast, and engaging exercise, you can satisfy your own physiological needs, thus allowing you to fully meet the safety needs of your students.

1. You need sleep. According to a 2008 survey conducted by Ball State University researchers, nearly a fourth of educators in the U.S. reported that they suffer so badly from sleep-deprivation that it affects the teaching in their classrooms. And while this study may be dated, the conclusions still hold true. Teachers who do not get enough sleep do not perform well in the classroom. So put down the pen and close the laptop if you feel yourself dozing off the night before class. You need the sleep!
2. You also need to eat breakfast – and not just a bagel or a bowl of dry cereal. To fully rise and shine, Whole Foods blogger Elizabeth Smith says you need to have a breakfast that has “lots of fiber and whole grains, some protein and healthy fat, and as little added sugar as possible.” Simple foods like scrambled eggs with diced veggies, healthy fruit parfaits, or premade wholesome muffins will stay with you all morning and keep you alert and energized.
3. You need to get out there and exercise. And before you say that you don’t have the time, the benefits of daily physical activity are tremendous. You will have more energy for teaching, it will improve your sleep at night so you won’t be napping between classes, and it can help you manage the many stresses of your job.

We all have our busy lives and busy schedules, but teachers, it is vital that you take care of yourselves. You are the people training the next generation of writers, engineers, and, well, teachers! So go to bed at a decent hour, eat a healthy breakfast, and go for a morning jog. Your body – and your students – will thank you.

This June, dozens of teachers gathered together in Irving, Texas, for LTF’s Train the Trainer event with the anticipation of becoming endorsed LTF Trainers. Over the course of six days, these prospective trainers were guided through the LTF philosophy, teaching strategies, and the tenets of effective adult education – all in the context of rigorous, hands-on labs and lessons taught by experienced classroom teachers.

Teachers meeting LTF standards for professionalism, knowledge, teaching, and training skills are endorsed as LTF Trainers and scheduled, as available, to lead teacher training sessions throughout the year. This year, 76 teachers became new trainers, bringing the national total of active, endorsed LTF trainers to 420. These teachers can then return to their districts as in-house LTF mentors. This is one step closer in LTF’s mission of building leadership capacity in school districts across the country, a mission that relies on experienced and effective teachers and trainers spreading the word about LTF.

LTF Trainers also have the advantage of learning from other teachers as they conduct trainings across the nation and bring back new ideas to their classrooms and districts. Our training model allows LTF Training participants to learn from experienced teachers, most of whom are currently in the classroom.

LTF’s Sarah Jensen and Elliot Mayen attended this summer’s Train the Trainer, where they interviewed teachers and trainers on the benefits of LTF’s Train the Trainer program and the benefits of becoming an endorsed trainer.

Learn more about becoming an LTF Trainer.

The first woman on both sides of her family to graduate from college, Kerri Briggs, Director for Education Reform at the George W. Bush Institute, never imagined she would one day shape education policy for millions of students across the nation. “I was the kid who worked hard,” she said of her school experience. “I was never really brilliant.” Briggs’ hard work paid off, and she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.

After graduating, she joined Close Up – a nonprofit organization that provides hands-on civic education programs – and worked in Washington, D.C., for nine months. “[Working in D.C.] gave me a real sense of the diverse experiences the kids of our nation have, education-wise,” she said. That realization and experience compelled her to return to school at the University of Southern Carolina, where she earned a Master of Arts and later a Ph.D. in education policy and organizational studies.

She then moved to Austin and became involved with the university there, which is how she first got pulled into the Bush administration. It was not because she’s a political person, she said, or because her family had connections. “I was just in the right place at the right time.”

After President Bush won the election, Briggs joined his staff as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. For the next seven and a half years she shaped legislation that directly impacted education policy in over 25 different states. In 2007, President Bush appointed her the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. Her work was affecting the lives of millions of students, and for her it was a humbling experience.

When the administration ended, she then started working for Mayor Adrian Fenty of Washington, D.C., as the Superintendent of Education. Fenty had eliminated the school board and took complete control over the district when he took over as mayor. However, before Briggs took the job, she asked Fenty – who was a Democrat – if her experience with a Republican President was going to create any conflicts of interest. He told her no, and that he believed in President Bush’s efforts to reform education. This proved to Briggs that education reform does not run across lines. “The real divide,” she said, “is between reformers and status quo people, and those lines cross party lines in interesting ways.”

Briggs worked for Fenty during his single term as mayor, and when he lost his reelection she left D.C. and moved back to Texas, where she joined the George W. Bush Institute as the Director for Education Reform. Briggs’ focus is now on the implementation of the “Alliance to Reform Education Leadership,” which aims to improve the performance of America’s school principals, thus helping bolster student success.

This blog post concludes the special series of “Lunch and Learn” presentations that were prepared for and delivered to National Math and Science’s summer interns. 

Increasing taxes. School districts in Texas are proposing elections to approve raising taxes in response to major budget cuts.

Financing education. When asked by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Americans voiced their ideas on how they would change the public education system.

More graduates. Despite higher standards and more rigorous state assessments, the TEA reports that the high school graduation rate has reached a new all-time high of 85.9 percent.

Language training. To better meet the needs of its ELL students, Massachusetts is requiring thousands of core content teachers to earn an endorsement in sheltered English immersion strategies.

Online education. To prepare students for online learning in college, the state of Virginia has passed a law requiring all high school students to take at least one online course in order to graduate.

For the full news summary, click here.