Former Marine Puts No Limits on His Teaching Mission

Teachers are change agents. Sometimes, it is change that makes the teacher. Tony Oyola G’08 will attest to that.

“After completing four years active service in the U. S. Marine Corps, I was employed as a police officer. I quickly realized that many of the people I encountered could have been helped in school,” he says.

“I also realized that in order to help, I had to be in a profession that can make changes with the younger generation. Teaching was the solution.”

Oyola received a master of education from Cabrini in 2008, and took a position as science and social studies teacher at Julia De Burgos Bilingual School in Philadelphia. There, he became known as the teacher in the white smock.

“During my undergraduate studies, my science professor and I conversed frequently about appropriate professional attire for science teachers,” he says. Oyola didn’t don just any traditional smock. Instead, he had it embroidered with Science Has No Limits.

“I believe that my students should understand the contributions science has made to the world,” he says. “The smock is a visual reminder to them that every day is an experiment in understanding the world. It makes science serious, but fun.”

That first foray into teaching held a double challenge for Oyola: he taught science and social studies in both Spanish and English. That experience helped him develop an important personal motto.

“I’ve learned that it is important to be patient as the fruits of your labor may not flourish for some time,” he says.

That patience had paid off for Oyola, who has observed some remarkable student progress.
“I have many positive experiences as a teacher,” he says. “One special memory is of a particular student who presented a science project to the class in both Spanish and English. The importance of that was that in the beginning of the year, that student only spoke Spanish.”

“Another time, I used a series of project-based learning techniques to reach my lower performing students. This involved out-of-the-classroom walking trips and lots of hands-on work. To properly assess my students, I administered the regular standardized test. They all passed!” he exclaims.

Just as he does in the classroom, Oyola espouses a “no limits” personal philosophy about teaching and reaching the children who will be tomorrow’s adults. Today he continues to teach science and is also the dean of students at Paul Dunbar Elementary School in Philadelphia, one of the city’s Promise Academies. In this position he assumes the duties of assistant principal for K-8 grade students at the charter school, and provides guidance to all teachers regarding curriculum and instructions.

“My goal is to inspire my students to understand the value of an education and its importance throughout life. I also want them to realize that there are always alternatives for every situation,” he says. “I have continued on this path because I see the potential in the students not only to avoid the penal system but to be productive contributors to our society.”

Tony and his wife, Janice, completed the master of education program together and received the same degree with distinction. Janice is currently teaching 6th grade at Universal Bluford Charter School in Philadelphia.

Research Suggests Texting Helps Improve Spelling

Will text messaging lead to a generation of poor spellers?
A growing body of research suggests otherwise.

Three studies done by Coventry University in the U.K., the University of Alberta in Canada and the Pew Research Center indicate that rather than damaging reading and writing skills, text messaging, and other abbreviated electronic wordplay is associated with strong language and spelling development.

All three studies found that students who regularly used the mutations of phonetic spelling and abbreviations appear to be developing skills in the more formal use of English.

Findings include:

• Texting’s use of rhymes, abbreviations and initials are part of successful reading and spelling development.
• Texting requires the same phonological awareness needed to learn correct spelling.
• Texting increases a child’s exposure to print and writing outside of school.
• The more time a child spends texting, the more time the child is communicating, which leads to fluency.

Read the study from Coventry University, published in the Journal of Computer Assisted Learning.

Sources:
Texting may help children’s literacy skills, Coventry University says. Duncan Gibbons. 3 February 2011. The Coventry Telegram.
The effects of texting on literacy: Modern scourge or opportunity? April 2009. Steve Vosloo. Shuttleworth Foundation.

Is Tutoring For You?

Between national reports that indicate the educational deficiencies of U.S. students, and an increase in high-stakes testing as part of No Child Left Behind, more parents are realizing the value of tutors.

With an increase in demand, is tutoring an opportunity you should explore?
Certainly the added cash flow can be helpful. But there are other benefits to taking on tutoring assignments.

New material – Perhaps you spend your classroom time teaching math or French, but have a personal passion for piano or creative writing. Tutoring can give you a chance to share your passion and your teaching expertise, providing you needed variety.

New horizons – If you like to travel during your summer break, teaching English in another country can deliver you that travel experience as well as some extra pay. Or, if foreign travel isn’t on your wish list, but you would like to spend some time at a vacation spot closer to home, tutoring the local children at a shore point or mountain resort can turn your summer vacation into a pay-cation.

New audiences – If you spend teaching season working with elementary students, but crave time working with young adults, tutoring college freshmen or advanced high school students who need to be challenged academically can be rewarding.

Finally, tutoring in a one-on-one situation can give you the personal fulfillment that may be hard to come by in the typical classroom environment.

Sources:
Tutoring Research and Student Achievement: Best Practices and Policy Implications. Edward E. Gordon, Ronald R. Morgan, Judith A. Ponticell, and Charles J. O’Malley. Fall 2005. Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group,

Know Your Learning Style. Take Our Quiz.

Because you lead a busy life – job, family, friends, and responsibilities – managing to study for your grad school courses can seem daunting. But if you know how you learn, you can tailor your studying to fit your learning style, and thereby more efficiently and effectively study.
Take the following short quiz and get a better handle on how to adjust your study habits for better outcomes.

At a party, you join a small group where one person is an expert about the political situation in the Middle East. That expert is going into deep detail about a recent event he witnessed there.

Half way through his 15 minute story, you:
A. Have asked a few questions and are completely engaged in the story.
B. Have made a mental note about the book the expert has authored, but are listening with half an ear.
C. Have completely tuned out and are looking around for others you might know.

Someone stops you on the street and asks you for directions to a place you know well.
You:
A. Make strong eye contact with the person and carefully tell them how to get to the destination.
B. You take out a piece of paper and draw a quick map, noting specific landmarks.
C. You face the direction the person should take, and use hand motions while explaining the route.

You are shown how to do a new physical task that requires many steps. Before trying that task yourself, you prefer:
A. To summarize the steps with the teacher.
B. To write down the steps as the teacher reviews them.
C. To try the steps with the teacher.

When you read a book for pleasure, you usually:
A. Read slowly or carefully, often re-reading passages.
B. Read quickly.
C. Rarely read for pleasure.

If you answered mostly A’s – You are most likely an audial learner. Taping lectures will be a big help, as will studying with a partner and discussing what you have learned.

If you answered mostly B’s – You are most likely a visual learner. Read, take notes about what you read, and write down questions. Write whether you agree or disagree about topics discussed in class and why.

If you answered mostly C’s – You most likely are a manual learner. Seek out opportunities to apply what you learn (internships and volunteer opportunities). If you must study facts and figures, do so while bouncing a ball or exercising.

Alumni News

Tony Tolomeo G’94 was recognized by the Philadelphia Phillies as a 2011 Teacher All-Star. He retired from Springton Lake Middle School, located in Media, Pa., after a 22-year teaching career.

In May, The Philadelphia Inquirer recognized three Cabrini alumni as Philadelphia School District High School Distinguished Teachers:

• Ronald Paulus G’08 teaches English and serves as a mentor to new teachers at Edward W. Bok Technical High School.
• Jazmin Torres G’08 teaches Spanish at Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High School.
• Natalini Sean Ryan G’09 teaches algebra at Stephen A. Douglas High School.