TARA TEACHERS

Tara School is proud to have fabulous teachers who think, teach, and learn outside of the box.

Maggie Zenn, K-3 Teacher: “I began sharing my life-long passion for learning over thirty years ago. I started with a summer art camp in my parents basement when I was fourteen years old. We created many beautiful things, and I began to think about this question: Why do parents and teachers say we want children grow up to be independent, creative, fulfilled, intrinsically motivated, and lifelong learners, yet when they are children in schools the focus seems on compliance, agreeable disposition, speedy recall, and extrinsic motivation? I never understood how children could effectively shift from one paradigm to another. Where was the bridge? When I became a parent, eleven years ago, the question deepened in meaning, and my pursuit of an answer became a quest. The preservation of children’s wholeness, and support of their growth became my vocation.”

Maggie brings to Tara almost thirty years of teaching and learning. Maggie obtained a BA in Humanities: Literature and Philosophy from the University of Louisville in 1980. Now she has earned a MA in Early Childhood Education from the University of Phoenix in 2006. Her professional development includes Integrated Systems Study (2004), Resistant Family Training (2005). Literacy Instruction (2005), Poetry for Young Children (2005) Differentiated Instruction (2006). National Association for the Education of Young Children Professional Development intensive on Intentionality in Teaching (2007). Maggie is the author of the “Authentic School Supply List” and of The Water People , a children’s story based on the work of Masaru Emoto. She is the creator of the Love Gun play concept, and the Conflict Resolution Cube. Maggie was the Founder and Director of The Sage School, and The Village School at Sage (2000-2006), and the Director of Sage Learners, an individual learning platform for skills development k-3 (2006-07). Maggie gleefully (and thankfully) joined the Tara Staff in May 2007 as the primary class teacher grades k-3.

“I believe firmly that through honest reflection and keen observation we can support children in the best ways. Without this thoughtful practice we are destined to become cattle.”

Margaret Templeton, Upper Classroom Teacher: Margaret moved to Santa Fe last June from Dulce, N.M., where she formerly taught seventh and eighth graders for the Jicarilla Apache Nation. Margaret has been working with kids in classrooms and alternative educational settings since she was barely more than a kid myself… for thirty years now! "I love to learn, and I love to teach." One of the best ways to describe Margaret is to try and describe what it happening in her classroom right now: "We have begun our theme studies around Building Connections by integrating topics in Earth Science (Weather, Water Cycle, and Our Changing Earth) and American History (First Americans’ Cultures and Origin Stories). Students constructed a weather station: making barometers, setting up observation centers for evaporation rates and temperature, and charting local and national weather patterns posted on-line at Weather Underground. We made charts and graphs for tracking weather changes, and compared forecasts to outcomes for accuracy. We also tracked our individual water usages for one week; and we compared New Mexico maps of surface and groundwater locations to maps of First American and present-day human settlement patterns here. This week students have been examining and comparing various soil, rock, and mineral samples, while learning about the rock cycle and how it’s affected by slow and sudden earth changes.

As a class group, we read the novel Anpao by Jamake Highwater. This heroic saga is built around a Pan-American array of traditional stories, and gave us all a deeper appreciation for the indigenous worldview of First Americans. Students created poster panels for a classroom mural of prehistoric Anasazi cave dwellings. We read biographies of Hiawatha and discussed the Iroquois League of Nations' influence on our United States constitution. Reading partners have worked together on “Choose your own Historical Adventure” stories. As a whole group we practiced a Reader’s Theater script of a Chinese folktale, which students then presented to our friends in Maggie’s classroom.

In our Math centers, everyone is making solid progress in their Saxon Math books, while applying their skills daily with hands-on math models and problem solving puzzles. We also explored and constructed Incan number and record-keeping systems and studied the Iroquois calendar. In Writers’ Workshop, students have shown their creativity and imagination through both individual and cooperative writing activities. We have explored pre-writing techniques including brainstorming, making lists, webbing, and using graphic organizers. Students have practiced using sensory words to develop more descriptive writing."

“Here’s to an exciting, unforgettable year of learning and sharing!”

Kim Webb, BFA, MFA, MEd, Teacher in the Arts: Kim recently relocated from Hamtramck, Michigan where he taught art in Detroit area private schools for the past five years. Active in both profession and community, he served on the Parks Advisory Commission in Hamtramck. He is certified in New Mexico to teach K - 8, with a K-12 art specialist certification. Kim's paintings are in both permanent and private collections and he has an extensive exhibition record. His poems have twice been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. His first book ABSTRACT CORES (ISBN 1-56439-061-6) was published by Ridgeway Press in 1996. In 2001, Kim edited a compilation book and CD for which he recieved grants from The City of Detroit Cultural Affairs Department nd Michigan Council for The Arts and Cultural Affairs. A 2002 Detroit MetroTimes Literary Award winner, he was included in the anthology of Detroit Poetry ABANDON AUTOMOBILE (Wayne State Press, 2001) which was nominated for an American Book Award. Kim has already organized the school's first poetry performance night for November 1.

Wendy Chapin, Drama Teacher: Wendy has taught drama to all ages from 5 to 50 over the last 20 years. Most recently she has taught acting for the Public Schools as part of the Performing Arts Pilot Program and at National Dance Institute of New Mexico, and The Santa Fe Girls's School. Wendy also teaches as an Adjunct Professor for the College of Santa Fe's Moving Image Arts Department. She has a masters Degree in Art Therapy from Southwestern College. This is Wendy's third year of teaching for the Tara School.

Tara children are unique learners, and the best teachers of all.