Matthew Blake Harper
Teacher
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Pleasant Hill R-3 Schools, Pleasant Hill Missouri 2002-Present
Fifth grade teacher
Pleasant Hill Intermediate School 2006-Present
Pleasant Hill Elementary School 2002-2006
• Developed units and taught Social Studies/Science in a departmentalized setting 06-present
• Taught Language Arts, Math and Social Studies in a modified self-contained classroom 02-06
• Developed brain based projects using Spencer Kagan research within prescribed curriculum.
• Elected to the Professional Development Committee at the building and district levels.
o Chairman of District Professional Development Committee 05-07.
o Held office of PDC Secretary PDC 04-05
• Served on Building Improvement Team
• Appointed to Team Leader Position - 04-05, 06-07, 07-08
• Lead teacher in a Class within a Class classroom
• Helped to develop a curriculum alignment tool for school accreditation.
• Appointed to building projects committee, district calendar committee, district level technology committee, principal search committee 05.
Pleasant Hill Intermediate School Intramural Activities Program Designer/Lead Teacher 2006 – Present
• Developed, implemented and supervised a before-school activities program open to all Intermediate School students
• Organized group tournament play in sports aligned to Missouri State Physical Education objectives
Professional Internship, Metropolitan Community Colleges Summer 2001
Appointed to an internship with the Steamboat Arabia Historical Museum through the area community college consortium. Fully researched and developed curriculum for a traveling exhibit for schools. Worked closely with director of the Steamboat Museum and met with directors of several area museums.
Harrisonville Middle School, Harrisonville, Missouri 2000-2002
Sixth and seventh grade teacher
• Developed and taught exploratory units for Communication Arts and Social Studies within prescribed curriculum.
• Served on the Harrisonville Middle School Program Improvement Committee, Safety Committee, Discipline Committee, and MSIP Committee
• Shared team leader responsibilities within 6th and 7th grade team
St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School 1995-2000
Fourth grade teacher
• Developed and taught complete novel based Reading units.
• Developed and taught a complete Missouri – Kansas state research project.
• Developed Social Studies curriculum for fourth grade using Howard Gardner based research, exploratory methodology.
• Served on governance committee for accreditation process for private schools.
• Coached soccer and basketball for fifth and sixth grades.
Barstow School, Summer School Co-Director 1995-1996
Co-Director of a multi-age curricular and extra-curricular camp at a private school in a suburban setting
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE OF EDUCATION:
Assistant Food Service Manager, Naismith Hall, Lawrence, Kansas 1990-1993
Managed the food service branch of a private dormitory in a college setting
EDUCATION:
• Baker University School of Professional and Graduate Studies
Administration Certification, Master’s level coursework, 2002
• Baker University School of Professional and Graduate Studies
Master of Liberal Arts in Curriculum and Instruction, 1996-2000
• Avila College School of Education
Certification in Elementary Education, 1993-1995
• Westminster College School of Business
Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, 1985-1989
PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:
• Arborwalk community committee member (2009-present)
• Greenwood City Government Parks Board Member (2002-2004)
• Flag Display Chairperson, Cass County Living History Festival (2001)
• Member of Kappa Delta Pi, an honor society in Education, Avila College
• Member of Avila Education Association, Avila College
• Played varsity soccer – 2 years, Westminster College (1985-1986)
• Member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, Westminster College
Welcome
We hope you enjoy looking at all the exciting things we are doing in the 5th grade.
About Me
Calendar
Homework Club meets every Tuesday and Thursday after school. It runs until 4:15.
Blog Archive
Followers
Planner / Homework
Bellwork is in Social Studies this week.
SS - We are working on the Causes of the Civil War.
Monday: Finish Notes on Causes Civil War
Tuesday: Go Over Notes / Start Time Lines
Wednesday: Time Lines
Thursday: People / Civil War
Friday: People of the Civil War
Science - We are going to be looking at Clouds and Weather.
Monday: Hour 1 - WS - HW
Hour 3 - Finished notes
Hour 4 - Start Notes
Tuesday: Hour 1 - Check WS
Hour 3 and 4 - Go Over notes / WS - HW
Wednesday: Go Over WS
Thursday: Clouds
Friday: Clouds
Bellwork is something we have in front of us in the beginning of each period. It is made up of review questions from previous units. It has the students engaged in an educational pursuit during the time when I am required to take attendance and other paperwork for the school. (Please see the following reference for more information - "How to Be an Effective Teacher" by Harry Wong, page 121, et al.) The Bellwork alternates from Science to Social Studies weekly.
SS - We are working on the Causes of the Civil War.
Monday: Finish Notes on Causes Civil War
Tuesday: Go Over Notes / Start Time Lines
Wednesday: Time Lines
Thursday: People / Civil War
Friday: People of the Civil War
Science - We are going to be looking at Clouds and Weather.
Monday: Hour 1 - WS - HW
Hour 3 - Finished notes
Hour 4 - Start Notes
Tuesday: Hour 1 - Check WS
Hour 3 and 4 - Go Over notes / WS - HW
Wednesday: Go Over WS
Thursday: Clouds
Friday: Clouds
Bellwork is something we have in front of us in the beginning of each period. It is made up of review questions from previous units. It has the students engaged in an educational pursuit during the time when I am required to take attendance and other paperwork for the school. (Please see the following reference for more information - "How to Be an Effective Teacher" by Harry Wong, page 121, et al.) The Bellwork alternates from Science to Social Studies weekly.
Classroom Procedures
Sharing Subjects Procedures
Of a given day, we endeavor to split each period to include both Science and Social Studies. Times vary slightly, but are held as close to an even amount of time as possible, as per DESE. The only times when this may differ widely is when we are to incorporate DARE, Counseling, or Information Literacy classes into our timeframe. The planner entries will reflect this when it applies.
Textbook Checkout Procedures
I thought I would let everyone know how we handle the situation with Textbooks in Social Studies and Science.
In Science we actually check books out to individuals who are then responsible for keeping track of them throughout the school year. Periodically, we take a few minutes in a class to see if the books are, indeed, the correct ones. This also gives us a chance to implement a quick search of the room and desks for books that may have been misplaced or left behind.
In Social Studies, we implement a system to where an individual can check out a book for night. The individuals are asked to come in to check out a book at Team Time, which is right before the end of the day. In doing it this way, we are sure to protect instruction time in the core classes, as per administrative edict.
The individual, in checking out a book, is asked for the book number. The person's name is also recorded. That individual is then responsible for the book for the night.
Returned Papers Procedures
As papers are graded and entered into the computer, they are kept in a file, at my desk. On Fridays, as a part of our normal Bellwork time when the students are to AR read, the papers are passed back and are then to be taken home. This is done to maximize instructional time during the previous days of the week. It also helps to assure a minimum of interruption to our day's program and procedures.
Assignment Book Procedures
For the last 5 minutes or so of class each day we engage in a "Planner Time." During this time the studnets are asked to write the day's activities in their planners that are taken from the north maker board in the room. The planners are then signed by me or the team teacher in the room. The teachers also make note, in the planner, or any late or missing work as a means of communication with you at home. While we don't require that the planners be signed, we do strongly recommend refering to it nightly for information on homework and as a method of understanding what is happening in the classes.
Of a given day, we endeavor to split each period to include both Science and Social Studies. Times vary slightly, but are held as close to an even amount of time as possible, as per DESE. The only times when this may differ widely is when we are to incorporate DARE, Counseling, or Information Literacy classes into our timeframe. The planner entries will reflect this when it applies.
Textbook Checkout Procedures
I thought I would let everyone know how we handle the situation with Textbooks in Social Studies and Science.
In Science we actually check books out to individuals who are then responsible for keeping track of them throughout the school year. Periodically, we take a few minutes in a class to see if the books are, indeed, the correct ones. This also gives us a chance to implement a quick search of the room and desks for books that may have been misplaced or left behind.
In Social Studies, we implement a system to where an individual can check out a book for night. The individuals are asked to come in to check out a book at Team Time, which is right before the end of the day. In doing it this way, we are sure to protect instruction time in the core classes, as per administrative edict.
The individual, in checking out a book, is asked for the book number. The person's name is also recorded. That individual is then responsible for the book for the night.
Returned Papers Procedures
As papers are graded and entered into the computer, they are kept in a file, at my desk. On Fridays, as a part of our normal Bellwork time when the students are to AR read, the papers are passed back and are then to be taken home. This is done to maximize instructional time during the previous days of the week. It also helps to assure a minimum of interruption to our day's program and procedures.
Assignment Book Procedures
For the last 5 minutes or so of class each day we engage in a "Planner Time." During this time the studnets are asked to write the day's activities in their planners that are taken from the north maker board in the room. The planners are then signed by me or the team teacher in the room. The teachers also make note, in the planner, or any late or missing work as a means of communication with you at home. While we don't require that the planners be signed, we do strongly recommend refering to it nightly for information on homework and as a method of understanding what is happening in the classes.