By Gail Peckler-Dziki~Correspondent
Erin Zigler is a familiar face in a new position at Randall Grade School. She began by teaching fifth grade at Randall in the 2005-06 school year and recently replaced Travis Lawrence when he resigned last year.
Zigler, who most recently was the learning support teacher with duties to assist the principal in her job description, was one of 33 who applied for the spot. This is her ninth year at Randall and she loves it.
“I enjoy being in the classroom,” she said, “and watching great teachers work and seeing students learning new things.”
For Zigler, it is all about the students. “I had recess duty recently,” she explained. “Some students came up to me so they could sing a song that they had written about moth. I loved it.”
Since she has taught at Randall for so long, she knows the students and their families. “I have been learning new things and keeping up with educational initiatives keeps me very busy, but the transition has been pretty seamless,” Zigler said.
One challenge all Wisconsin schools face is open enrollment. This year, the time to enroll at another school has increased. Zigler said this was something new for her when she came from Illinois.
“The idea that you can choose your school puts schools and teachers in a position to make sure you are providing the very best education you can. It pushes all of us to do better.”
She has discovered that the Common Core program, produced by the federal government, is a good tool. There have been some reports in the media that Common Core uses some problematic curriculum, but Zigler said Randall is using guidelines.
“We have benchmarks for fourth and eighth grade,” she said. “But in between, we have been on our own. The Common Core guidelines are a good tool and provide us with more definitive guidance regarding what skills students should learn in each grade.”
At one time, both Central and Wilmot High Schools had curriculum coordinators to aid the elementary feeder schools. The goal was to make sure the feeder school students were all on the same page when they walked through the high school doors. One problem with maintaining that position, Zigler said, was the ambiguity of standards for grades not covered in the fourth and eighth grade standards.
High school and feeder school administrators still meet every month, she said, and that is very helpful. “We talk to each other, make sure feeder schools are on the same page and share any new information. We hear from the high school, things we need to know so we can better prepare our students for the move from elementary to high school.”
Zigler is working closely with parent support groups like the W.A.T.C.H. Dogs, dads who come to school to aid teachers and spend time with all the students. She is also involved with launching another program, one that involves moms that will swing into action for classroom help with students and some general classroom preparation.