Audrey Lowery

I have just retired from public education after 42 years of teaching. I taught fifth grade for 14 years and seventh grade for 28 years. I taught recertification classes at the local college for over 25 years but am now fully retired from adjunct as well. I now mentor teachers who are interested in learning the cognitive process of instruction, which is a method of instruction based on the work of Bruner, Vgotsky, and other theorists in the field of cognition. All of the lessons I continue to design are on TPT. Each lesson is a unit of study and is based on this method of instruction.

With the demanding state standards, it can at times seem daunting as to how to teach all of the subjects. It can be done! The strategy I use was developed by the late Dr. Joan Fulton. She and I worked closely for 36 years. She was not only my colleague and former professor but a very dear friend. I used her approach to instruct my students and it worked. The Cognitive Process of Instruction [CPOI] is a teaching strategy that is based on the four core technologies in Cognitive Science. One, the cognitive process of instruction; two, instructional planning for accountability; three, high level thinking processes; four, meta-cognitive strategy-based tasks. Using these principles to plan and teach a lesson brings the joy back into teaching. With this strategy, category networks and strategic knowledge replace repetition, recall, and worksheets. The learning principles are based on the increase in stored knowledge. When the category network is increased, each student can achieve!

Teacher of the year, Who's Who for Teachers, Cum Laude Graduate, featured in several Vriginia Education Magazine articles, presented and recognized at national ASCD conferences in Houston, Texas and New York City, as well as the Virginia ASCD conference in Williamsburg, presented at the VA Middle School Conference, participated in the SURN Project with William and Mary, presented in local school districts, and continue to train teachers in how to use this method. Wrote a PBL unit for William and Mary when I attended the class there under Dr. Joyce Van-Tassel Baska.

Graduated from the following colleges: 1. Rappahannock Community College-A.S. in Pre-Teacher Education 2. Christopher Newport University-B.A. in Education 4-7 with a concentration in American History 3. Virginia Commonwealth University-Masters in Curriculum and Instruction 4. Radford University-Endorsed as a Cognitive Teaching Specialist 5. William and Mary College-Endorsement in Gifted Education 6. Developing Capable Young People Facilitator-trained by the late Dr. Stephen Glenn

I own the home in which I was born. It was built for my arrival in 1947. I remodeled it twice to make it more comfortable for my mother and father, who both enjoyed it before they passed. After the passing of my mother, I remodeled it one more time for me. I have always lived in this home, because I love my home and my small town. Blossom Belle, a little She-poo who is featured in my store, is the love of my life. She gives me much joy daily. The love of an animal is unconditional and always is freely given. I am blessed to have her in my life. I work very closely with my home church and head up the Distinctive Bazaar of the Northern Neck that occurs in October and November. Our bazaar is unlike any church bazaar anyone has ever attended, because it is like walking into a gift shop. We tithe on our earnings and support local charities. Now that I am retired, I spend more time creating the unique gifts we sell at our bazaar