Just Give Me The Fish

The gals at JGMTF have over 25 years of teaching experience between them, with some coaching, mentoring, and administration experience thrown into the mix as an added bonus. Our true love is for middle school, and that's where most of our experience lies, but we sure do love hanging out with basically anyone who likes to learn... from age 1-100. We've also spent time in elementary settings (primary and upper grades), high school, and secondary educational settings. One of us is also a published author, through Corwin Press... you can find her book, "The Instructional Leader and the Brain" if you're looking for a good read.

We believe in the trunk theory; that everyone in the world drags a metaphorical trunk around with them wherever they go. Because different people have a variety of prior knowledge tucked away in their trunks, we have to go on the assumption that our kids may not have anything to "hook" new learning to; they may have no prior experience that will help them understand new learning. If they don't have any prior experience that they will be able to "hook" new learning to, then we, as teachers, must help them create an experience. Basically, when we teach, we need to hook new information to a prior experience, or create an experience in which to hook it. Our goal is to teach in that way. Besides the trunk theory, we know that the best way for anyone to learn is if a topic is relevant and meaningful; we do our best to teach in ways that create relevance and meaning for our students.

Teacher-Based Reform Program (TBAR) Grant - awarded 2011-2014

Between us, we have a few B.A.'s, in English, Art Illustration, and Visual Communication. After that, we all got Multiple Subject Teaching Credentials in California, and tacked on a Single Subject English Credential a few years later. We've also got a few Educational Administration/Instructional Leadership Master's degrees and administrative credentials. We're all CLAD certified (Cross Cultural Language & Academic Development) and a few of us have been trained by Pat Wolfe in brain compatible instructional strategies.

Margaret Glick, Elizabeth Flores & Kate Huffman are the co-creators of Just Give Me The Fish and can't wait to fully implement CCSS!