Jen Booz – KPBSD Communications Field Notes

Homer Middle School educator is going to Finland!

Jennifer Booz of Homer Middle School in Homer, Alaska, has been selected for the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Research (Fulbright DA) Program to Finland, a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Booz is one of approximately 22 U.S. citizens who will travel to 10 countries around the world in spring 2021 on the Fulbright DA Program. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as record of service and demonstrated leadership potential. Learn more about the Fulbright Program, a the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S government, and created to increase mutual understanding and build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

In her words…

Education is evolving, especially in 2020! What most intrigues you?

The world is becoming increasingly connected both to itself and to information. Gone are the days when the teacher imparted all knowledge onto students, revealing the mysteries of the universe. Beyond the critical skills of reading and writing, it will no longer be appropriate to teach facts and ask for recall. Students have this information at their fingertips. Educators would be foolish to not evolve along with our students. I see the role of education and teachers evolving into that of a guide and interpreter. I would love to see a teacher pose questions or present students with phenomena which is then explored. Teachers and students would then work together to sift through the vast amounts of information and students would learn the skills needed to navigate this new world. I am also interested in developing more ways for classroom students to feel empowered to make things happen in their community. I want students to realize they have a powerful voice, and take what they learn in school to use it.

Wow! What does receiving the Fulbright Award evoke in you?

I feel both thrilled and terrified. This is a very prestigious award and I want to be sure to do my best during my fellowship to show I am worthy of this honor. I know I will be in the company of people far smarter and more accomplished than myself and look forward to collaborating with and learning from them. I am also very much looking forward to being a student again. I have so much to learn from the courses I will take and from the Finnish teachers I will be working with.

In retrospect, do you have guidance for your younger self?

I have always wanted to study and live abroad. For many reasons, this never happened during high school and college. Since then, it has seemed a far off dream that would never happen. I think I would tell myself, “Stick with it. Keep working hard, push yourself out of your comfort zone, keep learning and trying to improve yourself, and never let your work become stagnant.” Even after 17 years of teaching, I feel I have so much to learn. I want my younger self to know it will be worth it one day!

I hope my future self can tell me that my Fulbright experience was a life-changing one. I want to know I took full advantage of all the opportunities given me, embraced the culture, and made new friends and colleagues. I want to hear that it will be challenging but entirely worth it. (Oh, and I want to know that COVID-19 doesn’t interfere with the program by shutting down countries again!)

What’s a favorite aspect to your work each day?

If last spring and remote teaching taught me anything, it is that students are my favorite aspect of my work day. Middle schoolers are goofy and weird and hormonal and smart. My daily interactions, from hallway banter to engaging them in science learning, keep me going through the not so fun stuff.

With no limits, what is your dream three-to-six month professional learning experience you’d like to pursue?

I am doing it! The Fulbright DA is the ultimate in professional learning experiences for teachers. It combines living and studying abroad with high level learning and professional development. When choosing my host country, Finland stood out for a few reasons. First, their education system is generally regarded as being the best in the world. I want to learn from the best. Also, in 2016, Finland implemented a country-wide curriculum reform which, among many things, mandates Phenomenon-Based Learning (PBL) in all schools. PBL is near and dear to my heart so I hope to learn from Finnish teachers about best practices in PBL in hopes of bringing them back to my classroom in Alaska.

“Jen is a student centered teacher who always puts her students’ needs above her own. She is always at the cutting edge of embracing innovated instructional practices and is an amazing role model for her students. She will represent KPBSD wonderfully in this Fulbright experience and I am certain that when she returns her students and colleagues will also benefit from this amazing learning experience.”
John O’Brien, Superintendent of Schools

“Ms. Jennifer Booz is an exceptional physical science teacher who consistently represents her colleagues in leadership roles, and continually strives to further improve herself professionally. For the last seven years as the Homer Middle School principal, I have been fortunate to supervise Jennifer in her position as the eighth grade science teacher. Our school is located in a small coastal town at the end of the road in Homer Alaska, has a student body of approximately 200 seventh and eighth grade students from a high diversity of families and cultures including Alaska natives, commercial fishermen, and oil and gas industries. Jennifer’s physical science curriculum routinely incorporates community engagement including local scientists from a broad range of disciplines and teaches physical sciences through local relevant and current topics. Jennifer has been teaching middle school science for 14 years covering a variety of topics within science from engineering to the scientific method to design and modeling. Jennifer’s students are consistently engaged in high-level thinking and rigorous learning activities. Her ability to establish rapport and connect with the students, which has resulted in, improved student self-motivation. Jennifer continually refines her practices and in my opinion, this has benefited our student’s learning and academic achievements.”
Homer Middle School Principal Kari Dendurent

Congratulations Ms. Jennifer Booz!

LINK: Department of State, Fulbright Press Release Download

“There are so many amazing teachers out there doing incredible things every day that to be singled out for recognition feels unbelievable. I love being a teacher. Teaching science to middle school students is the best job I can imagine but I could not do it alone. Kari Dendurent, my principal, is always willing to support whichever crazy idea I have. My co-teachers inspire me every day and the kids keep showing up excited to learn science. I hope to continue to grow my craft and never stop learning.” – Jen Booz

Ms. Jen Booz teaches science and robotics to eighth graders at Homer Middle School. She has been a teacher for 11 years, all in Alaska.
Principal Kari Dendurant says that that Ms. Booz is known for her positive rapport with students, and all the students at Homer Middle School. But it’s not just her principal who believes this. A student writes, “She is helpful and the best science teacher. Ms. Booz makes everyone happy. She’s a really awesome, cool and healthy person to be around.”
Ms. Booz coaches cross-country running and works with all types of athletes to encourage a healthy lifestyle. She knows that being a member of a team helps her student-athletes integrate well into the other areas of their schooling. So she brings this sense of team into her classroom.
“I consciously create an environment of blended and project-based learning in my class,” she tells us, “to allow students the freedom to make choices in their learning.”
Ms. Booz creates a module-style structure, in which students are provided with content through a variety of sources, then progress at their own pace, moving ahead as they complete each component. So each student is responsible for his or her own learning, but also works with peers in small groups.
Their teacher monitors progress through CANVAS, the District Learning Management System. By blending the learning process, Ms. Booz is freed up to work one-on-one with these small groups or individuals. She says, “As a science teacher, I want students to experience ‘real science’ whenever possible. The project-based learning model I have adopted utilize community interaction, relevant topics and authentic products.”
One example of her approach was a project in which students made a presentation to a professional in the community over Skype. They received feedback directly from the professional, which was a very powerful moment for both them and their teacher.
Another example had meaning closer to home. Ms. Booz says, “In Homer, many of our families fish commercially, so when we coupled science skills and chemistry, we investigated the best methods to clean oil spills. Many of our students’ parents have been trained in oil-spill clean-up, so this project had real-life application.”
“I believe Jen Booz makes a difference in public education because she brings the love of learning and science to every 8th grade student at Homer Middle School,” said Kari Dendurant, principal. “As a result of students having Ms. Booz as their teacher they are encouraged and inspired to be innovative to make our world a better place. Students do not ever hear no from Ms. Booz, rather they hear why?, how? and what do you think? And most importantly, I believe in you. She is a true inspiration!”
Ms. Booz earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware, and a master’s degree in education from Eastern Oregon University. She began her work in science during college when she was awarded a field internship. After leaving Delaware, she traveled around the country doing field research in ornithology, and also worked as a field biologist for state, federal and academic institutions.
These positions gave her real-life experience as a scientist, lessons she tries to give her students through the blended learning she implements in class.
Ms. Booz also devotes herself to Homer’s students outside of class, serving on several school and district committees and the Innovation Committee, Personalized Learning Council and National Junior Honor Society.
“I am very proud of all our finalists for this prestigious award,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They all embody the qualities we want all of our teachers to exhibit, especially in how they ensure a strong, positive relationship with each and every student. Each finalist is very deserving of this recognition and I look forward to their continued excellence and leadership in our district.”
Congratulations, Jen Booz, 2018 BP Teacher of Excellence.

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Celebrate Ms. Jennifer Booz, Fulbright Distinguished Award

Celebrate Jen Booz, 2018 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence