After-school tutoring and a "proficiency lunch bunch" are among the many effective ways teacher James C. Eslinger helps his fourth-grade students succeed at Alpine Elementary School, a Title I school in Columbus. His inquiry-based, hands-on approach to teaching science has helped his students score higher on the proficiency test in science than any other building in the district. He also helped the school's fourth graders raise their reading scores by 30 percent, prompting Governor Bob Taft to honor Alpine with the Ohio School Building Award for reading improvement. As a member of the school's Instructional Leadership Team, Mr. Eslinger analyzes results from state proficiency tests to identify areas for improvement. He is a member of the district's Science Specialist Pilot Program and is working with eight other teachers to create elementary science curriculum guides for the district.
1997 Missouri Southern State College, B.S.
