Believing that if students can write well, they can think well, fifth-grade teacher Kael Sagheer has created a writing-intensive curriculum at the Millard Core Academy, a mini-magnet school housed within Willa Cather Elementary School in Omaha. To model good writing, Mrs. Sagheer has her students write in the style of an author or poet they have read. She developed her own language textbook, drawing from numerous sources and keeping the explanations simple and to the point. Last year, Mrs. Sagheer's students thoroughly researched the Renaissance and created historical and fictional "personas" from the period, which they portrayed in a 45-minute theatrical production for the community, complete with costumes and props. She has developed a writing model used by teachers throughout the district and has frequently conducted inservices and districtwide presentations on how to teach writing and reading.
1991 University of Nebraska - Kearney, B.A.
