Stephanie Boshears’ third grade classroom at Oneida Elementary School is erupting with students engaged in their learning. Whether she is leading small group instruction, classroom discussions, peer-to-peer feedback, or utilizing ongoing assessments to track academic progress, Boshears has a firm grasp on igniting the growth of her students. Through the incorporation of student success criteria, her students have a clear understanding of what “success” looks like for every assignment and set high expectations to achieve their goals. Boshears’ approach encourages students to take charge of their learning, build higher-order thinking skills, adhere to academic structure and rigor, and incorporate movement to reinforce core concepts.
Boshears’ instructional leadership, data-driven decision making, and growth mindset are all fostered through Oneida’s partnership with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching’s (NIET) systems for educator excellence, leadership and professional development. As the third grade department chair on her school’s instructional leadership team (ILT), Boshears helps lead implementation of professional learning opportunities and initiatives like “The Writing Revolution” training, and guides her peers in effectively using new unit and lesson preparation protocol provided by the Tennessee Department of Education. She helms her third grade professional learning community (PLC), serves as a teacher mentor, and opens her classroom doors for observation from colleagues and student teachers. Boshears is also integral to field-testing strategies with teachers and students to assess their reliability and ensure effective implementation in the classroom. To complement Oneida’s strong, school-embedded professional development, Boshears continues to fuel her growth and that of her colleagues by regularly attending workshops, outside professional development opportunities, and leading her own district-level professional development sessions on academic rigor and classroom management.
A member of her school’s literacy team, Boshears works with colleagues to coordinate family literacy nights, an effort to further involve families in their student’s learning and stay connected to the classroom. Her long-standing commitment to the Oneida Special School District strengthens her rapport with students and families each year.
Boshears earned her bachelor’s in education K-6 in 2010 from Tennessee Tech University.
Press Release: $25,000 Milken Educator Award Takes Outstanding Oneida Elementary Teacher by Surprise
