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Barbara Vallejo, Independent SIM Professional Developer
Jane Stevenson, Eden Prairie High School
Shari Schindele, Independent SIM Professional Developer
The history of SIM in Minnesota stretches back to 1981, when Don Deshler first sparked interest in the model during a speech in the state. His vision caught the ear of Carl Skordahl, a special education administrator in Osseo, who began looking for ways to promote SIM in his district.
It was through Carl's enthusiasm that Shari Schindele was introduced to SIM in 1985, in the form of Word Identification and Sentence Writing strategies workshops conducted by Don and Ann Hoffman.
"Carl was very excited at the prospect of providing this opportunity for us," Shari said. "The excitement was contagious, and we all went back to our buildings to teach the strategies to our students. We found that the students were receptive to learning the strategies they appreciated the respectful methodology and vocabulary as well as the opportunity to be successful while being increasingly challenged."
Ann later returned with Conn Thomas to continue professional development activities and to hear feedback on the Learning Strategies and problem-solve with the teachers.
The second part of Carl's vision began in 1987, when he obtained grant money that allowed five teachers--Janet Jones, Kay Norton, Gary Peterson, Shari, and Sandy Van Pelt--to begin the process toward SIM certification.
"The five of us worked together to develop training outlines. What a great way to start training!" Shari recalled.
The five new professional developers from Osseo launched a third part of Carl's vision: to provide professional development experiences for general educators and special educators in teams.
"As time went on and as more Osseo teachers were teaching the strategies in their classrooms, the strategies were promoted during curriculum writing time," Shari said. "Soon, they became a part of the general education curriculum as well as the special education curriculum."
Throughout the 1980s, key people nurtured SIM in Minnesota. In addition to Carl's dedicated efforts, SIM Professional Developers Conn Thomas and Ann Hoffman began conducting SIM workshops, exposing many Minnesota educators to SIM for the first time.
Among the current SIM Professional Developers who attended Ann and Conn's workshops in the early 1980s were Pam Premo, Jane Stevenson, and Ruth Ann Rankin-Meleen. They remember the excitement of their first SIM workshop.
"Our initial training was through a three-year commitment in St. Cloud," they said. "We were trained in nine strategies over the three years, including Word ID, RAP, FIRST, PENS, COPS, and Test-Taking. We were excited about a curriculum for special education students instead of tutoring them. We loved it and asked to be trainers. Conn and Ann came to St. Cloud to 'train the trainers' and the rest is history!"
Ruth Ann, who attended the workshop paired with an English teacher, was especially pleased with what SIM had to offer.
"I was so glad to find something for older kids," she said, "not baby stuff and not tutoring."
In 1988, Pam, Jane, and Ruth Ann along with Nancy Lorsung, Sharon Burns, and Janet Gray took the next step, attending summer sessions with Ann and Conn designed to prepare them to become certified SIM Professional Developers.
Members of the group remember supporting each other in the early days of their professional development activities.
"Even if we weren't doing the training, we came to support the pair that was training," they said.
In the spring of 1997, Barbara Jo Stahl proposed the idea of a network of Minnesota SIM Professional Developers to Shari Schindele. Barbara Jo's idea was that the Special Education Division of the Department of Children, Families, and Learning (DCFL) would provide grants to school districts around the state for Learning Strategies workshops. Barbara Jo knew that a number of teachers had become certified professional developers in earlier years, and she wanted a network to staff the workshops that the state would fund.
The network started with 16 lively, talented, and participatory educators. Although Shari was the facilitator, all were leaders. All members contributed ideas and shared their opinions and experiences. The network met five times a year, with a focus on the strategy workshops--their structure, the handouts, and ways to promote implementation among workshop participants.
As the network continued over the next six years, a second focus emerged--placing SIM in the broader context. In addition to the information coming from the Center, all members provided perspectives on this topic. Mary Barrett, a member on leave to DCFL from Rochester Schools, for example, provided in-depth information about what was happening in DCFL as well as in the legislature. Nancy Larson, who replaced Barbara Jo Stahl in the second year of the network, provided extensive information about the reauthorization of ESEA and proposed changes in the reauthorization of IDEA. Mary Barrett, Jane Stevenson, and Barbara Vallejo provided further information about these topics. Pam Premo provided Teacher Federation and state staff development process information.
Because of the varied perspectives of the members and the members' deep interest in quality education, a great sharing of ideas has continued through the years of the network's existence. Perhaps these discussions and idea-sharing sessions account for the fact that members have become friends and have developed a sense of collegiality and support that makes the network a welcome resource for all!