Facilitator+Bios

= = =Darlynn Cast NB = darlynn.cast@uafs.edu

Darlynn graduated from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, OK with a B.S. in Science Education and was selected Outstanding Biology Education Major. In 1994, she received a M.S. in College Teaching and Student Services and is presently working on a doctorate in Workforce Development Education in Administrative Leadership at the University of Arkansas. She taught public school for 17 years and has been in higher education for the last sixteen years. She is the Director of the Institute for Math and Science Education at the UA Fort Smith, a program that supports and promotes teacher quality. In 2005, she achieved her national board certification in Adolescent /Young Adult Science (Biology) and in 2007 trained to be a National Board Candidate Support Provider. She is a Pathwise Mentor trainer and a Co-Teaching trainer.
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 * Darlynn Cast ||

Ginger Osburn NBCT gingerosborn@uafs.edu Ginger Osburn spent 30 years teaching kindergarten in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, and is now an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education in the College of Education, University of Arkansas, Fort Smith. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. She also obtained her Master’s Degree from Northeastern State University. Ginger completed her National Board for Professional Teachers Standards in 1999 as an Early Childhood Generalist and is currently awaiting the results of her Renewal application. In addition, she is a member of Education Leadership Oklahoma, and was named one of 25 Masters Teachers in 200

Lois Yocum, Ph.D., NBCT loisyocum@uafs.edu Lois Yocum taught high school English at Iowa Falls High School for seven years and language arts/publications at Anson Middle School in Marshalltown, Iowa, for 23 years. She earned her B.A. at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA; her M.S. and Ph.D. at Iowa State University; and she served as Director of Teacher Education at The Franciscan University for two years before being recruited to teach at UA - Fort Smith in 2004. A participant in the original NBPTS field test, Dr. Yocum's was certified in 1995. She has taught descriptive, analytic, and reflective writing sessions at the University of Northern Iowa and at UA - Fort Smith where she is an Associate Professor of Middle Childhood Education. Dr. Yocum's research interests include facilitating literacy-related instructional strategies across the curriculum, middle school team collaboration, and online instruction in middle level pedagogy.

Diane Tillery, NBCT dtillery@sallisaw.k12.ok.us Diane graduated from Northeastern State University with a B.S. in Education and a M.S. in School Administration. She taught at Vian Elementary for six years and currently teaches 7th grade reading at Tommie Spear Middle School in Sallisaw. She has assessed three years for national board. Diane earned her national board certification in 2008 in Literacy: Reading/Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood.

Renee Claborn, NBCT rclaborn@sallisaw.k12.ok.us Renee graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education with an English emphasis and a Speech and Drama endorsement. She received her Master of Arts degree in Communications from Northeastern State University in 2001. Claborn began her teaching career at Ketchum High School in Ketchum, OK ten years ago. She has been employed by Sallisaw Public Schools as a language arts teacher for eight years. Throughout her career she has taught every level of high school English including Pre-Advanced Placement English I and II as well as newspaper, yearbook, oral communications, speech, drama and debate. Claborn currently acts as Freshman Class sponsor, advises the //Diamond Pride// newspaper staff and is a member of the Professional Development Committee, Effective Schools Committee and District Writing Alignment Committee. Claborn was honored as Sallisaw Public School’s 2008-2009 Teacher of the Year and achieved National Board Certification in the area of Adolescent/Young Adult English/Language Arts in 2008. Claborn and her husband Casey have three children: Jacob, Ella and Jonah.

Leslie Brodie NBCT <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">lbrodie@fortsmithschools.org <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Leslie attended college at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, AR. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology along with courses in teacher education. She spent the first sixteen years of her teaching career in the Van Buren Public School System. She taught physical science, life science, biology, chemistry, Pre-advanced Placement Chemistry, and Advanced Placement Chemistry. She is a Pathwise Mentor Trainer and a certified State Praxis III Assessor. In 2002, she was a state finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and in 2004 and received the Distinguished High School Mentor Award from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville. In 2007, she started as the Science Instructional Specialist for the Institute for Math and Science Education at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and became a National Board Certified Teacher in Adolescence and Young Adulthood Science. She has a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Science Education from the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville. She is currently the Elementary Science Coordinator for Fort Smith Schools.


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 * Leslie Brodie ||