Allison Silvertooth is driven to do more — more for her students, for her district, and for her fellow teachers. “I’ve been an educator for over 20 years,” she says. “I chose this field because I love children, and I love being able to influence them in a positive way.”
A stint in a master teaching program showed Silvertooth a way to effect even greater change. “I started working with teachers in 2003 with the Intel® Teach program. That’s when I realized that by supporting and inspiring other teachers, I could have a bigger impact on education in my region.”
Today, Silvertooth is an English language arts and reading (ELAR) education specialist. In this role, she provides professional development, coaching, and training to teachers in ELAR classrooms. “Helping others learn and grow by building on their experiences — that’s huge for me.”
When it comes to teaching, Silvertooth believes in the power of images and getting your thoughts out. “The more visible the lesson, the better the retention of that lesson or activity will be,” she says. Specifically, she believes that doodling — yes, doodling — can help students make the concepts they learn stick.
Silvertooth is fascinated by research that demonstrates the immersive learning that occurs with doodling. The Doodle Revolution, a book by Sunni Brown, highlights the dynamic cognitive power behind doodles,” she explains. “By incorporating doodling in our classrooms, we can not only increase information retention and recall but also deepen comprehension.”
For a simple, flexible doodling tool, Silvertooth recommends Post-it® Super Sticky Dry Erase Sheets. “With these sheets, students can each have their own dry erase space,” she says. “As the teacher reviews a lesson, students can doodle one key image or symbol that represents their thinking about the concept.”
Given her penchant for always pushing forward, it’s no surprise that Silvertooth sees multiple uses for Post-it® Super Sticky Dry Erase Surface. “In the classroom, it can aid in collaboration by providing a common workspace that’s easy to revise. When stuck on a student’s notebook, they make a great ‘think’ place that can be carried from one classroom environment to the next. Wherever they’re used, their power lies in allowing students to make visuals to help them remember what their lessons are all about.”
Alison Silvertooth is an ELAR education specialist for grades three through eight in Region 16 ESC in Amarillo, Texas.