On January 29, 2006
Mexican students and teachers lost a dear friend, an accomplished teacher, and
a strong advocate of teaching methods that help students become excited about
learning. Even during the few days before her death from cancer at age 61,
Penny Graham was busy visiting with fellow teachers and students, and
organizing her teaching materials so others could use these resources after she
was gone.
This web site is both a memorial to an unusual
and innovative human being and an honor to her students by providing a repository
for teaching materials that promote innovative and effective learning.
The Only For
Teachers section provides:
- Penny's notes on the
application of learning styles (Gardner's multiple intelligences) to both the
school environment and the business environment. This section includes on-line
self grading profile questionnaires in both English and Spanish for three age
groups (adults, youth, and children).
- Material on
classroom discipline methods that have proven to both excite students about
learning and elevate the morale of the faculty.
- Concepts, developed
by both Penny and her husband, Bill, that view the teacher as a talent scout
and the student as a treasured guest who is more than a person receiving
programmed information.
The
About Penny section provides both the story of
Penny's life and pictures that will help inspire us and remember her.
This site is lovingly
maintained by Penny's husband, Bill Graham. Penny's notes and documents have
been collected from her effects and from her fellow teachers; and organized by
him and placed onto Web pages. In those cases where ideas were jointly gathered
and/or developed, the material may be written partially by Bill. New material,
ideas, and comments are strongly encouraged via email at
ballenagris[at]mexicomail.com.
Much of the use and
support of this site is from educators who teach in various schools in Guaymas,
Sonora,Mexico. Penny spent a lot of her time teaching other teachers who now
are teaching in four different schools. She regarded four of these wonderful
women as her heritage. While this site is dedicated to Penny's memory, it is
also dedicated to Penny's heritage -- these four teachers from four different
schools who will now multiply Penny's energy and ideas into growth and new
knowledge for multitudes of students. |
