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  Professional Development News

Mr. Egnot wins Teacher of the YEar

1/24/2017

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Mr. Egnot gives teaching his all whether it is presiding over competing Industrial Revolution Factories, dressing as Robespierre for a first hand look at a French Revolutionary, spraying his students with "mustard gas" (just water, don't worry) during WW1 trench warfare, or creating a living history museum. 

Without him we wouldn't have a hockey club or have a generation of twelve year olds who are well versed in 1980's Miracle on Ice and its international geopolitical implications. His students live history as though they were there because Mr. Egnot transports them.

See his work in action at the links below.


Congratulations to Mr. Egnot for being voted the Piedmont 2017 Teacher of the Year by his fellow faculty members.

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Mr Egnot shares his □ of ice #hockey with @PiedmontIB students each Monday□ @CharMeckSchools #NorthernersintheSouth pic.twitter.com/roWHDqmRvg

— Lisa Gurthie (@LisGurthie) January 4, 2016

Is this #tlap or #tlaj? Mr.Egnot (aka #Robespierre) raids the prop closet for a crown for today's lesson #cmsk12 pic.twitter.com/udZqhtCZJH

— Lisa Gurthie (@LisGurthie) December 4, 2014
Mr Egnot in Action:
Read about his Mock Presidential Electionhttp://piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/a-new-president-of-the-usa
Mr Egnot wins another award at: piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/a-surprise-for-mr-egnot
See the Living History Museum: piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/7th-grade-brings-history-to-life
Watch the "Trench Warfare" http://piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/7th-grade-video-stars
See the Industrial Revolution Prep http://piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/piedmont-teachers-gamify-social-studies
See the Indutrial Revolution http://piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/you-say-you-want-an-industrial-revolution
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Of Brazil and Bananas

5/11/2016

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Piedmont alumna (Mr. Joyce and I taught both her!) Amanda Hardie made a visit back to Piedmont as a guest speaker in Mr. O'Neill's classes.

 Ms. Grossman called me up to capture a bit of her talk and i am so glad she did. Not only did it warm my social studies heart to see an old student as an anthropologist, but I also am now dissuaded of the monkey/banana stereotype!

Most important,  our students learned and got a chance to see an academic life that happens outside of 4 walls of a classroom. 
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Good luck to Ms. Hardie as she continues her work at the University of Wisconsin Madison and in forests of Brazil. We are  proud of you!
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Ms. Hardie shows 6th graders a photo of a monkey she studies in Brazil. Is his stomach fat from bananas? Watch the video below to find out!
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AN Hour in Sixth Grade

5/5/2016

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Mr. Davis' students take a virtual field trip to Florence without the cost of the flight thanks to Google Street View.
PictureJumping jack Tuesday means Jumping Jacks for Ms. Malone's Brain Break.
As part of the peer walk-through initiatives by the the Piedmont Middle Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) Ms. Barone, Ms. Adornato and I walked through sixth grade Tuesday morning.  In the space of an hour, just minutes in each class, this is a snippet of what was going on.

​From quiet rooms with zen like atmosphere, to rooms buzzing with excitement, from test prep tips to virtual field trips to Florence,  from an exercises in expanding one's individual perception inspired by Dead Poet's society to EOG fact reviews  If I had to choose a word to describe sixth grade, I'd say  "amazeballs" is about right. 

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PL for Ms. Malone's students means neighbors working on various assignments at their own pace.
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Student Ownership in Ms. Lyttle's class means she always have a colorful room and student-maintained website!
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Mr. Clark conferences with each group to help them think through their work
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Ms. Whiting starts class as soon as students walk in to have plenty of time for renaissance character interviews.
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Civil Rights Gymnasium

5/19/2015

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The gym has transformed into a civil rights museum, with exhibits designed and created entirely by 8th grade history students.  Here are a few of the projects 
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For the second year in a row Piedmont 8th graders have built their own Civil Rights Museum.   This year the museum was visited by two distinguished leaders of the civil rights movement, Mr. Harvey Gantt and Rev. Dr. Jesse Douglas. Please read more about their historic visit and advice here, however the students work is the star of this post: 
The photos speak for themselves as students did not shy away from topics that are hard, nor did they dumb down or sugar coat the era into a simplified story that makes it all seem easy. Hats off to the 8th grade social studies team for their leadership in the value of a true and deep study of the past. 
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Related stories:
http://piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/students-build-a-civil-rights-museum
http://piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/7th-grade-brings-history-to-life
http://piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/2-distinguished-guests

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Distinguished CivIl Rights Leaders Speak at Piedmont

5/19/2015

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Mr. Gantt and Rev. Dr. Douglas discuss history with 8th grade fans as others tour the student-created Civil Rights projects that ringed the gym.
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Today Piedmont hosted two distinguished guests: African-American heros of the civil rights movement Mr. Harvey Gantt and Rev. Dr. Jesse Douglas.     

The men were invited to speak by Mr. Reddig, Ms. Benfield and Ms. Hon of the social studies department as part of the 8th grade Civil Rights lesson. 

The history displays (you see them in the background and for more detail please click here ) Piedmont students made came to life as the men recounted the difficulties and triumphs of their nonviolent fight for equal rights. Mr. Gantt recounted how became the first African American to integrate Clemson University and Rev. Dr. Douglass spoke of integrating the Georgia state capitol.  Students learned of bravery, nonviolence and finding faith in themselves and their futures.



"I look at you and I see the doctors, lawyers, scientists,and athletes you will become" Harvey Gantt, architect of Piedmont, Clemson's first African-American student and Charlotte's first African American Mayor said to the 8th grade.

"I just wasn't afraid of anything" Dr. Douglas answered when students asked him how he found the bravery to lead. "We didn't have any weapons to fight anybody, but love conquers more than hate" Rev. Douglas told the audience as he described his work with SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) where he was often sent to pose as white to expose the hypocrisy of racial segregation.  He urged students to create the America guaranteed to them in our founding documents: one truly free for all. 

  Here are just a few highlights of the event: 

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"I look at you and I see the doctors, lawyers, scientists,and athletes you will become" Harvey Gantt, archtect fo Piedmont, Clemson's first African-American student and Charlotte's first African American Mayor said to the 8th grade.
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Students applauded as Mr. Reddig announced that Mr. Gantt's architecture firm is responsible for designing the current Piedmont campus!
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Students were honored to shake the hand of a living legend in civil rights.
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Mr. Gantt smiles for the camera as the students take turns shaking his hand and asking him questions about his many achievements.
Below, Principal Barone shakes hands with the Rev. Dr. Douglas and shares stories of the Gantt family's Piedmont history with Mr. Gantt.
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A crowd of students gathered to meet the heros.
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Rev. Dr. Douglas impressed upon the students that they were the next generation of leaders who would make a better world.
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A momentous occasion such as this calls for some photos. Tonight students across Piedmont will be updating their social media accounts with the news.
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Rev. Dr. Jesse Douglas shakes a young man's hand.
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The crowd of students was excited at the honor.
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Students who've had the opportunity to view Selma raise their hands as Dr. Douglas comments on his first-hand experiences there.
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Mr. Reddig smiles with pride at being able to bring history to life for his students.
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A young man looks up to Mr. Gantt.
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"Since they did so much for our freedom to eat and learn where we want, the least we could do is buy them lunch." The prinicpal and assistant principal attended the social studies department meal in honor of our guests.
Related Posts
http://piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/civil-rights-gymnasium
http://piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/students-build-a-civil-rights-museum
http://piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/7th-grade-brings-history-to-life
http://piedmontpd.weebly.com/celebrating-piedmont/holocaust-survivor-visits-piedmont-to-speak
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    "Celebrating Piedmont" logs only a small fraction of the learning magic the teachers of CMS' Piedmont Middle School, an IB World School. create daily. In that sense, it is authored by all the staff and students of Piedmont.  It is curated by Ms. Gurthie who can be reached at the icons above. She'll be happy to brag about Piedmont's teachers and students any chance she gets!  Please note this blog has only just begun and we have so much to show off! Come back again soon!

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