Faculty 'giant' earns certification

Thornes changes 'boring' into fun at Esperero school

By Jamar Younger

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

eight at foothills certified

Eight Catalina Foothills School District teachers received National Board certifications this year. They are:

• Brian Bindschadler, Orange Grove Middle School.

• Maureen Byrne, Catalina Foothills High School.

• Sheryl Castro, Catalina Foothills High School.

• Andrea Davidson, coach, Catalina Foothills School District Career Ladder Program.

• Linda Down, Manzanita Elementary School.

• India Franklin, Manzanita Elementary School

• Allycyn Jacobs, Sunrise Drive Elementary School

• Wayne Thornes, Esperero Canyon Middle School

An eight-month period of reflection has paid off for an Esperero Canyon Middle School teacher, who recently became a National Certified Teacher of Mathematics.

Wayne Thornes, 39, received the certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards after completing a process that allowed him to videotape his class, assess his teaching ability and look back on his professional experiences.

"Wayne Thornes is one of the giants on my faculty," said Principal Brian Lorimer. "He contributes in virtually every way possible."

Lorimer said he would hold Thornes in high esteem even if he weren't certified. "He's a parent, a teacher and a solid member of his community."

Thornes' students say he takes the most boring aspects of math and makes them interesting.

"He tries to make it pleasurable for all the students," said eighth-grader Sunvir Chopra, 13. "If you have a question, even if it's a stupid question, he'll still answer it."

Thornes is one of eight Catalina Foothills teachers to receive the certification this year.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is a non-profit organization that develops professional standards for accomplished teaching and provides a voluntary system to certify teachers who meet those standards, said spokesman James Minichello.

Thornes began the application process in September 2006 and compiled a 100-page analysis of his work, including his methods of instruction, professional accomplishments and students' progress, he said.

"How do I sequence my lessons? How do the activities engage students?" he said of the topics he examined. "It's like writing a master's thesis."

Thornes also submitted a videotape that illustrated his teaching style and showed him working with his students, in small groups and with the whole class, he said.

"I provided evidence of my teaching," he said.

He finished the analysis in April, then waited about five months for the board to assess his work, he said.

The application process itself allowed Thornes to learn about himself professionally, he said.

"There is a lot of professional growth with being encouraged to reflect on my teaching," he said. "It's really impacted the way I approach teaching."

Minichello compared the certification to one that doctors or lawyers would receive in their profession.

"If you had something wrong with you, you would probably like to see a board-certified surgeon," he said. "It's the same thing with children. You would like your child to have access to a board-certified teacher."

Many states and school districts offer financial incentives to teachers who receive a board certification, he said.

Dozens of Arizona school districts, including Catalina Foothills and the Tanque Verde and Tucson unified school districts, offer bonuses, stipends and other types of compensation for teachers who are certified.

Catalina Foothills teachers receive an additional $1,000 a year if they're certified in their professional assignment, said Bobbi Damiani, human resources coordinator for the school district.

The money is added to their salaries and disbursed throughout the year, Damiani said.

The certification presents an opportunity for Thornes to take on more leadership responsibilities, he said.

"I hope to be more involved in teacher leadership and training," Thomes said. "The National Board lends itself to that."

Sixth-grader Lee Bohay, 12, said Thornes is patient teacher who motivates students to want to do math.

"He likes to do hands-on activities, which helps everybody understand," Bohay said. "He is exciting."

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