Page 6 - FDLRS Focus - Winter 2020

SIM

Deanna Everett, LS Teacher Howell Watkins MS

Ms. Deanna Everett teaches learning strategies at Howell Watkins Middle
School. Ms. Everett manages to connect positively with her students
as she challenges them with high expectations and the opportunity
to experience the joy of learning. Not one minute is wasted in her
classroom. Her students come in the classroom, greet her, listen for
directions, and eagerly get down to the business of learning. Each of her
students is engaged and interested in the task at hand. Through scaffolded
instruction, each student experiences success and masters every skill
before learning the next step, until they are independently utilizing the
strategy on their own and applying it to other settings.

Last semester, Ms. Everett taught the Fundamentals of Paraphrasing
strategy to five of her classes, and the Socially Wise strategy to
her Social Personal Class. Her students made great progress in the
strategies, and they had many positive comments about being in
Ms. Everett’s class and learning the strategies. “Ms. Everett is well-
organized, and we learn a lot from each other, like a family. She does
a good job and deserves a raise”, Jose Roman commented. Another
student, Makaylah Ortiz said “She’s doing her job right, and she
teaches us right and I think this is going to get us further through
high school and college.” Ms. Everett uses every bit of instructional
time that she has with her students from the beginning of each
period until the end, modeling, providing feedback and guiding her
students through progress monitoring and supporting their journey
to becoming independent, successful learners. This semester she
is teaching the test taking strategy to all her classes, and they have
memorized the steps of PIRATES, and are currently in the controlled
practice and feedback stage. Their enthusiasm for the strategy and
her class is contagious, as she leads each student to be the best they
can be.

Quotes from Students:
“She teaches me a lot. She’s a good teacher too!” Jarret Mauvis
“She supports me.” Q’nique McGee
“I had the best semester with Ms. Everett. She is the best
teacher.” Hemerson Clemente
Er’Marion Clark: “She makes learning easy. I can read.”
“Ms. Everett is calm and peaceful. It is a good environment for
learning.” Dhari James
“We love our teacher.” Logan Soto
“Ms. Everett helps us with main ideas and details, getting
organized and paraphrasing.” Rood Alcema

Page 6 FDLRS Focus