Don Baker

State:

Illinois

PLS courses I teach:

• Achieving Student Outcomes Through Cooperative Learning™
• Brain-Based Ways We Think and Learn™
• Designing Motivation for All Learners™
• Learning to Read: Beginning Reading Instruction™
• Meaningful Activities to Generate Interesting Classrooms™
• PRIDE™ (Professional Refinements in Developing Effectiveness)
• Purposeful Learning Through Multiple Intelligences®
• Reading to Learn: Comprehension Instruction™
• Successful Teaching for Acceptance of Responsibility®
• Teaching the Skills of the 21st Century®
• Teaching Through Learning Channels™

Years with PLS:

Since around 1994

Education:

• Master's Degree plus 80 plus hours, Bradley University
• B.S. in English — Speech Communications (Social Studies Minor), Secondary Education, June, 1967
• M.S., Speech Communications, Education Administration, December 1974
• Course Credit for Rockford College, Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University, Illinois Wesleyan, Western Illinois University, Aurora College, St. Francis College (Joliet) among others.

Teaching experience:

• 37 years in secondary education
• 35 years at Peoria High School in Peoria, Illinois
• Summer Journalism workshops at University of Iowa
• Gifted Education summer programs at Bradley University

Related experience, recognition, awards, etc.:

• Journalism Teacher of the Year in Illinois
• Recognized by state of Illinois for Outstanding Teaching
• Tutor for ACT testing — Have taught ACT prep classes

What I love most about teaching:

No two days are the same. Every class has its own personality and strengths. Teaching allows me to make a difference and in some cases, make life-long friends.

My favorite moment in teaching:

Too many to single out one but most involve having students write notes of appreciation and come back to recount what they learned and to validate what I'm doing. Having my Advanced Placement English students place between 20 to 40 percent above the national average each year is a perk each year.

Personal information:

I am a part-time sports writer for the Peoria Journal Star newspaper and I am a weekend disc jockey for school dances, wedding receptions, corporate parties.