Cramphin Excellence in Education Award Winner – Kim Dansin
Dear Kim,
You are being recognized by several of your colleagues as someone whose multi-leveled perspectives bring new and exciting energy to students and your peers. Said one of your fellow workers, “Kim brings worlds of expertise to our community in terms of the Classics, neuroscience, technology, and middle school education! Kim engages her Latin students with challenging grammatical concepts, contextually relevant vocabulary, and fascinating Roman customs. Conversations with her always begin with an enthusiastic description of a new game, teaching strategy, or project in her classes. Brain research informs her instruction both in class and with students during extra help sessions. She cheerfully offers these sessions regularly during study halls and early morning tutorials.”
Another colleague notes that your high level of positive energy inspires and motivates fourth and fifth graders. In addition to assisting in planning a new fifth-grade World Language program, you learned Spanish in a summer program in Mexico in order to hone your skills before teaching Spanish to fourth graders. Your collaborative efforts are lauded as you connect with area independent schools to exchange ideas, all with an eye toward making the study of Latin relevant to young learners. Bringing the study of Latin to the twenty-first century continues to be a success at Renbrook because of you, Kim. With the creation of formative assessment activities employing numerous online tools, your usage of data allows not only for differentiated activities but also keeps parents informed of student progress and creates plans for mutual support.
Bringing learning to life and beyond the classroom are hallmarks of a Renbrook education and you embrace this wholeheartedly. You are admired for preparing eighth graders to spot and interpret Latin terminology in Washington, DC., to successfully compete in the National Latin Exam, and to skillfully present poems for the CT COLT Annual Poetry Recitation Contest. Your positive, passionate, committed efforts are highly regarded.
As your colleague aptly states, “Kim is a gem.” Kimberly, as a respected and revered ambassador for our profession and for Renbook School, we feel great pride in joining your colleagues as we honor you with the 2021 Jane and Doug Cramphin Excellence in Education Award.
Congratulations/Gratulationes!