MANSFIELD, Ohio — St. Peter’s Elementary School teacher Tara Arnold was chosen to be a representative of the Catholic Diocese of Toledo for a professional development program that strengthens curriculum, instruction and assessment in Catholic schools.
The program is known as Alliance for Catholic Educators (ACE) Collaborative for Academic Excellence.
As part of this program, Arnold went to the University of Notre Dame, where she spent three days collaborating and learning with teachers across the country how to best implement the Common Core State Standards in mathematics.
“I went to Notre Dame in March to be trained so that I could come back to the Toledo Diocese and be a trainer for all of the other schools that are in the Toledo Diocese,” said Arnold, fifth and sixth grade math teacher and sixth grade science teacher.
The Toledo Diocese spans 19 counties in Northwest Ohio. It includes two Catholic colleges (3,816 full and part-time students), 10 diocesan high schools (2,580 students), four private high schools (overseen by religious men and women) (2,496 students), 58 diocesan elementary schools (overseen by parishes) (10,778 students) and five private elementary schools (overseen by religious men and women) (773 students).
“We’re taking the Common Core standards, looking at them and asking what is it that students [in kindergarten through twelfth grade] really need to know in order to be successful,” Arnold said.
“There’s lots of information out there, but not every piece of information is going to be life-changing or necessary.”
This summer, Arnold, along with the other teachers as part of the program, will share with teachers in their dioceses what they have learned, who, in turn, will share that information with their schools.
“It’s a rippling effect,” Arnold described.
The Common Core standards are already implemented at St. Peter’s Schools, Arnold said.
She said she’s gained an immense amount of information by participating in the ACE program and hopes to take what she’s learned and apply it within the classroom.
“I plan to change a few things because once you become informed of something good, you’re responsible to start working toward that,” she said.
She said it was overwhelming to have all of that information presented to her, noting, “It’s a lot to take in, but it’s good stuff. I just want to be able to do a good job…when I hear all of this sometimes I think I’m so far in over my head, but that’s okay because that will make me work even harder.”
Ultimately, she hopes that her students will feel confident about the subject matter, she said.
“By participating in this ACE program and assisting other teachers throughout the diocese, this shows her love for mathematics as well as her leadership skills, so I’m very pleased she’s a part of our team,” said Madalyn Bauer, St. Peter’s Elementary School principal. “She will help lead not only our diocese, but the St. Peter’s math department, so we’re very fortunate to have her.”
Arnold is entering her eleventh year of teaching. Prior to becoming a teacher, she served as a respiratory therapist and bookkeeper.
In 2004, she earned her master’s degree in education from The Ohio State University at Mansfield, with her areas of concentration in math and social studies. She went on to pursue the area of concentration in science, a math endorsement and master teachers’ certificate. In 2012, she completed the master teachers’ requirements and received her certificate. Soon she will have completed the coursework that’s necessary to get the math endorsement.
“I love to be continually learning and up-to-date with what’s going on in the educational world,” she said.
