Memorandum
| To: | High School Principals |
| From: | David P. Driscoll, Commissioner of Education |
| Date: | October 15, 1998 |
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is pleased to share with you
information about the 1999 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, Mr. Bruce M.
Penniman of the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District. Mr. Penniman was
selected by an independent selection committee representing administrators,
teachers, students, and institutions of higher education.
The Massachusetts Teacher of the Year has been awarded a full year sabbatical to
serve as an ambassador for education during the course of the 1998-1999 school
year, and makes presentations across the state to a wide variety of audiences.
The enclosed brochure describes Mr. Penniman’s areas of expertise, gives
an overview of the Teacher of the Year Program, and contains information on how
to contact him. I encourage you to share it with your staff and colleagues.
There is no charge for Mr. Penniman's appearances. Please understand that Mr.
Penniman's work with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education may limit his ability to
honor all requests.
Thank you for your interest.
Bruce M. Penniman
Amherst-Pelham Regional High School
English Teacher
Throughout his twenty-seven years as a teacher, as chair of the English
Department at Amherst-Pelham Regional High School
and Middle School, and as advisor to the high
school newspaper, Bruce Penniman has maintained a standard of excellence for his students, for
his peers in the English Department, and for himself.
His creativity, dedication, leadership, and
professionalism have inspired students and adults alike.
Bruce's classes incorporate a blend of
teacher-led discussions, small-group work, and
project-based learning activities. For example, an
ongoing project in American literature involves
students in researching, writing, editing,
designing, and laying out a booklet of immigrant
profiles entitled "Dreams Without Borders."
Bruce is widely recognized throughout New England as an exemplary teacher. He
is co-director of the Western Massachusetts Writing Project, a local site of the
National Writing Project dedicated to the implementation of education reform in the
K-12 schools in western Massachusetts. He is also editor of
The Leaflet, a tri-quarterly of 48-72 pages that is the journal of the New England Association of Teachers of English.
As a writer, he has had over 10 publications on topics ranging from
multicultural literature to detracking.
Bruce is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts/Amherst, from which he has
also received his Master's degree in English in 1974 and his Doctorate in
English Education in 1985. He will be available on a limited basis to consult with school
districts and teacher preparation programs.
Possible topics for consultation:
- Beyond MCAS: Designing a Standards-Based Language Arts Portfolio Assessment
- Writing for Real: Classroom Publications, Technology & the Curriculum Frameworks
- Uncovering the Curriculum: Long-Range Planning for Depth and Breadth
- Open-Ended Response: Preparing Students for the MCAS Questions
Bruce may be reached at:
Amherst schools - tel. 413-549-9828
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