Cindy Goff and Sherry Thiesen are being recognized as the Heartland Beat Teachers of the Month for their work at Heartland Schools in cooperation with the Conjoint Behavioral Consultation program. The CBC program is offered through UNL for students with behavioral concerns that interfere with learning. Elementary Principal Sadie Houck explained, “Four teachers participated in the program; two indirectly and two directly. Sherry and Cindy worked directly with a consultant to make positive changes in the behavior of students within the classroom. Both teachers were more than willing to jump at the opportunity and have gained a lot from the experience.”
Through the program, a specialist collaborated with both the teacher and the parents to address issues and then implement effective strategies. Cindy, a second grade teacher, explained, “Even as a veteran teacher of 33 years, the program was helpful to be reminded and encouraged in effective praise and request techniques.” Sherry agreed that it was a great program to have in her kindergarten classroom for kids at risk.
Sherry is also an experienced teacher with 23 years of teaching experience. “I don’t remember a time in life when I didn’t want to be a teacher,” she remarked. In kindergarten she’s focused on developing independent students and effective communicators. She enjoys being at Heartland for many different reasons including the sequence in curriculum they use throughout elementary, the sense of community it has, and the families she works with.
Cindy takes pleasure in the curiosity and smiles of her students while she seeks to develop lifelong learners. She is also continuing to integrate technology in the classroom to create more ways to learn. Through being a teacher in both the Bradshaw and Henderson communities, she can attest to the fact that both places have great community support, making Heartland a great place to teach.
Outside of their classrooms, Sherry enjoys gardening, cooking with her husband, reading, and spending time with family. Cindy can be found gardening, quilting, crocheting, or reading.
Congratulations to these teachers for their continuing work to aid their students!
