Staff Perspective: Debbie Tawzer, LHS

Staff Perspective: Debbie Tawzer, Legend High School
Posted on 06/03/2020
Staff Perspective: Debbie Tawzer
Legend High School




Like many educators, Legend High School Internship Coordinator and Digital Design/Engineering Teacher Debbie Tawzer faced technological challenges when Douglas County School District (DCSD) switched to remote learning. Stacy Blaylock, DCSD Communications Coordinator, chatted with Tawzer on how she continued teaching classes that relied on specialized technology and in-person internship work.


First off, what classes do you teach?

I have a few engineering, architectural, and digital design classes. I’ve run into the biggest challenges with my Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) class and my Professional Internships class.


What kind of technology challenges did you encounter?

Well, the CAD class is a Concurrent Enrollment offering with Arapahoe Community College, and many students complete the SolidWorks certification exam at the end of the school year. All of their preparation and the exam itself is usually done in our lab at Legend High School. Doing the same thing online has come with a variety of unique technology challenges. For example, SolidWorks only works on Windows computers, and we had to rely on a pilot program with Amazon Web Services to make that work. The testing software, however, didn’t work at first with Amazon Web Services. We had a huge difficulty moving students to a third option. It’s just something we didn’t anticipate. DCSD Information Technology has been great in helping us find solutions.


How have the CAD certifications been affected?

We had a few students pass! But students who don’t have optimal computer set-ups are still facing challenges. We didn’t provide equipment to them because we thought Amazon Web Services would work. Technically, students don’t have to complete a certification, but many chose to because it gives them a significant advantage in college. They can get Teaching Assistant jobs and internships thanks to the certification. Those that really care about it, especially the seniors, are trying to find a way to complete the test. Underclassmen have said they would take it next year.


What was it like connecting students with technology during remote learning?

It was a lot of handling unknowns. It teaches flexibility. You just have to be flexible, and you have to ask for patience from students. I’d talk to them about what’s in my control and what’s out of my control. You have to let go of what’s not in your control and make the best with what you have. The kids have been incredibly resilient. They worked hard to keep their skills up on their own.


You also oversee a Professional Internships class that gives students real-world experience in a job setting. How did you continue teaching that class when DCSD switched to remote learning?

Well, we were given a directive that the students couldn’t go to their internship sites for that hands-on experience. So we spent time refining their resumes, and we talked a lot about professional emails where students wrote to their mentors. For some of them, it was a hard task because they disagreed with not being able to go to their internship because some of those places would have still allowed the students to come. It became a learning experience on how you do what you need to do when you disagree.


What’s something you were able to do during remote learning that wouldn’t get covered in a regular semester?

We dug more into interviews. I put the students in the role of being part of an interview team where they interviewed individual applicants. I got them to think about job skills from two different points of view, and being on an interview team changes your perspective about how you would fill out a job application and how you would interview. Many really reflected on it. This activity is not something we would have done normally because the students would have been at their own sites with their mentors.

I actually sat in an interview where we were interviewing someone via Zoom, and it was a lightbulb moment for me -- this is what I should be doing with students! I should let them practice this skill. They should prepare for this kind of interview because where else would you learn how to do a Zoom interview or a phone interview? Remote learning was a perfect time.


Thanks for sharing your experiences with me, Debbie!

No problem! Have a great summer.
Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.

In compliance with Titles VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and Colorado law, the Douglas County School District RE-1 does not unlawfully discriminate against otherwise qualified students, employees, applicants for employment, or members of the public on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, religion, ancestry, or need for special education services. Discrimination against employees and applicants for employment based on age, genetic information, and conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth is also prohibited in accordance with state and/or federal law. Complaint procedures have been established for students, parents, employees, and members of the public. The School District's Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator to address complaints alleging sexual harassment under Title IX is Aaron Henderson, 620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, [email protected], 303-387-0127.

Outside Agencies

Complaints regarding violations of Title VI, (race, national origin), Title IX (sex, gender), Section 504/ADA (handicap or disability), may be filed directly with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 1244 North Speer Blvd., Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204. Complaints regarding violations of Title VII (employment) and the ADEA (prohibiting age discrimination in employment) may be filed directly with the Federal Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 303 E. 17th Ave., Suite 510, Denver, CO 80202, or the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1050, Denver, CO 80202.

NOTICE OF DESTRUCTION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION RECORDS

Special Education records which have been collected by Douglas County School District related to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of special education in the district, must be maintained under state and federal laws for the period of five (5) years after special education services have ended for the student. Special education services end when the student is no longer eligible for services, graduates, or completes his/her educational program at age 21, or moves from the district. This notification is to inform parents/guardians and former students of Douglas County School District's intent to destroy the special education records of students who exited special education services as of June 30, 2016. These records will be destroyed in accordance with state law unless the parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student notifies the school district otherwise. After five years, the records are no longer useful to the district, but may be useful to the parent/guardian or former student in applying for social security benefits, rehabilitation services, college entrance, etc. The parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student may request a copy of the records by requesting the records at this link ( Douglas County School District Transcripts and Records Requests ).