Nope, I'm not grabbing a cab to go anywhere special----but I am running for a position on the CERRA Advisory Board-- know as CAB!!
CERRA is a great organization located in my county and is the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement.
I have been involved with CERRA since I was a senior in high school and took part in a class called Teacher Cadet (This would be part of the Recruitment aspect). I learned so much that year and it only added to my interest and passion in teaching.
I have since been involved with CERRA through trainings in becoming a Mentor teacher (This would be part of the Retention aspect). I have learned about mentoring and working with new teachers to make sure they get off to a strong start in this profession.
Most recently, I have had the opportunity be involved with CERRA as District Teacher of the Year (This would be the Advancement aspect). CERRA supports the Teacher of the Year program to celebrate, recognize, and empower teachers to share their voice and strengths. They also provide many great resources for the Teacher Forum that I have been leading this school year.
I would like to stay involved with CERRA through this Advisory Board, but I need your help!
Please click on the link below and choose Region 3-- Midlands.
And, vote for me!!
http://www.cerra.org/cab/election2012
Showing posts with label Professional Development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Professional Development. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Friday, July 29, 2011
Partnership Conference
Helllloooo Friday morning!
I was up and at 'em early this Friday morning to attend the 2nd Annual Partnership Conference for Educator Renewal at Winthrop University. Last year my school entered into a partnership with Winthrop as they restructured their internship program through the NetScope grant. Internships for seniors at Winthrop in the College of Ed will now be year long. I think this is a great move on their part and these teacher candidates will greatly benefit from it! They will get to see the same children in the same classroom from start to finish!
Since this is the first year of our partnership, this is the first opportunity I've had to attend this conference. I get to choose 4 sessions to attend after the General Session. The theme of the day is "Looking Back, Moving Forward."
And wow, what a GREAT day!! I got to learn about some new motivation tricks, action research, how I can better support a teacher candidate that will be interning in my classroom, working with students of poverty, and co-teaching.
Just to name a few.
The motivation session was all about remembering to celebrate the small stuff. Not every student is going to score an academic touchdown. We can and should cheer for just a catch!
I would love to attempt some action research with my new Math Out Of The Box kit. It's all still "in the box", literally, right now so I've got some work to do!
Co-Teaching is something I never really learned about in college, but am excited to try. The statistics for impact this model has on student achievement is astounding!
It's days like these that get me really excited to get back into my classroom!
I was up and at 'em early this Friday morning to attend the 2nd Annual Partnership Conference for Educator Renewal at Winthrop University. Last year my school entered into a partnership with Winthrop as they restructured their internship program through the NetScope grant. Internships for seniors at Winthrop in the College of Ed will now be year long. I think this is a great move on their part and these teacher candidates will greatly benefit from it! They will get to see the same children in the same classroom from start to finish!
Since this is the first year of our partnership, this is the first opportunity I've had to attend this conference. I get to choose 4 sessions to attend after the General Session. The theme of the day is "Looking Back, Moving Forward."
And wow, what a GREAT day!! I got to learn about some new motivation tricks, action research, how I can better support a teacher candidate that will be interning in my classroom, working with students of poverty, and co-teaching.
Just to name a few.
The motivation session was all about remembering to celebrate the small stuff. Not every student is going to score an academic touchdown. We can and should cheer for just a catch!
I would love to attempt some action research with my new Math Out Of The Box kit. It's all still "in the box", literally, right now so I've got some work to do!
Co-Teaching is something I never really learned about in college, but am excited to try. The statistics for impact this model has on student achievement is astounding!
It's days like these that get me really excited to get back into my classroom!
Monday, July 18, 2011
No "Fist Pumping" Allowed
I'm not at 'The Shore' but I am in NEW JERSEY!
A few months ago I was nominated by my State Department of Education to serve on a multi-state standard setting study for ETS. The purpose of this study was to help determine a passing score for the Elementary Multiple Subjects Praxis exam. From here on out, pre-service teachers will need to pass each section individually and our recommendations for that score will be sent to our State Departments.
I felt very honored to be a part of this and had a big responsibility to represent not only my state and our pre-service teachers, but what is MOST important to us.......our students.
This was my chance to advocate for what THEY need to learn and be taught. This was my opportunity to declare what makes a beginning teacher qualified.
As we began our introductions, our panel leader jokingly declared, "There will be no fist pumping in here!"
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A few months ago I was nominated by my State Department of Education to serve on a multi-state standard setting study for ETS. The purpose of this study was to help determine a passing score for the Elementary Multiple Subjects Praxis exam. From here on out, pre-service teachers will need to pass each section individually and our recommendations for that score will be sent to our State Departments.
I felt very honored to be a part of this and had a big responsibility to represent not only my state and our pre-service teachers, but what is MOST important to us.......our students.
This was my chance to advocate for what THEY need to learn and be taught. This was my opportunity to declare what makes a beginning teacher qualified.
As we began our introductions, our panel leader jokingly declared, "There will be no fist pumping in here!"
Mr. Lochel and I got in early afternoon yesterday and took a bike ride around the ETS campus. It had been gloomy weather our entire drive up so we were thankful for the sunshine! The campus is beautiful.
Tonight, we went into downtown Princeton to explore.
We walked on the campus of Princeton University.
Talk about "Ivy League"
Then, we ate dinner at a local pub.
I was channeling my inner Liz Bridges here by snapping a pic of my delish dinner.
I was channeling my inner Liz Bridges here by snapping a pic of my delish dinner.
Tomorrow promises to be another challenging day on the panel. I am looking forward to the professional discussion and the growth that I am experiencing from this! I am not looking forward to the drive home on Wednesday! But, until then, I will focus my thoughts on teaching candidates and the sweet, smiling faces of those I love the most---the children!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Intense Training
Don't get too excited. I am not talking about physical training (The only way you'll ever seen me running is if someone is chasing me!)
I'm talking about mental training! I seriously have not worked my brain this hard since school ended!
The past 3 days have had me holed up in my school district office for SAFE-T NET training. This is training to be an evaluator to second year teachers in South Carolina. Come to find out, SC has some of the highest standards out there when it comes to evaluating teachers.
Our training leader was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable that it actually made these three days fly by!
I learned some new words while I was there...see if you know what any of these mean:
Dossier (pronounced doss-ee-ay): a French word meaning a collection or file of documents on the same subject. We create a dossier for each classroom teacher going through SAFE-T.
Preponderance: superiority in weight, power, numbers, etc. We learned to base our judgements on the preponderance of evidence; to look at the teacher as a whole and not judge based on one specific piece.
Iterative: repeating; making repetition; repetitious. Teaching, in and of itself, is an iterative process--meaning that we do things over and over again. We plan lessons, teach lessons, reflect on those lessons, modify those lessons and then start back again planning!
All 16 teachers in my training had to take and pass a test at the end of our three days together to officially become SAFE-T certified. Good news.......we all passed!
All this training took me be in time to when I was just a 2nd year teacher. It was a good reflection tool for me just being able to see how much I've grown and changed as a teacher. I am lucky to work in a district that provides these opportunities for me.
I'm talking about mental training! I seriously have not worked my brain this hard since school ended!
The past 3 days have had me holed up in my school district office for SAFE-T NET training. This is training to be an evaluator to second year teachers in South Carolina. Come to find out, SC has some of the highest standards out there when it comes to evaluating teachers.
Our training leader was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable that it actually made these three days fly by!
I learned some new words while I was there...see if you know what any of these mean:
Dossier (pronounced doss-ee-ay): a French word meaning a collection or file of documents on the same subject. We create a dossier for each classroom teacher going through SAFE-T.
Preponderance: superiority in weight, power, numbers, etc. We learned to base our judgements on the preponderance of evidence; to look at the teacher as a whole and not judge based on one specific piece.
Iterative: repeating; making repetition; repetitious. Teaching, in and of itself, is an iterative process--meaning that we do things over and over again. We plan lessons, teach lessons, reflect on those lessons, modify those lessons and then start back again planning!
All 16 teachers in my training had to take and pass a test at the end of our three days together to officially become SAFE-T certified. Good news.......we all passed!
All this training took me be in time to when I was just a 2nd year teacher. It was a good reflection tool for me just being able to see how much I've grown and changed as a teacher. I am lucky to work in a district that provides these opportunities for me.
Friday, June 10, 2011
A Continuum
I attended my third and final day of Mentor Training yesterday and much like the last two days I feel as those I've learned a great deal about mentoring, but also about myself as a professional.
I was introduced to a document called a "Continuum". You automatically think of the words "continue" and "continuous" and you can pretty much infer what this is.
In relationship to teachers, it's a big chart that lays out all these specific dimensions and qualifiers. The dimensions and qualifiers range from planning and instruction to environment and professionalism. The Continuum ranges from Beginner to Innovative.
We were all challenged to turn to a specific page and self assess; place ourselves somewhere on the Continuum. I will not lie- it was a hard task to do! I went back and forth from being overly critical, to overly generous! I could see how I'd changed through the years; I could see how I'd changed through one year. On some dimensions, I could see how I changed throughout the week. Some days are better than others, for sure. I moved up and I moved down; back and forth. It's a good thing, too, because the idea is that you never stay in one place. We don't want to be stagnant, but always moving (hopefully forward) on this continuum.
This activity did get me thinking about all the roles we have in our lives whether or not a continuum exists there too.
Do you have an idea of what the innovative friend looks like?
Do you have an idea of what the innovative wife or mother looks like? Sister? Daughter? Aunt? Neighbor?
Where are you on the continuum of life? (oh goodness, that's deep!)
I was introduced to a document called a "Continuum". You automatically think of the words "continue" and "continuous" and you can pretty much infer what this is.
In relationship to teachers, it's a big chart that lays out all these specific dimensions and qualifiers. The dimensions and qualifiers range from planning and instruction to environment and professionalism. The Continuum ranges from Beginner to Innovative.
We were all challenged to turn to a specific page and self assess; place ourselves somewhere on the Continuum. I will not lie- it was a hard task to do! I went back and forth from being overly critical, to overly generous! I could see how I'd changed through the years; I could see how I'd changed through one year. On some dimensions, I could see how I changed throughout the week. Some days are better than others, for sure. I moved up and I moved down; back and forth. It's a good thing, too, because the idea is that you never stay in one place. We don't want to be stagnant, but always moving (hopefully forward) on this continuum.
This activity did get me thinking about all the roles we have in our lives whether or not a continuum exists there too.
Do you have an idea of what the innovative friend looks like?
Do you have an idea of what the innovative wife or mother looks like? Sister? Daughter? Aunt? Neighbor?
Where are you on the continuum of life? (oh goodness, that's deep!)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Just One More Degree
Our first day of Mentor Training was thought provoking and inspiring. Seeing just how many teachers leave the profession within the first 5 years is astounding. Our work over the next two days will focus on what we can do as Mentors to better prepare and better support teacher candidates and induction year teachers so that they don't experience the same pitfalls and not want to teach anymore.
Teaching, and all that goes along with it, is a lot harder than most people could ever imagine! This makes me think of a quote I once heard, "From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it." But, our jobs here as Mentors from the "inside" will require us to explain it. Explain what we do each day and more importantly, why.
Our leader closed the day with a clip from a company called Simple Truths. To paraphrase the main idea, water is hot at 211 degrees. Water boils at 212. Just one more degree causes plain water to turn to steam. And steam- well steam can power a locomotive. Oh the power of just one extra degree.
The clip really allowed us to think of all the things we could accomplish and what MORE of a difference we could make if we just gave one more degree. One more degree of hope. One more degree of love. One more degree of faith.
What if I gave one more degree of friendship to someone. Or maybe even one more degree of understanding to someone or a situation that I can't even begin to comprehend. What a difference that would make in my attitude, and most likely the outcome.
As Amanda was dropping me off she pulled her car into my driveway and we saw a special present on my doorstep!
Teaching, and all that goes along with it, is a lot harder than most people could ever imagine! This makes me think of a quote I once heard, "From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it." But, our jobs here as Mentors from the "inside" will require us to explain it. Explain what we do each day and more importantly, why.
Our leader closed the day with a clip from a company called Simple Truths. To paraphrase the main idea, water is hot at 211 degrees. Water boils at 212. Just one more degree causes plain water to turn to steam. And steam- well steam can power a locomotive. Oh the power of just one extra degree.
The clip really allowed us to think of all the things we could accomplish and what MORE of a difference we could make if we just gave one more degree. One more degree of hope. One more degree of love. One more degree of faith.
What if I gave one more degree of friendship to someone. Or maybe even one more degree of understanding to someone or a situation that I can't even begin to comprehend. What a difference that would make in my attitude, and most likely the outcome.
As Amanda was dropping me off she pulled her car into my driveway and we saw a special present on my doorstep!
A present from my sweet friend Hayden!
Now that is one extra degree used to make this teacher feel extra special on her birthday!
Back to my Alma Mater
Week 1 of Summer Break is here and this teacher finds herself traveling back to her Alma Mater!
Now, don't get too excited, Winthrop University is just about 20 minutes away from my home. I loved going to college, especially an amazing teacher training college, that was practically in my backyard! I felt like I was far away from home, but could drop the dirty laundry off and get a home cooked meal anytime I wanted. Love ya, Mom!
My colleague and friend, Amanda, is picking me up today at 8:00am! No sleeping in for these two teachers! We are on our way to a three day Mentor Training put on by the NetScope grant at Winthrop. We made a deal for Amanda to drive today because...it's my birthday!!
Through this grant, Winthrop has restructured the way they organize internships in the College of Education. Schools now have to apply and teachers have to go through an application and interview process to accept student teachers into their classrooms. Also a part of the grant and acceptance of interns is this three day Mentor Training.
Amanda and I, proving the fact that teachers are eager and over-achieving, signed up for the first training of the summer! This way, we justified, we'd have the rest of the summer to let it all sink in and make plans for how we would handle student teachers in the Fall.
I was one of the very lucky students my senior year to be placed in an amazing classroom for my full time internship. Not everyone shares in this type of experience. Mrs. Pam McIntyre allowed me to come into her room, use her things, and try out new ideas- all the while mentoring me into the teacher I am today.
Now, being on the flip side, I begin to understand just how time consuming this is. You still keep up with all of your regular tasks and duties and planning as a classroom teacher, but now you find yourself explaining and justifying each and every move you make. A great reflection tool for sure! I am so very grateful for my positive experience so here's hoping I can be that experience for someone else.
Now, don't get too excited, Winthrop University is just about 20 minutes away from my home. I loved going to college, especially an amazing teacher training college, that was practically in my backyard! I felt like I was far away from home, but could drop the dirty laundry off and get a home cooked meal anytime I wanted. Love ya, Mom!
My colleague and friend, Amanda, is picking me up today at 8:00am! No sleeping in for these two teachers! We are on our way to a three day Mentor Training put on by the NetScope grant at Winthrop. We made a deal for Amanda to drive today because...it's my birthday!!
Through this grant, Winthrop has restructured the way they organize internships in the College of Education. Schools now have to apply and teachers have to go through an application and interview process to accept student teachers into their classrooms. Also a part of the grant and acceptance of interns is this three day Mentor Training.
Amanda and I, proving the fact that teachers are eager and over-achieving, signed up for the first training of the summer! This way, we justified, we'd have the rest of the summer to let it all sink in and make plans for how we would handle student teachers in the Fall.
I was one of the very lucky students my senior year to be placed in an amazing classroom for my full time internship. Not everyone shares in this type of experience. Mrs. Pam McIntyre allowed me to come into her room, use her things, and try out new ideas- all the while mentoring me into the teacher I am today.
Now, being on the flip side, I begin to understand just how time consuming this is. You still keep up with all of your regular tasks and duties and planning as a classroom teacher, but now you find yourself explaining and justifying each and every move you make. A great reflection tool for sure! I am so very grateful for my positive experience so here's hoping I can be that experience for someone else.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Applications and Proposals
Ever heard that quote, "A teacher's work is never done...?" How true! I am headed back to my classroom for a few hours today- by choice- because I have a few things I want to get ahead on.
The first is an application to the STAR teacher program organized and put on by the Palmetto State Teachers Association. The application is due by July 31st but involves much more on my part than I originally thought. Both my principal and a colleague (thanks, Dorothy!) had to write a letter of reference for me and then I have to complete an application and answer an essay question! I felt very strongly that this would be a GREAT professional development opportunity for me.
Professional development of any kind has pretty much disappeared since budget issues began. The kicker of this opportunity is that the Foundation for Professional Development pays for all the expenses! Even for the substitute that will be required in my absence. The conference is held in October at Seabrook Island near Charleston, SC. I hate to be away from my classroom for any reason- but it promises to be a relaxing and renewing experience! When complete, I've got to head over to the District Office. I need Dr. Epps' signature too!
The second task I need to complete is a grant proposal to the Foundation for Fort Mill Schools. This organization supports our schools in many ways and one of those is by offering $500 grants to one teacher at each school. I tried for the first time last year and didn't succeed, so I am trying again!! This time with a better idea! I am hoping to purchase 3 Nooks from Barnes and Noble. I can use these in the classroom, but more importantly, send them home with students that don't have a big selection of picture books or with those that have non English speaking parents. I'm going to call it, "Curl Up With A Good Nook". I think that a catchy title is always important- kind of like a first impression.
I have also got to give my classroom one more sweep and make sure it is in a "ready to use" type condition because starting next week it will be used for a special program taking place for 8 weeks this summer. I'll be there for 4 of them. More details to come about that...
The first is an application to the STAR teacher program organized and put on by the Palmetto State Teachers Association. The application is due by July 31st but involves much more on my part than I originally thought. Both my principal and a colleague (thanks, Dorothy!) had to write a letter of reference for me and then I have to complete an application and answer an essay question! I felt very strongly that this would be a GREAT professional development opportunity for me.
Professional development of any kind has pretty much disappeared since budget issues began. The kicker of this opportunity is that the Foundation for Professional Development pays for all the expenses! Even for the substitute that will be required in my absence. The conference is held in October at Seabrook Island near Charleston, SC. I hate to be away from my classroom for any reason- but it promises to be a relaxing and renewing experience! When complete, I've got to head over to the District Office. I need Dr. Epps' signature too!
The second task I need to complete is a grant proposal to the Foundation for Fort Mill Schools. This organization supports our schools in many ways and one of those is by offering $500 grants to one teacher at each school. I tried for the first time last year and didn't succeed, so I am trying again!! This time with a better idea! I am hoping to purchase 3 Nooks from Barnes and Noble. I can use these in the classroom, but more importantly, send them home with students that don't have a big selection of picture books or with those that have non English speaking parents. I'm going to call it, "Curl Up With A Good Nook". I think that a catchy title is always important- kind of like a first impression.
I have also got to give my classroom one more sweep and make sure it is in a "ready to use" type condition because starting next week it will be used for a special program taking place for 8 weeks this summer. I'll be there for 4 of them. More details to come about that...
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