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Do Rigid College Admissions Leave Room for Creative Thinkers?
Monthly Archives: January 2014
Two FREE Professional Development Opportunities
Both offered by the University of the Arts (in Philadelphia) as part of the Library of Congress’s Teaching with Primary Sources program:
Both are free as long as you do not want the 1.5 credits they offer. They run two Saturdays and one Sunday in February (Images) and Feb & March (Poster)
- Who are we? Constructing Identity Through Images
- The Power of the Poster and the Print: Using WPA Sources
I will be attending the first one!
Happy New Year!
Welcome Back & Welcome 2014!
A few things of note as we return:
1. Professional Development Opportunities (click title for more info):
- The Flipped Classroom: Practical Strategies to Successfully “Flip” Your Classroom, BER, Cherry Hill, February 18, 2014
- Meet the Rigorous Common Core State Standards for WRITING: Helping Students to Produce Well-Written Arguments, Informative/Explanatory Pieces and Narratives, BER, Cherry Hill, February 11, 2014
- Other Winter/Spring BER Workshops
2. NCTE 2014 Convention Proposals, Story as the Landscape of Knowing:
- Proposals to lead or co-lead a session at the National Council for Teachers of English are due by January 15th. After attending the convention this year, I can assure you that our district has a lot of great things to offer, and I would encourage you to submit a proposal and start sharing all we’re doing well with our nationwide colleagues! Here’s the link to the 2014 theme and how to submit your proposal.
- This year’s convention is in November in Washington DC!
- If you want help generating an idea or writing your proposal, simply send me an email.
- I will be proposing a panel presentation for the district on Writing Workshop. 🙂 If it is accepted, we will need a panel of two-four teachers! 🙂
3. Materials and other Teacher-Made Awesome
- Just a reminder that I’m always looking for teachers to share copies of performance assessments, writing workshop units, activities, lesson plans, and the like to share here and on the shared directory. Shared awesome = doubly awesome!
4. Check back once a week, as I’ll be updating the course-specific blogs as often as I can!
Let me know if you submit a proposal and don’t forget those green forms if you’re interested in the professional development opportunities listed above. 🙂
Happy New Year!
January PLC Changes!
As per Marcie’s email:
1. In lieu of required PLC meetings originally scheduled for this week (9th grade & 12th grade) and next week (10th grade & 11th grade), I will host department meetings in each building next week. Please plan to attend:
TRITON: Tuesday, Jan., 14th – LMC classroom
HIGHLAND: Wednesday, Jan. 15th — E209
TIMBER CREEK: Thursday, Jan. 16th — LMC classroom
This will provide us with an opportunity to review SGO progress, including how to complete the Mid-Year SGO report in Oasys, which was originally due January 15th, but which will now be due by January 31st.
2. To offer support with 2nd marking period performance assessments, essay assignments, or other curriculum concerns, Tara and I will host optional PLC meetings for all grade levels this week. If you need help developing assignments or gathering resources, please plan to meet as follows:
HIGHLAND: Tuesday, Jan. 7th, in B223
TRITON: Wednesday, Jan. 8th in B40
TIMBER CREEK: Thursday, Jan 9th in D104
If you cannot stay after school this week but want help, Tara will be in each building all day on the assigned dates listed above (#2).
BHP English Headquarters 