ND Department of Public Instruction Survey

North Dakota Department of Public Instruction is requesting all Teacher Ed students in the state to complete a survey. They want to know why there are decreasing numbers of students pursuing their education degrees, if people are leaving the state to teach elsewhere and so on.

A professor at UND volunteered to develop the survey. Here is the link:

https://und.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_1Oc7ua6a1jOwwwB

If you completed this survey in one of your classes, you do not have to do it again.

I will share the results with you after I receive them in late November.


Thank you.

Praxis Core Testing Information

It's getting to be that time of year, and that time in your education career, that you must focus on your Praxis Core tests if you haven't already completed them successfully.

Two of you have vouchers that are going to expire this fall. They were purchased last year so the one year might be coming up. You need to schedule at least one of these tests immediately!

Three of you will have vouchers ordered so you can take the test(s) this semester.

As you know, Marge is available for tutoring on Mondays and Thursdays in the Education Building. If you haven't passed the Praxis Core Math, you are required to meet with her at least 2 hours each week until you pass it. She will have practice tests available for you. This starts next week.

Thank you.

Dinner with Senator Heitkamp

On Tuesday, June 30 (this week), ND Senator Heidi Heitkamp and U.S. Small Business Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet from Washington, DC, will be on campus for a brief tour. President McDonald would like to invite four (4) Teacher Ed students to join the group for dinner at 6 PM in the UTTC Cafeteria Conference Room.

If you are able to join us, please contact Jen Heid by phone (ext. 1428) or email (jheid@uttc.edu) as soon as possible. This will be "first come, first in". Also, no children or family members can attend with you. There are security issues because Ms. Contreras-Sweet is a member of President Barack Obama's Cabinet.

We will be done by 7 PM as the group has to leave at that time. Thank you!

Smithsonian Institute Announcement

Hello Smithsonian Institute Participants! 

Next week, June 22-26, we will be holding our fifth and final Smithsonian Institute workshop.  The workshop will take place in a new location.  It will be held on UTTC’s south campus in the Science and Technology Building.  We will in rooms 231 and 232 which are located on the second floor.

There are a couple of items to share with you:

·         Note that Registration and Check-in will be held from 8-8:30 am M-F.  We will start all formal sessions promptly at 8:30.  Please make sure that you are checked in and ready to begin the day.

·         The workshop will run from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday-Thursday.  Friday’s schedule will be 8:00 am to 3:30. 

·         Participants that are taking the week long workshop for credit must be present for all sessions in order to receive the required passing grade for the course.  Visit with Leah Hamann if you have any questions or concerns. Make sure to sign the attendance sheet each morning to document your attendance. 

·         Participants who are not taking the week long workshop for credit will fill out a UTTC CEU form on the first day.  Make sure to sign the attendance sheet each morning to document your attendance. 

·         UTTC pre-service candidates, if you need childcare for the week please contact either Lori Brown at the Infant/Toddler Center or Nevada Allen at the Preschool to make arrangements if you have not done so already.

·         Dress – due to the amount of hands-on activities that are scheduled, it is encouraged that you select clothing that you do not mind getting dirty.  In addition, please wear tennis shoes, as depicted in the partial Monday schedule you will be playing games).  Depending on how cool the building can get, please consider bringing a sweater, sweatshirt, or light jacket.  Lastly, some of our activities will have us going outside please bring a blanket to sit on, sunscreen, and bug spray.  There is plenty of room in the classrooms to house these items throughout the week so that you do not have to bring them with you every day.

·         Lunch will be on your own throughout the week, with light snacks provided.  Lunch at the cafeteria is $6, unless you are on a meal plan.  You are welcome to bring a sack lunch.  There is a microwave available for us to use, but no refrigerator.  

Below is the morning schedule for Monday.  You will receive a hard copy of the week long agenda when you register/check-in on Monday. 

Day One:  Monday, June

8:00-8:30 am                                      Registration/ Check-in

8:30-8:45 am                          Opening Prayer

8:45-9:00 am                          Welcome

Leah Hamann, Instructor and Director of Extended Learning, UTTC

Elizabeth Wilkie, Program Coordinator, The Smithsonian Associates

9:00-10:00 am                                    How to Teach Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children

Mr. Marcelo Campoverde, educator and former instructor, Division of Education and Psychology and Diversity Coordinator, Mayville State University, will cover aspects of teaching culturally and linguistically diverse children, particularly related to the benefits of using games, sports and food/nutrition and art in the classroom.  A key element would be the importance of respect, of treating all learners as individuals with culturally defined identities and their own store of knowledge and experience.  And that incorporating this knowledge and experience in classroom practice is a key way to engage these students. The speaker will also discuss strategies and techniques for teaching ESL students, related to our workshop topics.  Socially responsive and responsible teaching and learning requires teachers to be informed about the cultures and languages of their students.

10:00-10:15 am                      Break

10:15-10:45 am                      Cultural History of Native American Games

Ms. Dovie Thomason, storyteller and educator, will provide some cultural and historical background on the early role of games and sports for Native American tribes.

10:45-11:30 am                              Games and Sports Lessons/From the Animal People 

Ms. Thomason will present two stories about games and sports and two about the animals depicted on the dice in the bowl and dice game. The stories help listeners understand leadership, skills development, values, family practices, and the importance of relationships with the natural world.  Ms. Thomason will lead a discussion on how to use storytelling in the classroom, touching on the strategies covered in previous Smithsonian workshops.

11:30-12:30 pm                      Bowl and Dice Game

Professor Butch Thunderhawk will provide some background historical and cultural information on the game and participants will play the game in teams.

12:30-1:30 pm                                    Lunch

Algebra Tutor to Start June 16th

Good news!

Marge Palinuk will be available for math tutoring beginning Tuesday, June 16th, from 1 PM - 4 PM. Marge is planning to work Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 1 - 4 PM both days. She will be set up in the Jack Barden computer lab.

Please take advantage of this opportunity. This might be the perfect time for you to do your homework!

Summer Math Tutor

Happy June, all!

I'm going to be hiring a Math tutor for those of you in College Algebra who might have the need for one. Algebra is one of those types of courses that you think you can do the work while you're in class but when you get home, and try to do homework, you draw a blank. Trust me - this is one of the most common issues with students in College Algebra so you are one of many who have felt or are feeling that way!

As long as you have good attendance, and do the work, you will pass the class. The summer College Algebra is for people  who have Math anxieties or who flat out hate it (usually because they have anxiety about it). If you get to class, every day, and do the work, with the help of a tutor, you will have this one in the books in a little over 6 weeks.

....stay tuned on the tutor...I hope to have one by next week so will keep you posted...

Letter to a New Teacher

Laugh at yourself. Often.

There is a difference between being nice and being kind, and between being firm and being mean. Choose kind. Choose firm.

Pick your battles. The people above you will make decisions you don’t agree with, and it will happen often.  Ask yourself this question: “Does this issue significantly and inevitably impede my ability to teach and care for my students effectively?” If it does, approach the decision-maker with your concerns calmly and diplomatically. If not, do what you need to do to be in compliance and nothing more.

Glitter may seem like a good idea, but it’s not.

Ever.

Be friendly to other teachers, but also be wary. Surround yourself with positive people, and try to set an example for the people who are always negative (the way you set an example for me during most of this past fall!). Do not offer an ear to the teachers who blame their problems on children.

Embrace your mistakes because they’re coming, my friend. There will be small ones, and there will be big ones that you will think about for years later. They will happen no matter how careful you are because we are human and humans are imperfect. But is much better to make mistakes and apologize for them than to resist them and make excuses (or worse, believe you are above making mistakes).

If you’re about to make 100 double-sided, 6-page packets and someone comes into the copy room needing to make 70 single-sided copies, let them go in front of you.

Be kind to everyone, but make a special effort to be kind to the people behind the scenes—librarians, receptionists, cafeteria and custodial staff, etc.

On the bad days, don’t be afraid to lock your door and turn off the lights during your prep period and sit under your desk and cry and eat candy that you meant to give to students.

On the really bad days, start making a list of all the awesome stuff you’re going to do when you leave, and leave right after school no matter how much work you have (it will get done!).

If you find yourself arguing with a student, you’ve already lost.

DEVOLSON (the Dark, Evil Vortex of Late September, October, and November) can destroy you if you're not careful. Awareness is half the battle.

Feedback is so unbelievably important. Grade and hand back every assignment, even if you know it isn’t going in your gradebook.

Go to the school dances and make a dancing fool out of yourself. 

Create posters for athletic games and fine arts performances and yell your heart out.  

Arm wrestle your students. 

Sing. 

Sing LOUD.

Oh, and remember you will do stupid things.

This is one of the most important, most rewarding, most incredible, and most terrifying jobs in the world, and you are ready. Your future students are lucky young men and women indeed. I can say with certainty that it has been an honor and a privilege to pass my teaching torch to you.

Now, go!

Run fast and run boldly in the direction of greatness!