Important Smithsonian III Information

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The Smithsonian Institute III will be held two weeks from now, beginning Monday, June 23 through Friday, June 27. The focus of this first one is "Teaching English/Language Arts (ELA) through Music, Drama, and the Arts”.

As previously mentioned, if you have your teaching license (have passed your Praxis II exams), we will be able to provide you a $500 stipend for attending all 5 days for both institutes. The funds for these stipends are from the "induction" budget line so you have to have met all licensure requirements. It does not mean you have to be presently working in a teaching position, as some of you just finished in December so won’t start teaching until fall. You are also welcome to attend and not receive a stipend. The materials and information you receive will be well worth it, as well as getting to spend time with your colleagues.

PLEASE CONFIRM WITH LEAH HAMANN ASAP IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND  so we can process your registration. Leah will also let you know what time it starts Monday, June 23. I believe it will start at 8:30 AM but not sure. She will also let you know what time we’ll end each day (about 4 PM-ish).

The Smithsonian Institute IV is scheduled for the week of July 28 - August 1. This one will focus on science methods. We will actually take a day trip to Theodore Roosevelt National Park near Medora for a geologic dig and to search for plants for natural paints.

Let me know if you have questions. Take care!

Workshop - "Planning Culturally Responsive College and Career Ready Lessons"

The Missouri River Educational Cooperative (MREC) announces their Summer 2014 workshop. This workshop, funded through Project CIRCLE (Cultural and Interdisciplinary Resource Centers for Language Enhancement) and Primary CIRCLE will focus on supporting teachers in developing successful lessons for Native American English Learners on challenging college and career ready standards. Participants will benefit from concrete application for the classroom of:

·         Essential understandings for Native Americans

·         Connecting culture to standards

·         Developing academic language skills

·         Hands on activities with state English language development and content standards, including Common Core and Next Generation Science 

Time: July 8-9 from 9 AM – 4 PM and July 10 from 9 AM – Noon.

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Credit: 1 credit hour from UND available.

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Location: UTTC Campus

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Costs: Registration fee is $80. If you are employed at a school in Fort Yates, Solen/Cannon Ball, White Shield, or Selfridge, your registration is paid for by the Project Circle Grant. If you are a graduate of the UTTC Teacher Education department, your registration cost is waived. 

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Compensation for material development: If you are employed at a school in Fort Yates, Solen/Cannon Ball, White Shield, or Selfridge, you will receive $200 from the Project Circle Grant for completing a lesson plan as part of the workshop.

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Registration:  To register for the workshop, go to the link below and enter your information.

Registration Link 

 

Smithsonian Institute III

The Smithsonian Institute III is scheduled for one week this summer, from Monday, June 23 through Friday, June 27. The focus of this first one is "Teaching English/Language Arts (ELA) through Music, Drama, and the Arts. It should be a really great experience as we have invited the presenters back who you enjoyed the most last summer, as well as added some new ones.

As a heads-up, the Smithsonian Institute IV is scheduled for the week of July 21-July 25. This one will focus on science methods. We will actually take a day trip to Theodore Roosevelt National Park near Medora for a geologic dig and to search for plants for natural paints.

You are all invited and encouraged to attend. Like last year, you will come away with a wealth of knowledge, a ton of fun, and a whole collection of resources. Because Sweet Grass is winding down (I've stretched it out as long as I could), I will be able to pay those of you have your teaching license a stipend-type honorarium for attending full days for the full week. I'm thinking it will be the same as last year.

It is not my choice to restrict this to only those of you who are licensed but I'm using funds from a "first-year induction" budget line and this means you have to be a teacher. It does not mean you have to be hired or working in a teaching position. It means you have to have your license. If you don't have it yet, now is the time to get it done!

Let me know if you have questions. Take care!

UTTC Teacher Education Program Approval Site Visit

As you know, there will be a team of people here next week (April 14-17) to evaluate and approve the bachelor degree program in elementary education. This process happens every few years. The purpose for this is to continue a state-approved program that benefits you - the teacher education candidates - so that you are assured you are participating in a program that has been evaluated for quality.

A couple of things:

• A few of you have agreed to sit on a panel on Monday, April 14th, at 5 PM in B03. The team would like to interview graduates of the program. And who better to give them information than some of you! I appreciate the time and effort you are taking out of your busy lives to do this for us. It is greatly appreciated. I will try to give you a small monetary award somehow, for your time. It shouldn't take more than 30-45 minutes. Thanks!!!!
• On Tuesday, April 15 at 9 AM, you are invited to join us in welcoming the team members at the Wellness Center conference room. This would be a way for you to meet the team members and be part of the Teacher Ed community, which you are. Coffee and rolls will be served.

Remember: If anybody asks you, or conceptual framework is "Preparing Competent, Caring Teachers" and our symbol is the dragon fly. Just in case.....thank you and enjoy the week!

Second Option for State Visit Interview

Greetings! I heard from a couple of you that the proposed interview time for the state program approval visit did not work for you for various reasons. I certainly understand that you are all busy and have current job expectations/duties that take priority.

Would moving the interview time from Tuesday to Monday, April 14th, at 5 PM help? Dr. Duffield, from NDSU, is the team co-chair. She suggested this time as an option if it would fit your schedules better.

Please let me know if any of you are able to attend this interview on campus at this time. Thank you!

Site Visit for State Program Approval

Most of you may have participated in the last state approval visit we had here at UTTC. It was in spring of 2011 and a team of 5-6 people came to campus to approve our Teacher Ed. department to offer the BS degree in elementary education.

That was for the first "initial program approval". Now they are going to be returning for a "continuing program approval" visit - the week of April 14-17.

Would it be possible for some/all of you to sit for a group interview with the site reviewers? It is scheduled for Tuesday at 5 PM, on April 15th.

We scheduled it for late in the day, hoping this would not interfere with those of you who have jobs and allow travel time for you to get to campus. The interview will be held in B03.

If this is possible, please let me know by email as soon as you can - lazure@uttc.edu. They are really interested in your input.

Thank you!

Smithsonian Institute Monetary Award Information

I'm sure you're probably wondering if there will be any monetary compensation for attending the Smithsonian Institutes this summer. As you know, the Sweet Grass Project grant technically ended December 31, 2012. Last year, 2013, I had some carry-over funds that I used to give you a monetary award for attending the institutes.

Without going into too much detail that may bore you, I had some money left Dec. 31, 2013, so again requested to carry it over, and it was approved. I wanted to have some left to give those of you who started your new teaching job(s).

This summer it's going to be much more difficult as the grant budget is basically kaput and what is left has to be used for "mentoring services". This means that it can only be used for those of you in your first and second year of teaching. Of course, I would like everybody to attend because you will get a ton of experiences and materials. But I want to be honest with you up front so you're informed.

We can offer it for CEUs if you need these for your jobs.

Anyway, more details on this later when I know more specifics.....