Category Archives: General Information

TC Introductory Letter to Parents

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I recommend sending home a letter that introduces yourself to the parents of all the students you’ll be working with.  A great time to take care of this is during the first week of the long prac.

A template and a sample letter are below to serve as models:

A strong intro letter should help your relationship with the parents of the students in your classes get off to a good start… unlike the terribly uncomfortable start to this blind date relationship:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epjrWjo9ZMY[/youtube]

– Lawrence

 

5 Websites Worth Your Time: NCTE, readwritethink, Rubistar, Reading Power & Filmumentaries

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Everyone can use a bit of help when unit planning.  To that end, here are four websites I can recommend as sources of inspiration:

  • NCTE.org – the official website of the National Council of Teachers of English in the USA

  • readwritething.org – free high quality reading and language arts instruction resources

  • Rubistar – “a tool to help the teacher who wants to use rubrics, but does not have the time to develop them from scratch.”

  • Reading Power – the official website of Adrienne Gear’s Reading (& Writing) Power program

  • Filmumentaries – the ultimate ‘making of’ documentaries (OK, this one’s got nothting to do with K-12 education but the films this guy makes are amazing treats for movie fans.  They weave material from multiple different sources – including the actual feature film itself – to tell the stories behind the making of such classics as Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Raiders of the Lost Ark.)

A FREE How-to Webinar on Differentiated Instruction

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Middle Years TCs:

If you’re free on Wednesday, 7 December 2011 @ 11:00 am PST, you can watch a FREE webinar on DI – Hybrid Learning Pushes Personalization Forward – hosted by Education Week and presented by 2 practicing middle school teachers from Edmunds MS in Vermont.  For more details check out the webinar rego page.  You can find access to more webinars and many other educataionally-themed resources at the Education Week website.

– LH

Get Yer Forms! EDUC 315 TC Feedback, Inquiry One-Pager, Images Consent, and Unit Plan Template Paperwork

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TCs:

Here are 3 forms you will need in the not too distant future:

  • EDUC 315 TC Self Evaluation Form: Fill this one out at the end of your Tuesdays Prac & send it to your FA by Friday, 25 November 2011
  • EDUC 310 Inquiry Project One-Pager: Complete this (MAX one page!  Duh.) & submit it to your FA by Wednesday, 30 November 2011
  • Permission for Classroom Videotaping & Still Photography Form: Hand this out to the students in your SA’s classroom during the 2-Week Practicum.  Collect the signed forms before Friday, 13 January 2012.  You will need this permission in order to videotape a lesson of your teaching during the long prac or to take still pictures of Ss work for your eFolio.
  • UBD Unit Plan Template – Nov 11:  Use this template for your 2-Week Prac unit plan.  Submit via email your completed template and the first two full lesson plans to your SA and FA by Monday, 5 December 2011.

– LH

Apply for the Emily Longworth Memorial Award

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TEO hands out a large number of awards to TCs.  Many of them are based on nominations by faculty but the Emily Longworth Memorial Award winner is chosen from the list of TC’s who apply before 30 January 2012.  Applications can be made through the TEO.

Here are the details:

“This award is available to Elementary (and Middle Years) Teacher Candidates and provides funds for teacher candidates to undertake a special learning opportunity for the children with whom the TC will work in the extended practicum. There is a preference for projects that provide opportunities for children/schools that are less advantaged and who might not otherwise have access to enrichment activities. These funds are not intended for the purchase of major pieces of equipment or for TC activities not involving the kids in the class. Teacher and Principal agreement is necessary.”

Please see TEO for details.

For information on all the awards handed out each year, please see the B.Ed Awards List.

– Lawrence