Professional Times Newsletter
Professional Learning Center & GTA Collaboration
Welcome to the Spring Newsletter of the Professional Times!
Professional Learning Needs Assessment
Thanks to all who have already completed the survey. Your voices have been heard!
This is a friendly reminder to those who have not yet completed it to please set aside a few minutes to offer your input on professional learning. Here’s the survey link:
You are invited to offer your input on Professional Learning (PL) at the district and building level. Your feedback will help inform decisions around future PL planning and the district PL plan. The survey is a collaboration among the Superintendent's Cabinet, DCIA, Professional Learning Center, and GTA. Leadership in each group has had the opportunity to offer input on the set of questions.
At the end of the survey you will have an option to follow an additional link if you are interested in offering professional learning at a future date and wish to provide information on potential topics.
This survey is optional, should take under 10 minutes to complete and is anonymous.
We hope to get a high response rate from instructional staff in order to inform future PL planning. Thank you!
Here is the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GCSDPL19
Please complete the survey no later than June 14.
Free Professional Books for Teachers from ASCD
With the Greece Teacher Center grant, Greece employees now have access to 37 ebooks published by ASCD. Just log in using your Greece Google account.
Log-in: Gale Resource e-library
Keeping Students Safe Every Day: How to Prepare for and Respond to School Violence, Natural Disasters, and Other Hazards
Amy Klinger and Amanda Klinger. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2018. 165 pp.
This book examines theories and statistics on school safety, dispels common misunderstandings, and provides school leaders with the specific information they need to prepare for and effectively respond to natural disasters, accidents, or violent events.
Rethinking Homework: Best Practices That Support Diverse Needs
Log-in: Gale Resource e-library
Cathy Vatterott. 2nd ed. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2018. 215 pp.
This book offers strategies for revamping how teachers assign homework and argues that homework went from being a positive practice to a hotly contested battle. It addresses a range of issues, such as teachers who fear assigning too little homework versus teachers who overwhelm students with daily assignments, the important role parents play in motivating students to complete their homework, and how homework can be used to improve student outcomes.
Project Based Teaching: How to Create Rigorous and Engaging Learning Experiences
Suzie Boss and John Larmer. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2018. 207 pp.
This book provides a detailed look at what's happening in Project Based Learning classrooms from the perspective of the Project Based Teacher. Included are a wide range of practical strategies and teachers' reflections along with suggestions from their classroom experiences.
5-Minute Film Festival: Culturally Responsive Teaching
7 Fun Ways to Build SEL Skills During Advisory or Homeroom
Homeroom (or advisory) should be a space for students to build relationships and work on important SEL skills like decision making and empathy. Transform it into the most powerful part of your day with these homeroom ideas that reinforce one of the five SEL competencies and build relationships. <More Info>
7 Surprising Classroom Triggers for Kids Who Experienced Trauma (and How to Avoid Them)
Adapted from the book Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools: Your Guide to Creating Safe, Supportive Learning Environments for All Students, below are seven surprising ways your classroom environment might be affecting traumatized students. Plus, you’ll learn what you can do to minimize classroom trauma triggers and keep your students learning. Also, be sure to check out the video below to learn more about trauma in our schools. <More Info>
20 Morning Message Ideas to Get Your Day Started on the Right Foot
Posting a morning message is a perfect way to engage your students the minute they walk through the door. Answering a question with no right or wrong answer allows learners to discover and articulate what’s important to them and supports their social-emotional growth. Not only that, the questions can spark important conversations that bring your community together on a deeper level.
Our Voices, Our Values: VOTE-COPE
Your statewide union has a political fund-raising arm called VOTE-COPE. VOTE-COPE is NYSUT's non-partisan action fund that coordinates the voluntary contributions of members and supports NYSUT-endorsed candidates and campaign committees that are pro-public-education and pro-labor. No NYSUT dues dollars are used to support candidates or campaign committees. NYSUT sends rebates to local unions based on a percentage (up to 40 percent) of the contributions VOTE-COPE receives from that local union's members. Those rebates can be used in local activities such as school board races and for passage of school budgets.
Last year, your colleagues contributed more than $10 million to VOTE-COPE. Please look for your VOTE-COPE Contribution Sheet and either donate, or consider increasing your donation today. Thank you!
Free Academic Resources for Greece Teachers!
June Professional Learning Calendar
Greece Professional Learning Center
Email: marguerite.dimgba@greececsd.org
Website: https://www.greececsd.org/Page/296
Location: 1790 Latta Road, Rochester, NY, USA
Phone: 585-966-2130
Twitter: @greecementors
Greece Teachers Association
Email: greeceteachers@gmail.com
Website: https://greeceteachers.com
Location: 120 Erie Canal Drive, Suite 320 Rochester, NY 14626
Phone: (585) 471-5765
Facebook: facebook.com/Greeceteachers/
Twitter: @greeceteachers