AAMU/UAH Regional Inservice Center
May 2021- The Power of Measuring Progress
A Note From The AAMU/UAH RIC Director
Greetings #ALRegion3 Educators,
It's May! Can you believe it? You've made it through another school year -- in the middle of a pandemic! Isn't it amazing what a group of committed people can do?!?! As we wrap up the 2020-2021 school year, it is important that we measure our progress in preparation for a new school year. Blogger, Shawn Lim compares measuring progress to the game of football---
"Goal setting is one of the most powerful tools that you can use to you achieve what you want in life. The bad news is that most people fail to reach their goals and the main reason for that is that they donāt take consistent action. And if youāre someone who fails to follow through with your plan consistently, hereās one thing you can do ā measure your progress.
Never underestimate the power in measuring your progress. Try to imagine watching a football game without the score. The players donāt know the time left and they have no idea who is winning. So what will happen?
Well, the game will become boring and the players will never play it full out. When a game lacks a scoring system, the players will become less committed to it. However, when the moment scorekeeping begins, the players know that itās game on. Competition only exists when there is a scoring system.
Hence, if you find it hard to stick to your goals and you often procrastinate on your plans, perhaps, youāre not measuring your progress." ~Excerpt from How To Measure Progress To Effectively Achieve Your Goal.
In the book, The 4 Disciplines of Execution, McChesney, Covey and Huling discuss the importance of "Keeping A Compelling Scoreboard"-- discipline 3. "People play differently when they are keeping score. If you doubt this, watch a group of teenagers playing basketball. See how the game changes the minute score-keeping begins, itās not a subtle change.
The lag and lead measures wonāt have much meaning to the team unless they can see the progress in real time. Bowling through a curtain is not that much fun. Discipline 3 is the discipline of engagement. People perform best when they are emotionally engaged and the highest level of engagement comes when people know the score: whether they are winning or losing the game. Itās that simple."
Whether its' football, basketball, lacrosse, tennis, volleyball or golf, coaches and athletes all consistently measure progress.
Questions for Reflection: How do you measure progress? How do you know you've met your goal? If you haven't met your goal what do you do next?
Wishing each of you a very restful summer!
Happy Teaching & Learning,
Dr. Kisha Tolbert Simmons, NBCT
Director, AAMU/UAH Regional Inservice Center
Personal Twitter: @KTSimmonsPhDMom
Hashtag: #AAMUUAHRICWorks
Something Fun!
May Staff Book Picks
Know Yourself & Know Your Money by Rachel Cruz
Don't Drop the Mic by Bishop TD Jakes
The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck
The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller
Street Data by Shane Safir, Jamila Dugan with Carrie Wilson. Foreword by Chris Emdin
Re-post from our May book picks
Fewer Things, Better by Angela Watson
*Register here for the SU21 Book Study
Recommended by the AAMU/UAH RIC NBCT Candidate Support Providers
*Register here for the SU21 Book Study
Recommended by the AAMU/UAH RIC NBCT Candidate Support Providers
*Register here for the SU21 Book Study
Recommended by Ann Marie Batista, ESOL Coordinator Huntsville City Schools & Robin
Stutts, Region 3 ALSDE EL Coach
*Register here for the ACLD PLU Opportunity beginning June 2021. The Keynote speaker in June is Dr. Deborah Short, Past President TESOL & co-author of The 6 Principles for Exemplary Teaching of English Learners.
Conquering Dyslexia: A Guide To Early Detection & Intervention for Teachers & Parents by Dr. Jan Hasbrouck
Recommended by the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) staff
Coming Soon!!!
What is #ALRegion3TV? It's our region's video-sharing platform hosted by Vimeo. Much like YouTube, Vimeo allows users to upload and share videos, watch available videos, create playlists, save videos, and engage with the content available through liking and commenting. Why Vimeo and not YouTube? It was Vimeo's high-quality videos and password protected video feature that made Vimeo our pick for #ALRegion3TV!
Why #ALRegion3TV? We wanted to offer our viewers the ability watch playlists of their favorite past and present professional learning sessions. What better way to do so than #ALRegion3TV?!?!.
Alabama Science in Motion (ASIM)
Featured ASIM Lab --- Mrs. Beckās AP Biology Class at Douglas High School, Marshall County Schools
ASIM Lab M2DesEnz Designer Enzymes: Protein Structure and Function
This lab will allow students to experience the roles of proteins in living organisms with an emphasis on proteins as enzymes, enzyme actions including catabolism and anabolism, activation energy, enzyme specificity, two types of enzyme inhibitors. This lab uses models to simulate enzyme reactions and explores how the shape of proteins determines their function in living organisms.
Essential Question:
How does the structure of a protein determine its function?
*Images from Mrs. Beckās AP Biology Class at Douglas High School This image is of the protein folding model portion of the lab.
Mark Your Calendar! Summer 2021 ASIM Biology Training
Athens State University + Alabama A&M University ASIM Biology Training
Location: Room 302 Waters Hall Athens State University campus map
From 8:30-3:30 daily
What to bring: Computer or iPad, Science notebook, & Goggles
Content Standard - Ecosystems - Agenda
Date - 6/3/21
PowerSchool Umbrella Course # 265384 section # 402576 Registration Link
Content Standard - Anatomy Standard 1-5 - Agenda
Date - 6/4/21
PowerSchool Umbrella Course # 265391section # 402591 Registration Link
Content Standard - Biology Standard 6/6a - Agenda
Date- 6/8/21 - 6/10/21
PowerSchool Umbrella Course # 265395 section # 402551 Registration Link
Content Standard - Biology Standard 5a & 1 Agenda
Date - 6/11/21
PowerSchool Umbrella Course #2 65384 section # 402577 Registration Link
Content Standard - Biology standards 2, 5, 4, 11, 12. 14. & 16 Agenda
Date - 6/14/21 - 6/18/21 Hudson Alpha day 6/15/21
PowerSchool Umbrella Course # 265384 section #402583 Registration Link
We Are Hiring: ASIM High School Biology Specialist
Apply here cutt.ly/asimbiologyspecialist
Mr. Glen Fox, ASIM Biology Specialist
Email: gfoxasimbiology@gmail.com or glen.fox@aamu.edu
Work Cell: (256)924-8203
Follow me on Twitter: @ASIM_BIO_AAMU
Use the hashtags: #AAMUUAHBiologyWorks and #AAMUUAHRICWorks
Technology in Motion (TiM)
Must Have Google Form Quiz Add-Ons
Check out our Summer 2021 TiM Sessions!
2021 Alabama Education Technology Conference (AETC)
Mrs. Aundria Campbell, TiM Instructional Technology Specialist
Email: techyteacher3@gmail.com or aundria.campbell@aamu.edu
Work Cell: 256-929-9009 *call or text
Office: (256) 372-4426
Twitter: @mrscamptech
Hashtag to Follow: #AAMUUAHTiMWorks and #AAMUUAHRICWorks
ON THE MARK, GET READY, SET... LEARN. TEACH. LEAD.
Mark Your Calendar! #ALRegion3 Happenings
Stay Connected via...
Twitter: @AAMU_UAHRIC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aamuinservice
Use Hashtag: #AAMUUAHRICWorks
AAMU/UAH RIC's SU21 Professional Learning Catalog
SU21 Professional Learning Catalog via S'more
June SU21 Professional Learning Session Highlights
Culturally Responsive & Antiracist Teaching-- hosted by University of Montevallo's RIC (open for all RICs)
Target Audience: K-12 Educators & Administrators
Dates: 06/28/2021
Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
Location: Zoom-- link will be provided to registered participants
Facilitator: Dr. Gergory Samuels, University of Montevallo Professor
MEGA Conference 2021
"The MEGA Conference is a week-long conference that provides attendees with opportunities to engage in meaningful discussions, participate in in-depth training sessions, and learn from leading experts in fields across the education spectrum. MEGA is hosted by the Alabama State Department of Education". ~ALSDE
Learn more & register here !
Mark Your Calendar! June 21st-22nd for Sibme's FREE "Better Together" Conference!
- Jenni Donohoo --- "Collective Efficacy" Guru
- Paul Bambrick-Sontoyo -- author of Leveraging Leadership, Get Better Faster, Diven by Data and more!
- Danya Sanders --- Deputy Chief of Academics at Kipp Texas
Sign up here to receive registration info. Official registration links coming soon!
BETTER TOGETHER 2020
Want to check out Better Together 2020??? Well we've got you covered! Check out keynote speakers like...
- Justin Bader
- Steve Barker
- Elena Aguilar
- Doug Fisher
#ALRegion3NBCT (National Board Certified Teacher) Support
The AAMU/UAH Regional Inservice Center is proud to partner with and advocate for educators currently pursuing NBCT status or interested in pursuing NBCT status. For more information about NBCT mentoring support and opportunities offered through the AAMU/UAH Regional Inservice Center, please complete the Region 3 NBCT interest form and someone from our team will be reaching out to you soon!
Check out our center's NBCT Resources! #NBCT4ALL
The AAMU/UAH Regional Inservice Center offers mentoring support for #ALRegion3 educators. Our mentors āwalk alongsideā candidates to support them ā through the certification process, often starting before the teacher actually applies for certification. Candidate support providers ask questions that help a candidate show evidence more clearly, are sensitive to a candidateās emotional needs, help candidates create organizational systems to manage the process, locate resources to help with technology demands, and provide models of feedback that broaden and deepen the candidateās own analytical abilitiesā.
Let the AAMU/UAH Inservice Center mentor you through the National Board process. You should not have to attempt it alone!
National Board Summer 2021 Book Study Opportunities
Save The Date! SU2021 NBCT Boot Camp coming in July!
Registration Information here
ARI Literacy Leadership Newsletter
Check out the May edition of ARI Literacy Leadership!
Check out some of our June Literacy Professional Learning Opportunities facilitated by the #ALRegion3 Alabama Reading Initiative Staff
Four-Part Book Study: Conquering Dyslexia: A Guide to Early Detection and Intervention
Facilitated by: Brooke Curlee, Wendy Clay, Gina Jones, & Lora Snell
Target Audience: K-12 Teachers, Reading Specialists, Administrators
Dates: 6/9/2021, 6/16/2021, 6/23/2021, 6/30/2021
Time: 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Location: Zoom - link to be provided to registered participants
EL Support & Resources
NEW! English-Learner ACLD PLU Opportunity beginning June 2021
Check out some of our June English-Learner Professional Learning Opportunities facilitated by #ALRegion3 EL Coach, Robin Stutts
GenCyber 2021 Camp for Teachers and Teachers-in-Training hosted by UAH's Center for Cybersecurity Research and Education (CCRE)
Camp Topic: Introduction to Cybersecurity
When: July 19-23, 2021, 8am-3:30pm (1 hour lunch break)
Where: Virtual
K-12 public school teachers and teachers-in-training are invited to register for a Mon-Fri virtual camp at UAH where they will learn basic cybersecurity skills. GenCyber will create cyber-savvy educators through hands-on lab exercises, demos, and group-based lesson development sessions. Only a basic understanding of computers is required.
To encourage participants to take cybersecurity back to their schools, this camp requests collective participation--we suggest two teachers from each school attend. If you know others who would like to attend the session with you, forward this application so they can also apply.
Each camp participant receives a stipend ($408.73 regular attendee/$510.91 mentor) with full attendance. Camp is limited to 48 attendees and 6 teacher mentors.
Apply here! Note: This is an acceptance-based summer camp for teachers.
Send any questions to k12cyber@uah.edu
AMSTI UAH Summer 2021 Training Opportunities
AMSTI UAH is excited to offer the following professional learning opportunities for math and science teachers this summer!
AMSTI-UAH Math Training Summer 21
No Cost Residency-Based Summer 2021 PD w/ Hudson Alpha for Alabama Middle & High School Educators
Save the date July 12th -16th (Essential Biology) & June 21st-25th (Advanced Concepts)--- Residency-based GTAC Academy: Professional Learning for High School Life Science Educators
***Registration opens March 15, 2021. First come, first serve basis
Save the date June 14th-18th--- Residency-based LifeScience Links Academy: a professional learning experience that provides seventh-grade life science teachers updated content knowledge, engaging strategies, and authentic lab experiences.
***Registration opens March 15, 2021. First come, first serve basis
Ongoing Professional Resources & Learning Experiences
Check out Beacon virtual professional learning opportunities-- "These virtual opportunities provide teachers with a variety of genetics and biotechnology content, along with technology integration and best practices for virtual delivery. Experiences include unique webinars along with multi-day online sessions that combine synchronous and asynchronous learning."
NEW! Hudson's Alpha Resource Hub --- check out these high-quality, vetted resources, courtesy of Hudson Alpha Education
Volunteers Needed for Graduate School Research Study
Grad School Research Study: Elementary and Secondary School Personnel Perceptions of the School-to-Prison Pipeline: A Focus on African American Students
Your help is greatly appreciated! Participation in this study is completely voluntary.
Complete the survey here
Preservice Teacher Support & Growth
On April 22 & 23, preservice students from AAMU COE & UAH COE participated in a session entitled, āAL Literacy Act for Preservice Teachersā facilitated by ARI Regional Literacy Leadership Specialists, Judy Warmath & Lora Snell. A big thanks to Dr. Davenport & Dr.Jordan-Hamilton(AAMU) and Mrs. Pettey (UAH) for making this happen! #RegionalDreamTeam
"Caught Being Awesome"! #ALRegion3 May '21 Highlights
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to all the "Ah-Mazing" Teachers in #ALRegion3! #WeLoveTeachers
Congratulations, Ms. Melissa Mann, Special Education Teacher in Madison County Schools! Ms. Mann is the recipient of 5 hours FREE Virtual Assistance services! #Congrats #TeachersRock
We'll be in contact Ms. Mann! ;-)
Sparkman Middle School featured on the Today Show!
Happy National School Principals' Day!
#May1
Happy Nurses' Appreciation Week!
You are valued! You are loved! You are needed!
AAMU/UAH Governing Board Members
Mr. Jason Hass, Principal, Scottsboro City Schools-- Governing Board President
Ms. Betty McIntire, Teacher, Jackson Co. Schools--- Governing Board Secretary
Dr. Kisha Tolbert Simmons, Director, AAMU/UAH RIC-- Governing Board Executive Secretary
Mr. Travis Cummings, School Board Member, Madison City Schools
Ms. Catina Hamilton, Instructional Coach, Boaz City Schools
Dr. Johanna Massey, Professor, AAMU
Ms. Tameka McGill, Teacher, Huntsville City Schools
Ms. Jennifer Taylor, District Administrator, Madison Co. Schools
Ms. Kimberley Tucker, Secondary ELA Instructional Coach, Arab City Schools
Ms. Porshe Chapman, Teacher, Huntsville City Schools
Ms. Shundra Morris, AMSTI-UAH STEM Specialist
Ms. Rachel Gibbs, Teacher, Madison City Schools
Ms. Jodi Jacobs, District Administrator, DeKalb County Schools
Dr. Elisabeth Davis, Assistant State Superintendent of Student Learning, ALSDE
Mr. Sean Stevens, Instructional Services Program Coordinator, ALSDE
Meet the #ALRegion3 Dream Team!
About the AAMU/UAH RIC
The Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University/University of Alabama at Huntsville Inservice Center (AAMU/UAH RIC) is located on the beautiful campus of the historical Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University. The AAMU/UAH RIC partners with administrators, teachers, instructional/content specific coaches, counselors and media specialists in 13 school districts, across 4 counties in ALSDEās region 3---- Albertville City Schools, Arab City Schools, Boaz City Schools, DeKalb County Schools, Fort Payne City Schools, Guntersville City Schools, Huntsville City Schools, Jackson County Schools, Madison City Schools, Madison County Schools, Marshall County Schools, Scottsboro City Schools and the Alabama School of Cyber Technology & Engineering--- to offer high-quality professional learning experiences to support educator growth.
AAMU/UAH RIC Team
Dr. Kisha Tolbert Simmons, NBCT
Ms. Jacqueline "Jackie" Rogers
Administrative Assistant
Mr. Glen Fox
Biology Specialist
Mrs. Aundria Campbell
Instructional Technology Specialist
Start Here. Go Anywhere! #AAMU
Alabama A&M University (AAMU) is a collegiate university that balances the personal attention of a small traditional land-grant college with the academic vitality and broad opportunities of a research university. AAMU has a diverse faculty and student body, state-of-the-art facilities, and top-notch resources, programs, and services.
Earn Your Graduate Degree at AAMU!
Check out the AAMU's graduate degree programs here
Let's Connect!
AAMU/UAH Regional Inservice Center
Email: jacqueline.rogers@aamu.edu
Website: https://www.aamu.edu/academics/colleges/education-humanities-behavioral-sciences/research-outreach-centers/regional-inservice-center/index.html
Location: 4900 Meridian Street North, Huntsville, AL, USA
Phone: 256-372-5771
Facebook: facebook.com/aamuinservice
Twitter: @AAMUUAH_RIC