Teacher Education/Special Education Latest News
From the Director
Springtime in March always has a lot in store for us… the temptation of warm, sunny Colorado days followed by a foot of snow, just to remind us not to become too content with the idea to toss our winter gear in the closet and break out those shorts! Here’s hoping that your spring break gives you a chance to enjoy a little of both! I know many of you will still be teaching in your Professional Development Schools, but at least you’ll have a breather from classes!
As I shared in an earlier NewsFeed, many of you know that we will be launching a brand new version of the IPTE program this summer, The Partnership for Urban Education which encompasses the new Urban Teacher Education Programs in the School of Education & Human Development. So you may be asking, how does that effect me as a current student?
First of all, we guarantee that you will be able to finish your current program in the allotted credit hours and time frame for which you were admitted (i.e., the 12 month or 18 month program) as long as you are currently on track with that program plan. We will be sending individualized e-mails to all current students that clearly states exactly what courses you will enroll for this summer and fall (and next spring for new 18 month students) to complete your program. Some of the changes are simply changes in course prefix and numbering which will be included in your e-mail. But some of you, particularly new 18 month students, will actually get the benefit of taking some of the newly redesigned courses that will be offered in a block format starting this fall to complete your program plan. Again, the credit hours and time frame will remain the same. Our new Urban Teacher Education Program will continue to use the Professional Development School model for internships, so that will remain the same in your current program as well, with the new program starters joining your PDS cohorts in August.
We are excited about this new chapter in UC Denver’s teacher preparation program… you are part of a long tradition of excellence and we continue to learn with and alongside you to constantly reinvent the way exceptional urban teachers are prepared.
~Cindy Gutierrez, Ph.D., Director, IPTE
From the Academic Advisor
Hello TC’s!
Happy Spring Break! Hope the Switch Week transition is going well for everyone. Welcome to all those who are getting ready to start as new TCs this summer and fall! Hope everyone is able to get a bit of rest over spring break as I know some of you will be continuing in your partner schools!
Please see the important information below about the new scholarship process, registration for Summer and Fall, waitlists, deposits refunds, and more!
~Meredith Lopez, M.A., Academic Advisor, IPTE
Scholarships
There are a number of scholarships and resources including information that is available to School of Education and Human Development students at UCD. You can obtain more information about these scholarships at here.
To apply for a School of Education scholarship, you will utilize an online application process for applying. Go to the Graduate Student 2010-2011 Scholarship Application page for instructions and to apply.
Registration
Don’t forget to contact me if you have questions about summer registration. Students typically take no more than 6 credits in the summer for elementary/secondary licensing. Special education students may take more depending on their program plan. Please contact me if you are planning on taking more than 9 -12 credits as this is the cutoff for summer registration. For any circumstances that fall into this category, contact to discuss via phone, email or in person appointment.
Please note that UCD is replacing the current student portals (CUAccess, SMART, and Pinnacle) with one new portal, UCDAccess. For the Fall 2010 semester you will need to use the new portal, UCDAccess.
The Summer icon refers you to CUAccess, SMART, or Pinnacle for Spring and Summer 2010 semesters.
The Fall icon will refer you to the new portal, UCDAccess (for Fall 2010 semester). This new portal will allow you to apply for financial aid, search for your classes on various criteria, view real-time numbers of seats available, enroll and pay for your classes, order transcripts, and more . . . all in one spot!
For more information and an FAQ, visit www.ucdenver.edu/ISISComm
Be expecting an email regarding day/time for Fall registration which begins in early May. You can also check S.M.A.R.T. for this information as well. Don’t forget: before registration, all students must pay a $200 registration advance payment; which will be applied to your tuition and fees.
For those of you in the middle of your Teacher Education Program, emails with Summer/Fall program plans and schedules will be emailed out in April. These schedules have been designed to assist in the merging of the old IPTE program to the new Urban Teacher Education program. Please stay tuned!
IPTE 5006/5130 Waitlists Summer 2010
We will be adding another section of IPTE 5006 to accommodate those that are waitlisted. Please continue to check back for this posting via SMART. IPTE 5130-to those who are waitlisted for sections 001 and 002 please see if section 003 will work for your schedule and wait list yourself for this section in attempts to even out our sections before we pull waitlists. We will accommodate all those who need this course.
UCD Academic Calendar
As a UC Denver student, you are responsible for knowing the specific requirements and deadlines published each semester. Please visit this site to see the Academic Calendar now posted for summer and fall 2010.
Partner School – Fall Term Calendar
Also be mindful of partner school calendar starts for the start of the fall terms. Many schools go back in early August so plan accordingly with your summer schedule. You will be receiving communication around partner school placements in May as well as welcome letters from your site team.
Deposit Refunds
If you are in your final semester of internships, your $250 deposit will be refunded to you at the end of March. Please look for emails from Rachel.
Teacher Education Job Fairs
Please see job fair information listed in this NewsFeed under Job/Volunteer opportunities! Also please visit www.teachincolorado.org for the most current listing of Colorado’s educational positions.
UCD Career Center
The UCD Career Center, is located in Suite 260 in the Tivoli Student Union, 303-556-2250. The Center offers many services aimed at helping Teacher Candidates find a teaching position. The list below provides an overview of their services and functions.
Resume assistance: The Center has resume writing sessions and critiques individual resumes on request.
Campus career library: The Career Center has a library that includes school district personnel office addresses, information about in-state, out-of-state and overseas teaching positions, brochures and applications from school districts, etc.
Interviews: Interviewing tips are available and school district personnel conduct mock interviews with Teacher Candidates. Ask your Site Coordinator and Site Professor to do mock interviews with you during site seminars.
White-out On AmeriCorps Time Logs
We have been notified by our Corporation that white-out on Time Logs is no longer acceptable. If you have not yet submitted your Time Log, make sure it is correct before you submit it for signatures, and please make sure your logs have no white out corrections. If you have already created your Time Log and gotten it signed, and there are errors, please cross out the errors and initial them, but please do not use white-out.
Thank you very much for your compliance in this urgent matter.
Willie Brown
Completion of Teaching License/Endorsement
Congratulations! Use this link to the CDE application wizard to download the applications-http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/Licensure_main.asp. You may click on the following link for a detailed licensure checklist.
• Spring Licensure/Endorsement Completers-All grades must be complete and listed on transcript before you can start the application process. Grades will begin to be posted May 24, 2010. I will not be able to sign on licensure paperwork until May 25 or after. Please call or email me for an appointment which takes no more than 10-15 minutes. Please have the complete application filled out in its entirety so that I can provide a recommendation signature and answer any questions in the most efficient manner.
• Summer Licensure/Endorsement Completers-The Student Services Office works with each instructor to make sure students have completed their final summer courses satisfactorily so that there is not a wait for summer grades to be posted in August. This is helpful especially for those that may be done with their summer courses as early as June. Students can turn in paperwork to receive institutional recommendation signatures once completed with course work and I have had confirmation from your instructor.
• If you need a confirmation letter for employment while waiting for your licensure paperwork to process, please email me your request with details and how you would like the letter delivered or held for pick up.
• Please note, if an incomplete has been taken in any licensure course (SAPS for example) the grade must be posted for the incomplete course. All prerequisite courses must be completed and you must have passed the PLACE or PRAXIS II tests. This is a requirement that should have been completed prior to entering your third internship.
• You can make a request for UCD transcripts to be mailed to your home once grades are posted via SMART or pick them up from the Bursar’s office for $20.00. Graduate students will also need to include transcripts for all colleges at which courses towards degrees (e.g. BA, BS) and/or licensure programs were completed. The Student Services Center may have an extra copy of your transcripts in your file if needed.
• CLAS Undergraduate Licensure Completers will submit their licensure paperwork for institutional recommendation to Stephanie Hamington. Graduate teacher education students submit their paperwork to Meredith Lopez.
• Master Options for Graduate Licensure Completers–All teacher education graduate licensure completers who are going on to complete a Masters option are required to complete an MA Option Selection Sheet indicating the MA Option that will be pursued and the term starting the MA Option. Please turn this form into the SSC office. For a complete list of IPTE MA Course Requirements, click here. We encourage you to contact the advisor listed on the options sheet for more information and sequencing of courses.
If you are an Undergrad Licensure Completer and would like to apply for one of our educational masters options-please contact me for an abbreviated application process and the opportunity to waive the $50 application fee!
Attention Special Education Teacher Candidates:
The internship element of the special education licensure program provides the opportunity for you to connect theory to practice and is essential to your success in the program. With this in mind, please review the following information regarding the process for internship application for all “one-the-job” and alternative internship experiences and the reminder of the submission dates. A completed internship application must be submitted for all internships that are completed outside of a UCD partner school.
To ensure that each of your internship experiences provides you with varied professional opportunities to apply your skills in natural settings, and to enlarge the range of strategies you bring to the classroom, please remember to plan ahead and communicate with your advisor regarding internship requirements. All teacher candidates in the special education endorsement program are expected to demonstrate knowledge and skill with students of varying age and grade levels, so a range of internship experiences will be designed individually between you and your advisor. Please note the submission dates for each semester:
• March 1st for Summer internships
• May 1st for Fall internships
• October 1st for Spring internships
If you are intending to complete a special education internship outside of a UCD partner school during the summer term of 2010, your completed application materials must be submitted to your special education faculty advisor by March 1st, 2010for approval. Please contact Meredith Lopez in the Student Services Center if you need assistance in contacting your faculty advisor – meredith.lopez@ucdenver.edu
TC Student Spotlight
Jill Kershisnik
Gentle and strong; intelligent; creative; dedicated to nurturing a caring classroom community. These are just a few of the ways I would describe Jill Kershisnik, a Teacher Candidate at Rose Hill Elementary School who has just started her final internship in a second-grade classroom. Although Jill tried the corporate world for awhile, she found herself getting bored and missing the pleasure and satisfaction of working with children and making a difference in their lives. She had worked as a nanny and a preschool teacher and realized that teaching was her true calling.
Jill brings many strengths and gifts to her teaching. In observing her with her students, I’ve noticed how observant she is with them and how much she appreciates each child. “I work hard to cultivate respect for my students and thus encourage them to respect me. I show students that I value them as individuals and take the time to get to know their bright and unique little personalities and share with them mine.” Jill also works hard to make her instruction engaging and meaningful. She takes the time to research the best ways to teach a particular skill or subject. As a jewelry designer, she brings a special creative flair to her teaching.
It is obvious that Jill loves to teach and that she is a real natural in the classroom. She not only values the uniqueness of each student, but her own uniqueness as a teacher, “I’ve learned that the most important thing I can do in my classroom is to be myself.” Thank you for being you, Jill! You are a valuable and valued member of our Rose Hill staff.
~Carol Younghans, Site Professor, Rose Hill Elementary School, Adams #14
Congratulations to Ulisses Alves De Oliveira and Thomas Sarni!
This year, UCAN Serve and partner AmeriCorps programs in higher education are sending Members to the IMPACT Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas to engage in the larger social change movement. Members will have the opportunity to meet other AmeriCorps Members making a difference in their communities, and attend workshops on civic engagement, advocacy and social justice. Two members from the UC-Denver School of Education and Human Development Teacher Education Program, Ulisses Alves De Oliveira and Thomas Sarni, submitted applications, and along with a recommendation letter on their behalf, were awarded Scholarships to the conference. The Conference was held March 19-21st. Congratulations!
~Willie Brown, Coordinator, AmeriCorps, UC Denver SEHD
Check it out!
SCEC
The Student Council for Exceptional Children, Auraria chapter will be meeting April 1 and May 6 at 5pm. The April 1 meeting will be held in one of the historic buildings behind the West Classroom at 1020 Ninth Street Park. The May meeting will be held in Tivoli( 329 – Senate Chambers). Please come out for an exciting time for networking and learning! This is an open invitation, and is not exclusive for special education majors! If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me at grace.hyun@email.ucdenver.edu or our faculty advisor, Dr. Caron Westland at Caron.Westland@ucdenver.edu!
Thanks,
Grace Hyun
Thinkfinity, by Verizon
Please click here to view the March 2010 newsletter of Thinkfinity. Thinkfinity.org is the Verizon Foundation’s free, comprehensive program and online portal to 55,000 educational resources. They offer standards-based, grade-specific, K-12 lesson plans and other student interactives provided in partnership with many of the top education and literacy experts and organizations in the U.S. Sign up to get updates in your email box!
PBS Teacherline
Rocky Mountain PBS is your source for quality, DOE-sponsored professional development. Complete PBS TeacherLine online courses and arm yourself with the tools to adopt the new Colorado Model Content Standards. Earn a four-course/eight-credit Certificate of Completion in “Integrating 21st Century Skills into the Classroom” from Adams State College. Through June 30th eligible teachers receive a 50% tuition reimbursement from the CDE upon course completion. Don’t wait! Registration is now open for spring courses beginning on March 24th, March 31st, and April 14th. Do you still have questions or need more information on our 21st Century Skills and ELL Certificate programs? Call or e-mail Susannah Frank, Rocky Mountain PBS TeacherLine Representative, at 303-620-5687 or susannahfrank@rmpbs.org
FREE SMART BOARDS FOR PBS TEACHERS INNOVATION AWARDS WINNERS
The PBS Teachers Innovation Awards invite educators across the country to show us how they inspire their students by submitting a video or image and sharing why they think they are innovative educators. The top awards winner will receive the latest version of the SMART BoardTM Interactive Whiteboard System, in addition to a trip to the PBS Annual Meeting. There’s still time to submit your application – the campaign goes through March 12. Show educators across the country some of the fantastic things going on in Colorado classrooms! For more information, go to pbsteachers.org.
PBS TEACHERS OFFERS BRAND NEW ACTIVITY PACKS
PBS Teachers’ library of Activity Packs continues to grow. Each Activity Pack focuses on a curricular theme and includes links to great PBS resources and supplemental activities. A sampling of new topics includes Social Studies (Conflict Resolution and Covering the News Media); Science (Development & the Environment, Oceans, Technology and Ethics); Reading & Language Arts (Poetry, Civil Rights Movement in American Literature); and Health & Fitness (Summer Sports). More than 40 Activity Packs are currently available free-of-charge for educators to “grab” for use in their classroom or to post to their Web pages, blogs or social networking pages. Check it out here.
CRUE
The Center for Culturally Responsive Urban Education, or the CRUE Center, has been part of the School of Education and Human Development since 2007 and is dedicated to meeting the needs of Colorado’s culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse students through advocacy, education, and research. CRUE disseminates weekly discussion guides related to current educational equity issues. The discussion guides reach over 900 CRUE listserv members and are designed to stimulate dialogue and change for those engaged in achieving socially just education for Colorado’s students. Joining the CRUE listserv is an excellent opportunity for future educators who want to learn more about how to work effectively with all students and advocate for improvement in the education system. To sign up go to click here.
Strategies for Engaging Families in Schools
Research shows that the involvement of parents and guardians in schools has major implications for the success of students, but often there is a disconnect between school personnel and families that hinders their involvement. In many cases, this problem stems from schools expecting families to engage on their terms in predetermined ways without offering much in return to the families. Culturally and linguistically diverse families often have the most trouble engaging in their children’s education; these families don’t feel welcomed or included by the schools their children attend. Guadalupe Valdés writes about this phenomenon among Mexican-origin families in her book, Con Respeto: Bridging the Distances Between Culturally Diverse Families and Schools, and points out that Mexican-origin families tend to participate in their children’s education in ways that aren’t typically sanctioned by schools. Efforts on the part of schools to engage culturally and linguistically diverse families often involve attempts to train families to adapt to the school’s culture and norms instead of working to recognize and encourage non-traditional forms of family involvement.
Fortunately, there are many things educators can do to encourage family involvement and create caring, supportive, and welcoming environments for all types of families. The Build Out-of-School Time Network (BOSTnet) has created a detailed toolkit for engaging families in after-school programs that could easily be applied to a school setting. Also, José Rosario at Purdue University has developed a resource guide, Engaging Latino Students in their Education, which includes valuable information about how school professionals can involve and connect with Latino families.
For more information and strategies on engaging families in schools check out the following resources:
Education World: Articles on Parental Involvement in Schools
Engaging Families to Improve Achievement: Advice from the Research
After looking through the resources provided, consider the following:
1. Does staff at my school view increasing family involvement as the responsibility of the school or the responsibility of the families? How does this perspective influence the amount of family involvement?
2. Are some families more welcome than others at my school? What can I do to make my school more welcoming towards all families?
3. What strengths and abilities do the culturally and linguistically diverse families with students at my school have to offer? What am I and others at my school doing to utilize these assets?
Thank you for reading our weekly discussion. Feel free to subscribe here. Please visit the Center for Culturally Responsive Urban Education (CRUE) website at www.cruecenter.org for more information and resources on educational equity.
FOR MORE INFO:
www.cruecenter.org
contact@cruecenter.org
Culturally Responsive Urban Education
1380 Lawrence Street, 6th Floor
Denver, CO 80204
Job/Volunteer Opportunities
Interested in Teaching in Alaska?
Alaska is offering FREE services to educators seeking employment in Alaska’s schools. For more details about teaching in Alaska go to www.alaskateacher.org. The website features an interactive job bank that allows you to search for job openings, post your resume, contact hiring officials, participate in an online virtual job fair.
2010 Education/Teacher Fairs
March 13 Charter School Teacher Job Fair
Peak to Peak Charter School
Lafayette, CO
www.peaktopeak.org
Phone: (303) 866-4730
E-Mail: charterjobfair@peaktopeak.org
March 20 Rocky Mountain Teacher Fair
Battle Mountain High School
Edwards, CO
www.rockyteacherfair.org/
March 23 and 24 University of Wyoming Teacher Fair
Laramie, WY
www.uwyo.edu/cacs
E-Mail: tbrownin@uwyo.edu
March 25-26 Teacher Employment Days
University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO
www.unco.edu/careers
Phone: 970-351-2127
April 8 Teacher Education Fair
Mesa State College, Grand Junction, CO
www.mesastate.edu/advising/edfair.html
Phone: (970) 248-1491
April 12-13 Teacher Fair
Ft. Lewis College, Durango, CO
www.fortlewis.edu/current_students/career_services/events_programs/teacher_fair.aspx
Phone: (970) 247-7562
April 14 CSU Teacher Job Fair
Fort Collins, CO
www.career.colostate.edu
Phone: (970) 491-1756
(Colorado Districts Only)
April 15 Teacher Education Fair 2010
Colorado State University – Pueblo, CO
www.colostate-pueblo.edu/careercenter
Phone: (719) 549-2980
Also check teachincolorado.org for current Colorado education job opportunities.