Teacher Education/Special Education Latest News
Important Information from Meredith Lopez, UCTE Academic Advisor:
Spring 2012 Registration
Registration assistance emails have been sent out to all Teacher Candidates. If you have any further questions with scheduling, please don’t hesitate to call or email me for advising help.
Information for TCs registering for over 18 credit hours:
If you are taking more than 18 credit hours this spring, you will need to fill out credit overload paperwork. We will use a Schedule Adjustment Form to add courses above and beyond 18 credit hours. Print it out, fill it out and then bring it or fax it to the Student Services Center office for Dean’s signature (Lawrence Street Center, room 701, Fax: 303.315.6311). Please be sure you are filling out the form correctly. Improperly filled out forms may lead to incorrect registration. SAFs can also be found here.
PLD for Mt. Cameron, Mt. Sherman, and Mt. Democrat
Mt. Cameron, Mt. Sherman, and Mt. Democrat are invited to come to Professional Learning Day on Friday, December 9th. See email from Rachel Fraser for more information and what to bring for community lunch.
Planning around Professional Development Schools’ calendar
You have already received your placement assignment for the Spring term and an accompanying Welcome Letter from the PDS will include important dates and links to their calendar in order to plan for when to start internships. If you did not get your Welcome Letter from your Site Team, contact Rachel Fraser, Internship Coordinator. Note that most of our PDSs may require you to be back at schools as early as January 3, 2012.
UCD Career Center –it’s free and available!
Whether you need help assessing your current career path, searching for a job, or knocking on the door of that perfect employer, we are confident that your visit to the Career Center will be helpful and beneficial.
In this highly competitive job market, candidates need to be at their best to secure employment in their chosen fields. Completing this nine-part Certificate of Employability, created by the Career Center, can give you an edge over the competition and create confidence in your job search skills. Don’t miss out on job opportunities because you aren’t prepared!
Contact the Career Center to have this course added to your Blackboard account.
Tivoli, room 267 | 303-556-2250
Quick Tip Hours for Fall 2011:
Monday-Thursday
11:00pm-1:00pm
3:00pm-5:00pm
Office Calendar/Schedule
Happy End-of-Semester! Please see the Student Services Center hours for next week (12/19/2011-12/23/2011) below:
Monday 12/19-8am-5pm
Tuesday 12/20-8am-5pm
Wednesday 12/21-8am-5pm
Thursday-12/22-8am-5pm
Friday-12/23-Closed
Please note that the entire Auraria campus is also closed from Monday, December 26th-Monday, January 2nd. The campus and the Student Services Center will reopen for normal business hours on Tuesday, January 3rd.
Fall Licensure/Endorsement Completers
To start your initial licensure or endorsement(based on an approved program) application process, use this link to the CDE application wizard to begin online process for your applications.
Remember-all grades must be complete and listed on transcript before you can start the application process. Grades tentatively will be posted Dec. 27, 2011.
• Graduate teacher education students submit their paperwork to Meredith Lopez. CLAS Undergraduate students will submit their licensure paperwork for institutional recommendation to Stephanie Hamington.
• 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.
• You can make a request for UCD transcripts to be mailed to your home once grades are posted via UCDAccess or pick them up from the Bursar’s office for a fee. Graduate students will also need to include a copy of undergraduate transcripts-we have an extra copy of your transcripts in your file if needed.
Master Options for Graduate/Undergraduate 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, room 701. We encourage you to contact the SSC advisor listed on the options sheet for more information and sequencing of courses.
Undergraduates-we highly encourage you to apply for our masters programs through a shortened application process, plus we’ll waive the application fee!! For more details, please contact our admissions counselor, Lindsay Austin.
Spotlights
Melanie Brundage
If you were to walk into the first grade classroom at Rose Hill Elementary School where Melanie Brundage is doing her third internship, you’d never guess that she is an intern. She has such a strong and confident teacher presence and her students are so respectful and attentive, you’d assume she is their regular teacher. Melanie is also highly respectful of her students and attentive to their social, emotional, and academic needs. She clearly enjoys teaching and is exceptionally conscientious about making the most of every moment she’s with her students.
Melanie has always wanted to be a teacher. “I have wanted to be a teacher since I was in elementary school. I always looked up to my teachers. As I got older and began working with children at my job and as a volunteer, I realized again that my passion in life was teaching.”
Working in an urban school has been especially rewarding for Melanie, even though she had some initial trepidation. “I was very intimidated going into the school at first and worried that I would not fit in well. However, as my internships progressed I felt a change in me. My idea of what type of school I wanted to teach in was suddenly much different than I had always imagined. I love what is being done at Rose Hill for the students and community and it is something that I would feel very lucky to continue being part of.”
Melanie brings many, many strengths to her teaching. In addition to planning and implementing solid instruction that is highly engaging as well as instructionally purposeful, Melanie is exceptionally flexible. “Especially in my last internship I have had to show a lot of flexibility in the classroom. This has ended up being a huge blessing and has taught me so much about myself and the school. It has shown my that I am capable of doing things outside of my comfort zone.”
The first-grade team has come to regard Melanie as a valued and valuable member. She is a quick study and has become skilled in teaching the already-established District 14 literacy program and the math program that was adopted just this year. Her teammates know they can count on her to provide consistent instruction for her own students, as well as in the other two first-grade classrooms when needed. Melanie appreciates all that she has learned from her team and from her students. “I am so proud and honored to go into school and work with them everyday.”
Looking forward to her first year of teaching Melanie reflects, “I hope to be the best teacher that I can be. I hope to have a positive impact on each student and help them reach and exceed their potential as learners. I hope to learn more everyday about how to be a better teacher. I also hope to survive the exhaustion!”
We at Rose Hill have no doubt that Melanie will be a very successful teacher and that her students will thrive in the caring learning environment she will provide. Thank you, Melanie, for all of your hard work as a Teacher Candidate and for bringing your passion for teaching to Rose Hill!
Carol Younghans, Site Professor, Rose Hill Elementary School, Adams #14
Check It Out!
I’m worried about my grade
I have a feeling a teacher made this. 
SEHD on Facebook
The School of Education & Human Development has a new Facebook page. We would be delighted if you would sign on to our page and ‘like’ us. The page can be found here. We are also looking for students who would be interested in serving as Facebook ambassadors for the School. This would entail posting content and photos frequently about your experiences as a student. If you are interested, please contact Julia.Cummings@ucdenver.edu.
SCEC
The next SCEC Meeting will be held on Mon, Dec. 12 @ 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. in NC 3407 – The theme will be an “End of the semester party” – bring some social snacks to share or just come and be part of the group. At our last SCEC Meeting, seven students received free memberships to CCLD and scholarship applications ($1500) were shared with students. If you are interested in the CCLD scholarship, go to www.ccld.org . Can’t make the meeting? Find us on Facebook.
During our meetings, we tend to have a formal agenda and then an informal discussion evolves. At our Mon, Nov. 14th meeting, we had a discussion with guest speaker, Thomas Sarni. He spoke about the trials and tribulations of working as a first year teacher and his quest to co-teach. Our informal dialog center around the economy, SB 191, finding employment, and serving all students.
Please join us in December. Come solo or bring a friend. We always have cool door prizes and giveaways. We’ll discuss how to attend the National CEC Conference (April 11- 14, 2011) at a significantly reduced rate.
2012 CCIRA Conference
Dear Colleague,
I am pleased to announce that registration is open for the 2012 CCIRA Conference. I have been so fortunate to have attended this conference in the past, and plan to attend this year as well. After reading through the registration book, I am very excited about the speakers and sessions. This year’s lineup includes many literacy experts: Stephen Krashen, Dick Allington, The Two Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser), Georgia Heard, and also some great children’s authors (Gary Pauslen, Joy Cowley, and Patricia MacLachlan). I have only mentioned a few of the experts who are flying in for the conference. There are quite a few recognized literacy experts who will be part of the conference. There are also top-notch educators from around the state who will be sharing their expertise during the conference. The Technology Playground promises to be a great place to try out some new literacy-based technology, and there are many regular sessions focused on technology. Check out the link and you’ll find the list of invited speakers and authors. You will also find the registration book, which is a 34-page book filled with session descriptions and conference details.
Please let me know if I can be of further help. I hope to see you at CCIRA in February.
Sincerely,
Sharon Panik, College Committee
Additional Info
Students are invited to become members of the finest professional reading association, Colorado Council of International Reading Association at student rates.
For $20.00 student membership, you satisfy, at the advanced level,
the professional disposition for initiative:
- actively involved in professional organizations and publications;
- seeks opportunities to be involved in professional activities;
- takes leadership roles in professional organizations when available;
- makes professional growth a high priority
To register, please go to CCIRA.org and sign up for student membership.
We look forward to seeing you at the conference in February. What a great opportunity to meet authors and leaders in the field of reading!
Students have an opportunity to attend the entire conference at a reduced rate — or a half day for free in exchange for volunteering at the membership table. Please contact Jessica Rickert jessrccira@gmail.com
Job/Volunteer Opportunities
Metro Children’s Center Seeking PARA
From: Elisheba Fay
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 8:11 AM
We have a job opening for a paraprofessional coming up and are interested in hiring students at UCD (perhaps in the teacher prep programs or Para Center). Please contact me if interested!
Thanks, Elisheba Fay
Metro Children’s Center
Chavez Schools Seeking Teachers
Click here for flier.
Adams 14 needs you!
Adams 14, a nationally recognized leader in education innovation, is Colorado’s 23rd largest school district and serves more than 7,500 students annually. Nestled in the historic community of Commerce City, Adams 14 strives to ensure academic success for every student by providing highly effective classroom instruction, supplemental enrichment opportunities and parent/family collaboration opportunities. Under Superintendent Dr. Susan Chandler’s leadership, the District is implementing a strategic plan to improve student achievement so that 80 percent of students assessed will be on grade level by 2014, by ensuring that each classroom has a dynamic, standards-based teacher who provides powerful 21st century learning experiences.
Adams 14 has recently added a number of teaching and paraprofessional positions to our district in order to keep our student-to-teacher/paraprofessional ratio within district guidelines. Our current vacancies include:
- 3 Secondary Special Education positions
- 3 Elementary Special Education positions
- 2 Secondary Math positions
- 1 Kindergarten position
- 1 Third Grade position
- 6 Special Education Paraprofessional positions
To learn more about Adams 14 and to apply for current vacancies, please visit www.adams14.org.