*****
Valentine's
Day of Spring Semester 2005 - February 14, 2005
Words of Inspiration
the collection
appears at
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/words.html
****
Mama exhorted her children at
every opportunity to
“jump at de sun.” We might not
land on the sun, but at
least we would get off the
ground.
- Zora Neale Hurston
http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/hurs-zor.htm
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Announcements
*****
1) Congratulations to
the organizers of the highly successful Diversity Seminar on Friday, February 4,
2005, 3:30 - 6 in the Johnson Room in the library. The session featured
panel presentations by students and teachers in the Hartford Public Schools.
Special thanks to Jeff Trawick-Smith, Sudha Swaminathan, Delar Singh, and Rob
Levin for their organization of the event and for Theresa Picard for
contacting University Relations for press coverage.
2) Upcoming events:
Education Department faculty meetings - Units meeting -
Thursday, February 17, 2005, 12:30 - 1:45,
Webb 115
Grade appeal deadline – February 11
Presidents’ break – 2/18 – 21
Incomplete grades deadline – March 4
Comprehensive exams week – March 7 – 11
Draft of thesis signed by advisors due in Graduate
Office for May graduation – March 11
Mid-semester grades due – March 14
Spring recess – March 21 - 26
Future Teachers Conference - Tuesday, March 22, 2005
- please contact David Stoloff if you would like to present.
Class withdrawal deadline – April 8
Thesis and copies due in Graduate Office – April 11
“Life After Brown 2005: With All Deliberate Speed …
Looking Back, Moving Ahead” to be held at Eastern on April 15 -16, 2005.
A preliminary schedule and registration information can be found at
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/bvbed2/
Fifth Annual Excellence Expo - Wednesday, April 27,
2005, 3 - 7 pm - Ed Dept faculty - please nominate those who completed
comprehensive portfolios and other teacher candidates with distinction.
University meeting – May 12, 10 am
Final exams – May 16 – 21
Commencement – May 22
Final grades due – May 25
2)
Congratulations to Chief Information Officer George Kahkedjian and the Center
for Instructional Technology staff on this announcement in
January 2005 WebCT newsletter
Spotlight on Eastern Connecticut State University: Increasing Usage of
E-learning on Campus
At Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU), one of four universities of the
Connecticut State University System, e-learning has grown from a small pilot
project to an institution-wide learning environment where every student has a
WebCT account. One of the keys to ECSU's success in adopting an e-learning
platform was grassroots support from faculty, many of whom had used WebCT Campus
Edition previously and were familiar with the benefits of e-learning. Today,
ECSU has an e-learning program that spans most academic departments and is used
by over 50% of full-time faculty. To respond to the increased usage of WebCT,
ECSU recently began offering live chat as an option for receiving immediate
support.
Learn more about how ECSU has
grown its e-learning program with WebCT
and the article at
http://hub-images.webct.com/resources/marquis/0105_2.html
The Education Department appreciates your support of our students,
coursework, programs, and educational technology initiatives.
Dean Kleine added -
Congratulations on [the Education Department faculty members'] significant
contributions to the success of the WebCT adoption and usage on campus as was
detailed in the recent edition of the WebCT Newsletter. The School of Education
and Professional Studies is largely responsible for the early adoption and usage
of WebCT and ... you have figured most prominently in the campus’s
success. Well done!
3) Message from
Joy Goff, Director, Alumni Affairs, email:
goffj@easternct.edu
"I am trying to find some recent Eastern alumni who are
teaching in the area who might be willing to be mentors to several women
students who will be graduating this year and who hope to obtain teaching
positions. These are students who are members of the Council of Student Alumni
(formerly known as the Student Alumni Association) with which the Alumni Affairs
office works. Although we hope to establish a full mentoring program with these
students and alumni over the next academic year, I wanted to at least offer the
current students who are graduating the opportunity to have an Eastern alumnus/a
look over a resume, or even just field some questions about teaching before
these students graduate. So it would be an abridged mentoring program at best.
We were thinking we could arrange a luncheon, or something small on campus where
the alumni could meet the students, or even do individual meetings in our
conference room, in order to keep the time commitment manageable."
Please contact Joy Goff if you have any questions or
nominations. Thanks.
4) The Ida Seidel Recruitment Grant will be awarded to
an Eastern CSU applicant enrolled in a teacher education program, a
junior/senior, resident of Connecticut, and who must demonstrate the qualities
which enable her/him to become an educational leader. This is an award of
$500.
The applications are available from David Stoloff and
must be completed by March 4, 2005.
5) “Life After Brown 2005: With All Deliberate Speed …
Looking Back, Moving Ahead.” This conference will be held at Eastern on April
15 -16, 2005. A preliminary schedule and registration information can be
found at
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/bvbed2/
6) Mr. Jack Cross,
Principal at Griswold High, is in search of a longterm substitute for secondary
mathematics, effective as soon as possible. Please contact him at
tel. 860-376-7606 or via email at
'jcross@griswold.k12.ct.us' .
7) Dr. Robert Morris, Principal, of John C. Clark School, a
Hartford Public School, is looking for 4th and 5th grade teachers. Please
invite candidates to call Dr. Morris, Principal, at 860 - 695 - 3240, to explore
these opportunities further.
*****
The Education Department Faculty
photo is posted at
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/faculty.html
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*****
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The 2002-2006 CSU
AAUP-BOT Collective Bargaining
Agreement is on-line at the usual URL:
http://www.easternct.edu/aaup/cba.html
****
Alumni News
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/alumninews.html
Message
from Christine Mengel, elementary education teacher candidate, January 2005:
"Hi All,
I just
wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of you for the wonderful instruction
and guidance you have given me through core I and II. I took the Praxis in
November for the first time and not only did I walk away from the test feeling
confident but my confidence was assured when I found out I did very well and
past the tests. So I wanted to thank all of you for your help in this process.
Have a wonderful break and Happy New Year!
Thank
you again!
Christine
Mengel "
*****
News from
Jessica Bessette shared by Dr. Swaminathan:
"Hi! I
just wanted to tell you that I got a job!! Starting Monday I will be a
preschool teacher in Waterbury. It's not in a school though, it's in a daycare
facility, but I will have my own classroom of 3-5 year olds (although I think
right now there are only 3 and 4 year olds). I am really excited to start, I
really have a lot of freedom to teach what I want and how I want, it's a really
exciting first teaching job, a really great experience, especially since I have
to do most of the planning of what exactly I'm teaching, there is no curriculum
to follow or anything. So I'm really excited to use a lot of the information I
got from the core classes @ Eastern. I'm sure I'll be emailing you (300 times a
day!) to ask you questions and get advice, I hope you don't mind! Just wanted
to tell you because I thought you'd be proud :)"
posted on
October 22, 2004
*****
Dr.
Sudha Swaminathan reports that Leslie Labenski has been hired at Andover
Elementary in a Kindergarten setting.
*****
A
message from Ms. Leah Barbuto -
Joan
Culpin was just hired as a third grade teacher in Columbia, CT.
posted on August 20, 2004.
*****
Good news
from Robyn McKenney, MS in Ed Tech program graduate –
I just
wanted to share my great news with you! I have been offered a job as a K-8
Technology Integration Coach. I am very excited about this opportunity and feel
that my work at Eastern was invaluable in preparing me for this role (especially
the thesis). Some feedback I received was how pleased they were with my
understanding of constructivism, project (problem-) based learning, ISTE
standards, assessments, and learning environments. I wanted to share that with
you because I feel it speaks directly to your program.
*****
Another message shared by Dr. Fred Ashton –
Once
again, I am pleased to share more good news for the Vocational Technical School
System and for ECSU: Mary Schlehofer will be appointed to a teaching position in
the English Department at H.H. Ellis Technical High School in Danielson, CT.
Mary did her student teaching here at Windham Tech this past spring semester
with department head Jan Marie Weston and she did an outstanding job.
A
message shared by Dr. Fred Ashton -
"More
good news for Windham
Tech, ECSU, and new graduate David Carter: David has been appointed to a math
position at Windham Vocational Technical High School. David finished the year
for us in a long-term substitute position that he started just after he finished
his student teaching and he did a great job. We are looking forward to him
starting the year with us. His content knowledge and pedagogy are strong and he
is a most welcome and valued addition to the teaching faculty!"
*****
A
message shared by Dr. Ann Gruenberg from Cara Ravetto -
I took a long term sub position at the Borough Elementary School for a teacher
on maternity leave with the expectation of continuing in the fall for her. As
the last few days of school arrived one of the teachers in decided not to renew
her contract and resigned, thereby creating an open position. After all was said
and done, the position ended up being for first grade. I interviewed for it and
was offered the job! I am very excited because I wasn't expecting anything in
the district to be open! I was fully prepared to sub for the next year. Now
reality sets in as I prepare to set up my classroom and plan the curriculum! My
fellow colleagues seem very nice and the principal is very supportive. Hope all
is well at ECSU and I plan to return in the spring to complete my Capstone. Take
care!
Cara Ravetto
*****
News
from Dr. Fred Ashton:
Scott Hill just emailed me. He has
accepted a 4th grade position at Sweeney School. Scott was in last semester's
student teachers' seminar with me. He is a fine student and will be a great
first year teacher.
*****
News
from Dr. Bland Day:
I heard from Rosemary Humes that Cary
Langley and Chad Johnson have taken science teaching positions at the Norwich
Free Academy. Cary is teaching biology, and I believe that Chad's job is in
General Science.
*****
Call
for Graduate News -
A request from
Institutional Research -
Please share news
about the plans of graduating seniors.
If they are going
on to graduate school, please provide the graduate's name, undergraduate major,
graduate university, location (city, state), field of study and degree program
sought, and any information
on scholarships and/or fellowships.
If they have been
accepted for employment positions, please provide the graduate's name,
undergraduate major, company, location (city, state), position, salary.
Please email the
information to David, who will compile it for the department. Thanks.
*****
Other Events
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****
ECSU - ThinkQuest for
Tomorrow's Teachers Projects
Faculty members and students from
Eastern
Connecticut
State
University
participated in a US Department of Education grant to Prepare Tomorrow's
Teachers to Use Technology with ThinkQuest
[
http://www.preservice.org/] and 13 other
universities throughout the US. This project's homepage may be found at
http://www.preservice.org/ecsu/
or
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/dept/pt3.html.
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****
Long Term Announcements
Alumni news may be
found at
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/alumninews.html.
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Planning
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Past surveys of
our graduates are available on the WWW -
an analysis of the
survey of teacher education program graduates 1996-98
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/survey9698.htm
results of the
survey of teacher education program graduates - 1996-1998 -
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/surveyresults9698.htm,
and
results of the
survey of teacher education program graduates - 1998-2000 -
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/gradsurvey2001.htm
survey of
interests in graduate programs -1999,
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/gradinterestsurvey1999.htm
survey of
interests in graduate programs - 2001
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/gradinterestsurvey2001.htm
*****
Research and Creativity Activities
chronicling the
ongoing progress of the Education Department at Eastern Connecticut State
University
also
found at
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/rca.html
Searches and
Opportunities
for job
announcements at Eastern CSU -
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/personnel/jobs.html
departmental searches
pending approval -
full-time tenure track faculty members to start in Fall 2005
in Learning and Teaching and
Reading/Language Arts
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******
Recommendation from Diane
Reale, OnlineCSU instructor, to subscribe to Edutopia:
"You may
already be familiar with Edutopia, but I recently received an invitation to a
free magazine subscription from them, in the mail, so I thought I would send the
link along to you....(re: exemplary programs in K-12 schools)....thought your
faculty and students might be interested.
http://www.edutopia.org/foundation/foundation.php
Diane"
*****
Reference from Walter Diaz,
Director, Career Services:
Teaching Jobs at
SchoolSpring.com
Description: Free educator job
search. Apply online, get email job alerts, find 1000s of teaching jobs from
dozens of sites with the SchoolSpring SuperSearch. Apply to any job, anywhere
with SchoolSpring PLUS!
URL:
http://www.SchoolSpring.com
*****
Looking for an
internship, co-op or full-time job? Then check out our new on-line
system-eRecruiting at
http://eastern.eRecruiting.com
Walter Diaz
Director
Career Services
Eastern Connecticut State University
83 Windham Street
Willimantic, CT 06226
Phone: (860)465.5244
Fax:(860)465.4440
Email:
diazw@easternct.edu
University Web Page:
www.easternct.edu
Department Web Page:
www.easternct.edu/depts/career/
Announcement from Robin Shefts, Career Counselor, Career Services:
"I discovered this website recently which I wanted to share with you, faculty
and students.
http://careers.education.wisc.edu/projectConnect/MoreInfo.cfm
Project Connect is a national cooperative resource between school districts and
universities to assist with teacher/education staff employment efforts on the
internet. If you are not familiar with Project Connect, it's worth checking
out!"
******
For
Connecticut teaching
opportunities, please visit
http://ctreap.net .
*****
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Recently acquired media - in the Chair's Office or on the Web
1) Thank you, Ann, and colleagues in the
Education Department for enriching the Education Department Chairs office with
Mitch Albom's The five people you meet in
heaven.
2) Also available in borrowing for holiday
reading -
Cambre, M. & Hawkes, M. (2004). Toys, tools & teachers: The challenges of
technology.
Lanham,
Maryland: Scarecrow Education.
3) Ordered for the Curriculum
Library -
Comparative guide to elementary and secondary schools: 2005. Millerton,
NY: Grey House Publishing.
ACPA & NASPA (2004), Learning Reconsidered: A Campus-Wide Focus on the Student
Experience. Washington, DC: ACPA - Advancing Student Affairs, Engaging
Students and NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. and
other materials from President Carter's Advance on August 17 & 18, 2004.
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*********
Please contact David Stoloff at (860) 465-5501, email:
stoloffd@easternct.edu if you have any
questions or comments on this newsletter. Please invite others to receive this
newsletter and be added to the Education Department e-mailing list by contacting
David Stoloff.
