First Week of Fall 2007 Classes, September 4, 2007, Education Department, Eastern CSU

Most of the students entering College this fall, members of the Class of 2011, were born in 1989. For them, Alvin Ailey, Andrei Sakharov, Huey Newton, Emperor Hirohito, Ted Bundy, Abbie Hoffman, and Don the Beachcomber have always been dead.

What Berlin wall?
Humvees, minus the artillery, have always been available to the public.
Rush Limbaugh and the “Dittoheads” have always been lambasting liberals.
They never “rolled down” a car window.
Michael Moore has always been angry and funny.
They may confuse the Keating Five with a rock group.
They have grown up with bottled water.
General Motors has always been working on an electric car.
Nelson Mandela has always been free and a force in South Africa.
Pete Rose has never played baseball.
Rap music has always been mainstream.
Religious leaders have always been telling politicians what to do, or else!
“Off the hook” has never had anything to do with a telephone.
Music has always been “unplugged.”
Russia has always had a multi-party political system.
Women have always been police chiefs in major cities.
They were born the year Harvard Law Review Editor Barack Obama announced he might run for office some day.
The NBA season has always gone on and on and on and on.
Classmates could include Michelle Wie, Jordin Sparks, and Bart Simpson.
Half of them may have been members of the Baby-sitters Club.
Eastern Airlines has never “earned their wings” in their lifetime.
No one has ever been able to sit down comfortably to a meal of “liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.”
Wal-Mart has always been a larger retailer than Sears and has always employed more workers than GM.
Being “lame” has to do with being dumb or inarticulate, not disabled.
Wolf Blitzer has always been serving up the news on CNN.
Katie Couric has always had screen cred.
Al Gore has always been running for president or thinking about it.
They never found a prize in a Coca-Cola “MagiCan.”
They were too young to understand Judas Priest’s subliminal messages.
When all else fails, the Prozac defense has always been a possibility.
Multigrain chips have always provided healthful junk food.
They grew up in Wayne’s World.
U2 has always been more than a spy plane.
They were introduced to Jack Nicholson as “The Joker.”
Stadiums, rock tours and sporting events have always had corporate names.
American rock groups have always appeared in Moscow.
Commercial product placements have been the norm in films and on TV.
On Parents’ Day on campus, their folks could be mixing it up with Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz with daughter Zöe, or Kathie Lee and Frank Gifford with son Cody.
Fox has always been a major network.
They drove their parents crazy with the Beavis and Butt-Head laugh.
The “Blue Man Group” has always been everywhere.
Women’s studies majors have always been offered on campus.
Being a latchkey kid has never been a big deal.
Thanks to MySpace and Facebook, autobiography can happen in real time.
They learned about JFK from Oliver Stone and Malcolm X from Spike Lee.
Most phone calls have never been private.
High definition television has always been available.
Microbreweries have always been ubiquitous.
Virtual reality has always been available when the real thing failed.
Smoking has never been allowed in public spaces in France.
China has always been more interested in making money than in reeducation.
Time has always worked with Warner.
Tiananmen Square is a 2008 Olympics venue, not the scene of a massacre.
The purchase of ivory has always been banned.
MTV has never featured music videos.
The space program has never really caught their attention except in disasters.
Jerry Springer has always been lowering the level of discourse on TV.
They get much more information from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert than from the newspaper.
They’re always texting 1 n other.
They will encounter roughly equal numbers of female and male professors in the classroom.
They never saw Johnny Carson live on television.
They have no idea who Rusty Jones was or why he said “goodbye to rusty cars.”
Avatars have nothing to do with Hindu deities.
Chavez has nothing to do with iceberg lettuce and everything to do with oil.
Illinois has been trying to ban smoking since the year they were born.
The World Wide Web has been an online tool since they were born.
Chronic fatigue syndrome has always been debilitating and controversial.
Burma has always been Myanmar.
Dilbert has always been ridiculing cubicle culture.
Food packaging has always included nutritional labeling.

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Announcements

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Position announcements - please visit http://www.ctreap.net - for the Connecticut teaching position listings.

The Education Department welcomes new tenure track faculty members -

Dr. Xing Liu in Research and Assessment,

Dr. Brandon Monroe in Reading/Language Arts, with an emphasis on literacy secondary schools,

Dr. Maureen Rudy in Reading/Language Arts, with an emphasis on literacy in elementary schools.

We also congratulate Ms. Mary-Grace Shifrin on being appointed to as an ongoing position as Coordinator of Educational Experiences in our department.

The Education Department also welcomes Ms. Leah Barbuto in Early Childhood Education and Ms. Hannah Sellers in Elementary Education as one-year full-time assistant professors. We will be convening a national search to fill these positions with tenure-track faculty members for Fall 2008.

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1) Upcoming events and announcements -

Fall calendar dates -

Pre-Education Group Advisement Session, Monday, September 24, 3- 3:50, Webb Hall 110. All students considering studying teacher education at Eastern CSU are encouraged to attend.

Diversity seminar is scheduled for September 28, 2007, 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. in the Johnson Community Room, J. Eugene Smith Library.

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2) For Connecticut-based scholarships for minority teacher candidates, please visit -

Connecticut Minority Teacher Recruitment Grant information:

http://www.ctdhe.org/SFA/pdfs/MTIP%20Brochure%20and%20Form.pdf

Alma Exley Scholarship Program

http://www.almaexleyscholarship.org/

The deadlines for these applications are usually in the Fall semester.

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The Education Department Faculty photo is posted at
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/faculty.html
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The CSU-AAUP/BOT Contract, covering the period from August 25, 2007 to August 25, 2011, can now be found on-line at http://www.ccsu.edu/aaup/csu/AAUP2007-2011FINALContact2007[1].pdf Hard copies of the contract are in the process of being printed.

A summary of the changes can also be found on the CSU-AAUP website at http://www.ccsu.edu/aaup/csu/SummaryOfChanges2007.doc

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Alumni News
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/alumninews.html

Good news from Jerry Volpe:

I have accepted a High School Mathematics position in New Haven. I will be teaching 3 periods of Algebra 1 to Freshman and 1 period of remedial help in mathematics to freshmen and sophomores who require extra help.

Sincerely,
J. Volpe

Posted on August 27, 2007

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Good news relayed by Dr. Swaminathan from Emily Gregson:

Emily Gregson has been offered a job at Birch Grove in Tolland (where she student taught) as a 1/2 time kindergarten teacher.

Posted on August 22, 2007

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Good news from Beverly Chapman -

I have been offered a position at Windham Middle School where I will be teaching 5^th grade, and I’ll still be close to my “home” at ECSU!

posted on August 15, 2007

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Good news from Mary Noryk shared by Dr. Tannahill

Dr. Tannahill,

I thought you might like to know that I accepted a position teaching math at Rockville High in Vernon. I had to turn schools down once I had decided to go to Rockville. The school is only 6 miles from my house. They impressed me during my interview while answering the questions I had for them. My main concern was professional develop and support for new teachers. They were the only school that went into detail about what they offer. The other schools only said that they offer it. I'm a little scared about teaching my own class. I know that I have been well prepared and should do fine.

I enjoyed being in your classes. I always took away a great deal of information from. I think it's funny that you taught the first course and last course I took in the program. I was so nervous walking into your classroom when I took EDU 553 in the fall of 2005. I hadn't been to school in 16 years.

EDU 570 helped me. I had difficulty in some of my classes because I did not have experience teaching. After my student teaching, I had a different view on things and understood the theories I learned in my courses better.

I wish the best for you in your future. You are truly an example of what a good teacher is.

Take Care,

Mary Noryk

posted on August 15, 2007

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Good news shared by Dr. Leslie Ricklin -

Cindy Vallarelli has "accepted a teaching position with the Bloomfield Public School System as a 6th grade science/social studies teacher!!!!!! I am so excited to begin my teaching career influenced by such dedicated professionals such as yourself. I will be picking up my curriculum this week and setting up my classroom very soon.

I wanted to thank you and the education staff at ECSU for all of your support, guidance, and expertise over the past years!

Please share my great news with the staff! Thanks again."

shared on August 6, 2007

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Good news shared by Dr. Delar Singh, Dr. Fred Ashton, and Dr. Leslie Ricklin:

Jennifer McPhee writes that she will be "teaching 5th grade at Carmen Arace intermediate school on a team of three teachers. I am in charge of teaching just science and social studies which are the two subjects I enjoy the most so I am excited. I have been going through The First Days of School book. I think I'm ready though. ... Thank you for everything, having you as a part of my life last semester made such a huge difference and I am sure that if I hadn't taken the seminar with you I wouldn't be where I am today. Thank you."

Jennifer McPhee

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More good news shared by Dr. Ricklin:

I have heard from 3 of our students about their new teaching positions:

Frank Macchi--social studies at Bloomfield HS
Lindsey Hepple--social studies at Windham HS
Jennifer Lopez--4th grade teacher at Montville Elementary School

shared on August 3, 2007

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Good news from Melissa DeMarco, past president of the Education Club and December 2006 elementary education graduate, on July 31, 2007:

"I just wanted to let you know that I got a job as a 6th grade teacher at Elizabeth Shelton Elementary School in Shelton. Right in my home town! I couldn't be happier. Just wanted to give you the good news....

As far as advice . . I would say that networking helps.
I got a job as a special ed tutor and was able to meet a lot of other professionals and form a relationship with the principal (Ms. Arpin). She later became a strong advocate for me when it was time for the interviews."

Congratulations, Melissa, and best wishes for your continuing success.

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Dr. Fred Ashton at Windham Tech shares that "Matt Zagura ... has been offered a teaching position in health and P.E. at Goodwin Tech. The interview committee was impressed with his demeanor, attitude, and health/phys. ed. skills and knowledge. Of course, special recognition goes to Connie Clabby and the rest of the Windham Tech health and P.E. department for the preparation that was given to him here in the final round of his student teaching. It will be great to have Matt as a colleague in the Connecticut Technical High School System!"

posted on July 30, 2007

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Good news shared by Leah Barbuto

"As of Monday, July 23, 2007, I have accepted a second grade permanent position for Manchester Public Schools at Robertson Elementary School. I appreciate all of the support you and the university have given me over the years and the ample amounts of resources that I have gathered with my knowledge from your courses." - Christina Litrico

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Good news shared by Dr. Richard Reynolds:

Kristen Sixbey, one of our graduate students has found a position at South Windsor High School.

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Thanks from Chelsea Jasek:

I recently graduated with my elementary certification, having student taught in Coventry, Connecticut and I just wanted to tell you how happy I was with the Education Program at Eastern. I truly felt that the professors in my CORE set me up for the challenges that came my way. I would especially like to note three that really aided me in my teaching steps, Dr. Richards, Dr. Kauffman and Dr. Ashton. All three of these professors provided me with actual life skills that I have been able to use in my teaching. Dr. Ashton especially allowed us time in his class to have real discussion about actual events that were occurring to us during our student teaching - all things that we could learn from. This class certainly prepared me overall for the challenges I did face and will face in my years to come.

I am so thankful that I made the right choices to come to Eastern four years ago and receive the education that I have. What a wonderful experience I have had and I would give a great amount of credit to the Education Department.

Thank you for making my time at Eastern as exceptional as possible, Yours, Chelsea Jasek

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Good news about Greg Carter:

Greg Carter, a 2003 graduate of our secondary education/social studies program, is currently teaching at the Polaris Center in East Hartford. After his studies at Eastern, he continued to receive certification in special education. He was a recruiter at the CREC Minority Teacher Recruitment Career Fair at the Two Rivers Magnet Middle School on Saturday, March 10, 2007.

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For other past good news, please visit http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/alumninews.html

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Past Alumni News is posted at
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/alumninews.html

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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.

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Other Events
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ECSU - CultureQuest

Faculty members and students from Eastern Connecticut State University are participating in an international consortium of teacher education institutions to explore ways to make use of the web to enhance global understanding. Please visit our projects at http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/dept/culturequest.html .

Earlier this decade, we participated in a US Department of Education grant to Prepare Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology with ThinkQuest. Our projects' homepage may be found at 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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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

positions searched for Fall 2008 -

Early Childhood Education

and

Elementary Education

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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"

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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

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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/

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For Connecticut teaching opportunities, please visit http://ctreap.net .

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Alma Exley Scholarship Program

This scholarship program supports and encouraged persons of color who are committed to a career in public school teaching. A scholarship award of at least $1,500 a year for two years will be granted to an individual who has been admitted to a teacher-preparation program in a Connecticut College or university. For more information and an application, please contact David Stoloff in the Education Dept, Webb 129 or visit http://www.almaexleyscholarship.org .

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Connecticut Minority Teacher Recruitment Grant information:

http://www.ctdhe.org/SFA/pdfs/MTIP%20Brochure%20and%20Form.pdf

Recently acquired media - in the Chair's Office or on the Web

1) The Education Club has donated to the departmental library - Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell (1999). The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing To Change Themselves and the World around Them. New York: Broadway Books.

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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.

BELOIT COLLEGE'S MINDSET LIST® FOR THE CLASS OF 2011

BELOIT COLLEGE'S MINDSET LIST®
FOR THE CLASS OF 2011