Monday, October 11, 2010
Membership
This was my seventh FCCLA State Leadership Conference and second as an advisor. The experience between student, alumni, and advisor is completely different and each comes with new challenges and opportunities for growth. I sometimes miss the days where I just show up and compete but I believe that I enjoy the experience as an advisor the most. I enjoy preparing my students for their events and watching their excitement and nervousness grow and finally bring them much success as they meet new people and experience new things that they never knew existed. I have seen that they are apprehensive on what the conference will bring when we arrive on Thursday and I love to catch their slight smiles and laughter at the opening session and keynote speaker as they start to allow themselves to have fun. The late night of preparing and calming the students for competition tomorrow maybe tedious but it is all a part of the experience. The next day I usually spend as a competitive event judge to see what students have accomplished and to gain a better understanding of what that event asks of students. It brightens my day after the long competitive event process to hear the enthusiasm of my students as they give me a play by play of how their competition went. At this point I am a proud advisor. The rest of the evening is special and I can see the transition from apprehension to full blown fun as they dine, dance, talk, and laugh; which was always my favorite part of the conference as a student. The next day brings success and lessons learned as the students receive their medals. There has been several times where student’s expectations do not match their performance and it is tough talking them back to being proud of their accomplishments. I have been fortunate to have had my Culinary Arts team win first place gold medal in the Culinary Arts event and that truly has been my highlight so far as an advisor. The stories the students share with their friends and families will last a lifetime and I am glad that I can help give that experience to my students. My recruitment idea is called FCCLA Logo Blitz. The event will last about two weeks and culminate in a social event/ meeting for current and prospective members. At the start of the event, large poster of just the FCCLA logo and the words “is coming” are hanged up around campus. Be sure to move posters every other day to keep the students interested. Also have announcements that say FCCLA is coming during the daily announcements. The next week you hang posters with the FCCLA logo and the date and time of the meeting and current members start spreading the word about the benefits of FCCLA to everyone they can. You also want to develop two 30 second voice commercial about the benefits of FCCLA that current members can perform on the daily announcements. The social event should have a fun activity for all students and food for all. Current members should share stories and show medals and projects. The meetings should just be a small introduction to FCCLA to get them excited and come back for a formal meeting to get involved.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
recruitment ideas
I begin recruiting new members in the spring. After returning from State Competitions the members share their exciting experiences with their classmates. I also create a display case with members display boards and lots of pictures of competitions, fun times, the banquet and the awards. During this time I keep notes of students that are definitely interested in becoming involved.
When school starts in the fall, all classes have a short presentation about FCCLA. I often use the ppt from the state officer team. The first meeting is fun and informational. We had our first meeting today and I distributed the information about Vail. Finding roommates is a recruiting tool to "fill your room" My Chapter is off to a great start.
K. Baldwin, Ponderosa High, Parker
When school starts in the fall, all classes have a short presentation about FCCLA. I often use the ppt from the state officer team. The first meeting is fun and informational. We had our first meeting today and I distributed the information about Vail. Finding roommates is a recruiting tool to "fill your room" My Chapter is off to a great start.
K. Baldwin, Ponderosa High, Parker
Monday, August 16, 2010
Recruitment Idea for FCCLA
To get FCCLA off to a good start I enjoy using our display case as a way to recruit students. This particular display case is visible to the complete student body and is passed everyday by a majority of the students. To peak their curiosity I post up in the display case about a 100 pictures of activities that our FCCLA chapter has participated in or pictures of our club members having fun. Then I completely cover the outside of the display case with black paper with holes cut in the paper so the student must press their face against the case to see the pictures inside the case. On the outside of the case I have written “Take a Peak to See What is Happening in FCCLA”.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
National FCCLA Conference 2009
2009 National FCCLA Leadership Conference
The 2009 National FCCLA Leadership Conference was held in Nashville, Tennessee July 12-18. I attended the conference with 6 students at the Opryland Hotel (which is incredibly beautiful!)
At the opening and closing sessions, the talented national officer team built a skit around the theme “Beyond the Label” with stereotypical teens such as the “jock”, the “brain”, the “slacker”, the “princess”, the “prep”, etc. They emphasized seeing the real person and not just the image. They stressed that an organization like FCCLA can bring many different types of students together with a common goal. As always, I was thoroughly impressed with these officers. I am excited to see our own Leilani Mullins in action this year in Chicago. My state officer served on the interview panel and it was a tremendous opportunity for her to be part of the process.
I spent quit a bit of time at the Spotlight on Projects this year. I was intentional to take my camera and a note pad. The Spotlight on Projects is dozens and dozens of STAR event projects on display. The students who did the projects are present to tell about them. Many of them also have copies of their planning process. I have attended the Spotlight every year, but this year I wanted to bring back tangible examples for my chapter. I concentrated on some of the events we have never attempted and the new ones. I took pictures, notes and copies of the planning processes. I brought back these resources to my chapter and the students were amazed at the variety of good projects at Nationals. If you go to Nationals, be sure to go to the Spotlight on Projects.
Here is a brief synopsis of some of the sessions I attended:
Putting the Science Back Family and Consumer Sciences by Susan Turgeson, 2009 AAFCS Teacher of the Year, stressed that science was a key component of the development of our profession in the early 1900s. A century later, we need to reinforce the science standards in our courses and that will help build FACS programs and engage students.
How Your Students Can “Pay It Forward” with “Tagged by Kindness”
Tara Richardson and Heather Davis encouraged FCCLA chapters to come up with unique projects that raise funds for non-profit groups in your community and teach students to look beyond themselves.
Cathe Felz, National Consultant Team game some awesome ideas for including STAR Events in your classroom. She gave many examples of how a class assignment which may be used as a STAR Event or submitted as a national program award application.
Teaching Gen Y Catherine DiGioia-Laird, FCCLA Alumni and Leadership Trainer, gave information on Gen Y students who have increased use and familiarity with
communications, media, and digital technologies. Using these tools will help engage students.
I also judged the Chapter Showcase Display event and was impressed by the many activities that FCCLA members are doing all over the country. I liked judging this event because it gave me an overview of the Program of Work for about 8 different chapters. If you attend nationals, be sure to judge an event. It is a great way to learn more about STAR events.
The 2009 National FCCLA Leadership Conference was held in Nashville, Tennessee July 12-18. I attended the conference with 6 students at the Opryland Hotel (which is incredibly beautiful!)
At the opening and closing sessions, the talented national officer team built a skit around the theme “Beyond the Label” with stereotypical teens such as the “jock”, the “brain”, the “slacker”, the “princess”, the “prep”, etc. They emphasized seeing the real person and not just the image. They stressed that an organization like FCCLA can bring many different types of students together with a common goal. As always, I was thoroughly impressed with these officers. I am excited to see our own Leilani Mullins in action this year in Chicago. My state officer served on the interview panel and it was a tremendous opportunity for her to be part of the process.
I spent quit a bit of time at the Spotlight on Projects this year. I was intentional to take my camera and a note pad. The Spotlight on Projects is dozens and dozens of STAR event projects on display. The students who did the projects are present to tell about them. Many of them also have copies of their planning process. I have attended the Spotlight every year, but this year I wanted to bring back tangible examples for my chapter. I concentrated on some of the events we have never attempted and the new ones. I took pictures, notes and copies of the planning processes. I brought back these resources to my chapter and the students were amazed at the variety of good projects at Nationals. If you go to Nationals, be sure to go to the Spotlight on Projects.
Here is a brief synopsis of some of the sessions I attended:
Putting the Science Back Family and Consumer Sciences by Susan Turgeson, 2009 AAFCS Teacher of the Year, stressed that science was a key component of the development of our profession in the early 1900s. A century later, we need to reinforce the science standards in our courses and that will help build FACS programs and engage students.
How Your Students Can “Pay It Forward” with “Tagged by Kindness”
Tara Richardson and Heather Davis encouraged FCCLA chapters to come up with unique projects that raise funds for non-profit groups in your community and teach students to look beyond themselves.
Cathe Felz, National Consultant Team game some awesome ideas for including STAR Events in your classroom. She gave many examples of how a class assignment which may be used as a STAR Event or submitted as a national program award application.
Teaching Gen Y Catherine DiGioia-Laird, FCCLA Alumni and Leadership Trainer, gave information on Gen Y students who have increased use and familiarity with
communications, media, and digital technologies. Using these tools will help engage students.
I also judged the Chapter Showcase Display event and was impressed by the many activities that FCCLA members are doing all over the country. I liked judging this event because it gave me an overview of the Program of Work for about 8 different chapters. If you attend nationals, be sure to judge an event. It is a great way to learn more about STAR events.
FACS Professional Development - Summer 2010
The 12-Month Pregnancy Workshop
The Colorado March of Dimes presented a workshop at the FACS summer professional development on June 17, 2010. The focus of the workshop was to familiarize teachers with a new curriculum, “The 12-Month Pregnancy”. Attendees were presented with a hard copy of the curriculum in a three ring notebook, but the entire curriculum is available on line at www.marchofdimes.com/colorado and includes additional links. The presenters outlined the curriculum, explained the 12-month concept and simulated some student activities. The curriculum includes the following units: prenatal development and care, the father’s role in pregnancy, pregnancy information, labor and delivery and preterm birth. Each unit has many pages of current articles and information and student activities for use in the classroom.
I plan to put some of these student activities to use in my classroom:
Birth Defects: Students are divided into small groups and at least one student in each group is given a “birth defect” such as glasses with gel, ear plugs, a blind fold, loss of speech, etc. The student is then given a task to complete while experiencing the “disability”. Students then discuss how they felt with the “birth defect” and how those around them reacted.
Pregnancy Weight Gain Activity: A student is chosen to put on an empty back pack and as the instructor discusses weight gain in pregnancy (3 pounds of blood, 2 pounds of amniotic fluid, 7.5 pounds of baby, etc), zip lock bags of each weight in sand are added to the back pack until it totals 29 pounds.
Preterm Births: As the lesson begins, have students count off and each eighth person stands showing that one out of every eight births is premature. Have all students put a coffee straw in their mouth and inhale and exhale only through the straw. Students are told this is what it is like for a preterm baby to breathe when the lungs are not fully developed.
The most impactful portion of the workshop was called “Voices of Illumination”. Three parents who have had preterm babies told their stories. Randy Reese and his wife told about the birth of their preterm daughter who tragically died 8 days after birth. He detailed the importance of the father in the situation. Kristen Baucum’s daughter was also born premature and spent time in the hospital before maturing into the healthy preschooler she is today. Kathryn Marshall told of her daughter’s preterm birth that resulted in special needs. She honestly shared her own fear and guilt, as well as the impact of raising a special needs child on the family dynamics and finances.
I encourage anyone who has a unit or course on pregnancy to visit www.marchofdimes.com/colorado.
"Wonderful World of Web 2.0" FACS Workshop
Wonderful World of Web 2.0 professional development class was held on June 15, 2010 at Rock Canyon High School. The course covered a variety of online tools. We saw digital poster makers that can use video and sound, online presentation makers that are easy and visually stunning, and online discussion forums that can be accessed from a computer or even a cell phone. These tools allow students and teachers to interact and collaborate during the creation and evaluation process. We went over the new state technology evaluation requirements for students and teachers.
The instructors were great: Ed Watterson a science and technology teacher, was in the classroom for years and is now an IT support person for the classroom teachers in his building. I wish we had the resources to have a person like that in our school. He was very knowledgeable. The other instructor was Ashley Tussing, a social studies and language arts teacher who uses all types of technology in her classroom and was able to give hands on information for the tools we looked at.
Some of the new web tools we were exposed were:
Multimedia tools: GoAnimate for creating your own animations (see the lesson plan that tells how you might use this for a teen pregnancy ad) and Masher for mixing pictures and video clips (from their library)
Prezi is a presentation tool which makes Power Point look like a dinosaur. It is a digital canvas that allows you to put many words in different sizes and then you can attach more information that the viewer can read when they click on the word. It would take some practice to be able to use this.
Social Discussion sites such as Wall wisher, which is a web page that allows many students to post on a common topic and Food Network Recipe Box that is a digital storehouse for favorite recipes and it allows you to categorize by types (folksonomy).
Here are a few new vocabulary words that I learned:
The term "Web 2.0" is commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing and collaboration on the World Wide Web. A Web 2.0 site allows its users to interact with each other as contributors to the website's content, in contrast to websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of information that is provided to them.
A social network service is a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Most social network services are web based and provide means for users to interact over the internet,
Wikis are website that allows the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages.
A blog is a type of website usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.
Mashups are digital media files containing any or all of text, graphics, audio, video, and animation, which recombines and modifies existing digital works.
A folksonomy is a system of classification and tagging, which is one of the defining characteristics of Web 2.0 services, allows users to collectively classify and find information.
The Colorado March of Dimes presented a workshop at the FACS summer professional development on June 17, 2010. The focus of the workshop was to familiarize teachers with a new curriculum, “The 12-Month Pregnancy”. Attendees were presented with a hard copy of the curriculum in a three ring notebook, but the entire curriculum is available on line at www.marchofdimes.com/colorado and includes additional links. The presenters outlined the curriculum, explained the 12-month concept and simulated some student activities. The curriculum includes the following units: prenatal development and care, the father’s role in pregnancy, pregnancy information, labor and delivery and preterm birth. Each unit has many pages of current articles and information and student activities for use in the classroom.
I plan to put some of these student activities to use in my classroom:
Birth Defects: Students are divided into small groups and at least one student in each group is given a “birth defect” such as glasses with gel, ear plugs, a blind fold, loss of speech, etc. The student is then given a task to complete while experiencing the “disability”. Students then discuss how they felt with the “birth defect” and how those around them reacted.
Pregnancy Weight Gain Activity: A student is chosen to put on an empty back pack and as the instructor discusses weight gain in pregnancy (3 pounds of blood, 2 pounds of amniotic fluid, 7.5 pounds of baby, etc), zip lock bags of each weight in sand are added to the back pack until it totals 29 pounds.
Preterm Births: As the lesson begins, have students count off and each eighth person stands showing that one out of every eight births is premature. Have all students put a coffee straw in their mouth and inhale and exhale only through the straw. Students are told this is what it is like for a preterm baby to breathe when the lungs are not fully developed.
The most impactful portion of the workshop was called “Voices of Illumination”. Three parents who have had preterm babies told their stories. Randy Reese and his wife told about the birth of their preterm daughter who tragically died 8 days after birth. He detailed the importance of the father in the situation. Kristen Baucum’s daughter was also born premature and spent time in the hospital before maturing into the healthy preschooler she is today. Kathryn Marshall told of her daughter’s preterm birth that resulted in special needs. She honestly shared her own fear and guilt, as well as the impact of raising a special needs child on the family dynamics and finances.
I encourage anyone who has a unit or course on pregnancy to visit www.marchofdimes.com/colorado.
"Wonderful World of Web 2.0" FACS Workshop
Wonderful World of Web 2.0 professional development class was held on June 15, 2010 at Rock Canyon High School. The course covered a variety of online tools. We saw digital poster makers that can use video and sound, online presentation makers that are easy and visually stunning, and online discussion forums that can be accessed from a computer or even a cell phone. These tools allow students and teachers to interact and collaborate during the creation and evaluation process. We went over the new state technology evaluation requirements for students and teachers.
The instructors were great: Ed Watterson a science and technology teacher, was in the classroom for years and is now an IT support person for the classroom teachers in his building. I wish we had the resources to have a person like that in our school. He was very knowledgeable. The other instructor was Ashley Tussing, a social studies and language arts teacher who uses all types of technology in her classroom and was able to give hands on information for the tools we looked at.
Some of the new web tools we were exposed were:
Multimedia tools: GoAnimate for creating your own animations (see the lesson plan that tells how you might use this for a teen pregnancy ad) and Masher for mixing pictures and video clips (from their library)
Prezi is a presentation tool which makes Power Point look like a dinosaur. It is a digital canvas that allows you to put many words in different sizes and then you can attach more information that the viewer can read when they click on the word. It would take some practice to be able to use this.
Social Discussion sites such as Wall wisher, which is a web page that allows many students to post on a common topic and Food Network Recipe Box that is a digital storehouse for favorite recipes and it allows you to categorize by types (folksonomy).
Here are a few new vocabulary words that I learned:
The term "Web 2.0" is commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing and collaboration on the World Wide Web. A Web 2.0 site allows its users to interact with each other as contributors to the website's content, in contrast to websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of information that is provided to them.
A social network service is a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Most social network services are web based and provide means for users to interact over the internet,
Wikis are website that allows the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages.
A blog is a type of website usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.
Mashups are digital media files containing any or all of text, graphics, audio, video, and animation, which recombines and modifies existing digital works.
A folksonomy is a system of classification and tagging, which is one of the defining characteristics of Web 2.0 services, allows users to collectively classify and find information.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Technology in the FACS Classroom
The Podcast and Wonderful World of Web workshops on June 14th and June15th were, indeed, incredibly informative! We explored dozens of different websites that will be very useful in Family and Consumer Sciences classes. One comment that was made early on in the workshops, which was really powerful, is that today's students have become bored with powerpoints so teachers need to become more technologically creative to engage today's digital learners.
There are dozens of ways that podcasts can be used including food preparation and other demonstrations, lessons/instructions for students when teachers are absent and, having students create their own podcasts for units such as safety and sanitation, meal planning, careers, etc. It was exciting to create IMovies, using Garageband, Google Images, and our own pictures. It was great to not only learn about the different available podcasting resources but also to actually start to create our own podcasts which we can edit and use in our classroom.
The Wonderful World of Web 2.0 offered even more internet resources that can be used in FACS classes-not only for me to utilize as I create presentations but also to have students create their own presentations. Wallwisher is a great tool to have students brainstorm or share prior knowledge when introducing a unit. It can also be used to share ideas such as listing different uses of eggs , sharing real life experiences such as injuries in the kitchen and/or situations when students or people they know have gotten sick from eating food. Using Voicethread, students from different classes within or outside of the school can collaborate on various topics. Prezi can be used to introduce topics or students can create their own presentations applying their knowledge of topics such as garnishing, wellness, meal planning or the importance of breakfast.
Reviewing the International Society for Technology Education's Standards for Students was also very helpful. Indeed, the 2010 FACS Technology workshops were very intense at times because so many tools were covered in such a short time, but it was great to see all the different internet resources that are available.
There are dozens of ways that podcasts can be used including food preparation and other demonstrations, lessons/instructions for students when teachers are absent and, having students create their own podcasts for units such as safety and sanitation, meal planning, careers, etc. It was exciting to create IMovies, using Garageband, Google Images, and our own pictures. It was great to not only learn about the different available podcasting resources but also to actually start to create our own podcasts which we can edit and use in our classroom.
The Wonderful World of Web 2.0 offered even more internet resources that can be used in FACS classes-not only for me to utilize as I create presentations but also to have students create their own presentations. Wallwisher is a great tool to have students brainstorm or share prior knowledge when introducing a unit. It can also be used to share ideas such as listing different uses of eggs , sharing real life experiences such as injuries in the kitchen and/or situations when students or people they know have gotten sick from eating food. Using Voicethread, students from different classes within or outside of the school can collaborate on various topics. Prezi can be used to introduce topics or students can create their own presentations applying their knowledge of topics such as garnishing, wellness, meal planning or the importance of breakfast.
Reviewing the International Society for Technology Education's Standards for Students was also very helpful. Indeed, the 2010 FACS Technology workshops were very intense at times because so many tools were covered in such a short time, but it was great to see all the different internet resources that are available.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Professional Development-State Conference
This was the first year I took students to state conference. My student teacher and I brought eight students and seven of them competed in STAR Events. I was nervous for them since I had never coached students for the competition before, but it all turned out ok. No national qualifiers but maybe next year. :)
The best thing I did for myself was volunteered to be an event chair. I would truly suggest that any advisor that has not done this, should volunteer for this. It was so much fun to talk with students before and after their events. Because of all the interaction between students and of course the judges, this is the best way to learn about STAR Events and the whole process. I will plan to do it again in the future.
For some reason, I did not have any trouble getting students interested in competing at state. I was pleased with the number of students I had this year. I really placed the responsibility on the students to hold them accountable. I set a deadline before registration was due for them to meet with me with detailed plans for how they would get their project completed. I checked in with all of them about a month later. The week before state, each group presented in front of our members and we used the judges rubrics to give them feedback. Now that I have had one group go to state, it will be beneficial next year to have their projects to use as examples as well as a few of the students who were underclassmen, so they will be returning to spread the word about how fun and motivational it was.
As far as recruiting ideas for next year, I will continue making meetings meaningful so students' time is not wasted. One big goal of mine is to work on educating my staff about FCCLA because they just do not get it. We are also making a display board to be used at freshman orientation in August to spread awareness to new students. My biggest advice to newer advisers is to jump right in and get involved at the district and state level because it is really the best and most thorough way to learn.
The best thing I did for myself was volunteered to be an event chair. I would truly suggest that any advisor that has not done this, should volunteer for this. It was so much fun to talk with students before and after their events. Because of all the interaction between students and of course the judges, this is the best way to learn about STAR Events and the whole process. I will plan to do it again in the future.
For some reason, I did not have any trouble getting students interested in competing at state. I was pleased with the number of students I had this year. I really placed the responsibility on the students to hold them accountable. I set a deadline before registration was due for them to meet with me with detailed plans for how they would get their project completed. I checked in with all of them about a month later. The week before state, each group presented in front of our members and we used the judges rubrics to give them feedback. Now that I have had one group go to state, it will be beneficial next year to have their projects to use as examples as well as a few of the students who were underclassmen, so they will be returning to spread the word about how fun and motivational it was.
As far as recruiting ideas for next year, I will continue making meetings meaningful so students' time is not wasted. One big goal of mine is to work on educating my staff about FCCLA because they just do not get it. We are also making a display board to be used at freshman orientation in August to spread awareness to new students. My biggest advice to newer advisers is to jump right in and get involved at the district and state level because it is really the best and most thorough way to learn.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Middle School Workshops
On June 18, 2012, I attended two of the FACS professional development workshops held for middle school teachers. The first session focused on starting an FCCLA chapter in a middle school/junior high FACS classroom. The information was great, considering I did not know much about FCCLA and did not know how easy it would be to incorporate FCCLA into the curriculum I am already teaching. I do have to say that I was apprehensive at first, as it seemed to be a lot of work to get a chapter started. However, after Kathy Werner explained how easy the STAR events and National Program events fit into actual classroom curriculum, I became less worried. The main piece of advice I took from Kathy in this session was to just start small - take one STAR event and turn it into a classroom assessment. She emphasized only incorporating what you felt comfortable with at first and then you could change your ideas from year to year. I definitely learned how valuable FCCLA could be for many middle school students and want to give my students a chance to succeed in an area they never thought about before.
The second session I attended was regarding creating state standards for the FACS middle school programs in Colorado. This session was also extremely beneficial, as creating state standards for our middle schools would help to strengthen our programs and to make our programs more cohesive, as they are in the high school FACS area. The best part of this session was going over some of the middle school standards other states had already come up with in the FACS area. It gave us a starting point to go off of and made us realize we did not have to reinvent the wheel. We decided to use these other standards as a guide and to add/subtract whatever we wanted to make them fit with what we do in Colorado. I am truly excited to continue the work on these standards, as it will greatly benefit and strengthen all middle school programs in our state!
The second session I attended was regarding creating state standards for the FACS middle school programs in Colorado. This session was also extremely beneficial, as creating state standards for our middle schools would help to strengthen our programs and to make our programs more cohesive, as they are in the high school FACS area. The best part of this session was going over some of the middle school standards other states had already come up with in the FACS area. It gave us a starting point to go off of and made us realize we did not have to reinvent the wheel. We decided to use these other standards as a guide and to add/subtract whatever we wanted to make them fit with what we do in Colorado. I am truly excited to continue the work on these standards, as it will greatly benefit and strengthen all middle school programs in our state!
2010 FCCLA State Conference- What is Your Game Plan?
My coworker and I attended the state conference with our state officer Caitlian Bricker and two other students. This was a new experience for me only because I was more involved with FCCLA at the state level this year. I also was an event chair which added to the involvement. I enjoyed learning more about the organization and I encourage all advisors to jump in and get involved. It is the best way to understand how things work.
The keynote speaker Josh Shipp was very energetic and seemed to reach the students on their level. His speech talked about how we should all look ahead and not to the past. That our struggles and past experiences help make us who we are. We all have a choice to get involved and help others get involved as well. He had a hard start to life however he has made the most of it and his outlook on life was encouraging to many students.
The state officers did a great job on their workshops I could tell they spent a lot of time on their topics and the students seem to really enjoy them. The banquet went well and the dance afterwards was pretty good. I do think keeping the lights on the whole time is a bit much.
Over all I think this was a well organized conference and look forward to next years.
The keynote speaker Josh Shipp was very energetic and seemed to reach the students on their level. His speech talked about how we should all look ahead and not to the past. That our struggles and past experiences help make us who we are. We all have a choice to get involved and help others get involved as well. He had a hard start to life however he has made the most of it and his outlook on life was encouraging to many students.
The state officers did a great job on their workshops I could tell they spent a lot of time on their topics and the students seem to really enjoy them. The banquet went well and the dance afterwards was pretty good. I do think keeping the lights on the whole time is a bit much.
Over all I think this was a well organized conference and look forward to next years.
FACS Professional Development Workshops- Early Childhood Education June 24-26th
The Early Childhood Education training put on by Clayton Early Learning was very informative. I really enjoy learning about the top developments in the ECE industry. This conference had all I was looking for and more. I started out at training in the computer lab researching how we as educators can use the social site Second Life to help engage our students in the ECE classroom. The main idea of the session was that using Edu Island in Second life the students could better understand how the ECE classroom works by going through a Virtual Child Care Center. This center was not complete yet however it looks to be a promising tool for the future.
I then attend the afternoon sessions on STEM. It helped us learn how to use technology, math and engineering in the ECE classroom. Each session had actives we could experience for ourselves and then talk about how to use the national standard for each. If I had learned math the way they were teaching it would have really helped me going up. My favorite activity in the math session had students reading and following directions all while incorporating math. Also not everyone can see the importance of music when dealing with math but this session touched on this topic as well. The technology session helped us take a look at new innovations in the industry. Everything was geared to the ECE classroom. They had I pads, smart board and assessments we can use online all to play with and experience for ourselves. The best session of the day was engineering. The teacher was passionate about the topic and we had the chance to experiment with many different activities we could use in the classroom. I can’t wait to try out some of her activities with my students.
Friday’s sessions started with learning how to use the E-Portfolio. The E-portfolio will be the new wave of the future. Many community colleges and universities have already started using this awesome tool. This is something that all high school ECE educators need to be trained on. I do however think it is time consuming and will need to be well organized in order to work properly at the high school level.
The next day’s session was on social emotional competence and inclusive practices. In my ECE classroom I do many lessons to help my students learn these concepts. This session just gave me more ideas on how to incorporate the above in our everyday classroom. They can use music, role play and pretend play to help include everyone, no matter what their learning styles or what they are capable of they can participate.
Over all I feel this was a very well put together conference and I took away many ideas and activities that I can and will use with my students in the future. I strongly suggest all ECE teachers attend this in the future.
I then attend the afternoon sessions on STEM. It helped us learn how to use technology, math and engineering in the ECE classroom. Each session had actives we could experience for ourselves and then talk about how to use the national standard for each. If I had learned math the way they were teaching it would have really helped me going up. My favorite activity in the math session had students reading and following directions all while incorporating math. Also not everyone can see the importance of music when dealing with math but this session touched on this topic as well. The technology session helped us take a look at new innovations in the industry. Everything was geared to the ECE classroom. They had I pads, smart board and assessments we can use online all to play with and experience for ourselves. The best session of the day was engineering. The teacher was passionate about the topic and we had the chance to experiment with many different activities we could use in the classroom. I can’t wait to try out some of her activities with my students.
Friday’s sessions started with learning how to use the E-Portfolio. The E-portfolio will be the new wave of the future. Many community colleges and universities have already started using this awesome tool. This is something that all high school ECE educators need to be trained on. I do however think it is time consuming and will need to be well organized in order to work properly at the high school level.
The next day’s session was on social emotional competence and inclusive practices. In my ECE classroom I do many lessons to help my students learn these concepts. This session just gave me more ideas on how to incorporate the above in our everyday classroom. They can use music, role play and pretend play to help include everyone, no matter what their learning styles or what they are capable of they can participate.
Over all I feel this was a very well put together conference and I took away many ideas and activities that I can and will use with my students in the future. I strongly suggest all ECE teachers attend this in the future.
FCCLA Competitive Event Chair/ Interior Design Habitat for Humanity
At the 2010 FCCLA state conference I volunteered to help with the state competitive event Interior Design-Habitat for Humanity. I attended the mandatory meeting to train each event chair in the spring and then co-chaired the event at state. We met with the student participating in the even the night before the event. The day of the event we filled out all paperwork needed and helped the judged get set up. We also helped the judges understand the score sheet and the project by giving examples.
I wish more schools would participate in this event. It is a very worth while cause and it gives students real world experience dealing with a budget. What I like most about this is that a person receiving a Habitat home was one of the judges. Directions for this project are easy to understand and perfect for lower levels of Interior Design or can be made harder for older students. I have my Interior Design students do this project every year as midterm and they really learn many skills. This project reinforces the concepts they have already learned and teaches them new ones as well.
I wish more schools would participate in this event. It is a very worth while cause and it gives students real world experience dealing with a budget. What I like most about this is that a person receiving a Habitat home was one of the judges. Directions for this project are easy to understand and perfect for lower levels of Interior Design or can be made harder for older students. I have my Interior Design students do this project every year as midterm and they really learn many skills. This project reinforces the concepts they have already learned and teaches them new ones as well.
2009 FCCLA National Leadership Conference
From July 12-16 I attended the National Leadership Conference with our state officer Caitlain Bricker for the first time. I was excited to visit Tennessee and the Grand Old Opry. The conference had many opportunities for professional development and I took advantage of many of them. Most importantly Caitain had a great time and grew as a leader because of this well organized conference.
The opening general session was mind blowing. Not only were there thousands of teenagers but the fact that everything ran so smoothly was amazing to me. I really enjoyed the keynote speaker Ken Weichert. His stories of personal and professional sacrifice hit home with most students in the room. His main purpose is to motivate people into healthier lifestyles. However I did not get that out of his speech. The main thing I took away was do everything to its fullest and for a purpose. He spoke of a young man on the middle east that gave his life helping the America Troops free his people.
The Advisor Professional Development training I attended on Tuesday, July 14th was about getting back to the basics and how to help increase FCCLA membership. We played games and were introduced to many activities we can use to get student involved. Most activities were to take place in the classroom which at our school is frowned upon. We do however use the national recruiting video in our classes and have a day where we introduce FCCLA to each of our classes.
A couple of the other sessions I attended were Advisor Recognition Session which in my opinion was very long and hard to sit through. The keynote speaker Phil Lempert made the day when he spoke to the group about different trends in the food industry and how to save money. I also attended the National Connection Team meeting with Caitlian. They discussed how to get FCCLA out in the public eye. Their main focus was public relations and news letter writing.
Over all I felt this conference was worth while. I attend many more sessions but the ones above were the most impactful. I would recommend everyone attend Nationals at least once with students to get the full effect.
The opening general session was mind blowing. Not only were there thousands of teenagers but the fact that everything ran so smoothly was amazing to me. I really enjoyed the keynote speaker Ken Weichert. His stories of personal and professional sacrifice hit home with most students in the room. His main purpose is to motivate people into healthier lifestyles. However I did not get that out of his speech. The main thing I took away was do everything to its fullest and for a purpose. He spoke of a young man on the middle east that gave his life helping the America Troops free his people.
The Advisor Professional Development training I attended on Tuesday, July 14th was about getting back to the basics and how to help increase FCCLA membership. We played games and were introduced to many activities we can use to get student involved. Most activities were to take place in the classroom which at our school is frowned upon. We do however use the national recruiting video in our classes and have a day where we introduce FCCLA to each of our classes.
A couple of the other sessions I attended were Advisor Recognition Session which in my opinion was very long and hard to sit through. The keynote speaker Phil Lempert made the day when he spoke to the group about different trends in the food industry and how to save money. I also attended the National Connection Team meeting with Caitlian. They discussed how to get FCCLA out in the public eye. Their main focus was public relations and news letter writing.
Over all I felt this conference was worth while. I attend many more sessions but the ones above were the most impactful. I would recommend everyone attend Nationals at least once with students to get the full effect.
State Conference and Membership Ideas
Ten students from Cherry Creek High School attended the 2010 FCCLA State Leadership Conference in April for the first time. Of the nine students who competed in STAR Events, CCHS was excited to bring home a 2nd place in Focus on Children, a top four ranking for National Programs in Action, and 6 silver medals. We also had a student serve on the State Interviewing Panel. The conference was really inspiring to all students with dynamic workshops, an eye-opening keynote speaker, and the opportunity to improve leadership skills through their competitive events.
The underclassmen who attended the conference are excited to bring back energy and other ideas to the rest of the chapter. Some membership ideas that we are thinking about incorporating into our POW for the following year include:
~ Design a club brochure and distribute it to prospective members.
~ Make your meetings fun - music, food, and ice breakers need to be at every meeting! We also try to have one meeting a month where we are actually doing something for community service (wrapping gifts, creating gift bags for a local Valentine's Day Dance at a nursing home, making blankets, etc)
~ Send personal notes to members that you haven't seen for awhile. Let them know that you've missed them, and are anxious to have them back.
~ Wear the chapter FCCLA t-shirt for every meeting.
~ Introduce FCCLA to every FACS class each semester for new members.
~ Personally contact old members to retain members who aren't currently in a FACS class.
The underclassmen who attended the conference are excited to bring back energy and other ideas to the rest of the chapter. Some membership ideas that we are thinking about incorporating into our POW for the following year include:
~ Design a club brochure and distribute it to prospective members.
~ Make your meetings fun - music, food, and ice breakers need to be at every meeting! We also try to have one meeting a month where we are actually doing something for community service (wrapping gifts, creating gift bags for a local Valentine's Day Dance at a nursing home, making blankets, etc)
~ Send personal notes to members that you haven't seen for awhile. Let them know that you've missed them, and are anxious to have them back.
~ Wear the chapter FCCLA t-shirt for every meeting.
~ Introduce FCCLA to every FACS class each semester for new members.
~ Personally contact old members to retain members who aren't currently in a FACS class.
Supporting and Engaging the 21st Century Learner Summer Institue 2010
Supporting and Engaging the 21st Century Learner Summer Institute 2010 was a unique opportunity for High School Teaches of Early Childhood Education in the state of Colorado. This Summer Institute was organized by Clayton Early Learning Center and was held June 24-26th, 2010. This workshop included professors from the Colorado Community Colleges through the state and high school teachers were invited to participate in the workshops. Many of the professors taught ECE 101 and ECE 102. This gave me an opportunity to network with other professionals and to gain many valuable resources.
Some of the some the workshops that were offered included: Denver Museum of Nature and Science, STEM activity information, E-Portfolio, Research Resources, and Social Emotional competences and inclusive Practices. These workshops were presents by professionals that were considered and expert in these areas. Many resources and materials were available at each session. Networking was very important during this institute.
The STEM workshops were set up with several activities that teachers could have preschool students could do for science, technology, engineering and math. I felt that these workshops were very well organized and beneficial to the high school programs. These workshops were very hands on and active. Some of the activities included building cars, working with shapes, building music items, and building with blocks. The instructors integrated several reading and math academics into the lesson they demonstrated.
The next workshop that I felt that was very beneficial was the E-Portfolio. We were able to log on and build a sample to show our students. This is a Community College push for their instructors and it is free to Colorado students. The high school students need to use this as well. Students will be able to load contact information, valuable research they have completed and their valuable work. This work will be used though out their college career.
I would highly recommend this institute to all ECE high school teachers in the state in the future.
Some of the some the workshops that were offered included: Denver Museum of Nature and Science, STEM activity information, E-Portfolio, Research Resources, and Social Emotional competences and inclusive Practices. These workshops were presents by professionals that were considered and expert in these areas. Many resources and materials were available at each session. Networking was very important during this institute.
The STEM workshops were set up with several activities that teachers could have preschool students could do for science, technology, engineering and math. I felt that these workshops were very well organized and beneficial to the high school programs. These workshops were very hands on and active. Some of the activities included building cars, working with shapes, building music items, and building with blocks. The instructors integrated several reading and math academics into the lesson they demonstrated.
The next workshop that I felt that was very beneficial was the E-Portfolio. We were able to log on and build a sample to show our students. This is a Community College push for their instructors and it is free to Colorado students. The high school students need to use this as well. Students will be able to load contact information, valuable research they have completed and their valuable work. This work will be used though out their college career.
I would highly recommend this institute to all ECE high school teachers in the state in the future.
Monday, June 28, 2010
2010 FCCLA State Conference
The 2010 Colorado FCCLA State Leadership Conference was held April 8-10, 2010 at the Denver Marriott Tech Center. The theme of the conference was “FCCLA What’s Your Game Plan”. Northglenn High School had twenty six students compete at this conference. The Colorado State officers had displays of games using their office information at the check in point and they collected games for a community service project.
The keynote speaker was Josh Ship. He is a motivation speaker that inspired the FCCLA members to overcome struggles in their lives. He shared with them how he was abandoned and abused as a child and how he was able to triumph over his struggles. He encouraged the members to live life to the fullest. The Northglenn High School students really enjoyed Josh’s message. I felt that most of them connected with his message because everyone has struggles. He used laughter to get his message out and the students really liked the way he presented his message. Many students told other students at Northglenn about the Keynote speaker. The FCCLA State Officer Team need to continue having a keynote speaker that connects with the students helps with the recruitment of new members because they hear from their peers.
I really felt that the program of work was really easy to connect in to my classes and the FCCLA Conference theme. The Program of work can catch student’s interests and I was able to do activities in my classes that make FCCLA fun and interesting. The FCCLA State Officer team did a nice job of using game pieces in their skit. The students were able to follow the story line. I feel that students informing other students are a great way to recruit new members.
The keynote speaker was Josh Ship. He is a motivation speaker that inspired the FCCLA members to overcome struggles in their lives. He shared with them how he was abandoned and abused as a child and how he was able to triumph over his struggles. He encouraged the members to live life to the fullest. The Northglenn High School students really enjoyed Josh’s message. I felt that most of them connected with his message because everyone has struggles. He used laughter to get his message out and the students really liked the way he presented his message. Many students told other students at Northglenn about the Keynote speaker. The FCCLA State Officer Team need to continue having a keynote speaker that connects with the students helps with the recruitment of new members because they hear from their peers.
I really felt that the program of work was really easy to connect in to my classes and the FCCLA Conference theme. The Program of work can catch student’s interests and I was able to do activities in my classes that make FCCLA fun and interesting. The FCCLA State Officer team did a nice job of using game pieces in their skit. The students were able to follow the story line. I feel that students informing other students are a great way to recruit new members.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Colorado Family and Consumer Sciences by COFACSDIR
Use the Wallwisher below to add ideas on what you as a Colorado FACS teacher would like to have a workshops/training for the 2011 Summer Workshop Series.
Colorado Family and Consumer Sciences by COFACSDIR
Colorado Family and Consumer Sciences by COFACSDIR
The Wonderful World of Web 2.0
On Tuesday, June 15, 2010, FACS teachers were in attendance for a summer workshop to learn all about the Wonderful World of Web 2.0. This section of the Blog is for teachers to discuss all of their ideas, lessons, successes and challenges in regards to the multitude of tools available to use in their classrooms. Please post information (click on the comment link below) to share your thoughts. Thank you!
Pod Casting and Vid Casting- FACS Workshop
On Monday, June 14, 2010, FACS teachers had the opportunity to learn about Pod Casting and Vid Casting. This portion of the Blog is for teachers to share their ideas, thoughts, challenges and successes. Please take time to comment (click on the comment link below) on projects you have done in your classroom. Thank you!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
FCCLA State Conference and Recruitment Ideas
What a great experience the FCCLA State Conference was! (It's a great experience anytime I can get out and meet with other FACS teachers since I'm the only one at my school.) This year I took seven students, three of who competed in a Star Event. The kids and I were very excited to get on our way and after 1 1/2 hours of driving and three wrong turns we were there. What a surprise it was to see the hotel lobby turned into a giant game of Monopoly! The next two and a half days were a whirlwind of activity from getting students to workshops, to making final preparations for Star Event competitions, to judging. Like always, the conference was well planned and both I and the students learned so much and are excited for next year's conference.
As for membership recruitment ideas, I have gotten a lot of ideas throughout the year. The first membership recruitment opportunity at our school happens at the beginning of the year with the school club fair. All the clubs and organizations set up tables and sign up members. At the FCCLA table we hang banners, hand out brochures and candy, and have a big poster with pictures of everything we did the year before. Members from the previous year are on hand to talk about what an awesome experience it is to be in FCCLA. If your school doesn't have a club fair maybe you could suggest it.
Recruiting throughout the year is also a must. A tip I've heard is to make FCCLA visible throughout the school. Wear FCCLA shirts, hang FCCLA banners, etc. At my school, we put announcements in through the intercom about what FCCLA is doing. For example, "FCCLA members and others interested, don't forget to come in on Wednesday to make pies for the Salvation Army's Thanksgiving dinner." This gets people interested and they come in, get involved, and eventually join. These are just a few things I've picked up that I have seen work to get more students involved in FCCLA.
As for membership recruitment ideas, I have gotten a lot of ideas throughout the year. The first membership recruitment opportunity at our school happens at the beginning of the year with the school club fair. All the clubs and organizations set up tables and sign up members. At the FCCLA table we hang banners, hand out brochures and candy, and have a big poster with pictures of everything we did the year before. Members from the previous year are on hand to talk about what an awesome experience it is to be in FCCLA. If your school doesn't have a club fair maybe you could suggest it.
Recruiting throughout the year is also a must. A tip I've heard is to make FCCLA visible throughout the school. Wear FCCLA shirts, hang FCCLA banners, etc. At my school, we put announcements in through the intercom about what FCCLA is doing. For example, "FCCLA members and others interested, don't forget to come in on Wednesday to make pies for the Salvation Army's Thanksgiving dinner." This gets people interested and they come in, get involved, and eventually join. These are just a few things I've picked up that I have seen work to get more students involved in FCCLA.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Smokey Hill HS- ProStart Invitational
On March 16 , 2010 at Johnson and Wales University campus the Colo. State Pro-Start Invitational took place. Smoky Hill High had a Culinary Team which included: Allie Sterling, Amy Hartman, Patrick Murray (OHS) , Tony Pucciarelli and there Manager, Mauri Kasunic. They prepared a Starter-Seared Tuna with Asian Slaw, Entree-Grilled Venison w/Thia Salad and Basil Rice Dessert-Choc. Mousse Tower w/ Raspberry Coulis. They placed 4th in the State. Our Management/Knowledge Bowl Team which included:Brittanie Braun, Chloe Neumann, Cami Miller and Megan Sauders did an outstanding job placing 1st in the state,They each won $4000.00 scholarships. and a free trip to the National Restaurant Assoc. Trade show in Chicago on May 20-23. To add to all of this excitement. Colorado Pro-Start gives a Huge Traveling Trophy and $500.00 Cash to the school with the overall highest combined score from the Culinary team and Management team . YES!! Smoky hill is the proud winners of the Colorado State 2010 Pro-Start Hospitality Cup. -- Courtesy of Lorraine Cortese, FACS Teacher
Monday, January 4, 2010
http://www.bestuniversities.com/blog/2009/100-free-online-lectures-that-will-make-you-a-better-teacher/
Check out this information on 110 Free Online Lectures that will make you a better teacher!http://www.bestuniversities.com/blog/2009/100-free-online-lectures-that-will-make-you-a-better-teacher/
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