Do you use Social Networking in your classroom? Are you using Facebook, Ning and other sites in k12 life? Check out the link below to for examples and more topics to explore!
Social Networking Goes to School
Friday, December 2, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Cool Tools for Schools
Have you been searching for the a "cool tool" to use in your classroom? Check out the resources available on Cool Tools for Schools-- presentations, collaborative work, research, videos, sideshows and much more!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Colorado CTE Regional Meetings
Have you attended one of the CO CTE Regional Meetings this year? Let's talk a little bit about what you have learned from your experience!
- Using the new standards and alignments to CDE makes your program PWRful!
- Be passionate about what you do everyday. If you aren't, your students won't be either!
- Are you willing to think outside the box? How can CTSO activities cultivate a hands-on learning experience for your students?
- You are the choir. Go SING! Talk to your administrators, speak with your counselors, send articles to your neighborhood paper!
Friday, August 26, 2011
It's that time again- time to earn money for your programs and CTSO!
Whether its selling frozen cookie dough, money savings cards or peaches, every year FACS teacher are looking for the best fundraiser ideas. Share what has worked for your school and your program below!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
2010 National Leadership Conference
The 2010 National FCCLA Leadership Conference was held in Chicago, Illinois July 3-8. This was my first national conference as either a student or adviser. Lindsey Leuenberger-Klautch and I took 8 students to the conference and had a blast in the Windy City!The paperwork it takes to travel with students is mountainous and since we were taking a student from another district we had twice the amount of paperwork. I processed through the paperwork and we were set to go. At the opening and closing sessions, the national officer team built a skit around the theme “65 Years of Leadership”. The skit was cute and clever in the way it showed how FCCLA has evolved as an organization to meet the needs of the times without losing its focus on the family. The session was a little long for my liking but I enjoyed the recognition of what chapters have done and getting ideas of what I could do next year.
I attended the New Advisers Workshop series at the conference that was sponsored by the National Consultant Team. The first session focused on introducing new advisers to FCCLA and National Programs. The activities they used at the sessions were great to use on students and I can’t wait to use them. The last session focused on developing a Program of Work, which was helpful and clarified what a POW should look like and consist of. The best description is a calendar of what your chapter wants to accomplish. I was not able to attend any other professional development sessions due to being a STAR Event volunteer.
I was a room consultant for the Food Innovations event and was impressed the event and what they participants at the middle school level had accomplished with their projects. I think this event is great and took it and made it an assessment for my Introduction to Foods and Nutrition course. The students both at the conference and in my class enjoyed the opportunity to develop their own healthy recipe and designing a package to go with it. I would recommend for any adviser to volunteer for STAR Events on the national level because they give you a better understanding of what that event actually is.
My students and I really enjoyed the three special events at the conference. The 4th of July Party at the Navy Pier was a great way for all members to network, enjoy good food, and see an amazing fireworks display over the water. We also attended the White Sox game and had great time bonding as a chapter. The FCCLA Gala was a nice surprise because I had no idea what to expect. The Gala was a great way to cap of the conference and let the students have fun in a safe environment.
Overall, we had a great time at the National Leadership Conference. Please watch this video to see the amazing time we had I learned a lot about being and adviser and came home with many teaching resources. This conference is a great way to strengthen your skills as an adviser and a great way for students to develop as leaders. I hope to go again next year!
2011 State Review & Recruitment Ideas
This is my third year taking students to the State Leadership Conference. We took 14 students and all of them completed a STAR Event. I am continually amazed and overwhelmed at the amount of work that it takes to complete a STAR event and the time it takes for students to develop and refine a presentation. We had students complete in Interior Design, Fashion Design, Teach & Train, Culinary Arts, Focus on Children, Job Interview, Entrepreneurship, Recycle & Redesign, Nutrition & Wellness, and Chapter Service Project Manual. We had 10 students receive gold medals and become national qualifiers and four students receive silver medals. It may be an arduous process preparing for state but the outcome is well worth it. This is the best that our school has done at the state conference and we are really proud of our students.
A recruitment technique we do at our school is to take a week (or shorter) to introduce students in our classes to FCCLA. The first day the advisers share their story of how FCCLA has helped each of us. I would also recommend that you let your experienced FCCLA members share their stories as well because it speaks more than adviser stories. The next couple of days we develop FCCLA Stations that focus around teaching students about FCCLA. Students really seem to enjoy this time because they are engaged in fun activities. We try to focus each station around the State POW theme and focus each station with something about FCCLA. Some of our past stations have been Create STAR Events App (On Paper), Decode the National Program Text, Build a Cyber Cupcake (for no other reason than giving students food), Technology Through Time, Google your Way to FCCLA Travel, and Facebook Profile Ethics. We see a good return from students coming to meetings. I did not invent this idea but I wanted to pass it along.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
FCCLA Membership
Integration of FCCLA STAR events into each course offered within the FACS department hopefully will increase membership and provide members with opportunities for leadership and recognition. I have been working on finding the fit of events with classes: Relationships- Interpersonal Communication, Career Pathways- Career Investigation and Job Interview, Catering and Nutrition & Wellness- Food Innovations. Developing a cocurricular approach is a win-win situation. Less projects and rubrics to develop for the class, students have a STAR event well on its way to completion for competition and FCCLA is promoted in the classroom.
This past year my officer team often met during lunch as our school has open campus and a 55 minute lunch. Sometimes it was bring your own and other times I provided lunch. I found that being creative with meeting time was essential to keeping the chapter active. The officers also texted information and I found that texting reminders was beneficial.
School display cases are a great way to promote my chapter. I have a lighted six foot display in the hallway within my department. It is amazing how many visitors to the building stop and read the information displayed during the evenings and weekends when community athletic events are being held in the building. School websites are also a great way to promote the success of your chapter.
This past year my officer team often met during lunch as our school has open campus and a 55 minute lunch. Sometimes it was bring your own and other times I provided lunch. I found that being creative with meeting time was essential to keeping the chapter active. The officers also texted information and I found that texting reminders was beneficial.
School display cases are a great way to promote my chapter. I have a lighted six foot display in the hallway within my department. It is amazing how many visitors to the building stop and read the information displayed during the evenings and weekends when community athletic events are being held in the building. School websites are also a great way to promote the success of your chapter.
Monday, July 4, 2011
FACS Summer Updates
The last week of June I attended 3 very interesting and educational days of updates.
The Sustainable Cuisine Workshop was held at the Colorado Mountain College, Edwards Campus. It was a great opportunity to learn about post secondary options for our students. The classroom building is new and easy to access. The Culinary lab is located across the street at the Battle Mountain High School.
Sustainable has different definitions but essentially it is knowing or understanding where your food came from and the impact it has on the environment and society. The concept has so many 21st Century learning skills that are applicable; inquiry and problem solving.
The Fitness Anywhere workshop was a workout! Robyn Smith of Positively Fitness instructed us in many exercises and activities that can easily be incorporated in our Nutrition & Wellness courses. In fact some could be used to just get the blood flowing in our students. All the activities used just a chair, table or step for props. She concluded with tips for mxing up the number of repetitions and the type of exercises. These included using dice or a deck of cards.
The ICAPS session was very informational and helped to validate our work with careers. Reviewing the Colorado Career Clusters and activities for career exploration in the classroom was great.
The FACS Program update in the afternoon was very informative. The CCCS Toolbox section is now on my favorites and I understand the information. Interpeting the five year trends and understanding the data. Updates in standards is sometimes a struggle yet it is great to see the FACS is in the lead with CTE courses.
Kimberly Baldwin
The Sustainable Cuisine Workshop was held at the Colorado Mountain College, Edwards Campus. It was a great opportunity to learn about post secondary options for our students. The classroom building is new and easy to access. The Culinary lab is located across the street at the Battle Mountain High School.
Sustainable has different definitions but essentially it is knowing or understanding where your food came from and the impact it has on the environment and society. The concept has so many 21st Century learning skills that are applicable; inquiry and problem solving.
The Fitness Anywhere workshop was a workout! Robyn Smith of Positively Fitness instructed us in many exercises and activities that can easily be incorporated in our Nutrition & Wellness courses. In fact some could be used to just get the blood flowing in our students. All the activities used just a chair, table or step for props. She concluded with tips for mxing up the number of repetitions and the type of exercises. These included using dice or a deck of cards.
The ICAPS session was very informational and helped to validate our work with careers. Reviewing the Colorado Career Clusters and activities for career exploration in the classroom was great.
The FACS Program update in the afternoon was very informative. The CCCS Toolbox section is now on my favorites and I understand the information. Interpeting the five year trends and understanding the data. Updates in standards is sometimes a struggle yet it is great to see the FACS is in the lead with CTE courses.
Kimberly Baldwin
Sunday, July 3, 2011
FCCLA Membership Recruitment Ideas
I have developed a co-curricular chapter at Windsor High School over the past 24 years. I feel that the co-curricular concept is the best membership recruitment tool. We have 3 teachers/advisors in our department, so we all present a week-long Intro to FCCLA unit to our respective courses. The consistency, personal touch, and information presented, lends itself to recruiting more members. It also helps the students understand the entire FCCLA organization, including the national, state, district, and local levels.
Of course, anytime you include food, students will come. We have Executive Officer Team meetings the first Friday of every month. We have started to include the entire membership and are looking forward to advertising that even more during the next school year. We serve a continental breakfast and the students seem to love that.
One of the strongest membership recruitment idea is taking students to conferences. I have especially found that student interest peaks when I have a student compete at the National Conference. It speaks volumes!!
Of course, anytime you include food, students will come. We have Executive Officer Team meetings the first Friday of every month. We have started to include the entire membership and are looking forward to advertising that even more during the next school year. We serve a continental breakfast and the students seem to love that.
One of the strongest membership recruitment idea is taking students to conferences. I have especially found that student interest peaks when I have a student compete at the National Conference. It speaks volumes!!
FCCLA National Leadership Conference
I attended the 2010 FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Chicago, IL July 2-8. The experience was fantastic and I went back to school in August refreshed, motivated, and ready to start a new year with co-curricular FCCLA.
The keynote speakers, as always, were inspirational. I especially enjoyed the speaker at the Advisor's Recognition Session. She talked about how to find your passion and I took that information back with me to my Life Managementc class. I've also shared the info with parents and colleagues throughout the school year. Everyone seems to be interested in the topic. The workshops were very valuable as I can always learn more skills/techniques about how to integrate national programs more effectively, how to promote membership, and how to increase membership participation.
The networking with not only Colorado advisors, but advisors from all over the nation, is an experience I value. I love having the opportunity to network with other professionals and typically exchange business cards so that we can keep in touch with each other. Love the connections I make!
The keynote speakers, as always, were inspirational. I especially enjoyed the speaker at the Advisor's Recognition Session. She talked about how to find your passion and I took that information back with me to my Life Managementc class. I've also shared the info with parents and colleagues throughout the school year. Everyone seems to be interested in the topic. The workshops were very valuable as I can always learn more skills/techniques about how to integrate national programs more effectively, how to promote membership, and how to increase membership participation.
The networking with not only Colorado advisors, but advisors from all over the nation, is an experience I value. I love having the opportunity to network with other professionals and typically exchange business cards so that we can keep in touch with each other. Love the connections I make!
Friday, July 1, 2011
FCCLA State Conference Attendance
This year was a year of firsts for me as an FCCLA advisor. This was the first year I have taken students to compete at the State conference. It was also the first year I have had a student compete in the Foods Events and Johnson and Wales University. And it was the first time I have worked to chair a STAR event at state competition. Needless to say, the year of firsts has been a big learning experience for me as an advisor. The experiences have shown light upon things I need to work on as an advisor, and things I need to help my students with to help them better prepare for their competitive events.
Registering kids to compete at conference was initially very intimidating. My biggest fear was being unfamiliar with the competitive process and the event specifications, and thus putting my students at a disadvantage. We made the rule as a chapter that the only way students could attend State Conference was if they completed a project. This decreased the chance of having students attend who were not in it for the right reasons. We had a total of 4 students who ended up competing; one in Interior Design, Fashion Constructions, and Life Event planning, and one at the Baking and Pastry food event a few weeks later.
The three students we had completing STAR events worked hard and put in many hours preparing their projects. One of the best parts of preparing for state was seeing the kids get more and more excited as their work on their projects progressed. As an advisor, I tried to set deadlines and benchmarks for them to have specific parts of their projects done. One thing I learned is that I need to be more firm in holding the students to their deadlines. I made it too easy for them to get behind, which in the end resulted in them having to do a lot of catch up work right before we left for the conference. All three had pretty good experiences competing, and the two who are underclassman plan on attending again next year. They also now have the experience of competition under their belts which makes it easier for them to recruit and excite new members. I think one of the best ways to get new members into your chapter, is having the kids share their excitement. Then other students will see the benefits from someone they can relate to, and not just some adult telling them they should be a part of it. Next year I am going to have these three girls come into my classes and share their projects and experiences with them, so my new students can hear first hand from someone who experienced it.
One of the biggest struggles I had with preparing kids is that all three of them are students who were not currently in one of my classes. This meant that I did not get to see them on a regular basis. The majority of the time we had to help them was after school, and sometimes finding the time to be able to work together and coordinate schedules became difficult. Another struggle I had was completely understanding all of the specifications for each event. There are so many small details that must be followed that it can become overwhelming. Especially since all three students were competing in different events.
Taking one of my catering students was probably the most exciting part of the state conference. She is an aspiring chef and will be attending JWU next fall, and so she was ready and eager to dive right in. She practiced preparing her quick breads, choux paste, and cake decorating at home many times and during one of our FCCLA after school meetings as well. She did a great amount of work and research to prepare herself, and her dedication and excitement to doing well was clear. It made me proud to see one of my students preparing for her future occupation in a class I teach! I have already asked her to come back next year and talk to my future students about her event and what the competition was like. I think having a former student share their experiences with my classes may help recruit more students for next year! The food events were very fun to observe. It is great to see how professional the students behave and how seriously they take their competitions. Some of the knowledge and talent the kids have is incredibly impressive!
Even though the format of the conference was different this year than in past years, I found that having the food events on a different day to be more accommodating. This allowed me to attend the food competition with my student to observe her and chair a STAR event at the Marriott, which I would not have been able to do had the competition followed the previous year’s format. Being there and being part of the process helped me better understand how FCCLA works which will ultimately help me become better at recruiting more students into our organization. Before taking students with competitive events, I was very unfamiliar with the process and expectations. The theory of the best way to learn is by doing, was proved to me once again and I look forward to taking back the things I have learned and sharing them with potential FCCLA members in my classes. My own new found understanding for the FCCLA Competitative process alone will help me be a better Advisor and recruiter
Registering kids to compete at conference was initially very intimidating. My biggest fear was being unfamiliar with the competitive process and the event specifications, and thus putting my students at a disadvantage. We made the rule as a chapter that the only way students could attend State Conference was if they completed a project. This decreased the chance of having students attend who were not in it for the right reasons. We had a total of 4 students who ended up competing; one in Interior Design, Fashion Constructions, and Life Event planning, and one at the Baking and Pastry food event a few weeks later.
The three students we had completing STAR events worked hard and put in many hours preparing their projects. One of the best parts of preparing for state was seeing the kids get more and more excited as their work on their projects progressed. As an advisor, I tried to set deadlines and benchmarks for them to have specific parts of their projects done. One thing I learned is that I need to be more firm in holding the students to their deadlines. I made it too easy for them to get behind, which in the end resulted in them having to do a lot of catch up work right before we left for the conference. All three had pretty good experiences competing, and the two who are underclassman plan on attending again next year. They also now have the experience of competition under their belts which makes it easier for them to recruit and excite new members. I think one of the best ways to get new members into your chapter, is having the kids share their excitement. Then other students will see the benefits from someone they can relate to, and not just some adult telling them they should be a part of it. Next year I am going to have these three girls come into my classes and share their projects and experiences with them, so my new students can hear first hand from someone who experienced it.
One of the biggest struggles I had with preparing kids is that all three of them are students who were not currently in one of my classes. This meant that I did not get to see them on a regular basis. The majority of the time we had to help them was after school, and sometimes finding the time to be able to work together and coordinate schedules became difficult. Another struggle I had was completely understanding all of the specifications for each event. There are so many small details that must be followed that it can become overwhelming. Especially since all three students were competing in different events.
Taking one of my catering students was probably the most exciting part of the state conference. She is an aspiring chef and will be attending JWU next fall, and so she was ready and eager to dive right in. She practiced preparing her quick breads, choux paste, and cake decorating at home many times and during one of our FCCLA after school meetings as well. She did a great amount of work and research to prepare herself, and her dedication and excitement to doing well was clear. It made me proud to see one of my students preparing for her future occupation in a class I teach! I have already asked her to come back next year and talk to my future students about her event and what the competition was like. I think having a former student share their experiences with my classes may help recruit more students for next year! The food events were very fun to observe. It is great to see how professional the students behave and how seriously they take their competitions. Some of the knowledge and talent the kids have is incredibly impressive!
Even though the format of the conference was different this year than in past years, I found that having the food events on a different day to be more accommodating. This allowed me to attend the food competition with my student to observe her and chair a STAR event at the Marriott, which I would not have been able to do had the competition followed the previous year’s format. Being there and being part of the process helped me better understand how FCCLA works which will ultimately help me become better at recruiting more students into our organization. Before taking students with competitive events, I was very unfamiliar with the process and expectations. The theory of the best way to learn is by doing, was proved to me once again and I look forward to taking back the things I have learned and sharing them with potential FCCLA members in my classes. My own new found understanding for the FCCLA Competitative process alone will help me be a better Advisor and recruiter
FACS Mentorship Program
For the last two years I have participated in the CTE Family and Consumer Sciences Mentorship Program sponsored by the Colorado Community College System. This program has provided many resources for me during my first years of teaching. The world of Career and Technical Education is a wonderful outlet for students to apply everyday work in the classroom to situations they will face in the real world. I believe CTE programs are an extremely valuable piece to a well-rounded education for today’s students. With that being so simply said, understanding how to make your own CTE program thrive and survive is not as easy. There are so many regulations and practices, that to a new teacher can be extremely overwhelming. Especially when the lively hood of your program is on the line.
Through the help of my mentor teacher, the other experienced teachers and professionals I have met, the information we have to understand has been broken down and explained in ways that make more sense. From things like how to tweak a lesson to make it better, tips about classroom management, sharing lesson plans to things like what a follow up report is, what VE135’s are, how we get Perkins money and what we can and can not spend it on. The other helpful part about mentorship, is meeting with the other mentees. It makes you feel normal to not understanding everything right away, and knowing other new teachers are going through the same trials and tribulations as you is comforting. And then seeing how successful the mentor teachers are, gives me optimism that one day everything will get easier (hopefully)
There are days when everything really clicks and makes sense, and days when I feel totally lost and confused about running a CTE program. It is so easy for the little things to slip past you when you have a whirlwind of other things goings on (like teaching). But through the mentorship program I have been able to establish relationships with people I trust will know the answer, and help guide me through those tough, confusing, and overwhelming times. I find the network of people willing and wanting to help me be successful as a teacher growing bigger every year. And because of my interactions with all these wonderful people I know they have my and my program’s best interest at heart. I trust them, and am not afraid to admit when I don’t know the answer with them, which is not always easy to do.
Through the help of my mentor teacher, the other experienced teachers and professionals I have met, the information we have to understand has been broken down and explained in ways that make more sense. From things like how to tweak a lesson to make it better, tips about classroom management, sharing lesson plans to things like what a follow up report is, what VE135’s are, how we get Perkins money and what we can and can not spend it on. The other helpful part about mentorship, is meeting with the other mentees. It makes you feel normal to not understanding everything right away, and knowing other new teachers are going through the same trials and tribulations as you is comforting. And then seeing how successful the mentor teachers are, gives me optimism that one day everything will get easier (hopefully)
There are days when everything really clicks and makes sense, and days when I feel totally lost and confused about running a CTE program. It is so easy for the little things to slip past you when you have a whirlwind of other things goings on (like teaching). But through the mentorship program I have been able to establish relationships with people I trust will know the answer, and help guide me through those tough, confusing, and overwhelming times. I find the network of people willing and wanting to help me be successful as a teacher growing bigger every year. And because of my interactions with all these wonderful people I know they have my and my program’s best interest at heart. I trust them, and am not afraid to admit when I don’t know the answer with them, which is not always easy to do.
2011 Summer Workshop Review
As I have the past two summers, I attended as many FACS summer workshops as I could get to. This summer I attended the following workshops; Culinary Techniques, Fitness Anywhere, ICAP, and FACS Update. I also was a part of the CCCS Focus Group for the new interactive Standards website.
The first workshop I attended during the summer workshop series was probably one of the best ones I have been to in my short time as a FACS teacher. I think I enjoyed this workshop so much because it was almost entirely hands on and it was put on by an experienced teacher who seemed to have an unlimited amount of tips and advice. She gave so many examples of things she does in her very own classroom on a daily basis from how she manages her students, to how she stretches a very small budget to get all the supplies she needs for a foods class. Her passion and dedication for her kids were apparent, and it is those kind of teachers that I look up to. She gave us so much to take back in the classroom, that I almost wished the class could have been a whole day.
The Fitness Anywhere workshop was also extremely beneficial to me, not only personally but professionally as well. I am a strong believer in being an advocate for your own personal health and well being. And I also believe in setting a positive example for students, as someone who takes care of their physical well being. I know that the more fit my body is the more fit my mind will be, and thus the better I will be as a teacher in my classroom. I really liked how all the exercises Robyn taught us can be done using simple objects in the classroom. Even if I am not teaching a Nutrition and Wellness course, where the activity is required, these exercises could easily be implemented into the daily routine of class to get students up and moving around.
The ICAP workshop reinforced the importance of introducing the idea of having students plan for their future and explore many options from a young age. It is never too early to start thinking about the path you may want to take in life, and I think that is very important for students to understand. They are growing up in a time where they need to be flexible and adaptable in order to succeed in the real world. The world is changing and ICAP is a great new tool we can use to stress the importance of our students preparing themselves to be successful in the postsecondary world and equip them with workforce readiness skills.
And as always the FACS update workshop gives me a good picture of what is going on in the FACS /CTE world outside of my little classroom bubble. It is always exciting to hear how new ideas and processes are coming down the pipeline and will be entering our profession. No matter how often I sit in on one of the update sessions I always walk away better understanding the ever changing world of career and technical education.
The first workshop I attended during the summer workshop series was probably one of the best ones I have been to in my short time as a FACS teacher. I think I enjoyed this workshop so much because it was almost entirely hands on and it was put on by an experienced teacher who seemed to have an unlimited amount of tips and advice. She gave so many examples of things she does in her very own classroom on a daily basis from how she manages her students, to how she stretches a very small budget to get all the supplies she needs for a foods class. Her passion and dedication for her kids were apparent, and it is those kind of teachers that I look up to. She gave us so much to take back in the classroom, that I almost wished the class could have been a whole day.
The Fitness Anywhere workshop was also extremely beneficial to me, not only personally but professionally as well. I am a strong believer in being an advocate for your own personal health and well being. And I also believe in setting a positive example for students, as someone who takes care of their physical well being. I know that the more fit my body is the more fit my mind will be, and thus the better I will be as a teacher in my classroom. I really liked how all the exercises Robyn taught us can be done using simple objects in the classroom. Even if I am not teaching a Nutrition and Wellness course, where the activity is required, these exercises could easily be implemented into the daily routine of class to get students up and moving around.
The ICAP workshop reinforced the importance of introducing the idea of having students plan for their future and explore many options from a young age. It is never too early to start thinking about the path you may want to take in life, and I think that is very important for students to understand. They are growing up in a time where they need to be flexible and adaptable in order to succeed in the real world. The world is changing and ICAP is a great new tool we can use to stress the importance of our students preparing themselves to be successful in the postsecondary world and equip them with workforce readiness skills.
And as always the FACS update workshop gives me a good picture of what is going on in the FACS /CTE world outside of my little classroom bubble. It is always exciting to hear how new ideas and processes are coming down the pipeline and will be entering our profession. No matter how often I sit in on one of the update sessions I always walk away better understanding the ever changing world of career and technical education.
CATFACS Winter Conference
As second semester gets underway, and I feel moderately refreshed from winter break, I start to look forward to attending the CATFACS winter conference. The 2011 conference was the third time I have attended, and I have to say, as always it was an overall great experience. For me, one of the best parts of being at the conference is seeing teachers from all over the state who are experiencing the same things I am, who offer advice and praise, and who join together to create a family of educators with the same goal in mind. The positive support and encouragement felt while there, and the amount of resources I walk away with are enough to make a new teacher feel like the world of teaching FACS and advising FCCLA is not so scary after all.
One of the reasons I decided to become a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher was because of the close connection I felt to my advisor at Colorado State University, Dawn Mallette. From the moment I met her during an advising appointment she made me feel important in a sea full of students; a connection I had never felt with another adult on campus. She listened when I needed her, and offered countless pieces of valuable advice that helped me succeed in my college years. Through the courses I took with her, it was clear to see her commitment to Family and Consumer Sciences education and the FACS community. The connections she had in the FACS network seemed so genuine and valuable to not only her professional life, but her personal life as well. Seeing all the connections she had and collaborations she was a part of inspired me to strive for a similarly strong network of supporters and friends; thus my reason for joining CATFACS.
Of course, attending CATFACS is not just about the networking and connections. It always provides me with some great resources to take back to the classroom and a refreshed outlook on teaching, which in turn makes me a better teacher. Dr. James Rouse’s keynote speech was inspiring. He really made me think about the everyday choices I was making in my life. Especially those pertaining to the wellness of my mind and my body and how closely connected the two are. Hearing someone speak so positively about life and how the daily decision we make impact our overall health, motivated me to make simple changes. The workshop by Elaine DeBassige also gave me some food for thought. Her methods for understanding relationships have helped me better navigate the way I approach my students when an issue arises. I now try to understand if there is some underlying issue going on first, and then go from there to find a solution. She spoke with a strong neutral tone, which made it clear how important it is to hear both sides of the story. These two parts are the ones that had the biggest impact on my overall experience at the conference this year.
In the short time I have been part of CATFACS and a FACS teacher, its easy for me to understand the importance of this professional network. The amount of tools I add to my educator’s toolbox each time I attend is amazing. I always feel energized and ready to improve my work in the classroom after hearing all the ideas shared between teachers and industry professionals. It is also a great outlet for finding connections to individuals in the industries that relate to our curriculum. To be honest, without a network like CATFACS and all the wonderful people involved, I don’t think I would have enjoyed my first two years of teaching nearly as much as I have.
One of the reasons I decided to become a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher was because of the close connection I felt to my advisor at Colorado State University, Dawn Mallette. From the moment I met her during an advising appointment she made me feel important in a sea full of students; a connection I had never felt with another adult on campus. She listened when I needed her, and offered countless pieces of valuable advice that helped me succeed in my college years. Through the courses I took with her, it was clear to see her commitment to Family and Consumer Sciences education and the FACS community. The connections she had in the FACS network seemed so genuine and valuable to not only her professional life, but her personal life as well. Seeing all the connections she had and collaborations she was a part of inspired me to strive for a similarly strong network of supporters and friends; thus my reason for joining CATFACS.
Of course, attending CATFACS is not just about the networking and connections. It always provides me with some great resources to take back to the classroom and a refreshed outlook on teaching, which in turn makes me a better teacher. Dr. James Rouse’s keynote speech was inspiring. He really made me think about the everyday choices I was making in my life. Especially those pertaining to the wellness of my mind and my body and how closely connected the two are. Hearing someone speak so positively about life and how the daily decision we make impact our overall health, motivated me to make simple changes. The workshop by Elaine DeBassige also gave me some food for thought. Her methods for understanding relationships have helped me better navigate the way I approach my students when an issue arises. I now try to understand if there is some underlying issue going on first, and then go from there to find a solution. She spoke with a strong neutral tone, which made it clear how important it is to hear both sides of the story. These two parts are the ones that had the biggest impact on my overall experience at the conference this year.
In the short time I have been part of CATFACS and a FACS teacher, its easy for me to understand the importance of this professional network. The amount of tools I add to my educator’s toolbox each time I attend is amazing. I always feel energized and ready to improve my work in the classroom after hearing all the ideas shared between teachers and industry professionals. It is also a great outlet for finding connections to individuals in the industries that relate to our curriculum. To be honest, without a network like CATFACS and all the wonderful people involved, I don’t think I would have enjoyed my first two years of teaching nearly as much as I have.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Why Professional Organizations?
ACTE, CACTE, CATFACS, AAFCS, and CAFCS---what do all these acronyms stand for? They are the acronyms of professional organizations that I am a member of. Professional organizations are critical to a professional's career. I am a firm believer in belonging to at least one professional organization related to a person's career. Professional organizations associate you with people in your field and they offer several benefits to you as a member.
Typically, a professional organization publishes a research journal that includes cutting edge research and valuable resources that can be utilized in your profession. You may also have access to newsletters that will update you on current events and happenings. Another benefit includes networking and making connections with others in your profession, in addition to finding mentors that you can ask questions of and have professional conversations with. A majority of professional organizations offer annual conferences where you can improve your content knowledge through workshops, seminars, and keynote speakers. Vendors are usually present at conferences as well to enable members to connect to them and their services offered. A professional organization most likely will have web access including, but not limited to, webinars, blogs, and downloads. JOIN!! They are good source of positive energy and very beneficial.
Typically, a professional organization publishes a research journal that includes cutting edge research and valuable resources that can be utilized in your profession. You may also have access to newsletters that will update you on current events and happenings. Another benefit includes networking and making connections with others in your profession, in addition to finding mentors that you can ask questions of and have professional conversations with. A majority of professional organizations offer annual conferences where you can improve your content knowledge through workshops, seminars, and keynote speakers. Vendors are usually present at conferences as well to enable members to connect to them and their services offered. A professional organization most likely will have web access including, but not limited to, webinars, blogs, and downloads. JOIN!! They are good source of positive energy and very beneficial.
State Conference 2011
This was the second year I took students to state conference. I brought six students and all them competed in STAR Events. I am proud to say I had two national qualifiers. Those two put so much time and energy into their projects, I was very happy for them to have made it to nationals.
Again, I volunteered to be an event chair. This is one of the best ways to become more comfortable with the events. It is so much fun to talk with students before and after their events. We were located in a hallway were I was able to stop students heading to their events and ask them questions. It was fun to give them a little boost of confidence before they headed to their judges. Because of all the interaction between students, judges, and getting a deep look at many projects, this is the best way to learn about STAR Events and feel more confident in explaining the events and rubrics to potential competitors in future years.
Luckily, I did not have trouble getting students interested in competing at state. I was pleased with the number of students I had this year. I do not put much pressure on students because it really needs to be their drive that gets a good project done. 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 judge’s rubrics to give them feedback.
As far as recruiting ideas, we will update our display board to be used at “Club Rush” in August. When we returned from State this spring, it motivated a few new students to consider joining the chapter next year. I personally encourage those students who really stand out as potential assets to our organization and those who need something positive in their lives. This last spring I had two new students who moved from out of state and they joined quickly to have something to belong to. My biggest advice to newer advisers is to jump right in and get involved at the district and state level because the teachers you will work with are very helpful and the more you learn, the more comfortable you will be in getting your students involved.
Again, I volunteered to be an event chair. This is one of the best ways to become more comfortable with the events. It is so much fun to talk with students before and after their events. We were located in a hallway were I was able to stop students heading to their events and ask them questions. It was fun to give them a little boost of confidence before they headed to their judges. Because of all the interaction between students, judges, and getting a deep look at many projects, this is the best way to learn about STAR Events and feel more confident in explaining the events and rubrics to potential competitors in future years.
Luckily, I did not have trouble getting students interested in competing at state. I was pleased with the number of students I had this year. I do not put much pressure on students because it really needs to be their drive that gets a good project done. 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 judge’s rubrics to give them feedback.
As far as recruiting ideas, we will update our display board to be used at “Club Rush” in August. When we returned from State this spring, it motivated a few new students to consider joining the chapter next year. I personally encourage those students who really stand out as potential assets to our organization and those who need something positive in their lives. This last spring I had two new students who moved from out of state and they joined quickly to have something to belong to. My biggest advice to newer advisers is to jump right in and get involved at the district and state level because the teachers you will work with are very helpful and the more you learn, the more comfortable you will be in getting your students involved.
CO FACS Update- Summer Workshop Series
Check out the Prezi from the CO FACS Update from the FACS Summer Workshop Series.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Consumer Issues Conference
I attended the Consumer Issues Conference on the University of Wyoming campus last fall. The theme was Unlocking the Digital Marketplace. The workshops and plenary sessions revolved around this theme. This is a conference that is held every fall and it is a credible and quality conference that has current and up-to-date consumer information.
I had the opportunity to network with professionals who are experts in their respective fields. I met Shelley Glause, the regional director of the Better Business Bureau, located west of Windsor. She was willing to make a presentation on "Identity Theft" to the Life Management course I taught this school year. She has also agreed to serve on our advisory committee for the upcoming school year. I appreciated the depth of content knowledge that I was able to attain and it is very useable in my teaching. I shared information with the technology department in our school district, the business teachers, and fellow FACS teachers.
I write this blog to encourage you to attend this conference if you are looking for a way to enhance and deepen your content knowledge base. The Fall 2011 conference theme is Pills, Potions, and Profits. You can log onto www.coloradoafcs.org to access the information. I highly recommend it.
I had the opportunity to network with professionals who are experts in their respective fields. I met Shelley Glause, the regional director of the Better Business Bureau, located west of Windsor. She was willing to make a presentation on "Identity Theft" to the Life Management course I taught this school year. She has also agreed to serve on our advisory committee for the upcoming school year. I appreciated the depth of content knowledge that I was able to attain and it is very useable in my teaching. I shared information with the technology department in our school district, the business teachers, and fellow FACS teachers.
I write this blog to encourage you to attend this conference if you are looking for a way to enhance and deepen your content knowledge base. The Fall 2011 conference theme is Pills, Potions, and Profits. You can log onto www.coloradoafcs.org to access the information. I highly recommend it.
FACS Mentoring Program
I have had the opportunity to participate in the FACS Mentoring Program over the past 2 years. I have to admit, it has been one of the best programs I have been a part of over the course of my 26-year teaching career. It has been a positive experience.
There are many reasons why I've enjoyed the Mentoring Program. First of all, I have had the opportunity to meet teachers in the field who have just started teaching or who have taught before, but are now returning to the profession. The enthusisam that is generated through interactions like these is invigorating. We would have meetings to discuss a variety of different topics: advisory committess, FCCLA, FACS curriculum, discipline ideas, and state reporting. The benefit to presenting this information is that I have to know it in order to share it. Being a mentor allows me to dig deep into information that I need to share.
Secondly, the personal connections that I have made with the Northern Colorado mentees has been such an awesome experience. I love knowing who the teachers are in the various schools and getting to know them on a personal level. I love the fact that we can email each other with not only professional questions and concerns, but personal ones as well.
Lastly, the support for new teachers that is provided through the FACS Mentoring Program is very valuable. There is so much to know, to learn, and to implement as a FACS teacher and this program helps chunk it down and allow new teachers to learn as they go through the first 1-3 years of their teaching experience.
I have learned so much through this program and developed friendships that will last a lifetime. For that, I am thankful.
There are many reasons why I've enjoyed the Mentoring Program. First of all, I have had the opportunity to meet teachers in the field who have just started teaching or who have taught before, but are now returning to the profession. The enthusisam that is generated through interactions like these is invigorating. We would have meetings to discuss a variety of different topics: advisory committess, FCCLA, FACS curriculum, discipline ideas, and state reporting. The benefit to presenting this information is that I have to know it in order to share it. Being a mentor allows me to dig deep into information that I need to share.
Secondly, the personal connections that I have made with the Northern Colorado mentees has been such an awesome experience. I love knowing who the teachers are in the various schools and getting to know them on a personal level. I love the fact that we can email each other with not only professional questions and concerns, but personal ones as well.
Lastly, the support for new teachers that is provided through the FACS Mentoring Program is very valuable. There is so much to know, to learn, and to implement as a FACS teacher and this program helps chunk it down and allow new teachers to learn as they go through the first 1-3 years of their teaching experience.
I have learned so much through this program and developed friendships that will last a lifetime. For that, I am thankful.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
FACS Mentorship Experience
As a second year teacher, the amount of information that I still need to understand is large. Being a part of the FACS mentorship program this year was very beneficial. As a part of the program, I attended cohort meetings, a daylong training in Denver for all CTE mentee educators, and the CATFACS conference. My mentor teacher also came to my classroom one day to observe my management and presentation techniques. Overall, the experience was very worthwhile.
Throughout the program, I was really able to get a better understanding of completers, credentialing, Perkins funding and articulation. As a new member to my district, I was just following what others were doing. However, the mentorship program showed me how important it was that I was on top of recruiting students, making sure they are taking more than one of the Core classes and both semesters of the occupational classes. Our program approval and articulation agreements are completed at the district level, which means that I need to be an active part of taking new information back to my district, as well as being extra accurate with my completer/ VE-135 data. Also, I gained a better understanding behind the origin of Perkins money, how it is distributed, and the areas in which it can be spent.
With each passing year I am sure I will gain more knowledge, but this year I became even more comfortable with FCCLA at the local, district and state level. I had a district officer and was able to speak with my mentor teacher about the experience and share in the questioning sessions. I also signed on to be a district consultant and am looking forward to the experience. I hope to get a better idea of how to plan the conference, prepare students on an even higher leadership level, and feel more comfortable with running students at the State level. This year I also volunteered to be an event chair which was a wonderful experience. I was able to really delve into an event, learn the ins and outs, and even be able to incorporate it into my classroom. In the year to come, I am looking forward to making FCCLA more intra-curricular in my school and developing activities that help retain members and build my program.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Membership Ideas from Cherry Creek
I have to brag on my students to start my blog...
I took 21 students.
Of those 21 students...18 of them received a Gold.
Of those 18 Golds...15 of them had call backs.
Of those 15 call backs...12 of them place in the top three.
Of those 12...5 of them won 1st place!
Of those 5...3 are going to Nationals!
I think a year like this has been the biggest recruitment tool yet! Each student who went to state conference came back more excited than ever to make Creek FCCLA successful. They were not only excited for their own awards...but were each other's best cheerleaders. When they came back to school - their classmates became even more interested and excited to join FCCLA next year.
One thing that helped us this year was we did a quick intro about FCCLA in each FACS class - the officers came in and talked about the basics of FCCLA and invited each person to attend a pizza lunch the next day to learn more. We had a good turn out of students - 10 extra large pizza's did the job as we were able to increase our membership to about 80 members this year. At the pizza party, we had a slide show going of last year's activities, had past projects displayed, Teen Times magazines and candy were on the tables as centerpieces, and the officers mingled with the students to answer any questions they had. This was a huge success. We did it at the beginning of each semester and are looking to repeat this again.
Monday, April 25, 2011
2011 State Conference and Recruitment
This was my second year taking students to the state conference and it went very well. I only took 3 students this year but whether its 3 or 13 I think its worth it. It was a less stressful experience this year since I already knew what to expect. It's always a great feeling to walk into the hotel and see all the students dressed up and excited for the conference. As always, the keynote speaker was fabulous and he got the conference off to a great start. That night was spent rehearsing a few more times for my students' event the next day and giving some last minute tips. The next day and a half were a whirlwind of activities that included me judging, the banquet, dance, and my students getting a silver medal! They came home with lots of great stories that got members excited for next year's FCCLA conferences.
Speaking of next year... the first big recruitment opportunity we have is our school's club fair. Here we set up a booth with a big poster board that has lots of pictures of what we did the previous year. Another thing I do is make sure the FCCLA logo is seen around school whether it be on posters advertising our upcoming events or wearing my FCCLA apron or shirt. One thing I have learned about keeping members is to give responsibilities to as many members as possible. For example, besides our officers, two students will be in charge of planning lunch, another is in charge of planning community service, etc.
Speaking of next year... the first big recruitment opportunity we have is our school's club fair. Here we set up a booth with a big poster board that has lots of pictures of what we did the previous year. Another thing I do is make sure the FCCLA logo is seen around school whether it be on posters advertising our upcoming events or wearing my FCCLA apron or shirt. One thing I have learned about keeping members is to give responsibilities to as many members as possible. For example, besides our officers, two students will be in charge of planning lunch, another is in charge of planning community service, etc.
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