You are visitor #
2010 SPRING CLASSES
GUIDELINES
This program listing announces several
professional growth activities sponsored by your
 | |
| ALL COURSE FEES for 2009-2010 have bee suspended. |
| ALL PARTICIPANTS must send a SEPARATE
REGISTRATION FORM for each individual activity.
Only INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATIONS
will be processed. Course registration is on a
first-come, first-serve basis. Please print the registration form by clicking on the
link at the bottom of the course listings. |
| NO PHONE “RESERVATIONS” ARE ACCEPTED
FOR COURSE REGISTRATIONS. You are registered when the CENTER receives your COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM. |
| No written confirmations will be sent out. You will be notified ONLY if the course you selected is cancelled, postponed, or full. Cancellation notification will be accomplished by E-MAIL OR PHONE. |
| Minimum and maximum class sizes are still in effect. |
| Participants who cancel or do not show up for a class will jeopardize their enrollment in future classes. Their registrations for futue classes will NOT be accepted until ONE day prior to the class date and will be accepted ONLY if an opening exists. Teachers cannot substitute for each other or sign up for each other. |
| Certificates of CLOCK HOUR completion are sent to each participant at the end of the first and second semesters. The policy of granting credit is handled by each individual district. Participants should process "prior approval" if required. Only registered participants will receive Certificate of Completion forms. |
COURSES
SPRING CLASSES
INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING SESSIONS
DATES: Personally Selected Dates
TIME: TBA
CREDIT: 3/12 Clock Hours
CLASS SIZE: Min. 3/Max. 4
LOCATION: Individual School Buildings
INSTRUCTOR: Mike Fisher
These sessions are meant to be small and have a direct impact on your professional practice. Sessions can run from 3-12 hours, in small groups, with an agenda that is set by the group and could include: Prioritizing Standards, Differentiated Instruction, Instructional Technology, Classroom Management, etc. They could also be a combination of instructional practices that developed as a group to specifically help you in the classroom. The instructor uses material from Jim Knight. Coaching sessions will be set up for 3-4 teachers of the same grade-level or content area. Call the Director at the Teacher Center (632-1042) to discuss the possibility of setting up a personal staff development coaching session. Please have your preferrred dates as well as alternate dates chosen before calling. Classes are set up after consultation with Mike Fisher. Limited to three groups.
FEBRUARY CLASSES
VOCABULARY GAMES
DATE: Tuesday, February 2, 2010
TIME: 3:45-6:45 PM
LOCATION: Lackawanna Middle School Room 110
INSTRUCTOR: Mariah Kramer
CREDIT: 3 clock hours
Looking for ways to make vocabulary fun? This class gives several game ideas for use with vocabulary review. Participants will learn the different games, discuss applictions in the classroom, and have a chance to make the games. This is a share class with Lackawanna Teacher Center and will be held at the Lackawanna Middle School, 550 Martin Road, Lackawanna, NY 14218
SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY,
AND SAFE SCHOOLS:
STUDENT RIGHTS AND STAFF OBLIGATIONS
DATE: Wednesday, February 10, 2010
TIME: 4:30-7:30 PM
CREDIT: 3 Clock Hours
CLASS SIZE: Max. 10
LOCATION: Lackawanna Middle School Room 103
INSTRUCTOR: Kira Cochran
An overview of school safety with regard to students who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered (LGBT) or perceived as such. Participants will learn about the professional obligations of school staff to maintain safe, inclusive schools. We will discuss recent examples of school violence targeting LGBT students; and statistics connecting school climate to educational and mental health outcomes. Techniques for achieving safer schools will be offered. This is a shared class with Lackawanna Teacher Center and will be held at the Lackawanna Middle School, 550 Martin Road, Lackawanna, NY 14218.
INTRODUCTION TO BRAIN BASE LEARNING
*CLASS CLOSED - MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT*
DATE: Thursday, February 11, 2010
TIME: 4:15-7:15 PM
LOCATION: Teacher Center Room 109
INSTRUCTOR: Mike Fisher
CREDIT: 3 clock hours
CLASS SIZE: Min. 5/Max. 12
In this workshop, participants will learn to maximize Action, Color, Emotion, State of Mind, Organization, Long Term memory, and Environment in order to have a positive effect on learning. This workshop includes a couple of the popular Brainigami strategies and is rooted in the work of Jensen, Sousa, and Dennison.
MENTOR TRAINING
DATES: Thursdays, February 11, and 25, March 4, and 11, 2010
TIME: 4:15-7:15 PM
LOCATION: TBA
INSTRUCTORS: Doug Happ and Wendee Lorbeer
CREDIT: 15 Clock Hours
CLASS SIZE: Minimum 12
Today's new eductors are confronted with many demands and challenges. In order to assist new teachers, district administrators and union leaders have developed mentor programs. This training will facilitate prospective mentors. The course provides an interactive introduction to the rudiments of mentoring. The major themes include: confidentiality, collegiality, providing appropriate guidance, feedback, as well as the nuts & bolts of mentoring. Note: This course involves 12 hours of in-class work and 3 hours of two outside assignments (1 1/2 hrs. each).
RESOURCEFUL TEACHING
*CLASS CLOSED - MAX. ENROLLMENT*
DATES: Saturdays, February 27 and March 20, 2010
TIME: 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
CREDIT: 15 Clock Hours
CLASS SIZE: Max. 10
LOCATION: Teacher Center of Cheektowaga Room 109
INSTRUCTORS: Gloria LaSota and Marilyn Rabenhorst
The Teacher Center has an assortment of technology and equipment available for use to enhance one's classroom professionalism. This includes: Poster Printers (one color printer and full color printer), PhotoSmart Printer, Ricoh Color copier, hot and cold laminators, Art Waxer, Award Maker, Button Maker, Book Binder, Ellison Die Cut machines and Cricut. Participants in this class will use this equipment to create curriculum-specific material. Each participants must undertake a project to include laminated work, Ellison designed material, wall posters, bulletin board materials, written assignments, buttons, magnetic shapes, and bound booklets. Participants are encouraged to bring their own workbooks, activities and idea for their subject matter and grade level. The goal of this course is to teacher participants how to enhance their lesson plans and classroom atmosphere using the equipment and supplies available at the Teacher Center. Limited use of the laminator and poster rmaker is included. A working lunch is in-house.
MARCH CLASSES
DELICIOUS SOCIAL BOOKMARKING
DATE: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
TIME: 4:15 - 7:15 PM
CREDIT: 3 Clock Hours
CLASS SIZE: Max. 12
LOCATION: Maryvale Community Ed. Computer Lab
INSTRUCTOR: Nicole Giambra
Delicious is a social bookmarketing web service for storing, sharing, and discovering the best of the Web. This class will allow those familiar with Delicious to review the basics on how to use the features of this website. Afterwards, add Delicious or design a lesson where resources you bookmarked in your account can be used. Create a Links page for your teacher website or add a link roll to your teacher site. Use the time to find and tag resources for your students and yourself.
BRAINIGAMI BASIC
*CLASS CLOSED - MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT*
DATE: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
TIME: 4:15 - 7:15 PM
CREDIT: 3 Clock Hours
CLASS SIZE: Min. 5; Max. 12
LOCATION: Teacher Center of Cheektowaga Room 109
INSTRUCTOR: Mike Fisher
Learn to use Hands-On Graphic Organizers to help students learn to chunk and remember information. These can be done with any grade level and content area. You will learn the basics of at least a dozen different ways to engage and motivate your students and easily add a hands-on component to any lesson.
DISABILITY HISTORY AND AWARENESS
CANCELED DUE TO LOW ENROLLMENT
DATES: Tuesdays, March 16, 23, 30 and April 6, 13, 2010
TIME: 4:15-7:15 PM
CREDIT: 15 Clock Hours
CLASS SIZE: Max. 12
LOCATION: Teacher Center of Cheektowaga Room 109
INSTRUCTOR: Elizabeth Marotta
Learn how to teach your students about disABILITY History with the Museum of disABILITY History's disABILITY History Curriculum! In this in-depth 15-hour course, you will learn how to apply the K-12 and Participation in Government Curriculum into your classroom. All lesson plans are based on the Museum of disABILITY History website, alight to New York State learning standards, include vocabulary and extensive teacher resources, and are easy to use to provide your students with high-quality and interesting subject matter. Knowledge of disability history provides a roadmap to the future. With this curriculum, students will learn about disability history including: societal views, treatment and care, terminology, advocacy, and accomplishments and successes of people with disabilities throughout time. The first class on March 16 will be held at the Museum of Disability, 1291 North Forest Road, Williamsville, NY 14221 beginning at 5:00 PM. The March 23, 30, and April 6 and 13 classes will be held at the Teacher Center beginning at 4:15 PM.
BRAINIGAMI ADVANCED
DATE: Monday, March 22, 2010
TIME: 4:15 - 7:15 PM
CREDIT: 3 Clock Hours
CLASS SIZE: Min. 5; Max. 12
LOCATION: Teacher Center of Cheektowaga Room 109
INSTRUCTOR: Mike Fisher
This workshop will feature more of the Hands-On Graphic Organizers to help students chunk and remember information. These graphic organizers are a little more intricate, but a lot more engaging for your students. Participation in both workshops will give you a toolbox of over 20 different strategies for incorporting Brainigami into your classroom.
ROUTE TO THE NORTH
DATE: Monday/Wednesday, March 22 and 24, 2010
TIME: 4:15 - 7:15 PM
CREDIT: 6 Clock Hours
CLASS SIZE: Min. 12
LOCATION: Teacher Center of Cheektowaga
INSTRUCTOR: Kevin Cottrell, Motherland Connextions
This class consists of 3 hours in-class instruction and 3 hours off-site touring. The class will help teachrs learn presentation strategies for teaching about the Underground Railroad and probes the legislative backdrip of the network--its geography of routes and its "conductors." The presenter will take you on a virtual tour through the towns and sites in Western New York that played host to thousands of freedom seekers passing through the area on what's described as one of the countries "First Multi-Cultural Humanitarian Efforts." On the second class day, the presenter, dressed in period clothing, and serving as the "conductor," will take you on an emotional and educational experience to planned visits to underground railroad "stations" in the western New York area. Mr. Kevin Cottrell, Station Master of Motherland Connextions, Inc. is the consultant. Student materials are included.
LEARNING ABOUT ARABS AND MUSLIMS AT HOME AND ABROAD AND ABOUT ARAB AND MUSLIM YOUTH IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES
DATE: Wednesdays, March 24 and April 7, 2010
TIME: 4:30 - 7:30 PM
CREDIT: 6 Clock Hours
CLASS SIZE: Min. 5; Max. 15
LOCATION: Lackawanna High School Room 115
INSTRUCTOR: Sira Shairi
This is a two-part workshop. The first session covers the culture, history, identity, conditions, and practices of Arabs and Muslims at home and abroad. The second session examines critical issues and concerns surrounding the education of Arab and Muslim youth in public and private schools in the United States. The workshop is beneficial to all school employees. Participants will learn about practical educational and pedagogical issues faced by these youth and how to work through challenging situations; about issues and concerns surrounding the socialization of these students; about specific words and expressions in Arabic. The material will also include gender isssues, acquiring tools and techniques to enhance one's relationship with Arab and Muslim youth, including exploring lesson plans for Arab and Muslim youth, and the ability to interact with parents of Arab and Muslim youth. This is a shared class with Lackawanna Teacher Center and will be held at the Lackawanna Middle School, 550 Martin Road, Lackawanna, NY 14218.
DEALING WITH BACK TALK AND UNDERSTANDING PROFANITY
*CLASS CLOSED - MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT*
DATE: Monday, March 29, 2010
TIME: 4:15 - 7:15 PM
CREDIT: 3 Clock Hours
CLASS SIZE: Min. 5; Max. 12
LOCATION: Teacher Center of Cheektowaga Room 109
INSTRUCTOR: Jon Gatto
LWhen students confront you when you confront them, you must understand that everything they are doing--the setup, the challenge, the talk itselt--is calcualted to get you to do on thing, to speak! Could there be a method to their madness? You bet ther is! This class will cover some techniques the teacher can use to handle the sass, and control the situation. Learn tried and true methods to help you avoid arguments and other verbal conflicts not only in school, but in all aspects of life. The other aspect of the class will cover understanding profanity. We all know what "bad words" are. Unlike most other language rules, we learn about swearwords and how to use them without any real study or classroom instruction. Even very young children know which words are naughty, although they don't always know exactly what those words mean. This class will explore the origins of profanity, and help us understand the meaning behind it, and ways to deal with its ugliness when we encounter it.
30 TIPS FOR A MORE SUCCESSFUL
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE
*CLASS CLOSED - MAX. ENROLLMENT*
DATE: Wednesday, March 31, 2010
TIME: 4:15-7:15 PM
LOCATION: Teacher Center
INSTRUCTOR: Jon Gatto
CREDIT: 3 clock hours
CLASS SIZE: Min.-5; Max.-12
Communicating with parents is the second most important thing we do as teachers. When we can work together with a child's common goals, we improve the atmosphere for learning. Of course, while parent conferences can be one of the most helpful to a teacher's "bag of tricks," we also know that sometimes they can be a discouraging waste of time, or even turn into ugly confrontations. This course will cover 30 proven tips to improve the encounter. This course is beneficial for teachers as well as support staff.
APRIL CLASSES
TEACHING TOLERANCE:
THE SHADOW OF HATE
CANCELED DUE TO LOW ENROLLMENT
DATES: Thursdays, April 1 and 8, 2010
TIME: 4:30-7:30 PM
LOCATION: Lackawanna Middle School Room 103
INSTRUCTOR: Theresa Paradowski
CREDIT: 6 clock hours
CLASS SIZE: Max. 10
The objectives of this class are to create an awareness of the following tolerance issues in the United States: religious, cultural stereotypes, inhumanity related to slavery, immigrants, Chinese laborers, Native Americans, Anti-Semitism, Japanese Americans, lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender. Participants will learn to incorporate classroom literature/curriculum into teaching tolerance and how to teach appropriate voc. when dealing with tolerance issues. This is a shared class with Lackawanna Teacher Center and will be held at the Lackawanna Middle School, 550 Martin Road, Lackawanna, NY 14218.
DE-ESCALATION OF A POTENTIALLY VIOLENT SITUATION
*CLASS CLOSED - MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT*
DATES: Monday/Wednesday, April 5 and 7, 2010
TIME: 4:15-7:15 PM
LOCATION: Teacher Center of Cheektowaga Room 109
INSTRUCTOR: Jon Gatto
CREDIT: 6 clock hours
CLASS SIZE: Min.-5; Max.-12
This course gives the participants the tools necessary to keep a situation involving an agitated individual from turning violent, and calming the situation instead. This course is beneficial to teachers, administrators, counselors, social workers, and support staff.
DEVELOPING AND USING A MORAL COMPASS
CLASS CLOSED - MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT
DATES: Monday/Wednesday, April 12 and 14, 2010
TIME: 4:15-7:15 PM
LOCATION: Teacher Center of Cheektowaga Room 109
INSTRUCTOR: Jon Gatto
CREDIT: 6 clock hours
CLASS SIZE: Min.-5; Max.-12
Students without well-defined decision making skills are like the world's largest, strongest, and fastest ship sailing the seas without a rudder. We give our students subject knowledge everyday, but are we helping them make good decisions from that knowledge? The course will cover the skills and materials necessary to help teachers develop their student's rudders. This course is beneficial to teachers, social workers and counselors.
PRINT SHOP DESIGN
DATES: Tuesday/Wednesday, April 27 and 28, 2010
TIME: 4:15-7:15 PM
LOCATION: Maryvale Middle Computer Lab
INSTRUCTOR: Rebecca Roll
CREDIT: 6 clock hours
CLASS SIZE: Min.-5; Max.-15
Print Shop is a software package that allows one to create designs for basic greeting cards and flyers to elaborate brochures, calendars, and newsletters. This class will cover creating behavior and incentive charts, classroom displays, books, cards, calendars, posters, schedules, flyers, hands-on games and other manipulatives. The materials you design will be grade level and subject area specific. The instructor is recognized as highly proficient with this software and has an abundance of Print Shop created materials in her classroom.
DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING A PERSONAL LEARNING NETWORK
DATES: Tuesday/Thursday/Wednesday, April 6, 8, and 14, 2010
TIME: 4:15-7:15 PM
CREDIT: 9 Clock Hours
CLASS SIZE: Min. 5/Max. 12
LOCATION: Maryvale Community Ed. Building Computer Lab
INSTRUCTOR: Mike Fisher
Teachers will consider the evolving definition of professional developmment and consider the fucntion and purpose of personal learning networks. Teachers will learn how to use a variety of social networking sites including Twitter, Delicious, Nings, and others to connect and grow with other educators, and they will consider alternative models of professional development that can be accessed anytime and anywhere. A key issue to be addressed is the effect of a network on local learning communities as well as social bookmarking, building an external network, and a menu of options.
MAY CLASS
PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY REDUCTION
*** PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGES ***
DATE: Mondays: May 3 and 10, 2010
TIME: 4:15-7:15 PM
LOCATION: Teacher Center Room 109
INSTRUCTOR: David Fusani
CREDIT: 6 clock hours
CLASS SIZE: Min.-5; Max.-12
Public Speaking Anxiety Reduction employs a broad spectrum of techniques to alleviate the fear associted with public speaking. Relaxation exercises, peer support, visualization, and organizational formats are combined to promote confidence and competence.
Ó Î
SHARE GROUPS
Share groups are professional training series designed to meet the needs of instructors of specific curriculum areas--biology, chemistry, foreign languages, home and careers, and speech therapy. The objectives of the share groups are to enable instructors to share activities and instructional strategies, expand and enrich classroom programs by developing new activities that are aligned with the NYS Learning Standards, increase linkages, increase collaborative opportunities, facilitate implementation of technology in the instructional program, and address specific topics of the curriculum area. Share groups meet once a month for six months throughout the school year, whereby participants earn in-service hours. For more information on specific share groups for the Fall, please call the Teacher Center of Cheektowaga at 716-632-1042.
Bioshare
Chemshare
FACS: Family and Consumer Science Share Group
F.L.A.P.P.E.R.S. Foreign Language Share Group
Prime Time - Elementary
Speech Consortium
Ó Î
PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE
| Please Report to
class on time. |
| Do not bring
papers to grade during classes/workshops. |
| Do not bring
your dinner to class with you. Please plan for
dinner before or after class. It is
understandable that you might need a snack to hold you over until dinner, but large food
items such as Chinese food, subs, pizza, and salads should not be eaten while a
class/workshop is being held. |
| Avoid
socializing with your colleagues while the instructor is teaching. |
| Please put your cell phones on vibrate or mute during class time. Please, NO TEXTING. |
| Do not use a
laptop computer unless you are in a computer class. |
To print a registration form, click here.
To navigate through our site, use the back button in your browser to return to the home page.