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ATPE and TCEA collaborate on can’t-miss CPE
ATPE is joining forces with the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) to provide ATPE members access to new professional development opportunities. ATPE members can participate in free webinars this school year and attend the ATPE Academy, a special set of breakout sessions during TCEA’s 2011 convention and exhibition.
The webinars are ongoing; refer to the “Upcoming TCEA webinars” box for a schedule of the remaining sessions and registration instructions.
The ATPE Academy will take place from 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Feb. 7 during TCEA’s convention in Austin. The academy consists of breakout sessions geared toward beginning to intermediate users. Please note that the Leadership and Social Media session described in the print edition of ATPE News has been cancelled.
Do You Google? (4 CPE credits; open to all convention attendees)
With more than 45 products designed to help you make the most of technology, Google is more than just a search engine. Google Docs—an online, sharable word processing application—and Google Groups—online, interactive message boards—are two such tools that can be integrated into both your professional and personal lives. Attend this session for a hands-on lesson that will teach you how.
Using Social Media for More than Casual Use (4 CPE credits; open to all convention attendees)
Limiting yourself to 140 characters might seem difficult and ineffective, but Twitter and Facebook can be useful in both your career and your personal life. Each website offers the ability to network, discover new opportunities, and catch up on the latest news and trends. Attending this session will have you tweeting and posting in no time.
In order to attend the ATPE Academy, you must register for the entire TCEA convention at www.tcea2011.org. The convention is scheduled for Feb. 7–11 and includes more than 100 workshops, 300 concurrent sessions and a 900-booth exhibit hall. The registration fee for the convention is $180 until Jan. 15; there is an additional $50 registration fee for the ATPE Academy. Academy registration includes one of the 2.5-hour breakouts described above as well as lunch and a roundtable discussion with education technology experts. Advanced registration is required for the ATPE Academy.
Upcoming TCEA webinars
Through a special collaboration between ATPE and TCEA, ATPE members can participate in these upcoming webinars for free. In order to register, visit www.tcea.org/pd, create a free new visitor registration, and identify yourself as an ATPE member through the “record source” when prompted.
Jan. 5
Apps for Secondary Students
Jan. 26
Tech Apps Tools for Everyone
March 9
Text to Speech Tools
March 23
Group Projects
April 27
Gaming in Education
June 1
Tools for Podcasting
One story at a time, TWU ATPE connects with the community
by Rebecca R. Fredrickson, Ed.D., and Sarah K. McMahan, Ph.D., Texas Woman’s University ATPE sponsors
What started off as a far-fetched idea has turned into a reality beyond our dreams. At the beginning of spring semester 2010, several of our preservice teachers at Texas Woman’s University (TWU) asked us for a way to work with students during the summer months. After discussing service learning projects, our local unit decided to approach Barnes & Noble about starting a summer reading program.
We worked out a program in which TWU preservice teachers planned thematic readings and activities for children in the community. These events took place every Wednesday throughout the summer months, and Barnes & Noble provided all of the materials for the activities each week. Preservice teachers had the opportunity to serve as instructional leaders, readers, activity leaders and helpers. This structure was established so the project served not only as a way for our preservice teachers to work with students but also as a lab in which they themselves would learn.
Each week, our activity leaders followed the theme in creating our activities. We learned very quickly that the age group for our reading program was much younger than we had originally anticipated. This gave our preservice teachers an opportunity to learn flexibility and how to adapt a lesson.
The lessons our preservice teachers have learned in the areas of classroom management and instruction are invaluable. They have had the chance to work with students at all ability levels and with multiple handicapping conditions, and they’ve had opportunities to adapt assignments for struggling learners as well as arrange students in a classroom to help with classroom management.
This has been an amazing experience for us as the sponsors of TWU ATPE. We have had the opportunity to see our preservice teachers learn and grow while helping students within our community. We saw the number of children participating in our activities grow from 15 to 52 within a few weeks because of the work of our preservice teachers. We saw the light in students’ eyes as they heard favorite stories—and the light in our preservice teachers’ eyes as they saw children become excited about reading.
Among the people responsible for the success of Texas Woman’s University (TWU) ATPE’s summer reading program are Barbara Rowell, LeAnne McKanna, Kari Payne, TWU ATPE President Andrea Jones, Barnes & Noble employee Thom Anderson, TWU ATPE Sponsor Rebecca Fredrickson and Amanda Bruce.
Leaders of the PAC switch to online donations
Making financial contributions to politicians through political action committees (PACs) is a big part of building relationships with elected officials and a major component of ATPE’s advocacy efforts. The ATPE Political Action Committee (ATPE-PAC) makes donations on a nonpartisan basis to candidates and officeholders who have demonstrated support for public education and ATPE’s philosophy.
Due to recent events, ATPE-PAC is encouraging all members to begin making online donations. As reported in Essentials, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has released an opinion stating that school districts do not have the authority to use district resources to process payroll deductions for PAC contributions. Although the opinion is not legally binding, some districts have opted to discontinue processing payroll deductions for political donations (this has always been districts’ prerogative). ATPE Accounting is working with such school districts to facilitate the ongoing ATPE memberships of educators who had previously donated to ATPE-PAC via payroll deduction.
As ATPE works to restore your right to control your own money, you are encouraged to take advantage of easy and convenient online donation options. Instead of having funds for ATPE-PAC deducted from your paycheck, you can use a credit or debit card to set up an automatic contribution. Whether you want to make a monthly, quarterly or one-time donation, visit www.atpe.org/Advocacy/ATPEPAC/PACDonate Form.aspx
to submit your information. If you have any questions, please contact ATPE Governmental Relations at (800) 777-ATPE or government@atpe.org.
Make holidays happy with ATPE services and discounts
During this festive season, ATPE members can save on travel and gourmet gifts that will brighten any holiday celebration. How can you save?
- Your journey to Grandma’s (or the destination of your choice) will be less expensive when you rent a car through Avis®, Alamo®, National Car Rental or Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
- Stretch your lodging dollars at Comfort Inn®, Comfort Suites®, Quality®, Sleep Inn®, Clarion®, MainStay Suites®, Econo Lodge®, Suburban Extended Stay®, Rodeway Inn® brands and Ascend Collection® properties, La Quinta Inns and Suites, Baymont Inns and Suites®, Days Inn®, Hawthorne Suites by Wyndham®, Howard Johnson®, Knights Inn®, Microtel Inns and Suites®, Ramada®, Super 8®, Travelodge®, Wingate® by Wyndham, and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®.
- Arrive bearing delicious gourmet gifts purchased online from Harry & David. ATPE members are eligible to receive a 15-percent online discount.
For more information on these and the other services and discounts ATPE proudly offers members, please visit the Services and Discounts page at atpe.org. You must log in to access the necessary ID numbers, reservation and shopping links, and telephone numbers.
Mark your calendar: Supplemental insurance enrollment opens Jan. 3
Your next opportunity to enroll in extraordinary insurance products exclusively for ATPE members will occur Jan. 3–Feb. 11, 2011. As a professional organization, ATPE is always striving to offer our members unique benefits to help them plan for their futures. ATPE has secured a group term life insurance benefit at significantly reduced rates that requires no medical underwriting and is guaranteed-issue, regardless of past or current health conditions.
Along with the unique life insurance benefit, we have secured additional long-range planning insurance products that can protect your family against financial burdens brought on by cancer, unforeseen accidents and critical illness. Please log in to the Services and Discounts page at atpe.org for more information and to enroll.
More ATPE News
ATPE’s teacher quality study
High noon for public ed
Capitol Comment
Legal Opinions
In the Classroom
Para-educators' Place
News Briefs
Snip-its
Tech Support
Web Bytes
Your Association News