My name is Carol Sparks; my co-worker (Patsy Stephens) and I teach social studies at Freeport High School in Freeport, Florida. We’ve received a small grant from our school district (Walton County) for a program we are developing, “Our Town, Our Nation.” In this interdisciplinary course, students will conduct oral histories of community members, preserving important links to the past and providing community service. As well, students will work with the community to create traveling and permanent historical displays.
An important part of the program is forging a distance learning partnership via teleconferencing with a sister school in another part of the country. Students will share stories and experiences via interactive televised learning. The remote site will also e-mail their stories and histories to ours. As an end-of-term project, our students will compile both sets of stories—ours and yours— into a completed publication, for both communities.
Why are we doing this? We teach in a small, rural community in northwest Florida. Until recently, our students were largely from traditional, even insular backgrounds. Now, however, our county is undergoing tremendous growth and experiencing consequent stress. We are currently the 5th-fastest growing county in the state. Although there are only about 40,000 people in our district, there has been a 25% growth rate in the last decade. In fact, we expect our county’s population to double in the next decade. Most of this growth is in the southern part of the county, along the beaches. Freeport is the “fault line” where the fast-growing beach area collides with the agrarian north.
We would like to find a school with an interactive distance program that is approximately the same size and composition of our own. Hopefully, by collecting and exchanging stories, identify both what distinguishes them as members of a local community and what ties them together as Americans.
I realize there is little time left in the school year. If you are interested and/or need further information, please e-mail me at my personal e-mail address at [email removed].
A few former graduates of good ol' St. James High are putting together a list of fellow teachers/administrators who graduated from our alma mater. Please email me with your current address or email address. We are thinking about setting up a scholarship for current StJ students who are going into the education profession. Just a thought. Hope life is treating you kind!
Note that Spanish is desirable in this position. Referrals are welcomed.
Vacancy Announcement
TITLE: Executive Director/CEO
COUNCIL: Girl Scouts of Penn’s Woods Council (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania)
GOALS: Reporting to the Council’s President and Board, the Executive Director will lead the Council to meet the needs of girls ages five to eighteen, delivering high quality programs and support systems. The Executive Director will promote Girl Scouting in the communities served by the Council.
Responsibilities include planning and financial management, with both fund development and property management; human resources including employee relations, volunteer management and diversity enhancement; program delivery; and membership and marketing, including communications and community relations.
BACKGROUND: A minimum of 5 years’ comparable executive- level experience is required, plus demonstrated competency across a broad range of managerial functions including planning, financial management, fund raising, human resources administration, volunteer management, diversity, community relations, communications, board relations, marketing, property management and program delivery. This position requires a minimum of an undergraduate degree, or comparable combination of education and experience. Prior exposure to Girl Scouting as a girl member, volunteer and/or staff member is strongly encouraged. Conversational Spanish ability is a plus.
STATISTICS: 5,665 girl and 2,391 dedicated adult members. The Council’s budget is currently $1.36 million. The Council serves girls in northeastern Pennsylvania in the Counties of Luzerne, Columbia, and Schuylkill, and parts of Wyoming, Northumberland and Carbon. It operates a service center in Wilkes-Barre and Camp Louise in Berwick. Council staff includes 20 full-time employees.
Girl Scouting supports a multi-cultural society, and serves the interests of girl members from all communities. Individuals representative of our multi-cultural society are encouraged to explore current vacancies.
Note that Spanish is desirable in this position. Referrals are welcomed.
Vacancy Announcement
TITLE: Executive Director/CEO
COUNCIL: Girl Scouts of Penn’s Woods Council (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania)
GOALS: Reporting to the Council’s President and Board, the Executive Director will lead the Council to meet the needs of girls ages five to eighteen, delivering high quality programs and support systems. The Executive Director will promote Girl Scouting in the communities served by the Council.
Responsibilities include planning and financial management, with both fund development and property management; human resources including employee relations, volunteer management and diversity enhancement; program delivery; and membership and marketing, including communications and community relations.
BACKGROUND: A minimum of 5 years’ comparable executive- level experience is required, plus demonstrated competency across a broad range of managerial functions including planning, financial management, fund raising, human resources administration, volunteer management, diversity, community relations, communications, board relations, marketing, property management and program delivery. This position requires a minimum of an undergraduate degree, or comparable combination of education and experience. Prior exposure to Girl Scouting as a girl member, volunteer and/or staff member is strongly encouraged. Conversational Spanish ability is a plus.
STATISTICS: 5,665 girl and 2,391 dedicated adult members. The Council’s budget is currently $1.36 million. The Council serves girls in northeastern Pennsylvania in the Counties of Luzerne, Columbia, and Schuylkill, and parts of Wyoming, Northumberland and Carbon. It operates a service center in Wilkes-Barre and Camp Louise in Berwick. Council staff includes 20 full-time employees.
Girl Scouting supports a multi-cultural society, and serves the interests of girl members from all communities. Individuals representative of our multi-cultural society are encouraged to explore current vacancies.
COUNCIL: Girl Scout Council of Land of Lakes (Waite Park, Minnesota)
GOALS: Reporting to the Council’s President and Board, the Executive Director will lead the Council to meet the needs of girls ages five to eighteen, delivering high quality programs and support systems. The Executive Director will promote Girl Scouting in the communities served by the Council.
Responsibilities include planning and financial management, with both fund development and property management; human resources including employee relations, volunteer management and diversity enhancement; program delivery; and membership and marketing, including communications and community relations.
BACKGROUND: A minimum of 5 years’ comparable executive- level experience is required, plus demonstrated competency across a broad range of managerial functions including planning, financial management, fund raising, human resources administration, volunteer management, diversity, community relations, communications, board relations, marketing, property management and program delivery. This position requires a minimum of an undergraduate degree, or comparable combination of education and experience. Prior exposure to Girl Scouting as a girl member, volunteer and/or staff member is strongly encouraged.
STATISTICS: 7,000 girl and 2,000 dedicated adult members. The Council’s budget is currently $1.87 million. The Council’s diverse territory includes urban, rural, wilderness, and Indian Reservation areas in 23 counties in central, western, and northern Minnesota, with several service and office centers. It operates Boundary Waters Canoe Base in Ely, and Shingobee Timbers Girl Scout Camp in the Chippewa National Forest. Council staff includes 25 full-time and 5 part-time employees.
Girl Scouting supports a multi-cultural society, and serves the interests of girl members from all communities. Individuals representative of our multi-cultural society are encouraged to explore current vacancies.
I'm a certified K-6 teacher who will be coming off of a year- long volunteer ministry team in August. Its a bit soon to try and put a classroom together, but I'd like to try and get a few tutoring clients to keep my skills up. If you are in the Minneapolis area and have students who may need some extra help please respond.
Here is some help! We suggest going over the questions several times. You should do this a number of times until you feel comfortable with all questions.
Time is the single most common fault that all test takers have trouble with. If you are familar with these study questions and know them well you will save time without knowing it.
Make sure you pace yourself during the test. Keep track of how much time you have used not how much is left.
Usually two choices can be eliminated from each question.
If you can not eliminate any answers skip this question and come back to it.
When required to read a passage such as in the lab questions you should scan/skim the passage to get a vague impression then read the questions. You will be surprised at how some answers come to you very quickly.
Do not guess. Eliminate 1-2 choices then "pick" out the best choice. You should be willing to bet money on this choice.
Scientific sounding answers are better than slang sounding answers.
Avoid extreme statements such as answers with these key words always...never...completely...
If the answers contain two answers that are opposite from each other then one of these is usually correct.
These are some sample TIPS and you can get the rest of the TIPS from [link removed]
Here is some help! We suggest going over the questions several times. You should do this a number of times until you feel comfortable with all questions.
Time is the single most common fault that all test takers have trouble with. If you are familar with these study questions and know them well you will save time without knowing it.
Make sure you pace yourself during the test. Keep track of how much time you have used not how much is left.
Usually two choices can be eliminated from each question.
If you can not eliminate any answers skip this question and come back to it.
When required to read a passage such as in the lab questions you should scan/skim the passage to get a vague impression then read the questions. You will be surprised at how some answers come to you very quickly.
Do not guess. Eliminate 1-2 choices then "pick" out the best choice. You should be willing to bet money on this choice.
Scientific sounding answers are better than slang sounding answers.
Avoid extreme statements such as answers with these key words always...never...completely...
If the answers contain two answers that are opposite from each other then one of these is usually correct.
These are some sample TIPS and you can get the rest of the TIPS from [link removed]
I'm conducting some research on teacher testing for a Tests & Measurements course that I'm taking. Anyone interesting in answering the following questions?
1. What type of Praxis test have you taken? 2. What was the intended purpose of the test? 3. Who made the decision for you to take it? 4. Was the person who administered the test to you trained to adminster the test? 5. What are you thoughts on the effectiveness of the test? 6. What criticisms or issues do you have concerning the validity of the test? 7. What are you feelings about the test design and construction?
If we really want to test students, this is the way to do it. Of course, doing so for a class of 30, inconsistency in grading, etc., make this impractical.
I was a math major and took the Praxis 2 math test. I thought it was a decent test, but it is basically at the freshman math level. It did help to take courses in matrix algebra, statistics, finite math, and so on, but each of these was tested at the most basic level.
Meanwhile, the study guides for Praxis 2 math, including ETS's own guide, are deceptively easy - everyone told me they would ask questions on the exam much harder than those study guides. When I asked around who had the most challenging study guide problems, they referred me to the guy who runs [link removed].
But yes, you can pretty much pass the exam with a decent study guide and a freshman education. Is this all the powers that be expect of teachers in a high school subject?
Christy MunsonOn 4/01/09, physics major wrote: > I am SO disturbed by everyone saying they are "qualified" to teach physics > yet can't past the test. The test is EASY, compared to other states' > tests. The praxis tests GENERAL physics. I took this test after teaching > for over 10 years, so it's not like it's made for recent graduates like > oth...See MoreOn 4/01/09, physics major wrote: > I am SO disturbed by everyone saying they are "qualified" to teach physics > yet can't past the test. The test is EASY, compared to other states' > tests. The praxis tests GENERAL physics. I took this test after teaching > for over 10 years, so it's not like it's made for recent graduates like > other state tests are. If anything I think the test should be harder and > utilize some open ended questions, like on the MA physics test. I really > think that those people who say they can't passs the physics test should > not be teaching physics....seriously, I am a BAd test taker, but the > Praxis was basic Physics, not anything at all tricky. And the score > needed to pass in MN is VERY low, compared with other states. Also, just > because someone gets an "A" in every teacher education class, does NOT > mean they are qualified to teach physics. My students have gone onto MIT, > Stanford, Cornell, and they all compliment me on how well I have prepared > them. Are your kids going to real schools, or ones we merely > call "colleges"? > > On 3/31/09, praxis wrote: >> I have tried several times to pass the physics praxis. I have all the >> classwork to teach physics and received an A in all my classes. I >> understand the concepts and my students not only succeed in my class >> but have returned to tell me how well it prepared them for college >> physics. I CAN NOT PASS THIS TEST! It is ridiculous. This test in no >> way tells you if you are going to be a good teacher or not. Why >> doesn't someone come and sit in my room and watch my students. People >> who pass these tests can still be awful teachers! I am a bad test >> taker and so much is riding on these tests that I just freeze up! >> >> On 1/27/09, the truth is merely a perception espoused wrote: >>> I would like to meet the bureaucrats who get paid to "compose" these >>> exams! Necessary and unavoidable evils that will never cease. Not >>> a truly effective gauge of one's knowledge and expertise in a chosen >>> field. >>> >>> Memorization for [email removed].
If we really want to test students, this is the way to do it. Of course, doing so for a class of 30, inconsistency in grading, etc., make this...See More