Archive for August, 2011

Joides Resolution

Overview:
The expedition education program will focus on promoting sea-going research and the science goals of this expedition through the JR’s education web portal (“http://www.joidesresolution.org/node/1983”), live ship-to-shore video events, and a number of other exciting ideas that are still evolving.  The web portal encourages broader participation from students, teachers, families, and the general public in the work and travels of the ship. The site is meant to build engagement and welcome everyone to follow along by capitalizing on many social networking tools – including blogs with video and photos, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

How to get involved:

• Live Video Broadcasts
• Deep Earth Academy, the education division of the U.S. Implementing
• Organization of IODP, works with classrooms, museums, and events worldwide to produce live ship-to-shore video interactions for teachers and students of all ages. Students will have a chance to talk with scientists about their research, and engage in a question and answer sessions. The sign-up form for programs is here:

• https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dEtDRklleE9CVVhCWGhmcnJwZlBzR1E6MA#gid=0.

  Conferences are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, so sign up soon!

  Adopt-a-Microbe
  This project uses fictional microbe characters and virtually adopted
  microbes as focal points for learning.  Project participants complete weekly activities, both science and art based, and follow along with the science of  the expedition through blogs, videos, stories and other media. This is the  link for the website for the upcoming cruise:
  https://sites.google.com/site/adoptamicrobev4/

  Classroom Materials
  Need an introductory presentation on the JR for your students? Click here for a PowerPoint that you can use in the classroom:
  http://joidesresolution.org/sites/default/files/InteractiveJRslideshow2011.ppt.

  Need other classroom materials? Fill out the order form for free posters, DVDs, pencils and more:
  http://www.oceanleadership.org/education/deep-earth-academy/resources/order-form/

  Contact Information:
  Jennifer Magnusson
  

Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating

Overview:
PolarTREC—a program of the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS)—is a professional development program for educators, which pairs  teachers with researchers to improve science education through authentic  polar research experiences. The program integrates research and education to produce a legacy of long-term teacher-researcher collaborations, improved  teacher content knowledge and instructional practices, and broad public interest and engagement in polar science.

PolarTREC teachers will spend two to eight weeks in the Arctic or Antarctic, working closely with researchers in the field as an integral part of the science team. PolarTREC teachers and researchers will be matched based on similar goals and interests, and teachers will be trained to meet the program requirements prior to the field season.
While in the field, teachers and researchers will communicate extensively with their colleagues, communities, and students of all ages across the  globe, using a variety of tools including online journals, photos, other  multimedia, and web-based seminars.

Teachers and research projects will be selected and matched to fill the approximately 12 openings available. All major expenses associated with teacher participation in PolarTREC field experiences are covered by the program and program partners, including transportation to and from  the field  site, food, lodging, and substitute teacher costs.

PolarTREC is funded by the National Science Foundation Office of  Polar  Programs.

Application Period
The application period for teachers to apply to participate in  PolarTREC will begin on Monday, 1 August 2011 and end Friday, 30  September 2011.

PolarTec Informational Webinar
Interested teachers are encouraged to participate in a PolarTREC
informational webinar (web seminar), scheduled for Thursday, 11  August 2011,  at 3:00 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (1:00 p.m. HST,  4:00 p.m. PDT;  5:00 p.m. MDT; 6:00 p.m. CDT; 7:00 p.m. EDT).

For further information and to register to participate, please go to:
http://www.polartrec.com/about/teacher-webinar

Instructions will be sent to all registered participants. Participation in the webinar is free, optional, and is not a prerequisite for applying to  the PolarTREC program.

Additional Information
Further information about PolarTREC, including program goals,  requirements,  and frequently asked questions, is available at:
http://www.polartrec.com/teachers.

Or contact PolarTREC:
Email: 
Phone: 

Free Teacher Workshop!

Hello Science Teachers!

Would you like to learn more about climate change research happening right here in San Francisco Bay? San Francisco State University’s San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Romberg Tiburon Center would like to invite you to a free professional development workshop designed for science teachers. The workshop will include talks by scientists who are studying the impact of sea level rise on the Bay’s marshes and a field trip to China Camp State Park, where some of the research is happening. The research is compelling, the scientists are good speakers, and we’ll have lots of chocolate, too!

At this workshop, you will receive FREE copies of the California Coastal Commission’s
science activity guide for teachers, Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds and the award winning
Project WET activity guide. You’ll try some of the activities in the guides and get an
overview of other free educational resources and programs available from the sponsoring
organizations. The workshop will include a short interpretive walk and a presentation by the
USGS on local research. Light breakfast items and lunch will be provided.

We have limited space, though, so please register early by emailing Sarah Ferner at  and include your name, grade level and subjects you teach, and the school you teach at.

Estuary Ecology Day
Romberg Tiburon Center, Tiburon CA and China Camp State Park, San Rafael CA
8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Saturday, October 1st

Interested in learning even more about the marsh? The NERR is also co-sponsoring a workshop with Project WET and California Coastal Commission at our other Reserve site, Rush Ranch, on Saturday October 15th. Click here for more information: http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/waves/suisun.pdf

We look forward to seeing you!

Sarah D. Ferner
Education Coordinator
San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
3152 Paradise Dr
Tiburon CA 94920
 (office)

San Francisco Teacher Residency Program

The San Francisco Teacher Residency is recruiting aspiring teachers in critical subject areas. We are looking for future math, science, bilingual, and elementary education teachers who are committed to teaching in an urban setting.

San Francisco Teacher Residency (SFTR) is recruiting talented college graduates, career changers, and community members of all ages.  The program will give candidates the tools to make an immediate impact in the classrooms of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).  Combining a yearlong classroom  apprenticeship with targeted master’s level coursework, the program offers much more than just an affordable route into teaching. SFTR provides Teacher Residents with the practical learning, hands-on experience, and ongoing support essential for successful careers in teaching.

What You Get By Joining SFTR

• A Master’s degree from University of San Francisco or Stanford University at reduced cost.
• A CA Teaching Credential
• An $11,800 stipend for living expenses
• An AmeriCorps Education Award for those eligible
• A great transformative career making a difference in the lives of students
• A network of colleagues dedicated to student excellence

Who Are We?

The San Francisco Teacher Residency is a partnership between the San Francisco Education Fund, San Francisco Unified School District, University of San Francisco, Stanford University, and United Educators of San Francisco. All partners are committed to improving the quality of training for teaching in San Francisco’s hardest to staff schools and subjects.

What is the San Francisco Teacher Residency?

SFTR is a program designed to provide teaching candidates with a:

• Yearlong classroom apprenticeship with a master teacher
• Rigorous, aligned coursework
• Focus on the San Francisco context
• Collaborative learning environment

The program’s unique blend of theory and practice, combined with an emphasis on collaborative learning and peer support, gives Residents a strong, field-tested foundation for success in the urban classroom. By the time SFTR graduates become the teachers of record in a SFUSD classroom, they will have gained valuable teaching experience, an understanding of the challenges that lie ahead, and an ever-expanding support network of fellow educators to lean on for support and advice.

An Affordable Route into Teaching

Upon admission to SFTR, Residents will be eligible for reduced tuition at the University of San Francisco’s School of Education. To help with living expenses during their yearlong preparation, SFTR provides an $11,800 stipend and eligibility for health care benefits, made available through AmeriCorps.  Upon successful program completion, residents will also be eligible for an AmeriCorps Education Award which can be applied to the cost of the master’s degree.

At the end of the residency year, graduates earn a California Preliminary Teaching Credential and coursework leading to a master’s degree in education, which can be completed in a total of eighteen months. Upon successful completion of the residency, candidates commit to teaching in one of San Francisco’s hard to staff schools or subjects for a minimum of three years.

Eligibility

SFTR seeks strong candidates who are committed to teaching in urban public schools in math, science and bilingual literacy.

To be eligible to apply, candidates must:

• Hold a Bachelors degree from an accredited university
• Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident
• Pass and submit scores from the CBEST and CSET by set dates (see below)
• Apply and be admitted into University of Sanf Francisco School of Education’s Preliminary California Multiple or Single Subject Teaching Credential program with M.A. degree (MAT) for the 2012-2013 school year or
• Apply and be admitted into Stanford School of Education’s Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP) for the 2012-2013 school year
• Please note, applicants MUST be seeking a secondary math or science, Spanish bilingual (single or multiple subjects) credential for consideration of SFTR. Space will be limited for candidates for the elementary multiple subjects credential.
• Meet the admissions requirements for the San Francisco Teacher Residency and complete the supplemental application.

To learn more about the San Francisco Teacher Residency program and application process please visit San Francisco Education Fund’s website at http: //www.sfedfund.org/ or contact Monique Jimenez at the San Francisco Education Fund by phone at (415) 749-3700 ext 3027 or email at ,  Debbie Faigenbaum at the San Francisco Education Fund via email at or Peter Williamson at University of San Francisco via email at .

TEACHING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE: THE POWER OF COMMUNITY

Contact Information:
If you have questions regarding the 2011 Conference, email us at teachers4socialjustice@yahoo.com or call 415-676-7844.