Monday, December 19, 2016

Summer Institutes about China, Japan and Korea for K-12 teachers

Summer institutes about China, Japan and Korea for K-12 teachers

Summer Institute

K-12 teachers are invited to the University of Washington in Seattle for week-long summer institutes about the history and culture of China, Japan and Korea. Dorm housing and travel stipends are provided to all accepted participants who reside outside the Seattle metropolitan area.

Monday, December 12, 2016

FUNDED Expeditions to the Arctic, British and Irish Isles, Canadian Maritimes, Iceland, the Galapagos, Antarctica


Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Program 

http://nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/grosvenor-teacher-fellows

Honoring Excellence in K-12 Geographic Education

Picture of a group of people on a ship.
Photograph by CT Ticknor
The Grosvenor Teacher Fellow (GTF) program is a professional development opportunity made possible by a partnership between Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Education. The program is named in honor of Gilbert M. Grosvenor, Chairman Emeritus National Geographic Society and Education Foundation Board. It gives current K–12 classroom teachers and informal educators from the 50 U.S. states, Canada, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico the opportunity to extend Grosvenor’s legacy of excellence in geographic education. Exemplary educators are recognized for their commitment to geographic education and given the opportunity to travel aboard the Lindblad-National Geographic fleet. Through this experience, they bring new geographic awareness into their learning environments and communities.

Fellows are an integral part of the National Geographic community, working to further students’ understanding of the planet and empower them to generate solutions for a healthier and more sustainable future. To help ensure that the next generation is armed with geographic knowledge and global awareness, Fellows take on a two-year leadership commitment to support educators with National Geographic. Throughout their commitment, Fellows may be asked to conduct webinars, participate in meet-ups, and serve as a mentor to other educators.

Please note: Beginning with the 2018 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Program application, all applicants will be required to be National Geographic Certified Educators and members in good standing of their state’s Alliance for Geographic Education.

 

2017 Application

Applications must be received through our online system by December 31, 2016 at 11:59 pm Eastern. You can save your application and come back to it any time before the deadline. Applications will not be accepted by any other means.

Due to the high volume, we are not able to respond to individual questions. If you have any technical problems, please send an email to GTFprogram@ngs.org. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 2017 Fellows will be contacted by phone in February 2017, and announced on the National Geographic Education website in March 2017.

 

2017 Program Highlights

Selected educators will travel aboard the ships National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Endeavour II, and National Geographic Sea Lion on expeditions to regions including the Arctic, British and Irish Isles, Canadian Maritimes, Iceland, the Galapagos, Antarctica and more. While aboard, Fellows will share the importance of geographic literacy with fellow travelers, develop activities to bring back to their classrooms, and have an adventure of a lifetime. Prior to the expedition, all 2017 Grosvenor Teacher Fellows will travel to Washington, D.C. (March 23–26, 2017) with all expenses covered to participate in a pre-voyage workshop sponsored by Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic.

The 2016 Class of Fellows  

Meet the 2016 Class of Grosvenor Teacher Fellows! Applications for the 2017 program will be available on November 16, 2016.
Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions  

Have questions about the program? Find the answers here!
Follow Along

Follow Along  

Read updates from fellows on our blog.
About Lindblad Expeditions

About Lindblad Expeditions  

Lindblad Expeditions has a long tradition of respectful tourism and exploration.

In Partnership With

In Collaboration With

How to Hold A Pencil


Teaching Kids Pencil Grasp

Pencil grasps can be a difficult concept for kids to master.  Pencil grasps require hand strength, motor planning and coordination, plus a little instruction along the way.  Give your kids an advantage when teaching them pencil grasp with these simple yet effective techniques.
Teach your kids how to hold a pencil properly with these simple tips that make writing easier for your kids!

1.Explain “stop” and “go” fingers- Make the analogy of a stop light to your child’s fingers when holding a pencil.   The “go” fingers (thumb, index, and middle) get to “go” for a ride on the pencil, while the “stop” fingers (ring finger and pinky) get tucked into the palm instead.

Teaching Kids Pencil Grasp
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2. Put a green dot on their “go” fingers and a red dot on the “stop” fingers-  Visual cues can be so helpful for kids so they can truly see what’s being explained to them.  Put a green dot on your child’s “go” fingers (thumb, index, and middle) where those fingers are supposed to hold the pencil.  Note- I put the green dot on the side pad of the middle finger because the pencil rests there rather than on the fingertip. 

Teaching Kids Pencil Grasp

3. Draw a line around the bottom of the pencil- Make a visual cue on the pencil by drawing a green ring around the part where the two colors meet). Have the child match the green dots on their “go” fingers to the green line on the pencil for correct positioning.
Teaching Kids Pencil Grasp
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4. Place a sticker on the pencil- Accentuate the visual cue on the pencil by wrapping a sticker just above the sharpened portion of the pencil  so the child can hold it in the correct position. If possible, use a green sticker to match the green “go” fingers.

teaching-kids-pencil-grasp-colored-sticker-edited

5. Play the pencil pick up game- As with anything, practice makes perfect.  Practice pencil grasp with this fun game in order to keep your child’s interest.  Check out the video on how to play…..

6. Build hand strength through play activities- You cannot hold a pencil correctly without adequate hand strength.  So, work on building hand strength by PLAYING!  Do the monkey bars, climb on a playground, play tug-of-war, build something with Play Doh, etc… to increase hand strength so that your child will be able to hold the pencil properly.
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tug-of-war
7. Broken crayon trick- Break a crayon in half so that only 3 fingers can grasp it, to improve pencil grasp. Find out more about this trick and the developmental grasp pattern of kids as they grow in this article.

broken-crayons-revised-fi
Please don’t delay in teaching your child about pencil grasp.  Bad habits are easy to form and very difficult to break, especially in terms of handwriting.   So use these tips to teach your child the “write” way to hold a pencil before they get into poor habits!

Monday, December 5, 2016

National World War l Museum and Memorial 2016 Teacher Fellowship

National World War I Museum and Memorial

2016 Teacher Fellowship


As the centennial of the Great War fast approaches, it becomes all the more important that the event which ultimately becomes the single greatest catalyst for change on a global scale be acknowledged and understood by students around the world. Nobody plays a more important role in what students understand than you, the teachers who everyday breathe life into history, literature, and society with your enthusiasm and expertise. 

This summer, the National World War I Museum and Memorial, located in Kansas City, Missouri, is pleased to extend a unique opportunity for you to hone your skills as an educator and collaborate with people who share your passion for education by becoming a fellow of the Museum in the fifth year of our teacher fellowship program.
The National World War I Museum and Memorial Teacher Fellowship Program will provide participants with unique and exciting opportunities to grow within their profession while creating materials and engaging in collaboration with similarly qualified and ambitious teachers from around the United States. Upon acceptance to the program, World War I Museum Teacher Fellows will receive the following:
  • Stipend provided for transportation expenses to and from Kansas City, MO
  • Hotel stay and daytime meals
  • Private access to the National World War I Museum and Memorial
  • The opportunity to collaborate and learn with leaders in their field
  • Private lectures from leading historians of World War I
  • Books and other supplies to help supplement knowledge
  • Professional development hours or graduate credit
  • Ongoing support from Museum staff throughout the Fellowship year

Dates

Thursday, June 23 - Monday, June 27, 2016
Fellows will meet at the 816 Hotel at 6 p.m. on 6/23 and can depart after 3 p.m. on 6/27

Eligibility

Full-time secondary (7-12) teachers of any relevant subject matter including but not limited to history, math, literature, science, government, music and social studies.  Public, private, charter, independent and religious-affiliated schools will receive equal consideration.

Application Process

Please provide the following in one PDF:
  • A lesson plan regarding the Great War (with permission for use)
  • 2 essays of 500 word limit from the following questions:
    • In what ways is the First World War uniquely significant?
    • Why is World War I relevant in your classroom?
    • In what ways does the First World War impact the 21st century?
    • How do you teach about the First World War in you classroom?
    • What do you hope to gain from the World War Fellowship in Education?
  • Resume/CV
  • Letter of recommendation (immediate supervisor, dept. chair, lead teacher, etc.)
  • Artifact of teaching (Optional)
Send application to School Programs Manager Cherie Kelly at ckelly@theworldwar.org by April 5, 2016.
Questions? Call 816.888.8149.

New Orleans, Summer 2017; Normandy France, Summer 2018


dividing bar
THE WAR IN EUROPE
With Donald L. Miller, PhD
July 16-22, 2017 in New Orleans, LA
July 15-21, 2018 in Normandy, France
Link  

Announcing The Second Annual National WWII Museum Summer Teacher Institute!

WWII was the central global event of the twentieth century and its legacies—for good and bad—continue to affect our world today. The lessons of patriotism, teamwork, sacrifice, optimism, and leadership found in its history are essential subjects for training our students to become active, educated citizens. To ensure that teachers like you across the country have the content knowledge, the pedagogical techniques, and the creative and engaging curriculum materials you need to teach World War II history, The National WWII Museum is launching its multi-year WWII Summer Teacher Institute.

 
In July 2017, The National WWII Museum will convene its second annual Summer Teacher Institute, led by renowned WWII scholar and New York Times bestselling author Donald L. Miller, PhD. Thirty teachers from around the nation will be selected to participate in an intensive week-long seminar utilizing the vast resources of the Museum, including the expertise of educators, curators, and historians, to explore strategies for teaching the history of World War II. During the 2017-2018 school year, participants will partner with Museum educators to develop and present their own professional development workshops. In July 2018, the cohort will reconvene in Normandy, France to explore firsthand the site of the 1944 D-Day landings, the largest amphibious invasion in history. Prior to both summer sessions, participants will interact with Dr. Miller, Museum educators, and one another through preparatory readings and online discussions.

The Museum is an important WWII educational resource for teachers and students across the United States. By creating cohorts of WWII expert teachers who in turn train more teachers, the Institute will ultimately reach approximately 4,000 teachers and 400,000 students nationwide over the next five years. Don’t miss your chance to apply for this exciting and important professional development opportunity. Participants will receive six hours of graduate credit from an accredited university upon successful completion of the sixteen-month program.


WHO CAN PARTICIPATE: The Summer Teacher Institute is open to any high school teacher at an accredited public, charter, private, or parochial school who has at least two years experience as of July 2017 and who will be teaching during the 2017-2018 school year. Teachers of subjects other than social studies may apply, but should explain in their application how they plan to incorporate World War II themes into their curriculum. Media specialists, librarians, curriculum coordinators, and academic coaches are also eligible provided they spend at least half of their time providing direct instruction to students. Applications will be evaluated through a competitive process that will include information on teaching experience, two short written statements, and two letters of recommendation. The Museum seeks to recruit a diverse cohort of teachers.

Participants must be willing and able to travel abroad, and must hold a current U.S. passport valid through August 2018.

COST: There is no cost. Teachers will receive room and board in New Orleans and Normandy, a travel stipend, and all seminar readings free of charge. Graduate credits are also free for those who choose to receive them.

Apply Now