November 9, 2004

1.    Living Historians available to interact with your students:  For the past four years, the non-profit company Virent Broadcasting Company has been videoconferencing "Living Historians" with K-12 students in eleven states.  These are all interactive conferences, where the students and the historical character talk with each other as if they were both in the same room.  Most of the presenters have over 15 years portraying their characters professionally.  For more information:  http://www.virent.net/.

2.    Franklin Park Conservatory presents "Cultural Spirits:  An Artist's Roundtable - Tuesday, November 16, Roundtable:  6:30-8:00pm, Reception follows until 9:00pm.  FPC members and college students with valid ID $5, Non-members $8.
        Join in a conversation with distinguished local artists and scholars and visiting Shona sculptors to explore how cultural beliefs and practices are linked to and expressed through art.  Dr. Thomas Maroukis, chairman of the history department at Capital University facilitates the roundtable, which includes local sculptor Omar Shaheeb, painter Pheoris West, scholars Dr. Frank Eguaroje and Dr. Lupenga Mphande, and Shona sculptors Damien Manahwa and Nicholas Kadzungure.  The evening includes presentations on Great Zimbabwe, Shona culture and spiritual beliefs, and African Art, as well as a question and answer session with the audience.  Enjoy light refreshments and visit the Chupungu exhibition after the program.  Registration available (and other events related to the Chapungu exhibit of interest to teachers) at:  http://www.fpconservatory.org/edprog_listing.html.

3.    Online Programs for Educators:
        Drexel University, ranked by US News & World Report as one of America's Best Colleges, now offers five programs for educators completely online.  Earn your principal's, instructional technology specialist or TESL certification while completing your masters online.  Click here http://www.drexel.com/rd/enews to learn more.

        Online programs include:
        MS in the Science of Instruction - with an emphasis on mathematics, science and technology.
        Principal Certification - preparing leaders for America's schools (meets ISLLC standards).
        Instructional Technology Specialist Certification - incorporating technology into the K-12 environment.
        Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Certification - satisfies PA State of Education requirements for certification in English as a second language.
        Do you know someone with a spark to become a teacher?  Drexel's online Post-Bachelor's Teaching Certificate is the program to recommend.  Simply forward this email and help a friend become a teacher!  Visit www.drexel.com/rd/enews to learn more.
        Classes are now forming for January.  For more information or to apply, visit www.drexel.com/rd/enews, call 877-215-0009 (toll-free) or email info@drexel.com.
        Drexel eLearning, 3001 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA    19104, www.drexel.com.

4.    Professional Learning Communities at Work:  The complete PLC collection features the print and video resources of Richard DuFour, Robert Eaker, and Rebecca DuFour.  This set contains all of the PLC print and video resources in a unique, facilitated format.  Users have access to the video resources in digital format and the authors' best-selling books in Adobe Portable Document Format.  For more information go to www.nesonline.com or call 1-800-733-6786.

5.    Weekly Religion Ideas, November 8, 2004, Standard IV D:  1,8,14
For Teachers - These objectives have to do with understanding what sin is; identifying and applying a process of Christian decision making; and being able to compare and contrast various models of decision making.  These objectives take us from Grade 2 to high school.  What we as teachers are trying to do is help our students form their conscience.  It takes patience, courage and good example to train students to understand that their words, actions and omissions hurt others.  Since children and youth are fairly self-centered, it is hard to develop that sense of thinking of others in them.  But that is our challenge.  Our culture often tells them not to think of others, but just of themselves.  The biblical sense of sin is missing the mark, not going in the direction God wants us to go in.  Hopefully, we as parents and teachers can help students know that direction.  May we help them become aware of that inner compass of the Spirit of God leading them to what is right for them and also helping them realize what is wrong for them.  They need to know who they are and what their values and beliefs are.  We received these from our parents, family, teachers, friends, neighborhoods and communities where we grew up and of course, the culture we lived in and do live in now.  Our students also form their conscience from what they see in all these areas of influence in their life.

For the Classroom - Grades 1-3:  1)  Talk about the Golden Rule and where it is in the Bible (Matt. 7:12) Highlight the verses with cardboard paper as large as the Bible and decorate around the verse; cut out a window so the verse is visible.  2) Ask them in classroom and playground situations:  "How would you like to be treated?)  3) Make a poster entitled:  LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and make different kinds of houses of family, stores, restaurants, government, and other states and countries to show all people are our neighbor no matter who or where they are.  Grades 4-8:   1) Have students keep account for one week of what they spend their money on.  Give them an expense sheet with date/what they spent it on/amount/and value or need of theirs.  Discuss Luke 12:34, "Where your treasure is, where also is your heart."  Were there any surprises?  Do they spend any money on others to make them happy?  2) Present various situations to the class:  copying homework, bullying others, not including others in games, activities, etc.  Ask what, who, what motives are at work; does the situation create justice and peace or strife and hurt; then what should be their course of action in this situation?  3) Have them choose 3 laws they want followed in the world, city, class, etc.  How do their laws compare to the commandments, beatitudes or other key teachings of Jesus.

Resources:  The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives all teachers good explanations of the commandments and the sins against each commandment.  Sometimes we forget what is sinful!  Chapter 2 "Making Moral Decisions" in Your Life in Christ from Ave Maria Press, a high school text, gives various models of decision making.  Videos with moral dilemmas for students to discuss are:  VC 6740 Doing the Right Thing Series; VC 6851 Making Moral Decisions; and VC 7170 Power Surge Series all for Junior/Senior High.  There are series on various moral virtues for all ages PreS-Adult.  Call the Religious Education Office, 614-221-4633. 

6.    Faith Formation Congress:
        Handouts for several of the Faith Formation Congress workshops are online.  Please check to see if the sessions you have registered for are among those online and print a copy before the workshops on Saturday.  Handouts may be found at http://www.cdeducation.org/dre/ffc/workshops.
        Just a reminder that no outside food or beverage (e.g. a sack lunch) may be brought into the Fawcett Center.  If you have not signed up for a lunch, please plan on going out to lunch.
        If you have not registered, it is not too late.  Please send your money or you may register at the door.  If you plan to register at the door, please call in advance so we have a packet for you. 

7.    M.Ed. Adjuncts:  Ohio Dominican University is looking for part-time faculty for its Masters of Education Program for the Summer and Fall semesters.  M.Ed. required.  Ph.D. preferred.  Minimum of three years of teaching experience.  Experience with online and accelerated learning encouraged.  Program course descriptions are available on the Ohio Dominican website:  http://www.ohiodominican.edu.      
        Send a resume, letter outlining qualifications, courses of interest, references, and availability restrictions to Dr. Ann C. Hall, Dean, School of Graduate Studies, Ohio Dominican University, 1216 Sunbury Rd, Columbus, OH   43219 or email:  Graduateschool@ohiodominican.edu.

Send Comments to office@cdeducation.org

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