Teachers
try on a few new lessons
From math and reading to classroom feng shui,
two-day union convention opens minds
Friday, November 05, 2004 • BY BEV McCARRON •
Star-Ledger Staff
Sure, there's sessions on ways to teach math and tips
for making kids sharper writers, but at the annual teachers'
convention in Atlantic City this year, there's also plenty
of offerings that go beyond the usual.
"Feng Shui for Teachers" packed them in and taught
teachers how to create a tranquil learning environment. "Tax
Tips on Educational Expenses" offered advice for those who
spend their own money on class supplies.
"This was very different," Lynne Polsky of the Magnolia
school district in Camden County said as she left the feng
shui session with a how-to guide on arranging classroom
furniture and using color to relax students. "If it can calm
down active students, it's worth a try."
Along with the old standbys and lighter offerings,
teachers at the New Jersey Education Association's 150th
convention chose from an array of workshops. Many were
offered on subjects that were not a concern a decade ago but
that top the list of issues today: bullying, teen dating
violence and character education.
What began in the mid-1800s as a gathering of fewer than
100 educators who shared teaching tips has grown into a
two-day convention that this year attracted an estimated
50,000 teachers who come for professional development.
"We want to make sure we cover just about every nook and
cranny," said Steve Wollmer, spokesman for the NJEA.
Beyond the 300 workshops and programs, there are more
than 500 vendors in the Convention Center's exhibition hall
offering information on everything from calculators to
textbooks.
This year's hottest give-away was a big canvas bag
suitable for toting teacher supplies and books. Lines were
so long that the group giving out the item was asked to stop
for a while so others could have a chance to hawk their
wares.
"We were hoping it would be popular, but we weren't
expecting the reaction we got," said Nakia Townsend of NJ
FamilyCare, which advertised its low-cost children's health
insurance program on the bag.
More teachers began attending the convention as they use
workshops to fulfill state requirements that they get 100
hours of professional development every five years. Many of
this year's sessions offered credits toward that
requirement.
Robyn Azriel, a pre-K teacher in Elizabeth, was somewhat
skeptical of feng shui, but open to anything that can help
her spruce up the classroom.
"Classrooms are rectangular, plain, bare areas to work
in and even if you don't believe this stuff -- and I don't
-- you want the room to be comfortable and attractive," she
said.
Feng shui wasn't the only session turning people
away.
A workshop on preparing children for the fourth-grade
math proficiency test had educators sitting outside, waiting
to take the place of anyone who left.
Jefferson teacher Denise Manzione, whose district saw a
big gap last year between its language arts proficiency
scores and its much lower fourth-grade math scores, was
there to pick up some ideas on how to better prepare her
students.
"We can always use help for math," she said.
Irvington teachers holding up placards used a session
with Education Commissioner William Librera to press for the
state to stop interfering with contract negotiations there.
Librera promised a meeting with the union president and top
school and Department of Education officials within a
week.
He said the state could not permit the district to move
forward with a contract because the Irvington school board
for the second year in a row had failed to submit a proper
budget.
"You cannot make a commitment for a major portion of
your budget when you don't have a budget," he said.
Teachers return today for another full slate of
workshops.
© 2004 The Star-Ledger. Used by NJ.com with
permission.
|