Tips for New Teachers

SHARE YOUR BEST TIPS FOR NEW TEACHERS

This is the end of first week of school for many Georgia students. It is also the end of the first week of school for many of Georgia's new teachers. It has been an exciting and challenging week for both groups with many stories to share.

Stories are meant for sharing. It is a win-win situation when experienced classroom teachers and educators share what they have learned with new teachers. Mentoring and support from peers can make all the difference to a teacher during that important first year in the classroom. Success for teachers also means success for students.

The Georgia Graduation Stories blog would like to post your tips for new teachers. You can send your tips by email to:
bobrien@gpb.org
Use the same email address to learn how to send your tips as video clips or audio files.

Thank you to Patrice Weaver, Interim Director of the GPB Education Services Division, for sharing a resource from Science Class: High School Edition. This is an online companion to The Science Teacher, NSTA’s journal for high school teachers. The August, 2008 publication focuses on tips for new teachers. NSTA is the National Science Teacher’s Association.

In the News: New Teacher Tips

On the Web: New Teacher Tips

From the The Science Teacher Archives: New Teacher Tips

New Resource for Educators from GPB

Georgia Public Broadcasting Launching New Digital Education Channel

Georgia Public Broadcasting will be launching a new digital education channel on October 1, 2008. This new channel, GPB Knowledge, will be available throughout the state of Georgia and will replace our existing delivery method of GPB Education Satellite Programming (formally PeachStar Satellite Programming). Much of the content will be available through GPB Education Streaming and the GPB Digital Library On-Demand, as well as on our new channel, GPB Knowledge. Educators will have the same recording rights as before.

To receive GPB Educational programs, Educators have the option of:

live viewing on GPB Knowledge (on television)

downloading from GPB Education Streaming to their computers for later viewing

storing on portable devices for more convenient viewing (i.e., flash drives or burning to CDs).

Schools will receive GPB Knowledge via cable

commercial satellite

or by tuning your digital receiver to 8.3

For schools without cable, commercial satellite or digital reception, a converter box is recommended. They may be purchased wherever electronics are sold and cost between $40 and $80 dollars. This will convert analog televisions - TVs with “rabbit ear” antennas - to digital format so you and your students may enjoy digital broadcasting.

In the event that your area does not have access to broadcast television and you’d like to watch GPB Knowledge, the channel may be accessed on your computer by using a USBTV Tuner.

GPB Education Streaming will continue to provide On-Demand delivery of over 5,000 full-length videos with segments and educator resources. Visit www.gpb.org/education for more information.

For a complete list of all GPB Education programs and where to access them, CLICK HERE.

Here is a list of the current programs you’ve come to rely on as classroom tools from GPB and where you may find them now:

Programs on the GPB Knowledge Channel:
Economics USA
Math for All
Road Trip
Road Trip Nation
English Composition: Writing for an Audience
American Passages: A Literary Survey
Art of the Western World
Careers for the 21st Century

Programs continuing on Georgia Public Broadcasting:
American History through Southern Eyes
Salsa
2008 Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest
Georgia Read More
Guiding Children Successfully
Parenting Works
Right from Birth
Going to School
Parenting Principal
Literary Visions
Keeping Kids Healthy
TV 411
A Child’s Bookshelf
GPEE Bus Trip Across Georgia

Programs available for streaming on GPB.org:
Achieving Excellence
Count On It!
Georgia Stories
GPB Classroom
Irasshai
Green Tree Frog
Youth Art: Reflections on the World
Instrumental Success

Programs available for download from
GPB Education Streaming:
Count On It!
Georgia Stories I & II
GPB Classroom: Chemistry
GPB Classroom: Physics
The Green Tree Frog: How a Bill Becomes a Law

Leadership Opportunity Available for High School Students

Superintendent Cox Seeks Student Advisors

Georgia High School Students are invited to apply for a state level leadership opportunity. State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox is accepting applications for her 2008-2009 Student Advisory Council.

The members of the Student Advisory Council meet four times during the school year with Superintendent Cox to discuss how decisions made at the state level are affecting students throughout Georgia. Members are advisors and act as liaisons between the Department of Education and the students of Georgia.

All students in grades 9-12 are eligible to apply. Meeting dates are:
October 20, 2008
December 8, 2008
February 9, 2009
April 13,2009
(dates are tentative and are subject to change.)
Applicants should be able to attend all four meetings.

To be eligible for the Council, applications must be received by September
12, 2008.

Interested students should contact:
Courtney Burnett, External Affairs
(404) 657-1340
cburnett@gadoe.org

Setting Goals and Looking for Solutions through the Game of Chess

Challenging Students to Think Ahead or Fall Behind

Pine Ridge Elementary School in DeKalb County offered a morning of chess instruction to a small group of 5^th grade students. It was that time of the school year when standardized tests were being scheduled, and 5^th graders were facing the excitement and challenges of moving onto Middle School.

The students were introduced to Mr. Orrin Hudson of BeSomeone, Inc. Through a demonstration, sharing of his personal history and setting up games of chess for small groups, Mr. Hudson encouraged the participating students to focus, observe and form strategies for solving the chess problem in front of them. The teachers joined in by reinforcing the point that the skills students just used to be successful in their chess game are some of the essential skills needed for success in school

Mr. Hudson has received national attention for his motivational work in on the CBS Morning Show, Time for Kids and People Magazine. His efforts were also recognized by the Georgia State Legislature during their 2008 session.

Students Share Their Impressions of China and Their Upcoming Travels

Janelle, age 16, and the Director of the Paulding County Boys & Girls Club

This blog post is part of an on-going series that follows the selection, preparation and travels of seven Georgia youth who travel to China with the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta to participate in the opening of an international art exhibition.

The young people share what they know about this amazing destination and what they hope to learn from the trip.






Linden Longino and International Paint Pals provided the exciting news about The Beijing Program and student success:

On June 1, Youth Art Connection's art exhibition for the Olympic Games ("Peace, Friendship, and Goodwill through the Olympic Spirit") will open in Beijing's Millennium Monument Museum. Children from 65 countries (1/3 of those in the world) sent us paintings. Works by two (Rashad Sherman and Cedric Brown) of our Boys & Girls Clubs traveling kids are in the exhibit, and all members of our youth group will participate in the opening ceremonies along with Chinese kids.

Our partner, the Beijing Youth Federation, has invited Chinese government officials, Olympics officials, and ambassadors from participating countries to attend the event. June 1 is also National Children's Day in China.

Parents Support Students' Dreams of International Travel

Portia, age 15, Whitehead Boys & Girls Club

Your High School age child comes home and says that they have applied to a program that will take them to China. What do you say when you think of that same child being halfway around the world from you. How do you plan and prepare for such an experience? What do you celebrate? What do you worry about? Here exactly what the one group of parents did have to say to these and other questions when they were interviewed about their young people being accepted into The Beijing Program.



The journey of seven high school students to Beijing, China at the end of the 2008 school year actually began in December, 2007, when each young person was selected by individual clubs of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. In addition to being nominated by their individual clubs, interested students had to apply in writing and successfully complete an interview process with project leaders and staff.

The Youth Art Connection is a program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. Director Rebeca DesMarais provided the following description of The Beijing Program:
The Beijing Program includes an international children's art exhibition - "Peace, Goodwill and Friendship through the Olympic spirit"-, a trip to China in June, 2008, and the interaction with the Xi'an Terracotta Warrior at the High Museum of Art in fall/winter 2008-2009. International Paint Pals, a program of the Youth Art Connection and a part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta's Arts & Cultural Enrichment Program, is organizing the children's exhibition and is facilitating the overall Beijing Program. The trip to Beijing will coincide with the opening of the exhibition in Beijing, China on June 1, China's National Children's Day. Seven Boys & Girls club high school members have been selected to participate in The Program. The Beijing Program began in January, 2008 with monthly preparation meetings and extends into fall 2008 to coincide with the Terracotta Warriors Exhibition. On the June Trip, members will visit the ancient capitol of China, Xi'an, to the the terracotta Warriors firsthand and will then share their experiences with other Club members in the fall of 2008 as field trip "guides" on visits to the High Museum.

Students Practice Technology and Interview Skills

Students from the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta and it's Youth Art Connection used mp3 players provided by Georgia Public Broadcasting's Education Division to interview parents and friends about the students' June, 2008, trip to Beijing, China. The interviews were a chance for the students to practice interview and technology skills as well as gather impression of what others thought of the opportunity provided by the young people's participation in the Beijing Program.

The Youth Art Connection is a program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. Director Rebeca DesMarais, provided the following description of The Beijing Program:
The Beijing Program includes an international children's art exhibition - "Peace, Goodwill and Friendship through the Olympic spirit"-, a trip to China in June, 2008, and the interaction with the Xi'an Terracotta Warrior at the High Museum of Art in fall/winter 2008-2009. International Paint Pals, a program of the Youth Art Connection and a part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta's Arts & Cultural Enrichment Program, is organizing the children's exhibition and is facilitating the overall Beijing Program. The trip to Beijing will coincide with the opening of the exhibition in Beijing, China on June 1, China's National Children's Day. Seven Boys & Girls club high school members have been selected to participate in The Program. The Beijing Program began in January, 2008 with monthly preparation meetings and extends into fall 2008 to coincide with the Terracotta Warriors Exhibition. On the June Trip, members will visit the ancient capitol of China, Xi'an, to the the terracotta Warriors firsthand and will then share their experiences with other Club members in the fall of 2008 as field trip "guides" on visits to the High Museum.