LAKEWOOD, Colo.—Colorado teachers care about new standards, too. After all, they are the ones who will have to implement them.
English language arts teachers from Colorado and surrounding states will meet Oct. 29-30 at the Inverness Hotel and Conference Center in Englewood, Colorado, for the annual conference of the Colorado Language Arts Society (CLAS).
“The education issues that are most important to other Colorado citizens are also important to our state’s English teachers,” said Amy Gutierrez Baker, teacher at West Jefferson Middle School, Conifer, and president of the Colorado Language Arts Society, which represents teachers from kindergarten through college. “That’s why more than 200 teachers will be spending their own time—and mostly their own money—to learn more about ensuring that all students are prepared for postsecondary education and careers, closing achievement gaps, engaging students in meaningful learning experiences and developing skills students need for success in the 21st century.”
The program for “Breakthroughs: Teaching in the Age of Discovery” offers high-caliber professional development with three keynote speakers and more than 30 workshops.
The keynote speakers are nationally recognized experts in developing powerful literacies for children and young adults:
Carol Jago, president of the National Council of Teachers of English, the national organization with which CLAS is affiliated. She taught English for 32 years in California and recently provided feedback on the development of the Common Core Standards, the national set of standards which was adopted by the Colorado State Board of Education in August 2010.
Teri Lesesne, professor of children’s and young adult literature at Sam Houston State University, will offer strategies and titles for motivating students to read.
Gene Luen Yang teaches at a high school in Oakland, Calif., and is the author of several graphic novels for children and teens. His book American Born Chinese was nominated for a National Book Award and received the Michael Printz Award from the American Library Association.
The conference will focus on ways to implement new standards adopted by the Colorado Department of Education. The Colorado Academic Standards will be re-issued this fall to incorporate the Common Core Standards. New standards must be used beginning in fall 2011.
Students at Landmark academy at reunion celebrate first annual latin culture week
Landmark Academy at Reunion , a tuition-free public charter school, recently hosted their First Annual Latin Culture Week, a week focused on educating students on the various aspects of Latin culture, from music and art to sports and celebrities, through unique activities. During the week-long celebration, students were able to step into the lives of the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans with Latin culture lessons through piñata making, cultural crafts, songs, traditional foods and more. Students made maracas and learned a traditional Mexican Hat Dance; created Aztec suns working with metal tooling; and studied different countries in Mexico , Central America and South America . Aztec dancers from the Colorado Folk Arts Council also visited with students and educated them on the spiritual and traditional aspects of Aztec culture through dance. “We reside in a community with strong Latin and Hispanic roots,” said Matt Carlton, principal of Landmark Academy at Reunion . “Our community culture is important to us at Landmark. By providing unique ways for our students to learn the various backgrounds of our diverse community they are able to understand and appreciate different cultures.” For more information about Landmark Academy at Reunion , please visit www.landmarkacademy.org.
