December 2007
SchoolsMovingUp - “Critical Science Vocabulary”
| April 30, 2007 1:30 pm | to | April 30, 2008 3:00 pm |
If the concepts and vocabulary of science are not taught in grades one through four, students in middle school and beyond will be faced with an inordinate number of challenging words, representing complex and unknown concepts. In this presentation, Elfrieda H. Hiebert, Adjunct Professor at the University of California at Berkeley, will discuss the need to make science vocabulary education a priority in grades one through four.
For more information on how to attend this online events or more information about them please visit: http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/wested/print/htdocs/online_events.htm
You Played A Lot As A Kid? That’s Probably Why You Are So Successful
The education of young children has gained attention in recent years as new research on brain development suggests brain structure is powerfully shaped by early experiences. According to a policy brief from the Action Alliance for Children, there has been a consensus among early childhood professionals that play should be a vital part of any high-quality early education program, because play benefits cognitive, social, emotional, physical and moral development. While many associate play with a break from curriculum, the fact is that play-centered preschool curriculum is not a laissez-faire approach but actually a main conduit to reinforcing instruction. High-quality preschool programs do not only benefit children and families, as they potentially save taxpayers between $2.69 and $7.14 for every dollar invested by reducing special education, law enforcement and other costs. It is clear that when children play they have the opportunity to apply mental representation of the world to new situations, integrate all types of learning, and can become engaged in things that interested them, which fosters a natural motivation to learn. So go outside and play already.
To read more about childhood play, please visit
http://www.4children.org/pdf/play07.pdf.
Free Books for Read Across America Day
The Literacy Empowerment Foundation invites schools or other literacy projects to apply for free books for Read Across America Day, March 3, 2008. Resources are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Maximum Award: varies. Eligibility: schools and literacy projects. Deadline: February 10, 2008.
For more information and to order your book, please visit:
http://www.lefbooks.org/reading_resource_project/.
Florida Gulf Coast University offers Educational Specialist Degree
The College of Education at Florida Gulf Coast University will start an Educational Specialist Degree (EdS) program in Fall 2008. Information about the program is now posted on the College of Education web site, http://coe.fgcu.edu/. There is also a preliminary application for the EdS at the same site. Applications can be mailed to the College of Education with attention to Sherree Houston, Assistant Dean.
University of South Florida Awarded a Grant to Create a National Special Education Technical Assistance Center
The University of South Florida was awarded almost $1 million to partner with the University of Connecticut and University of Oregon to establish a Center on State Implementation and Scaling-Up of Evidence-Based Practices (SISEP). The center, to be located at the Tampa campus, will initially work with six states to give local school districts the know-how for building education programs that work for all students, including those with disabilities.
To read the whole article please visit: http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/11/11022007.html
Youth Information, Training, and Resource Center and Florida Youth Council
The Family Café has been awarded a three-year grant from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to create a Youth Information, Training, and Resource Center in Florida. The core of the program will be the Florida Youth Council, a select group of youth and emerging leaders with disabilities that are committed to advocating for the successful transition of their peers with disabilities.
Learn more at www.familycafe.net
Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young
The University of South Florida was awarded a $3.5 million five-year grant to establish a national technical assistance center to promote the social development of young children and improve early intervention results by providing training and technical assistance, guiding and evaluating model demonstrations, and disseminating information on effective practices. A team of professionals from five universities will continue and expand on technical assistance efforts funded previously by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Partners include the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Vanderbilt University, Georgetown University and the University of Kansas.
To read the whole article please visit:
http://cfs.fmhi.usf.edu/news-detail.cfm?NewsID=466
Florida Tech to Offer Classes toward Board Certification in Behavior Analysis.
Due to continued demand Florida Tech will be offering the first three Behavior Analyst Certification Board per-approved courses online this Spring. BEHP 5000-Concepts and Principles of Behavior Analysis from January - March, 2008. Florida Tech will also be offering BEHP 5001-Behavior Assessment and Program Evaluation and BEHP 5002-Behavior Change Procedures and Ethical Considerations from January - March and again from April - June. Each course is $790.00. To register/pay for one of these courses please visit http://uc.fit.edu/pdp/programs/aba/index.html. More information can also be found at this website or by emailing Gloria Laney at glaney@fit.edu.
Transition: The IDEA Way Conference
| February 13, 2008 | ||
| 9:00 am | to | 4:45 pm |
The Transition Center at the University of Florida is sponsoring a free one-day conference to address transition practices that facilitate successful transition from school to post-school settings for youth with disabilities. Information and resources on the transition requirements based the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Florida State Board of Education Rule will be provided
Transition: IDEA Way Conference
February 13th, 2008 from 9am-4:45pm
Registration begins at 8am
Radisson WorldGate Resort
3011 Maingate Lane
Kissimmee, FL 34747
Online registration is preferred through the Transition Center website: www.thetransitioncenter.org Faxed or mailed registration forms must be postmarked by January 24, 2008.
Tenth Annual Family Café Conference
| June 16, 2007 | to | June 16, 2008 |
A call for proposals and for exhibiting space has been released for the Tenth Annual Family Café conference. The deadline for submitting proposals for presentations is December 22, 2007. The Annual Conference provides a unique environment, where exhibitors can reach thousands of Floridians with disabilities and their families in a single location. This conference routinely attracts a range of state agencies, durable medical equipment dealers, non-profits and other service providers. The deadline for submitting an exhibitor agreement is March 29, 2008.
The Tenth Annual Family Café Conference
June 13-15, 2008
Disney Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida
For more information visit www.familycafe.net or contact Jeremy Countryman at (850) 224-4670.
