Volume 4 * Fall 1998
Carver Excellence in Education Teachers Program
Grant Awards for Iowa Teachers Grants in amounts ranging from $500 to $2,500 for individual instructors and $500 to
$5,000 for teams of teachers will be awarded through the Carver Excellence in Education
Teachers Program. Funding from the Carver Trust will support innovative teaching projects that are
designed to improve student learning and result in a positive, long-term impact in the
classroom. Special emphasis will be given to projects focusing on the core areas of
language arts, mathematics and science.
K-12 educators with two years of teaching experience from public and private,
accredited, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) schools in Iowa are eligible to apply.
Up to $900,000 in grants will be available during the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 academic
years. 1999-2000 Application Deadline: January 30, 1999
Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust
202 Iowa Avenue
Muscatine, IA 52761-3733
319-263-4010
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FROM MIRIAM'S DESK.......
How small is a goal? How small is a vision? How big are they? Do they stop, or do they grow? Our students and we are inundated with literature and speakers telling us that it is essential to have goals and visions in life. We can debate about who sets the goals and who guides the visions, but that is not what I want to write about.
In his autobiography, Myles Horton, founder of the Higherlander Folk School in Tennessee, says in his final chapter, "Goals are unattainable in the sense that they always grow....The nature of my visions are to keep on growing beyond my conception." We may have short-term goals, but they must be a part of something larger. Horton goal that helps some people but hurts others." He says, "Your vision will grow, but you will never be able to achieve your goals as you envision them. My vision cannot be achieved by me. You may save the whales, but the dream must push beyond that. It's a dream which I can't even dream. Other people will pick it up and go beyond."
Our goals and visions derive from reflection. Through the process of discussion, study and action, we realize that our vision will grow and our job is to make that vision better by just chipping away at it. If we envision a state with adult basic education students who have learned to be critical thinkers and who have felt empowered because they KNOW that they can learn, then we must continue to chip away and always keep in mind that the vision does not stop. As Myles Horton closes his book, he says, "My goal for the tree I planted in front of my house is for it to get big enough to shade the house, but that tree is not going to stop growing once it shades my house. It's going to keep on growing bigger regardless of whether I want it to or not."
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continues, "A long-range goal has to be something for everybody. It can't be a
CALENDAR NOTES
Jan. 24-26, 1999 International Conference on Women and Literacy, Atlanta, GA
Jan. 27-29, 1999 Technology and Adult Basic Education: The Changing Role of Teachers. Atlanta, GA
Feb. 17-18, 1999 ESL/Bilingual/Refugee Concerns Conference, Des Moines
March 2, 1999 Iowa Literacy Council, Grimes Conference Room South, Des Moines
March 9-13, 1999 TESOL '99, 33rd Annual Convention and Exposition, New York Hilton & Towers, New York. Further information is available at: 703-836-0774 or http://www.tesol.edu/
March 19-20 and April 16-17, 1999 The Wilson Study, Des Moines
April 8-10, 1999 Iowa Reading Association, Des Moines
May 4, 1999 Iowa Literacy Council
May 12-15, 1999 COABE '99 "Sailing into the Future" San Diego, CA. Contact: 916-444-3323 or http://www.ccawstate.org
June 15-17, 1999 CASAS National Summer Institute, Doubletree Hotel, San Diego. Contact: 1-800-255-1036 ext. 300
July 8-9, 1999 ABE Institute, Marshalltown
ABE/ESL Field Trips
a Highlight for the Year
by Sherilyn Hitch
The students in my ABE and ESL classes have enjoyed field trips to reinforce and motivate learning. We have taken trips to Living History Farms, Pella Tulip Festival, Amana Colonies, Ackley Historical Museum and the Limberg House, and the Hoover Presidential Library. This year we went to Boone and Moingona to see the Kate Shelley Museum, ride the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad, and tour the birthplace of Maime Eisenhower.
For the past three years I have taught ABE, ESL, and History to Senior Citizens for IVCCD Adult and Continuing Education on the Ellsworth Community College campus in Iowa Falls, in Alden, at the nutrition site, and in two nursing homes.
Preparing for these field trips is a rich learning experience. In ESL classes we study the culture of each area and the reason for settlement of the area. The students read about what they will see as they practice pronunciation and learn new vocabulary. They also write about their impressions after the trip. ABE students spend time researching about the area in the library or on the Internet, read their findings to the class, I make spelling lists from their reports, and we talk about the history of the area. One student spent a month gathering information from Iowa Tourism books for the class to use in choosing where to visit.
These trips are a highlight for the students. They learn academics as they prepare for each trip but they also gain much more. Many of my students do not have an opportunity to travel at all. The look on their faces as they see something for the first time shows how their world has just expanded. As they venture out together they become closer as a group, forming friendships. They have become a support group for each other. They finally have someone to socialize with in the community. This setting also allows them to practice appropriate social skills in a restaurant or other public places. Each trip has been rewarding and memorable.
Transportation is provided by the college or by volunteers. Two nursing homes provided vans for their residents when we went on the short trip to Ackley, 15 miles away. I usually take another teacher to help out in case of car trouble, etc. Because we plan well in advance we budget ahead so they will have money for snacks or souvenirs. This is a good money management lesson. Often the students bring their own lunches so we will eat out only one meal. They war willing to make the effort to save for this experience.
The following is a report by Kay Lycke, an ABE student, about our trip to Boone and Moingona.
"My ABE class went to Boone for a field trip to learn about Mamie and Dwight Eisenhower and Kate Shelly.
I have done two reports on Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower. I found the information in the Encarta Encyclopedia on the CD rom of my computer also the encyclopedia in the college library.
The information on Dwight D. Eisenhower is also taken from my computer and a book about Presidents that I have at home.
We took a tour through the birthplace of Mamie Eisenhower. It was interesting to see how different things were long ago.
We went to see the Kate Shelly museum in Mongonia. I have a book called Kate Shelly Adventures that I bought when my family and I were there. My teacher read about Kate Shelly to our class. I was interested in the Kate Shelly museum because I learned about taking messages in Morse Code. My Grandpa used to work for the Chicago Great Western Railroad until he retired. We had a picnic lunch in the Kate Shelly Park where we also did some word puzzles that our teacher brought.
We went for a ride on the Scenic Valley Railroad, it was scary when I looked down as we went across the high tressel.
On our way home we stopped at Story City to ride the Carrousel. It was fun. We ate supper at the Dairy Queen before we left Story City.
Kaylene Lycke, Adlen, Iowa, IVCCD, Iowa Falls
We continue to encourage your response to newsletter articles and/or your creative teaching ideas you have used in your program(s). Please use this as an opportunity to communicate with others what your program is about.
PLEASE SHARE ANY MOTIVATIONAL TIPS AND HINTS THAT ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO KEEP COMING BACK TO CLASS.
WRITE THIS DOWN! As with every progressive and continually growing program, especially in community colleges, there are always staffing changes. Phyllis Charlson has taken a new position within Hawkeye Community College in the ILC at the Metro Campus. CONGRATULATIONS PHYLLIS!
I am privileged for the opportunity to continue Phyllis 's great work on the State Staff Development Committee for Hawkeye Community College, Soo....
Please send your responses to:
Tamara Gavin, Hawkeye Metro Campus, 844 W. 4th, Waterloo, IA 50702
"Parent and Child Together"
Ideas to Do
(Sponsored by the National Center for Family Literacy and Toyota.)
1. Make stick puppets of each other using materials around the house (magazines, newspapers, flower/water paste) or draw picture.
2. Write or draw together a picture of the family doing what they like to do together. Decide where to hang up the picture.
3. Gather one or more items belonging to each family member. Everyone looks, then closes eyes while you take one thing away. What 's missing? Who does it belong to?
4. Make a list in words or pictures of three great things you like about each other. Hang it up for everyone to see.
5. Write a story together. Illustrate and fasten together into book for family library.
6. Make a family flag (using newspaper, material, cardboard) showing each member and their favorite activity.
7. Make a picture of a gift you each would like to give to everyone in your family. Talk about the gifts you bring (love, laughter, etc.)
8. Tell a story together with each member of the family taking turns adding an idea or two.
9. Ask your child to tell a favorite story to you. Write down what your child says. Read it back to your child. Save it to read again.
10. Write a letter together (or draw a picture) to send to a family member. (You might want to mail a letter to your child!)
11. Using stick puppets made earlier of family members, create your own puppet show. Perform your show for the whole family.
12. Make up two-word rhymes about real things around the house (night light, red bed, etc.) Silly words are O.K. too (giggle wiggle, willy nilly).
13. Ask a grandparent ro older friend to tell how they celebrated special days when they were a child.
14. Using old magazines, make a collage of families playing and working together. Talk about what is happening in the pictures.
15. Parents (caregivers) write short stories about what the children are doing to share or to mail to elders. Your child could draw pictures for the story.
16. Set the table together, matching plates, cups, utensils, so that each family member has a complete set.
17. Have your child help prepare the meal. (Mix, stir, measure together.)
18. Use words like "empty", "full" and "all gone" at family meal. "The potatoes are all gone. How many people would like more?" (Count out loud.)
19. During the day, talk about how many people are in the family. "Let 's see, how many cups will we need for everyone? 1,2,3,..." etc.
20. Gather everyone/s shoes. Decide which are the big shoes, fancy shoes, brown shoes, etc.
21. Before everyone gets into a line, guess who is the tallest? Who is the shortest? Now line up and see how good your guesses where!
22. Ask everyone what their favorite food was at the family meal. See how many liked each food. Make a list of everyone 's favorites.
23. Take a "green" walk. Find all the green things in a walk around the block or house. (Your walk could be looking for any color - inside or outside.)
24. Put some small items in a bag (small ball, spoon, Lego, etc.). Reach into the bag and guess what items are by touch only.
25. Sit quietly together for a minute or two. Talk about what you heard. Do it again. Do you hear the same things?
26. Learn and sing a favorite song from parent/caregiver 's childhood.
27. Taste foods together - how do they taste ? (For example, sweet, sour, salty).
28. Gather some safe things to smell. Close your eyes and guess what they are (spices, foods, perfumes, etc.).
29. Play clapping games together, in patterns, 1-2-3, 1-2, etc. Pat your knees. Add silly words. Make up your own songs.
30. Make a collage using soft, bumpy, rough, smooth, etc., items found outside. Do together for safety.
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CITIZENSHIP CLASSES
Hawkeye Metro Campus, Waterloo will be conducting Citizenship Classes from Sept. 98 thru May 99.
Morning sessions Fridays from 9:30 - 11:30 am.
Afternoon sessions Fridays from 12:30 - 2:30 pm.
Evening sessions Thursdays from 7:30 - 8:30 pm.
For more details contact Sheila Rasmussen, 319-234-5745.
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New Additions to the Iowa Literacy Resource Center
415 Commercial Street, Waterloo, IA 50701 - 1-800-772-2023
General Subjects
Coin Clue. Careers: Learning, Understanding, Exploring. By Rod Durgin. Coin Educational Products.
For the People, By the People. The Peoples Publishing Group, Inc. Text book, Teacher 's manual, and tests in photocopy master format.
ESLOA: English as a Second Language Oral Assessment Audio Training ape.
Graphic Organizaers for Reading and Writing. Curriculum Associates. Levels 1-8.
Instant Spelling Words for Writing by Robert G. Forest and Rebecca A. Sitton. Curriculum Associates.
Workbook, Teacher Resource and Teacher Guide for Five different competency levels.
Internet Communicating. Video Tutor. ViaGrafix.
LifePrints. Level 2. ESL for Adults. New Readers Press. Cassette and workbook.
LVA-ESL Tutor Training Workshop. Video.
Phonics: A Sound Approach. Curriculum Associates. 4 Levels.
Phonics and Whole Words. Activity Book 1. Edward Fry. Contemporary
The Quick-Word by Curriculum Associates.
Handbook for Everyday Writers.
Literature Guide for Everyday Readers
Handbook for Practical Writing
Dictionary of Classroom Words
Handbook for Beginning Writers
Real-life English. (Literacy Level). Stech-Vaughn. 2 cassettes, student book and teacher 's edition.
Real-life English. Stech-Vaughn. 2 cassettes, student book, workbook and teacher 's edition.
Number 1
Number 2
Serbo-Croatian: Start Speaking Today. Two audio cassette and phrase study guide. Educational Services Corp.
Sounds of English. Video tape and Trainee practice audio tape.
Test Ready - Language Arts. Curriculum Associates. Levels 1-8.
Think About Mathematics. Curriculum Associates, Inc. Book and teacher guide for each.
Buildings
Row by Row
The Surprise Party
Three Birds
Waiting for Three O 'Clock
Think About Science. Curriculum Associates, Inc. Book and teacher guide for each.
Weather Report
The Planets
Black Bears
Light, Lights, and More Light!
A Maple Tree
Think About Social Studies. Curriculum Associates, Inc. Book and teacher guide for each.
The Clean-Up
Monuments and Symbols
Neighborhoods
We Can Earn Money, Too
Where Do You Live?
Understanding Language: Vocabulary Exercises. Books One and Two. Contemporary Books.
Workforce: Building Success. Stech-Vaughn.
Communication
Writing
Customer Service
High Interest/Low Level Reading
Amazing But True Sports Stories. Phyllis and Zander Hollander. Scholastic Inc.
America 's Story by Vivian Bernstein. Book One to 1865. Stech-Vaughn.
Animorphs: The Visitor. K. A. Applegate. Scholastic Inc.
Are You in the House Alone? Richard Peck. Bantam Doubleday Books.
Baseballs Biggest Bloopers. Dan Gutman. Puffin Books.
A Boat to Nowhere. Marurren Crane Wartski. Signet Books.
The Bridges at Toko-Ri. James A. Michener. Fawcett Crest.
The Chocolate War. Robert Cormier. Bantam Doubleday Books.
Cliffhangers: Sixteen Stories for Students to Complete. Wieser Educdational, Inc.
Set A
Set B
Set C
Ghost Stories. Edited by A. L. Furman. Pocketbooks.
House of Stairs. William Sleator. Puffin Books.
Infield Hit. Thomas J. Dygard. Puffin Books.
The Invisible Man. H.G. Wells. Doherty Associates, Inc.
Letters from the Inside. John Marsden. Laurel-Leaf Books.
Love Stories. Cassette and storybook. Timeless Tales retold by Tana Reiff. New Readers Press.
The Man from the Other Side. Uri Orlev. Puffin Books.
The Martian Cronicles. Ray Bradbury. Bantam Books.
Nightjohn. Gary Paulsen. Bantam Doubleday.
The Outside Shot. Walter Dean Myers. Laurel-Leaf Books.
Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom. Katherine Paterson. Puffin Books.
Rookies: Playball! Mark Freeman. Jeffrey Weiss Group
US GOVERNMENT
OMNIBUS APPROPRIATIONS BILL
The Omnibus Appropriations Bill shows the following:
Adult Education State Grants -$365 million
U.S. Department of Education - $ 14 million
Nat 'l Institute for Literacy - $ 6 million
Total $385 million
The $365 million for state grants represents a $20 million increase over the current $345 million state grant level or an increase of just under 6%.
The $14 million appropriation for the U.S. Department of Education is an increase of $9 million.
The Literacy for Prisoners program appears to have no appropriation in the adult education funding package although is alive at a $4.7 million level somewhere in the higher education appropriation.
The "Reading Excellence" bill passed and is called "Professional Development in Reading and Literacy" and is a new Part C of Title II of ESEA. Its appropriation is $260 million of which $5 million goes to NIFL to fund its new responsibility to disseminate information about reading and literacy to programs supported under this new title as well as programs supported from Titles I and VII of ESEA, the Head Start Act, IDEA and Adult education and Family Literacy.
Ten million dollars of this appropriation is set aside for amendments to the Even Start program.
Even Start itself also received an increase from $124 million to $135 million.
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"LINCS - Your Connection
to OnLine
Adult Literacy Information"
What is LINCS ?
LINCS is the National Institute for Literacy 's (NIFL) comprehensive electronic communication and information system.
LINCS is a single point of access for adult literacy resources and up-to-date information at the national, state, and local levels.
LINCS allows literacy stakeholders all over the world to share information about the issues that matter most to them.
LINCS is the connection to the world of literacy resources on the Internet located at www.nifl.gov
NIFL funds four state-based regional LINCS to ensure that literacy groups in every U.S. state and territory have the technological capacity to produce and share electronic information about literacy. The Midwestern LINCS serves Iowa and the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Headquartered at the Ohio Literacy Resource Center at Kent State University, the Midwestern LINCS maintains specialized collections of resources related to family literacy and numeracy, as well as technology training.
(http://archon.educ.kent.edu/Midwest/index.html)
USE THE NEWSPAPER
TO HELP CHILDREN WITH
READING !
The Gazette Newspaper in Education (NIE) program offers you the following free resources and services:
- Resource books filled with newspaper activity ideas including: What 's News? Byline, Deadline, Online-, 101 Ways to Use The Mini Page-, Reading Realities.
- A variety of pamphlets with suggestions for reading and learning together.
- A series of activity sheets which guide students through the creation of their own newspaper.
- Be Excited About Reading calendars with reading activity suggestions.
- Classroom presentations about newspapers.
- Family Night events in which families participate in hands-on activities that foster reading and communication at home.
Call NIE Manager Oline Stigers at 319-398-8427 or NIE Coordinator Jennifer Miller at 319-398-8447 to request any of these materials.
You can also email them at niegaz@fyiowa.com or visit at http://www.GazetteOnline.com/nie/
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November 06, 1998