Mentoring and Support

It is my wish that everyone had a good school year.  There are times when there are many challenges, but usually we all persevere.  For you new teachers out there, be happy with the thought that you made it through the first year alive.  I still remember my first year, and it has been a few years back.  A great chance for renewal of the spirit is to attend the Professional Development Conference in the summer.  There are lots of good things to learn, people to meet and renew friendships, and just have a great time.  Hope to see you all there.  For everyone, Have a great summer of rest, relaxation, and sleep.

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2008 Summer Tri-Cluster Conference

August 4-8, 2008

Sheraton Dallas Hotel, Dallas Texas

For more detailed information and registration visit www.fcstat.org

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Does anyone have information on the summer Family and Consumer sciences Conference for 2008?

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When you make your next posting, you may notice a slight difference in the appearance of the site.  However, the actions you take to post are still the same.  Due to possible securtiy issues, a behind the scenes program update was necessary to protect our blog.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at the Curriculum Center.

Heather Blount

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As a first year FCS teacher, I am surviving. But I know I should and can do better. I need input on teaching Ready, Set Teach. I think it is a wonderful program. I especailly need widsom with grade assesment, teaching ideas and working with sometimes elementary teachers who see their intern as a glorified secretary. Thanks

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Another way I stay organized with FCCLA is to use the binder system for my own personal sanity. I have a four inch binder that I keep most all FCCLA materials in. The following is an outline of the various sections I have set up in this notebook. Part I: Advisor Notebook: A. All calendars B. FCCLA Addresses 1. local officers 2. regional & state officers 3. headquarters (TEA & State Staff) C. FCCLA Facts 1. facts sheets 2. project sheets 3. opening & closing ceremony  D. officer duites & responsibilities E. regional information & forms (in order by due date) F. state information & forms (in order by due date) G. Correspondance 1. letters received 2. letters written H. Affiliation Forms Part II: Officer Notebook: A. List of local officers & past officers B. FCCLA Information 1. creed 2. mission & purposes 3. parliamentary law 4. national projects 5. planning process C. State FCCLA Map D. Local Officer Correspondance 1. record keeping 2. regional & state forms for the office held. Part III: Chapter Organization A. Chapter Officer Duties (8 to 10 officers) B. Officer Requirements C. Officer Application/Contract(spring elections) D. Meetings 1. officer meeting each month (if needed twice a month) a. plan projects/ calendar b. investigations/reports c. evaluate 2. monthly chapter meetings (if needed twice a month) a. projects b. fund-raising c. guest speakers d. field trips/state, regional, national cluster meetings, area workshops e. food Part IV: Workshops Part V: Power of One Part VI: Star Events/Judges Part VII: LEO’s Part VIII: Other Resources. I hope this will become a resource that you can use too. It helps to keep me on track & to keep up the FCCLA.

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I’m trying to build a strong FCCLA chapter.  I’m still a newbie and work at a small 1A school.  Do you have any ideas for establishing a chapter guidebook?  I want to establish a set of rules to help students understand their responsibilities as members.

Posted by Alison Thorn

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As an experienced teacher, I have established my own system for staying organized. I am a one teacher department and must keep up with my class loads. I have six preps in a semester, twelve for the entire year. I also have a very active FCCLA chapter with 84 members. How can I do this without going crazy? I use a binder/notebook system for all my classes and for FCCLA. Each class is color coded (examples: Parenting - purple, Child Development - pink, Housing - brown, Interior Design - orange, ect.) Every worksheet, daily assignment, video/power point, Internet usage for each day is placed in the binder and dated. My weekly lesson plans are placed in the binder with the objective, TEKS objective and any TAKS objectives that were covered. Also, modifications can be placed in the binder for evidence of meeting the IEP specifications for your special education students. I also use simple 11×14 inch wash tubs that come in all colors to place the work for the entire week for each class. All folders contained inside these tubs are also color coded so as not to get the different classes work mixed up. They are all layed out on my table, then when the different classes come in I can just grab the correct tub and begin class. I also have a simular binder for FCCLA. I will write about this in another article at a later time. I hope you give this system a try. Believe me, it does work and you won’t go crazy!

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As a veteran teacher, I have seen so many changes in schools since the first year I taught family and consumer sciences up to the present. Some of those changes, I must say, are for the better and, others could use some “repair”.

Life is so different now. When I began my teaching career, we had no cell phones, ipods, real concerns with dress code, etc. like we do now. It is a whole new generation-as our keynote speaker mentioned at our mid-winter conference! A whole new generation!

 I have had my share of challenges this school year. I am fortunate to have a student teacher from New Mexico State University working with me this semester. She is young enough to be my daughter (which I must admit makes me feel older…but it does keep me on my toes!) Yet she has helped shed a new light in my classroom. And, for that I am grateful! Sometimes it is just someone or something special that really helps us to refocus on our students, our “style”, our schools. I think I needed that “shift” this year.

Thank you, Linda Lopez (student teacher) and Dr. Merrilyn Cummings (professor of teacher education)! you are both such an inspiration to me!

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I was reading through some of the questions and posts.  I would like to add that I really like Bernina sewing machines.  I too have been faced with the problem of more students than sewing machines.  Sometimes I give some seatwork they can do on their own and rotate students on seperate days doing the seatwork or sewing.  I also encourage 2 students to share if they can use the same color thread.  It is very easy for one student to sew a seam while another is pressing.

I also want to address another issue.  Make sure you have permission slips with you at all times when you go to meetings with the kids.  I faced a problem at the region IV meeting that we all hope we never have to face.  I had to call EMS when a student had a seisure.  The very first thing they asked was “Do you have a permission slip”.  I was also asked the same question when I got to the hospital with the student.  Fortunately I always make students give me their meds if they are taking perscriptions and I had those in my purse.  All is well that ends well and fortunately my student is fine, but it was a little scary and I am glad I did have the permission slips and the medications.

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