January 2022 - SecondaryELA

INFO: Utah Jazz Black History Art Contest
by Watkins, Naomi 26 Jan '22

26 Jan '22

The Utah Jazz have launched a Black History Art contest for 9th-12th graders to submit an original art piece on what Black History Month means to them, with the chance to have that design produced and featured on an apparel piece. Info here<https://gf.fan/utahjazz/jazzbhmdesigncontest?cid=jazz_email_marketo_2022.01…>. Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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INFO: Jan 2022 Secondary ELA & Library Media News
by Watkins, Naomi 18 Jan '22

18 Jan '22

Secondary ELA & Library Media News: January 2022 Dear Secondary ELA and Library Media Colleagues: I know that things are very much in flux and many are feeling that extra burden right now. Please reach out for support and make sure to take as much care for yourselves as you are able. My Current Reads: Klara and the Sun<https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/653825/klara-and-the-sun-by-kazuo-…> by Kazuo Ishiguro My Current Music Listen: "Speaking with the Trees"<https://open.spotify.com/track/4g7Jknv7dTQ1IDoqsBTg8N?si=b2e3cc35e02a4704> by Tori Amos My Current Watch: tick tick...Boom!<https://www.netflix.com/title/81149184> Educator Spotlight Cherie Kircalli - Mount Logan Middle School, Reading and Language Arts [cid:image001.jpg@01D80C7D.29D8F7C0]I have been a Utah teacher for 21 years now. Before that, I taught elementary and middle school, and college-age students in Istanbul, Turkey for 10 years. I was inspired to become a teacher because of my friendships with migrant children when I was a child in Australia. I didn't understand the grammatical structure of the language, but I quickly learned the importance of repetition, patience, and real-life exposure to language situations in helping my friends learn English. I was also influenced by middle-school and high-school English teachers who used popular songs to interest their students in poetry and language. The most rewarding part of teaching has been the life-long connections I've been able to make with my students and their families, and the little thank you notes that have appeared at random times on my desk over the years. When you hear, in a child's own words, that you have made a difference in their life it goes a long way to erasing any negative interactions you might have had with a disgruntled parent. I have had few interests outside of teaching in the past three decades apart from crafting cards and handmade books, as well as having a keen interest in family history. The bulk of my waking moments have been spent furthering education - my own and that of my students. The most important thing about teaching ELA to kids is to bring language to life with books they might be interested in, to show a passion for the meanings of words, and to be sincere in letting them know you care about them as students and as people. My favorite book series has been the Dragonriders of Pern science fiction series by Anne McCaffrey. I love being skillfully mentally transported to another world and time. Registration Open Now: Professional Learning Opportunity Robert Austin, USBE Humanities Coordinator, and I are excited to offer the following virtual professional learning series to secondary ELA and social studies folks (classroom teachers, instructional/literacy coaches, district leaders) with Cornelius Minor called "Put The Oxygen Mask on Yourself First: What it Means To Learn Right Now." This is a series on meeting the needs of a changing learning landscape by focusing on ENGAGEMENT, CRITICAL THINKING, and CREATIVITY. Dates/Times: * Session #1: February 8, 3:30-6:30pm MST * Session #2: February 15, 3:30-6:30pm MST * Session #3: March 8, 3:30-6:30pm MST *Please note that this is a 3-part series. Participants will need to attend all three parts. Location: Zoom Cost: FREE Registration: MIDAS<http://usbe.midaseducation.com/> course ID: 60758 | Receive 1.0 USBE Credit For the schedule, learning intentions, and success criteria, visit here<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kXxXZalAqHWL_TKEq0qjmmhh_eQg411m7QXY-Uu…>. Utah Women's History Opportunities from Better Days NEW RESOURCES ABOUT MARTHA HUGHES CANNON First, we are commemorating 125 years since Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon's<https://www.utahwomenshistory.org/bios/marthahughescannon/> election as the first female state senator in the nation with new lessons and primary source sets<https://www.utahwomenshistory.org/tools-for-educators/>! To request a free digital toolkit to help teach your students about this remarkable Utah woman, please sign up here<http://shorturl.at/bpxV1>. More details can be found in the attached flyer ART CONTEST Second, we are thrilled to announce the second annual "She Started It For All of Us" art contest for 4-12 grade students. Last year, we had hundreds of submissions from students who shared their talents and brought Utah women to life in creative and impressive ways. Students must submit their art before January 24, 2022, more contest details can be found here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdNT14Dptw4rKlixT3QMJt2zjLu2ECX-zD…> and in the attached flyer. Please spread the word to all the teachers and students you know! Winners will receive cash prizes and have their art in a public display at the Utah State Capitol. FIELD TRIP OPPORTUNITY - UTAH STATE CAPITOL BUILDING Last, but not least, on February 10, 2022, Better Days is hosting students and teachers on the 4th floor gallery of the Utah Capitol for a unique field trip opportunity. Join us that morning as we share stories of Utah women who made a difference in their communities through civic engagement. We will have hands-on activities, storytellers, and displays about Utah women's history, and a visit with Utah's Lieutenant Governor, Deidre Henderson. Sign up for this great opportunity here<https://forms.gle/RgcN6QdpGXm4yQTf7>! Join Better Days for one, two or all three of these inspiring events! We look forward to hearing from you soon. UCTE 2022 Conference Friday, Feb 11, 2022at Megaplex Theaters at Jordan Commons Registration closes February 1st! Register here<https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2022-ucte-conference-tickets-204253496707>. The 2022 annual conference of the Utah Council of Teachers of English will feature exciting keynote speakers and inspiring teacher-led breakout sessions. Our keynotes this year will be about identity, inquiry, and identity led by Sara K. Ahmed and digital literacies led by Dr. Shelbie Witte and Dr. Sara Kajder. Our teacher-led breakout sessions will cover topics ranging from teaching literature to best writing practices to incorporating digital literacies into the classroom. Join us for what promises to be an energizing and inspiring day of professional development! UELMA 2022 Conference Registration for UELMA's annual conference is now open. The UELMA conference is Thursday, March 10, 2022 at Weber State University. Register now to receive a discounted rate at <https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsites.goo…> https://sites.google.com/uelma.org/annual-conference-2022/home Do you have a service project idea? Do you know someone or a library in need? Let us know how UELMA and its members can help. More information here<https://sites.google.com/uelma.org/annual-conference-2022/service-project>. We want to recognize the fabulous teacher librarians, paraprofessionals, and administrators in our state. Please consider nominating a fabulous library worker or supporter - More information here.<https://sites.google.com/uelma.org/annual-conference-2022/information/awards> UELMA is in need of volunteers! If you would be willing to help at the conference, please let us know. More information here<https://sites.google.com/uelma.org/annual-conference-2022/volunteers>. USBE & DonorsChoose Launch $12 Million Effort for Educators The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) officially launches the allocation of $12 million in COVID-19 relief funds to directly help K-12 public school educators get classroom resources for the school year through DonorsChoose<http://www.donorschoose.org/>, a nonprofit crowdfunding website. The collaboration between USBE and DonorsChoose is the largest of its kind to date in the nation and will provide Utah educators with up to $1,000 in funding for their projects, empowering them to support their students' success with classroom resources. As part of the partnership with USBE, DonorsChoose will ensure any requests for instructional materials align with the Utah Core Standards. For any requests for non-instructional items, DonorsChoose will confirm that projects relate to one of the four main goal areas identified in USBE's strategic plan: safe and healthy schools; early learning; personalized learning; and effective teachers and leaders. Any Utah full-time equivalent K-12 public school employee who spends the majority of their time directly educating or counseling students is eligible to create a project. Eligible projects are anticipated to be funded within one week of posting. Projects will be funded up to $1,000 in total costs for student-focused resources. USBE will begin funding eligible requests on a first-come, first-served basis beginning January, 18, 2021 and for as long as funding is available. Educators can learn how to create an eligible DonorsChoose project in the organization's Help Center<https://help.donorschoose.org/hc/en-us/articles/4415576238487>. Nominate Local Educators "Utah Jazz Most Valuable Educator, presented by Instructure" invites the Utah community to nominate local educators who are making an impact in their schools and communities and who are an inspiration in the lives of their students. Through this program, 21 educators will be recognized during 21 home games throughout the 2021-22 Jazz regular season. Each honored educator will be guests of Instructure at the game and receive a personalized Jazz jersey. In addition, each recipient will receive a $1,000 classroom grant and a surprise classroom visit or organized assembly involving the Jazz Bear mascot, and personnel from the Utah Jazz and Instructure. More information here.<https://www.nba.com/jazz/MVE> Nominations end March 31, 2022. Civil Liberties in Times of Crisis: The Japanese American Experience JACL and the National Endowment for the Humanities<https://neh.gov/> (NEH) are inviting seventy-two educators to explore the historical significance and enduring legacy of the World War II Japanese American incarceration experience and the reparations movement. While past participants are primarily social studies and humanities teachers at the K-12 levels, all are invited to apply. More information can be found here.<https://jacl.org/2022-neh-landmarks?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=7a6c7ac5-a7…> Black History Month with Utah Film Center Utah Film Center is proud to announce their 2022 edition of Black History Month programming beginning February 1st! This year's selection offers free films and a special event at the University of Utah that delves into the artistry, inspiration and activism of our country's Black luminaries, past and present. Each Tuesday in February, The Utah Film Center will take you on a journey to uncover the stories you thought you knew and on Thursday the 17th, they will partner with Utah Presents for a unique in-person performance by DJ Spooky as part of their Through the Lens series with KUER and RadioWest at Kingsbury Hall. More information here.<https://www.facebook.com/UtahFilmCenter/events> Scrible Trainings by UEN UEN has developed online and in-person training on Scrible, the research, writing, and reading digital platform that USBE has adopted. All Utah public school educators and students have free accounts. For UEN videos about Scrible visit: https://sites.google.com/pd.uen.org/utah-scrible-amazing/home NEW OPPORTUNITY: For a self-paced MIDAS course about Scrible, go here. <https://uen.catalog.instructure.com/browse/mooc2022/courses/research-ready-…> To request a Scrible presentation by UEN at your school/LEA, complete this form<https://form.asana.com/?hash=09cb900a8f94bb4564f8feece9fdd6f935c8a1798d9b41…>. 2021-2022 Secondary Literacy Director Meeting Dates Mark your calendars! To receive a meeting invite, contact Brenda McMurtrey at brenda.mcmurtrey(a)schools.utah.gov<mailto:brenda.mcmurtrey@schools.utah.gov> * January 25, 2022 from 1-3pm virtual * March 22, 2022 from 1-3pm Join the Listserve Want to stay in the loop of future newsletters? Join the Secondary ELA ListServ at https://lists.uen.org/mailman/listinfo/secondaryela or the Library Media ListServ at https://lists.uen.org/mailman/listinfo/library-media Have an item for the monthly Secondary ELA & Library Media newsletter, a research or teaching tip, or an educator spotlight nomination? Email brenda.mcmurtrey(a)schools.utah.gov<mailto:brenda.mcmurtrey@schools.utah.gov> by the first of the month. **Please note: LEAs have the duty to select instructional materials that best correlate to the core standards for Utah public schools and graduation requirements. (UCA 53G-4-402(1(a)). Posting of these resources by USBE staff curriculum content specialists does not imply the resources have received official endorsement of the State Board. Educators are responsible to ensure use of these materials complies with LEA policies and directives. Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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INFO/Action: Professional Learning with Cornelius Minor on Engagement, Critical Thinking & Creativity
by Watkins, Naomi 18 Jan '22

18 Jan '22

Hi All: Robert Austin, USBE Humanities Coordinator, and I are excited to offer the following virtual professional learning series to secondary ELA and social studies folks (classroom teachers, instructional/literacy coaches, district leaders) with Cornelius Minor called "Put The Oxygen Mask on Yourself First: What it Means To Learn Right Now." This is a series on meeting the needs of a changing learning landscape by focusing on ENGAGEMENT, CRITICAL THINKING, and CREATIVITY. [A person with a beard Description automatically generated with low confidence]Cornelius Minor is a Brooklyn-based educator. He works with teachers, school leaders, and leaders of community-based organizations to support literacy reform in cities (and sometimes villages) across the globe. His latest book, We Got This, explores how the work of creating more equitable school spaces is embedded in our everyday choices-specifically in the choice to really listen to kids. Whether working with educators and kids in Los Angeles, Seattle, or New York City, Cornelius uses his love for technology, hip-hop, and social media to bring communities together. As a teacher, Cornelius draws not only on his years teaching middle school in the Bronx and Brooklyn, but also on time spent skateboarding, shooting hoops, and working with young people. If you're familiar with Cornelius and his work, you know how much of a treat this will be. I attended several of his sessions at NCTE and learned so much from him and his work in classrooms. So please join us and encourage others in your circles to attend. Dates/Times: * Session #1: February 8, 3:30-6:30pm MST * Session #2: February 15, 3:30-6:30pm MST * Session #3: March 8, 3:30-6:30pm MST *Please note that this is a 3-part series. Participants will need to attend all three parts. Location: Zoom Cost: FREE Registration: MIDAS<http://usbe.midaseducation.com/> course ID: 60758 Schedule, Learning Intentions, & Success Criteria: Meeting I: February 8 Focus - ENGAGEMENT (how students engage with content & how we engage with them) What you'll learn. What you'll be able to do after this experience. Possible next steps after this experience. What it means to teach right now. So much has changed. There are so many demands on our energy and time. This will be a session on seeing through the haze of contemporary school-based urgency, (everything must be done RIGHT NOW!) identifying what's important for students, and setting realistic priorities despite the noise of "crisis" all around us. We cannot see young people authentically if we are always in "emergency" mode. You will be able to: 1. Think about & name your own professional needs/goals. 2. Consider the needs/potential growth areas of individual students & balance them with the demands of our institutions. 3. Think through school based challenges in sustainable, student centered ways. When we commit to real-world (Portrait of a graduate) learning outcomes for young people, that means we are committing to classroom based shifts for ourselves. Name some specific shifts that feel important to you. Make a plan for how these changes can go. How will you discuss these shifts with colleagues? Who? When? Meeting II: February 15 Focus - CRITICAL THINKING (how students think about the world and their experiences as texts & how we think about what it means to do school) What you'll learn. What you'll be able to do after this experience. Possible next steps after this experience. When we say that we are student-centered what, exactly does that mean? How does this connect to the idea of equity, inclusion, or diversity? This will be a session on the kind of adult mindset and classroom-based adjustments that we can make to ensure that all students get what they need in the time that they are with us. You will be able to: 1. Consider approaches like Personalized Competency Based Learning or Universal Design for Learning to sharpen instructional experiences for kids. 2. Plan lessons that reflect our belief in all children. We don't get better because we simply talk about teaching. We get better when we practice what we learn. Make a plan for how you will practice today's learning in terms of the content that you teach. Make a plan for how you will practice today's learning in terms of the methodologies that you employ. What systems will have to change as a result of today's learning? How will you change them. Sometime this month. Try all of these things. Be prepared to talk about them next month. Bring artifacts. Meeting III: March 8 Focus - CREATIVITY (how students move beyond scholastic compliance to real innovation & how we innovate for them) What you'll learn. What you'll be able to do after this experience. Possible next steps after this experience. Creating classroom-based change is not an overnight process. There will be mistakes, challenges, missteps, and misunderstandings. This is all part of the learning process. What does it mean to be culturally proficient in today's context? And how do we stay empowered and productive when things can feel so challenging sometimes. This will be a session on how to establish the kind of sustainable professional stance that puts children first while acknowledging our need for continued professional growth, rest, and care. Here we reflect on our experience so far and plan next steps for students and for ourselves. You will be able to: 1. Think about what we learn when we "assess" kids. 2. Make strategic adjustments to content and methodology. 3. Talk about how those adjustments connect to curricular outcomes, and how they speak to equity... Make a plan for how you will use the work that we shared here moving forward. Who, in this group, will you stay connected to? When will you meet with them? Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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INFO: USBE & DonorsChoose Launch $12 Million Effort for Educators
by Watkins, Naomi 18 Jan '22

18 Jan '22

Today, the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) officially launches the allocation of $12 million in COVID-19 relief funds to directly help K-12 public school educators get classroom resources for the school year through DonorsChoose<http://www.donorschoose.org/>, a nonprofit crowdfunding website. The collaboration between USBE and DonorsChoose is the largest of its kind to date in the nation and will provide Utah educators with up to $1,000 in funding for their projects, empowering them to support their students' success with classroom resources. As part of the partnership with USBE, DonorsChoose will ensure any requests for instructional materials align with the Utah Core Standards. For any requests for non-instructional items, DonorsChoose will confirm that projects relate to one of the four main goal areas identified in USBE's strategic plan: safe and healthy schools; early learning; personalized learning; and effective teachers and leaders. Any Utah full-time equivalent K-12 public school employee who spends the majority of their time directly educating or counseling students is eligible to create a project. Eligible projects are anticipated to be funded within one week of posting. Projects will be funded up to $1,000 in total costs for student-focused resources. USBE will begin funding eligible requests on a first-come, first-served basis beginning January, 18, 2021 and for as long as funding is available. Educators can learn how to create an eligible DonorsChoose project in the organization's Help Center<https://help.donorschoose.org/hc/en-us/articles/4415576238487>. https://schools.utah.gov/file/dcd2837d-f3b8-4bae-9d9f-ffd3b9eafdae Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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INFO: USBE & DonorsChoose Launch $12 Million Effort for Educators
by Watkins, Naomi 18 Jan '22

18 Jan '22

Today, the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) officially launches the allocation of $12 million in COVID-19 relief funds to directly help K-12 public school educators get classroom resources for the school year through DonorsChoose<http://www.donorschoose.org/>, a nonprofit crowdfunding website. The collaboration between USBE and DonorsChoose is the largest of its kind to date in the nation and will provide Utah educators with up to $1,000 in funding for their projects, empowering them to support their students' success with classroom resources. As part of the partnership with USBE, DonorsChoose will ensure any requests for instructional materials align with the Utah Core Standards. For any requests for non-instructional items, DonorsChoose will confirm that projects relate to one of the four main goal areas identified in USBE's strategic plan: safe and healthy schools; early learning; personalized learning; and effective teachers and leaders. Any Utah full-time equivalent K-12 public school employee who spends the majority of their time directly educating or counseling students is eligible to create a project. Eligible projects are anticipated to be funded within one week of posting. Projects will be funded up to $1,000 in total costs for student-focused resources. USBE will begin funding eligible requests on a first-come, first-served basis beginning January, 18, 2021 and for as long as funding is available. Educators can learn how to create an eligible DonorsChoose project in the organization's Help Center<https://help.donorschoose.org/hc/en-us/articles/4415576238487>. https://schools.utah.gov/file/dcd2837d-f3b8-4bae-9d9f-ffd3b9eafdae Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist Utah State Board of Education 801-538-7616

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SecondaryELA January 2022