MiddleWeb

NCSS Annual Conference, Nov. 13-15

The National Council for the Social Studies will meet in Atlanta GA on Nov. 13-15 for its 89th national conference, featuring over 500 sessions and workshops for middle and high school educators. This gathering in the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement has the theme "Dreams and Deeds: The Civic Mission of Schools,"and will highlight "the central role of social studies in our schools: preparing young citizens to make a better world." Activities include events at the Carter Presidential Library and a documentary film festival.

Literacy For All Annual Conference (Nov 2009)

This will be the 20th annual session of this top event for PreK-8 literacy and Reading Recovery educators in the Northeast. This year’s three-day conference includes an expanded Middle School strand with plenty of workshop choices for those specializing in adolescent literacy. The gathering, to be held in Providence RI on November 15-17, will feature a rich selection of speakers, including middle grades teacher-blogger Donalyn Miller, author of the best-seller The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Read in Every Child. You'll find all the details at the conference website.

Cool Career Camp for Adolescents with Hearing Loss

African-American, Latino American and Native American students with hearing loss now entering grades 7-9 are invited to Steps to Success, a career exploration mini-camp to be held August 7–9 at Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Participants work with experienced counselors and instructors (who use both English and sign language) to construct robots, perform science experiments in high-tech labs, and more.The cost for students is $50 and includes housing, meals and activities. Parents/guardians invited. Registration deadline is June 15. Follow link for details.

Schools to Watch Annual Conference

One of the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform's best ideas has been the Schools to Watch program, which identifies middle grades schools that have achieved (or are on a "trajectory" toward) excellence, based on the Forum's criteria. Middle school educators attending the STW annual conference this June 25-27 in Washington DC will share stories with these schools and learn more about the road to excellence. "It's like going to an all-star game."

Stenhouse author and MiddleWeb friend Rick Wormeli is the keynoter. Go a day early to participate in the Math Smart panel. Or stay over June 29-30 for a two-day NASSP workshop featuring Rick on one of his favorite topics, differentiation.