Alpha Delta Kappa
Collegiate Clubs Network
Successful Beginnings
AlphaDeltaKappa CollegiateClubs&Alumni
Welcometoourmonthly newsletter!Wearehereto provideyouwithsome helpfultips,connections, andnetworking opportunities.
MaryAnnEnglehart
RegionalClinicalPracticeCoordinator LiaisontotheFresnoUnifiedResidency TeacherProgram CalTPASpecialist UniversitySupportProvider
Askanyteacherandtheywilltellyouthatthefirstweeksofschoolare criticallyimportantinsettingthestageforeverythingtocome.Mostteachers willalsotellyoutoestablishclassrulesandset behaviorstandardsright away.That’strue,butI’mheretotellyouthatIthinkit’smoreimportanttoget toknowyourstudents.Whataretheirstrengths?Whataretheirchallenges? Whatdotheybringtotheclassroomthatyoucanusetomakeyourlessons relevantandengaging?Whenyouknowyourstudentsyoucaneffectively differentiateinstructiontomeetyourstudentsattheirabilitylevelsaswellas theirlearningmodalities.Getyourstudentstalkingaboutthemselves.Oneway todothatistoaskstudentstobringa‘culturalbasket’toclass.Thisbasket couldnotonlyhaveimportantelementsoftheirculturalandlinguistic backgroundsbutalsotheirinterests,hobbies,andallthethingsthatare importanttothem.Gettingtoknowyourstudentsisalsothebestwaytobuild aclassroomcommunity.DoaMe/Weactivitywherestudentsfirstwritewords orshortphrasesdescribingthemselvesandthensharewithapartnerora smallgroupthethingstheyhaveincommon.And,rememberthatGoogleis yourbestfriend!Doescomingupwithanactivityorprojecthaveyou stumped?Googleit!Or,evenbetter,reachouttoyourA∆Ksistersandaskus! Welovetohelp!
Substitute Teaching!?!
Theexcitementofgraduationhasfadedtomemories. Youearnedyourdiploma,andyourcertificate.Youarea teacher! Youfilledoutlotsofapplications,wenton
interviews,butjustdidn’tfind“thefit”youwerelookingtofind.Nowwhat?Oneword: substitute!
Acrossthecountryaround44%ofpublicschoolsreportteachervacancies. Substitutesareavitalpieceoftheschoolpuzzle. Whileitmaynotbewhatyou wantedtodo,therearebenefitstobeingadistrictorbuilding-basedsubstitute.
Servingasasubstitutecanprovidevaluableclassroomexperienceatvarious gradelevelsandcontentareas. Youbeginbuildingyourprofessionalreputation. By beingflexibleandacceptingwhateverpositionyouareaskedtofill,youshow administrationthatyouareateamplayer,andarecapableofdoingwhatisinthe bestinterestofthestudentsyouserve. Manydistrictsusequalifiedsubstofill vacancieslong-termandthiscanbethe“footinthedoor”thatmayleadtofull-time employmentinthedistrict!Thereisagrowingtrendinlargerdistrictstocontracta third-partyvendortosupplysubstitutes. Thesevendorsusuallyhaveanappthat allowstheusertochoosetheclassroomtheywillcoverforperdiemwork. Thisisa greatwaytobegin! Thesevendorsoffercantraining,aswellassicktime,andalso offerinsurancebenefitsforafee. Dependingontheareaanddistrictyouarein,the compensationforworkingcanbehighlycompetitive.
Ifyoudecidetotakethisroute,howdoyougetstarted? Beginbyresearchingthe districtsinyourareatofindoutwhattheirneedsare:perdiemsubs,orlong-term placements?Perdiemsubsworkadayhereandthere,coveringforMr.Smithwhen heissick,andforMrs.Wilsonwhenshetakesapersonalday. Long-termsubscover aclassforanextendedtime,suchasamaternityorsickleave,oravacancythat thedistricthasnotbeenabletofill. Determineifthedistrictprovidestheirownsubs orusesavendor. Researchthepay! Whenyoufinallychoosethedistrictyouwish toworkin,followtheapplicationprocesstotheletter. Createachecklistforyouruse soyoudon’tmissanysteps. Beprepared,organizedandefficient,andyoumayfind thatservingasasubstitutecanbearewardingwaytogainvaluableexperience,an enjoyablewaytohelpstudents,andaprofitablewaytomakeendsmeet!
Articleby: DebbieIngersol AΔKCCBoardMember
RowanUniversityheldtheirnewmemberinitiation/officer installationonMonday,November4,2024.Afterinitiatingover 30newmembers,afullslateofofficerswasinstalled.Thenew execboardisalreadybusyplanningcampusactivitiesto engagemembers!
