Vermont-NEA News

Vermont-NEA is a busy place this summer!  Summer learning for teachers is an essential part of the profession.  Summer is a time when teachers can engage in day and week-long learning without having to go home to plan the next day's lessons, email parents, or comment on student work.  They have time to reflect on their learning and think about how it will impact their planning next year.  Strong teachers engage in reflective practice, and I have not met a Vermont teacher in any of Vermont-NEA trainings who have not been reflective practitioners.

Two weeks ago, Jessica Wilson, the Technology Integrationist at Hinesburg Community School, taught a two-day Chromebook Class at Vermont-NEA.  I was her able (or perhaps not so able) assistant.  The week before, I had the purchased my first Chromebook, and was able to navigate through the apps and Chromebook features fairly easily.  Being very experienced with Google Docs helped a lot.  My new learning was conducting my first Google Hangout, creating my first WeMovie, and discovering the educational apps that can be added to one's Chromebook.  Teachers and Paraprofessionals in this training (22 of them) were engaged and thought about how they will use Chromebooks in their classrooms next year to transform their teaching through engaging students in new types of activities to promote learning.  I want to thank them for their active participation and moving out of their comfort zone!

         

Upcoming Professional Learning

Vermont-NEA is hosting the State's first training on Student Learning Objectives.  This training is taking place at the Champlain College during the first week of August.  We still have openings for this training, and  currently have 15 school districts, teachers, administrators, and higher education represented.  Information on this training can be found here.

As the Director of Professional Programs at Vermont-NEA, I am always seeking new opportunties to engage Vermont Teachers.  This new website will be a great start in communicating with all of you the work that Vermont-NEA and its members are doing at the state and national levels in promoting professional learning.  I hope to highlight many of these teachers and areas through this website.  Vermont teachers have an incredible amount of expertise and I would love to support collaboration among Vermont-NEA members!

Enjoy the mid-July heat,

Juliette Longchamp,

Email:  jlongchamp@vtnea.org