Contrary to popular belief, the two days students had off on the 5th and 6th this past November were far more than an opportunity for students to sleep in until noon. Two days of relaxation for the students of RHS allowed two days of learning for their teachers.
Teachers Convention Weekend, held by the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) every year, serves as a way to have teachers step into the role of students.
The old cliché, “Learning never stops,” holds significant truth for professors and educators alike, and is often overlooked. The NJEA addresses this through workshops, consultations, and various other programs. Teachers are able to delve into their field and discover more about how to effectively teach it. They also have the opportunity to broaden their horizons and dabble in other subjects.
There are hundreds of workshops every year that focus in on specific teaching methods or subjects. This year, some included: “Closing the Achievement Gap: Culture, Language and Economic Differences,” “How to Prepare Students for PARCC Through Your Existing Curriculum,” and “Demystifying Dyslexia.” There was even a workshop on how to deal with behavior on school buses!
The 2015 Convention had two main speakers: Dana Goldstein, a journalist and the author of The New York Times best-seller The Teacher Wars: A History of America’s Most Embattled Profession, and José Luis Vilson, a public school math educator, blogger, speaker and activist in New York City who is also the author of This is Not A Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education.
Because it is held in the beginning of the year, it allows ample time for the lessons learned to be taught to students throughout the 2015-16 school year.Teachers’ Convention Weekend is an incredible learning opportunity offered to the educators of New Jersey.
Patricia Joseph
staff writer