College Readiness

What is “college writing”? Tue-Oct-22-2024 or Tue-Jan-28-2025  9am – 2:00pm

What does it mean to “write for college”?  What kinds of compositional experiences do college writers have?  What skills and dispositions are students expected to possess when they arrive on campus?  In this session, participants will explore the often disconnect between high school writing preparation and college expectations. Specifically this session will focus on the reading-writing connection, building a vocabulary to help students read as writers, and approaching feedback as a form of problem-solving.  Grade level: 9-12 (although middle school teachers are welcome), all disciplines.
Seminar Leader: Emily Meixner, Professor of English, Coordinator of English Secondary Education Program
Emily received her Ph.D. in Curriculum Theory & Multicultural Teacher Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is the coordinator of the Secondary English Education Program and regularly teaches courses on secondary reading and writing pedagogy as well as courses on children’s and young adult literature. Her research interests include secondary literacy best practices, LGBTQIA young adult literature, and teacher professional development. Dr. Meixner also works regularly in local school districts providing professional development on such topics as reading/writing workshop, reading strategies and close reading, reading in the content areas, and young adult literature.

College Readiness and High School Research  Fri-Jan-10-2025 9am to 2:00pm

College readiness is at the forefront of many classroom instructions in our schools. Are we doing enough to prepare our students for their rigorous academic work? Using local New Jersey based research as well as a set of best practices and strategies, the presenter will provide useful strategies to ensure that our students are college ready.

Seminar Leader: Ewa Dziedzic-Elliott
Ewa Dziedzic-Elliott serves as the subject librarian for all departments in the School of Education. She has 10 years of experience as a K-12 librarian, including work in both elementary and high school settings. She holds an MLIS from Rutgers University and an MA in Polish Language and Literature with a minor in Speech Therapy from Jan Kochanowski University, Poland, EU. She also holds NJ supervisor and principal certifications. Her research interests include research skills of high school and first year college students; diversity and equity in collection management; and barriers to information, especially in the immigrant, multicultural, and bilingual communities. She has published in the Journal of Academic Librarianship and Library Connections. She is an executive board member for New Jersey Association of School Librarians (NJASL) and currently serves as NJASL Past President.

Building Students’ Research Skills: Tech Tools & Strategies for Digital Literacy  Wed-Oct-23-2024 11:00am – 2:00pm

Although some seem to believe that today’s students can inherently find and evaluate online information simply because they’ve been using technology from such an early age, research and our time in the classroom prove otherwise. We’ve watched our secondary students struggle with conducting effective searches, evaluating sources, and organizing the material that they retrieve. This session will equip teachers with technology tools and engaging lesson ideas to support students in their growth as 21st century consumers of information. Materials will focus on refining search skills, employing lateral reading for website evaluation, and implementing effective note-taking and organization strategies. Attendees will experiment with various web-based programs supporting digital literacy, from both the student and teacher side as well as gain some classroom-tested mini lesson materials ready for immediate use. Leave with actionable ideas and resources to empower your students with the necessary skills and understanding to match the comfort and confidence that they feel with the technology.
Facilitator: Dr. Barbara McCarty has been teaching middle school for over 27 years, entering the profession as a 7th grade LA teacher and currently working as a middle school media specialist and adjunct professor in the Educational Technology department of New Jersey City University. With a focus on encouraging teachers to become effective curators and creators of digital content, Dr. McCarty not only provides ed. tech support and PD for the staff in her school, but she also collaborates with a variety of educational professionals presenting at state, national and international conferences like AMLE, NJASL, PETE&C and ISTE. Dr. McCarty has also been a faculty member of the 2021 Association of Middle Level Education’s Institute for Middle Level Leadership and a Mentor at the Smithsonian’s 2023 Diversity in STEM Education Summit. Because of her active contributions to her students and school community, Dr. McCarty has been honored by the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of New Jersey as a New Jersey Teacher of the Year as well as by Axalta and the Philadelphia Eagles as an All-Pro teacher.

College Readiness and High School Research  Fri-Jan-10-2025 9am to 2:00pm

College readiness is at the forefront of many classroom instructions in our schools. Are we doing enough to prepare our students for their rigorous academic work? Using local New Jersey based research as well as a set of best practices and strategies, the presenter will provide useful strategies to ensure that our students are college ready.

Seminar Leader: Ewa Dziedzic-Elliott
Ewa Dziedzic-Elliott serves as the subject librarian for all departments in the School of Education. She has 10 years of experience as a K-12 librarian, including work in both elementary and high school settings. She holds an MLIS from Rutgers University and an MA in Polish Language and Literature with a minor in Speech Therapy from Jan Kochanowski University, Poland, EU. She also holds NJ supervisor and principal certifications. Her research interests include research skills of high school and first year college students; diversity and equity in collection management; and barriers to information, especially in the immigrant, multicultural, and bilingual communities. She has published in the Journal of Academic Librarianship and Library Connections. She is an executive board member for New Jersey Association of School Librarians (NJASL) and currently serves as NJASL Past President.

Time Management for Test-Takers  Friday, March 14, 2025 11am – 1:00pm

Who Should Attend: All Educators Welcome, K-12 Focus
When tests begin, time is of the essence! Time management for tests is a skill that we can practice with our students to set them up for success. In this workshop, we’ll consider some key time-management strategies to teach students so they’re equipped to move through the content swiftly and put their hard-earned knowledge on display instead of worrying about the clock.
Participants will gain practical tools to offer students as part of the test preparations. Building from a trauma-informed lens, tools will range from nervous system regulation techniques, to evaluating test material, to accessing accommodations. Many educators today work with neurodivergent students across a variety of settings. We will offer particular tools and approaches to time management and test-taking for working with neurodivergent learners. Together, we will explore how to seamlessly integrate time management practice into lessons and practice, whether for state standardized testing or a routine test administered in the classroom.
Facilitator: Amy Ballard Amy (she/her) is an adult educator and curriculum writer. She holds a Master of Education degree with a focus on TESOL and adult literacy. Since 2013, she has worked in homes, community-based programs, and community colleges teaching High School Equivalency (HSE) exam preparation, English for speakers of other languages, writing composition, college readiness skills, and parenting skills to support child development. Amy currently designs and facilitates training and professional development opportunities for K-12 teachers, adult education programs, and higher education institutions. She is a facilitator for PHENND’s annual Trauma-Informed Teaching cohort and co-author of “Trauma-Informed Principles for Online Teaching and Learning Spaces”. Amy is passionate about offering professional development that prioritizes practical strategies based on trauma-informed principles to help educators and staff thrive in their learning environments.