AIMS 2005 CONFERENCE
Experiencing the Art of Possibility with Benjamin Zander
/ About the Speaker: Benjamin Zander is the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, a teacher of thousands of musicians and a speaker on leadership to organizations all over the world. Mr. Zander’s recordings are international best sellers. He has taught at the New England Conservatory for 35 years and is Artistic Director of a school for gifted children. He has conducted all over the world. Mr. Zander is co-author of a best-selling book called The Art of Possibility. He has been profiled on 60 minutes, the BBC, The Wall Street Journal, The Sunday Times of London, and the New York Times. He was the 2002 recipient of the United Nations “Caring Citizen of the Humanities” award.Benjamin Zander’s presentation takes an audience on a journey that offers a startling new perspective on leadership. Through stories, music and concepts it causes a radical shift in perspective. This is not a speech, it is an experience!
In this new model of leadership, the conductor sees his job as awakening possibility in others. The orchestra is a group of highly trained individuals poised to coalesce into an effective whole. Passion, creativity and the desire to contribute are basic human instincts to be released.
World famous conductor, Benjamin Zander uses the metaphor of the orchestra and a lifetime of experience conducting, coaching and teaching musicians to work his magic to overcome barriers to productivity.
Session I—8:45a.m.-10:45a.m. Keynote Address at ULS
Session III—12:45p.m.-2:45p.m. Keynote Address at GPA
AIMS 2005—Middle & Upper School Conference
University Liggett School
Session II—11:00a.m.-12:15p.m. Featured Speakers
F-1Dealing with Difficult Parents Sean Hogan Downey
Less than 10% of parents pose problems for teachers, however, they consume 90% of your energy at times. This presentation will focus on creating a non-anxious presence dealing with setting appropriate boundaries, parent-teacher conflicts and dealing with denial, defensiveness, discipline dilemmas and delivering “bad” news.
Sean Hogan-Downey, A.C.S.W., L.M.F.T. is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a private practice for over twenty-five years. She is a staff consultant and school counselor for Grosse Pointe Academy. She is known for her down-to-earth style and sense of humor in dealing with a wide variety of topics for parenting seminars and faculty workshops.
F-2Engaging Fathers in Students’ Lives and the School Community John Badalament
This dynamic workshop Illustrates how children’s relationships with their fathers - whether present or absent - impact their emerging sense of identity, school performance, and capacity for developing healthy relationships. This workshop helps schools assess how well they are currently engaging fathers at a classroom and whole school level. It will also offer practical suggestions for what schools can do to increase fathers’ involvement and foster healthy father-child relationships.
John Badalament M.Ed., lectures internationally about the critical role fathers play in children’s lives. He is the director of the acclaimed PBS documentary film All Men Are Sons: Exploring the Legacy of Fatherhood. In addition to his educational consulting, John has a private counseling practice.
Join us this evening at 7:00 P.M. for John Badalament’s parent presentation at University Liggett School.
This program is open to the public.
F-3Literacy, Laughter and Learning Mary Bigler, PhD.
This fun-filled and practical workshop is for teachers who wish to enrich their language arts program. The role of good books, writing and listening in a balanced language arts program will be discussed. You will leave with many ideas you can implement immediately. Come laugh, learn and feel good about teaching after a workshop with Mary Bigler.
Dr. Mary Bigler, a professor in the Department of Teaching Education at Eastern Michigan University, is an internationally-known motivational speaker and literacy consultant. She has keynoted conferences, programs and in-service meetings throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Africa. She has conducted hundreds of workshops on reading and writing for teachers, administrators and parents. Dr. Bigler has appeared on numerous radio and television programs. She has served as an advisor to governmental and educational institutions as well as to business and industry. Dr. Bigler is a past president of the Michigan Reading Association and is listed in Who’s Who of American Women.
F-4Solve for X: Mathematics and Multicultural Education Lalitha Shastri
Challenging the notion that multiculturalism, equity and justice are relevant to the humanities and arts alone, this presentation provides rationale and strategies for multicultural mathematics. Focuses on ethnomathematics and equity pedagogy. This session will further examine the philosophical and social imperatives for independent schools to create and sustain equitable and just school cultures. Participants will receive practical, step-by-step procedures for moving forward on the continuum to social justice: from diversity to multiculturalism to equity to empowerment to social justice.
Lalitha Shastri is an independent consultant on equity and justice in independent schools. She has been a classroom teacher and is currently Dean of Curriculum and Multiculturalism at Presidio Hill School in San Francisco.
F-5Teaching About the Holocaust: Guidelines and Resources Aimee Young
Teaching about the Holocaust responsibly and in a limited amount of time can be a daunting challenge. This presentation will cover the many ways that the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum can support teachers in the field. In this session teachers will consider methodological approaches, learn about the Museum’s extensive website and professional development opportunities, and receive teacher packets and lesson plans. The United States Holocaust Memorial Center is America’s national institution for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history, and serves as this country’s memorial to the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust.
Aimee Young is a member of U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s new Regional Education Corps of teachers and a USHMM teacher fellow from 2001. In 2004, she was one of three teachers in the nation chosen as a DisneyHAND American Teacher Awards’ Honoree in the category of high school humanities. She has been teaching high school English for the past fourteen years and her own elective on the Holocaust for the last nine years.
11:45 a.m. LUNCH SERVED
Vegetarian Lunches--Please Note: You need to request a vegetarian lunch on your registration form. Your AIMS representative will include your name on the vegetarian list for your conference site. Please go to the vegetarian lunch station and give them your name to pick up your lunch.
12:00 P.M. INTEREST GROUP SESSIONS
Designed for those who want to meet people from other schools to share ideas about curriculum and/or current issues in education. Please check your Room Directory Sheet for locations and topics.
Session III—1:15p.m.-2:30p.m. Teacher Workshops
W-1Creating a Caring Learning Community: Collaboration, Consensus & Change
Cynthia Goldberg
This session will provide a model for creating a collaborative, positive approach to necessary change that can be used with most any independent school faculty. It offers ways to involve everyone in effective communication, efficient and cooperative problem solving, necessary growth, and helps to foster a healthy, progressive faculty spirit. Less time spent on complaints offers more time to create a more caring environment for children.
Cynthia Goldberghas been at Detroit Country Day School for twenty-four years and has been the Middle School Director for the last sixteen years. She has practiced the approach described in the session annually and found that even without a lot of time or money, a faculty can take great pride and pleasure in creating a positive working environment. She holds a B.A. in English and French and a Masters in Supervision, Curriculum, and Instruction.
W-2Creativity and Leadership Allison Parks
Creative problem-solving and group dynamics are skills that are highly rewarded in any workplace, especially for those who are responsible for the stewardship of the educational system. In this hands-on and motivational workshop, participants will explore ways to “think outside the box” to achieve a heightened sense of creativity and satisfaction in their role as leaders.
Allison Parks teaches Jewelry and Metals at Detroit Country Day School. In addition to teaching, she is a working artist. As an enthusiastic and high energy speaker, she has taught creativity-building workshops for business leaders since 2000.
W-3Mentoring: Mazes, M&M’s & Mentoring Buddies--Make Magic at Your School
Orelia Dann, Elaine Moffat, Cathy Renaud, Judy Gallegos, Steve Jones, Chris Gleason
This session will offer ideas for implementing a formal mentoring program in your school based on the model that has been in operation at Greenhills School for the past five years. It is a powerful way for any school to encourage collegiality, collaboration and growth among faculty. This presentation answers questions such as “What do we do to sustain growth in our faculty?” and “What will happen to our mentoring program?”
All presenters in this session are teachers at Greenhills School and members of the Mentoring Committee which oversees the program.
W-4What About Those Boys? Dan Hodgins Ph.D
“What about those boys?” rings out from classrooms around the country. If you find yourself asking this question, this workshop is for you. Increase your awareness of boys: how they learn, how to educate them based on brain research, and how to create the ultimate classroom to support the development of boys.
Dan Hodgins, Ph.D. is a nationally known consultant, Coordinator of Early Childhood Education at Mott Community College, author, teacher, and counselor.
W-5The Stress Factor Mary Rumbell
An examination of the positive and negative effects of stress on teachers and students is the focus of this presentation. The causes of stress in teachers and students and techniques to lower negative stress levels in the classroom while motivating and challenging students through positive stressors will be explained.
Mrs. Rumbell received her B.A. in Education from Wayne State University. She is currently working on a M.A. in Educational Psychology. She is married with two grown sons.
W-6PeaceJam High School: Apprenticeship in Peacemaking
Jennifer Weaver & Jessica Chatman
PeaceJam, an international education program, is effecting change in today’s youth by focusing on their capacity to create a more peaceful ear in schools, communities and the world. The PeaceJam High School program has three components: EDUCATION (utilizing the violence prevention curriculum to study a Nobel Peace prize winner), INSPIRATION (interacting with the Nobel Laureate at the annual conference) and ACTION (completing a community service project that addresses a social injustice or community need). In this workshop, we will review the apprenticeship model of PeaceJam, participate in curriculum activities, and discuss how youth can become a part of this extraordinary service-learning program.
Jennifer Weaver and Jessica Chatman, the Director and Program Coordinator respectively, administer Great Lakes PeaceJam, an affiliate of the International PeaceJam program that serves youth in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. PeaceJam is an education program built around Nobel Peace Laureates who work personally with youth to pass on the spirit, skills and wisdom they embody. The goal of PeaceJam is to inspire a new generation of peacemakers who will transform their local communities, themselves and the world.
W-7Spreading the Wealth: AIMS College Counselors Sharing Ideas & Resources
Stacy M. Penkala
This session will provide an opportunity for independent school counselors to come together to discuss the tricks of the trade. We’re all working with students and their parents, but what tools are particularly useful within our respective college guidance curriculums? From newsletters to testing, and programming to college rep visits, we will discuss what works and what doesn’t. Come prepared to share some of your successes and failures…handouts will be provided.
Stacy M. Penkala has worked as the Assistant Director of College Counseling at Detroit Country Day School for nine years. Prior to DCDS, sheworked in college admissions at both Central Michigan University and Oakland University.
W-8The First Year Experience Alan Eidelman & Judy Hehs
The nature of scheduling in independent schools allows for the creation and adaptation of unique programs. A “community service” block has been built into the schedule at the Academy of the Sacred Heart for over 30 years. Through an evolution of ideas and needs, the First Year Experience for all 9th graders was established. The First Year Experience is a two-hour, weekly session during the community service block of time. This time frame allows for extended exposure to the arts, cultural, religious, geographical, and community service opportunities in the metropolitan area.
Judy Hehs is the Director of the Upper School at the Academy of the Sacred Heart, and has been a member of the educational community for 18 years, beginning in the Science Department. Alan Eidelman, after retiring from a 31 year teaching career at Clawson High School, joined the Academy’s Social Studies Department six years ago. Judy and Alan are part of a team of educators working with the 9th graders.
W-9Athletics: How It Enhances an Education Ken Leavoy
Some of the skills that can be (and should be!) taught through athletics will be shared. The development of character and leadership will also be examined. Coaches, their impact on children and why we need to hire wisely will be explained. The relationship between the academic and athletic departments will be considered and some ideas for building a stronger partnership between them will be shared. Physical fitness and its impact on classroom performance will be discussed.
Ken Leavoy was born and raised in Canada. He has coached children and adults including world champions, Olympic athletes and Pan-American Games gold medalists. Three of the past four years he has been a guest coach for Canada’s National Women’s Softball Team. He is currently coaching at Principia Upper School in St. Louis.
W-10Incorporating Lacrosse into Your Curriculum Vicki Oakley
Introduce the fastest game on two feet, Lacrosse, into your curriculum. Skills and drills to increase confidence and ability will be presented.
Vicki Oakley is a High School Physical Education Teacher and a Varsity Lacrosse Coach at Academy of the Sacred Heart.
W-11A Child Study Team: One School’s Experience John Knight & Don Reid
This session will explain the creation, organization, and implementation of a Child Study Team in an independent school.
John Knight is the associate head of school at the Academy of the Sacred Heart. Don Reid, M.A. is on staff at the Academy of the Sacred Heart as a school psychologist and is in private clinical practice.
W-12Engaging Learners Angie Saylor
With all the tools available to educators, it is difficult to find that delicate balance of engaging students in the academic process and not overwhelming the teacher with preparation. Students must embrace learning and take ownership of their educational path. Learn effective methods of spiraling information throughout a subject area as well as techniques for improving instruction. Using a variety of motivational methods in the classroom environment is one key to engaging learners. Attendees of this workshop will participate in activities proven successful in the classroom.
Angie Saylor has been teaching for thirteen years at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. She is currently teaching middle school students at the Academy of the Sacred Heart. She is a life-long learner and loves inspiring others to kindle this passion.
W-13Hot Wired for Middle School: Survival Skills for 6th Grade & Beyond Mike Mencotti
This presentation will show how a laptop school weaves computer skills with study skills. The 6th grade Study Skills/Laptop Explorations course aims to rid the anxiety many students carry with them into middle school by giving them the organization and study tips necessary to thrive. The presentation will show how our school integrates computer training into a student’s curriculum with “just in time” instruction. It will show how this course focuses the student on organization, reading skills, computer skills and general “survival skills” necessary for success in middle school and beyond. Although some time will be spent on how we set up our technology program, most of this presentation will focus on the course material and integration.
Mike Mencotti has been guiding Middle School students at Detroit Country Day Middle School for seven years. Prior to starting his second career in teaching, he was a journalist for the Detroit News for 15 years.
W-14Content & Web Design: A Modular Approach to Teaching Content
C. Ruth Bosch M.Ed.
Are you interested in using technology to teach content? This session will show you how to present content through the use of a website design model that applies learning theories and the fundamentals of Instructional Technology in a practical and innovative way.