Annual New Jersey Professional Development Schools Conference

The 5th Annual New Jersey Professional Development Schools Conference was held at William Paterson University on May 20, and focused upon the theme "Successful Strategies for PDS."  Over 200 people attended this event, including K-12 teachers and administrators, as well as college faculty members.  WPU's College of Education representation was led by Dean Candace Burns, Associate Dean Dorothy Feola, and Director of Professional Development and School/Community Partnerships Nancy Norris-Bauer.

The keynote speaker Marcia Tate, Consultant, Author & Co-Founder of Developing Minds Inc., presented twenty brain compatible strategies to increase student achievement from her book, Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Instructional Strategies that Engage the Brain (Second Edition).  These strategies are regularly employed in the arts.  For example, the power of "visuals" is well known in every art classroom.  Tate thus made an excellent case for STEAM, as well as for arts integration. 

Break out sessions followed the keynote, and three of these sessions were presented by Art Professors in Residence and teachers from four  schools in Paterson, NJ.  These schools (School 2, School 7, the School of Government,and the School of Information Technology) have all been awarded a generous Geraldine R. Dodge Grant to develop and implement STEAM curricula.  

Simone Sandler, Art PIR at Paterson School 2, and Second Grade Teacher Belinda Casais-McBride presented, "Steam EmPOWERment:  Strategies for an Elementary School." Their presentation stressed hands-on activities.  Examples included those in which students engaged in "engineering projects," such as bridge-building.

 Above: WPU Art PIR Simone Sandler and Second Grade Teacher Belinda Casais-McBride present "STEAM EmPOWERment:  Strategies for an Elementary School"

Myra Winter, Art PIR at Paterson School 7, Art Teacher Vernon Nealy, Fifth Grade Math Teacher Melissa Bensh, and Principal Nicholas Vancheri presented "STEAM EmPOWERment:  Strategies for a Middle School."  Principal Vancheri offered insight into how STEAM strategies have positively impacted the entire learning environment of the school.

 Above: School 7 Principal Nicholas Vancheri presents STEAM EmPOWERment:  Strategies for a Middle School

Lastly Art PIR Triada Samaras, School of Government Art Teacher Darryl Jones, and School of Information Technology Art Teacher Marilyn Simon presented:  "STEAM EmPOWERment Strategies for a High School," which stressed the transdisciplinary nature of STEAM.  Both high school principals, Dr. Karen Johnson and Ms. Vivian Gaines, attended this sessions.

 Above: WPU Art PIR Triada Samaras presents STEAM EmPOWERment:  Strategies for a High School

Above: Geraldine R. Dodge Manager, Dina Scacchetti, and GOPA Art Teacher Darryl Jones 

present STEAM EmPOWERment:  Strategies for a High School

 Above: SOIT Art Teacher Marilyn Simon talks to Paterson Principal on Assignment for Fine and Performing Arts, Cora Quince