 TCI eNews
May 2008
In this issue:
- Strategy Drill-in: Problem Solving Groupwork
- Econ Alive! The Power to Choose
- Bert's Blog: Turning Summer Fun Into Great Lessons
- Summer Professional Development Across the Nation
Can you believe it? It is almost summer time.
At TCI we want you to enjoy your summer. So welcome to the summer 2008
edition of eNews. The articles in this edition all pertain to what our
customers and staff are doing for summer vacation. Maybe it will give you
some ideas. Visit the Elementary Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers , and Classroom Technology
discussion groups and let us know how you'll be spending your summer. (And
Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!)
Strategy
Drill-in: Problem Solving Groupwork
By Karen Johnson, Marketing Brand
Manager
 As adults,
we all can think of a time where a small group activity didn't go as
planned. Of course it is never our fault. If only the other guy wasn't
such a slacker. Or the other gal wasn't so
bossy.
TCI feels that the ability to work in small groups is important.
How important? I've been assigned to take a family camping trip and use
the skills I've learned in TCI's Problem Solving Groupwork activities to
work effectively with my husband and
daughter.
This should be interesting.
Want to explore the strategy of Problem Solving Groupwork? Then,
help our family plan for our summer California camping trip. Post your
thoughts, suggestions, and opinions on the Middle School discussion
group.
In the
meantime, you can turn your own lessons into Problem Solving Groupwork.
Visit our Problem Solving Groupwork Overview page to learn
how.
Econ Alive! The Power to
Choose
By Nathan Wellborne, TCI Lesson
Developer
So you can't wait for summer? Neither can the
Creative Team at TCI! But while you'll be visiting exotic locations,
playing with your kids, and resting (you deserve it), we'll be hard at
work creating and refining our newest high school program, Econ Alive! The Power to
Choose. But don't feel too sorry for us, it's quite a
thrill to create economics lessons and have them piloted in classrooms
around the country. With each pilot come improvements and modifications;
and frankly, we think you'll be quite impressed. (Try your hand at
economics with our Chapter 1 Starbucks
activity).
This summer, the Creative Team will be wrapping up
our final classroom pilots to ensure that our program truly does bring
economics alive (no  small task for a course known as the "Dismal
Science"). As a teacher, I'm unbelievably excited for you to get your
hands on these fantastic tools that just might turn lesson planning into a
vacation. Be on the lookout for the Econ Alive! Program Preview
this September; it will have everything you need to successfully teach
Chapter 2 "Economic Decision Making." Please call Customer Service at
800-497-6138, ext. 0 to get on the list for your free Program
Preview.
Well,
it's back to work. Our team will be creating PowerPoint presentations so
you'll be able to facilitate all portions of TCI lessons effortlessly and
visually. If we do our jobs right, students will be engaged by the
Preview, participate in the activity, read the Student Edition to take
graphically organized notes, and demonstrate mastery of the material in
the Processing assignment.
Bert's Blog: Turning Summer
Fun Into Great Lessons
In his latest blog, Bert Bower,
TCI's CEO and founder, reflects upon some of his past summer breaks and
how he as been able to create great lessons from trips and other
professional developing offerings. Learn about Bert's past experiences and
join in the discussion. Bert
asks, "Have you ever turned summer fun into a great lesson?"
Summer
Professional Development Across the Nation
By Marsha
Russo, TCI Academy
TCI Academy has been busy coordinating with districts around the
country to bring professional development to teachers. With more than 80
trainings currently scheduled, our Trainers are going to be busy! So where
are they going?
Well, it's not just the sunny beaches attracting nearly a dozen TCI
Academy Trainers to Florida this summer. In the greater New York the area,
our Differentiating Instruction course is proving popular, while Michigan
loves the new Reaching All Learners course and is also diving into
Developing Content Literacy.
Further west, there aren't many sessions that Texas schools haven't
selected. Many of our Trainers will be spending their summer in the lone
star state helping teachers with everything from Reaching All Learners to
Enhancing Teachers' Understanding and Appreciation of American History.
William Brazier of Loudoun County Public Schools, Virginia, has
provided a sneak peak into what his teachers will be experiencing this
summer.
Elementary teachers will spend two days attending sessions in the
Reaching All Learners course followed by two days of Content
Literacy.
Secondary teachers will have a similar agenda with a full day of
the new Interactive Student Notebook course added
in.
When asked what he liked most about the new TCI Academy offerings,
Mr. Brazier explained, "The new approach to History Alive! and
Social Studies Alive! training allows us to tailor our sessions
to the learning needs of the diverse students we have in Loudoun County.
For example, this year we've decided we really need to focus on reading,
writing and multiple literacies. TCI Academy worked with us to put
together training sessions targeting those learning needs within the
context of History Alive's interactive strategies."
All of us at TCI Academy are excited for a summer
full of learning! To learn more, please visit www.tciacademy.com.
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