ACTE encourages you to share videos and photos from the 2008 National Policy Seminar (NPS) with your CTE colleagues and fellow state association members. You can link to NPS photos in the ACTE flickr photo gallery, or download these photos to add to a newsletter. You can also post videos of Policymaker of the Year legislators speaking on the importance of CTE. Go to the NPS Web page, scroll down, save the videos (PC users, right-click the link to each video and choose “Save Target As”), and upload them to your site. Or keep a playlist of all ACTE videos on your site by embedding the ACTE SchoolTube Mini Video Player (MVP). Go to ACTE’s blogs and online communities page, scroll down, and click on “Add to your site …” below the video player. A new page will open. Choose the ACTE playlist and add the code to your Web site.  

Blog Survey
Please take a few minutes to fill out ACTE’s blog survey if you have not already done so. We appreciate your participation—your feedback helps ACTE staff determine the effectiveness of current programs and plan new initiatives.

ACTE April Book of the Month

The 8th Habit (available in audio!)
By Stephen R. Covey

In today’s challenging world, being highly effective is the price of entry to the playing field. To thrive, innovate, excel and lead in this new reality, we must reach beyond effectiveness toward fulfillment, contribution and greatness. Tapping into the higher reaches of human motivation requires a new mindset, a new skill-set—a new habit. This book is a roadmap to help you find daily fulfillment and excitement. ACTE members who purchase this book this month will be able to take advantage of the special Book of the Month discount!

ACTE member price: $12.00 (regularly $15.00!)
Nonmember price: $19.00

North Carolina workshop focuses on workforce and education trends.
North Carolina’s Mount Airy News (4/10, Thompson) reported that “during a joint staff development workshop at Surry Community College” this week, teachers, staff, and SCC faculty were told that “students, their parents and teachers need to remember that education doesn’t necessarily mean a four-year college degree.” According to the Mount Airy News, “The workshop was the culmination of a yearlong E2 program, which helps educators better prepare their students for the job market in part by introducing them to area businesses and workforce trends.” Those attending the workshop “learned about growing and declining industries in Surry County and the state, as well preparing students for an economy in which businesses use global labor forces and technology to improve their bottom line.” Workshop participants “also heard from Salem College math professor Paula Young, who researched the skills required for seven high-growth, high-salary jobs and demonstrated the importance of math in each.”

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Wiki Wiki Teaching – http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2005/12/wiki-wiki-teaching-art-of-using-wiki.html?bcsi_scan_6951B902C70E4971=0&bcsi_scan_filename=wiki-wiki-teaching-art-of-using-wiki.html

Give this teaching strategy with your problem-based projects.  It is a wonderful way of sharing information, collaborating with other students, and gathering information.  It is also a great tool for reviewing for the SOL tests.

Please comment on the professional development topics you would like to see offered during the 2008-2009 school year.  Topics may include:  Writing DI lesson plans, Classroom Use for Blogs and Wikis, Internet Safety, Workforce Readiness Skills, Skills for the 21st Century, How to Use Smartboards for Classroom Instruction, and How To Use the Student Response Systems, just to name a few.  You may have other instructional strategies topics.