A Message from CCIRA President,
Jessica Rickert
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Important Information for all CCIRA Members
CCIRA By-law Changes
The CCIRA Leaders have reviewed and commented on the by-law changes for the organization. To amend or change by-laws a vote of the membership is required. We usually do this during the General Assembly at the February Conference, but because it was cancelled, we are sending out an electronic copy of the current and suggested changes to all members to vote on bylaw changes. Below is an explanation of the major changes that we are proposing, a PDF of the highlighted changes, and a form to cast your vote.
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Issues with Current Structure
Commitment
Finding People to do Both Conference Chair and President
Mentoring
Understanding CCIRA as President
Consistency in Leadership
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Rationale for Changes
President-
- 3 year term to build consistency in leadership
- Come from another position on the EC to have history and understanding of the organization
- Different Skills than putting on a conference
Conference Chair-
- Can focus more on the conference than also trying to learn about the organization
- Different skills than being president
Member At Large-
- Provide more mentoring and understanding of the EC and CCIRA
- Leadership Opportunities
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Major Changes to By-laws and Policies
CCIRA Structure
- Terms of president and conference chair
- Different additions to EC
- Nominating Responsibilities from Immediate Past President to EC
General Assembly
- Change from annual meeting at conference to annual report to members in April
- No one comes to the meeting
- Presentation in Feb. is only ½ the year April could present what we have done the whole year
- Reach all members by sending out virtually
Ad Hoc vs Standing Committees (vote for these) list what was Ad Hoc to Standing and vice versa
- Standing committees
- Ad Hoc committees
Election
- Members elect President, Secretary, Treasurer
- BOD Votes to Approve all other EC positions
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Do you have ideas you are willing to share with other educators? If so, please consider presenting at CCIRA 2022. Proposals are being accepted through May 15, 2021.
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Futurist. Innovator. Educator. Entrepreneur. Change Maker.
Angela Maiers is on a mission to disrupt the status quo and to empower every individual to change their own world, if not the world around them for the better. It is fair to say she leaves no room unchanged.
Read more@
Twitter @Angela Maiers
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Meet the Executive Committee! |
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Every month we will introduce you to one of the leaders on the Executive Committee to help you get to know this part of the CCIRA leadership better. |
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Stevi is currently serving on the Executive Committee as the Partnership Chair. She has been involved with CCIRA for many years and is a Past President. In her professional life Stevi has worn many hats as she taught middle and high school English in Adams Five Star District for 25 years, served as Colorado’s literacy consultant at CDE, worked at the University of Colorado at Denver and Boulder and Regis University, was the Co-director of Colorado Writing Project and Colorado Critical Friends, served as president of both CLAS and CCIRA, is a consultant with PEBC and international schools across the world, and is the Co-author of ClockWatchers and The Just Right Challenge. Stevi loves to hike, bike, play with her dogs, travel, and get lost in a good book. During her travels she trekked in Nepal and in Bhutan, and also visited the orangutans at Camp Leakey in Borneo.
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Remember to check out the CCIRA Blog!
Reading CCIRA.blog every week—perhaps over lunch or a cup of coffee—builds a quick dose of professional learning into your routine. Who knows what ideas or inspiration this might spark!
CCIRA.blog features a wide variety of nationally renowned literacy experts, as well as talented practitioners from across Colorado. Check out the posts on https://ccira.blog/
If you might be interested in submitting a guest post to CCIRA.blog, please contact Hollyanna Bates (hollyannabates@gmail.com).
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CCIRA and the local councils have resources, podcasts, and events for you to access! |
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https://cciraliteracyconversations.simplecast.com/
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Click on....CCIRA Reads to find out how you can get involved in an amazing book study!
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Shop Year Round!
Make sure you check out the Shop With Scrip website and do some shopping online for a gift
card.... and benefit CCIRA
at the same time! *
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Do you buy gift cards for your friends and family? Give a card to Starbucks or Amazon as a thank you to your favorite aunt? What if at the same time you could support CCIRA without spending an extra cent? That’s what you can do now by participating with Shop with Scrip, an online fundraising site. Since 1994, ShopWithScrip has been supporting schools and other non-profits in this unique way to fundraise. Just buy a gift card at one of the 750 retailers and know that a percentage is sent to CCIRA. It’s an easy way to support our work with literacy while you shop. For more information, visit https://www.shopwithscrip.com/ and then sign up to become a supporter of our organization.
When you are ready to make your purchase please use this enrollment number:
A34A3B6D69223
*CCIRA endorse this fundraising activity.
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Valuable information for educators like you!
Coming soon!
A chance to hear a presentation by Brian Cambourne on June 12, 2021 from 1:00-3:00. Look for details in an upcoming email and on the CCIRA Facebook page
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Reviewed by Dr. Stacy A. Griffin
"I traditionally recommend specific audiences for books at the end of my reviews. However, I feel compelled to begin this piece with a rousing endorsement. This past year has been a challenge for many teachers and students. Yet, challenge can be the origin of change. If you want to continue to change, to hone your practice, to transform your craft, I passionately recommend that you read Made for Learning: How the Conditions of Learning Guide Teaching Decisions by Debra Crouch and Brian Cambourne. This book will remind you of why you were called to become an educator.
"The esteemed authors, through their constructivist lens and grounded in 60 years of research, examine the holistic principles that define exemplary practice, regardless of grade or content area. They explore the processes which underpin learning to read and write. They prompt us to reflect on our own instructional decisions in a way that is honest and mindful. If, at our core, we truly believe that authentic erudition is a result of constructing knowledge, and not transmitting information, we must consider how the following three intersecting domains can reform, and consciously change, how we teach.
- The conditions of learning that supported young children learning to talk;
- Effective reading and writing processes; and
- How to turn these conditions and processes into effective pedagogy (Crouch and Cambourne, 2020, p. XIII)
"We engage in a deep exploration of Cambourne’s Conditions of Learning, which were built on his decades of research observing how children learned to speak. The Conditions of Learning are supported by the belief that a nurturing classroom environment, regardless of the mode of instruction, is essential for learning to occur. The Conditions include Immersion, Demonstration, Engagement, Expectation, Responsibility, Approximation, Employment, and Response. When we seamlessly integrate the Conditions with Processes That Empower Learning (Transformation, Discussion/Reflection, Application, and Evaluation), the result is learning. “Learning is our ever- changing knowledge, understandings, feelings, values, and skills regarding what is to be learned” (Crouch and Cambourne, 2020, p. 26).
"The authors share powerful classroom vignettes that further deepen our understanding of how the Conditions operate synergistically and holistically in practice. Crouch and Cambourne provide templates designed to support our own work of applying the theory to our practice. They encourage us to reimagine our fundamental beliefs about teaching and learning. They show us how to shift our discourse from one that is focused on acquisition to one that is centered on meaning-making. If you believe your role is not to teach textbooks, but to teach students; if you believe that we must return to the why behind what we do, if you want to challenge or change your theory of learning, Made for Learning: How the Conditions of Learning Guide Teaching Decisions is for you."
Reference:
THE CALIFORNIA READER
Spring 2021 • VOL. 54, NO. 2 39
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CCIRA Executive Committee
Jessica Rickert, President: jessrccira@gmail.com
Pam Minard, President-Elect: pam.minard@gmail.com
Christi Walker, Vice President: christimwalker@gmail.com
Anne Cook, Immediate Past President: annecook59@gmail.com
Michele Warner, State Coordinator:
warnermichele4@gmail.com
Corina Kaskey, Secretary: Corina.Kaskey@summitk12.org
Jessie Meeks, State Membership Coordinator: jessie.meeks@jeffco.k12.co.us
Emily Bradley, Marketing Coordinator: emily.bradley@weldre4.org
Stevi Quate, Partnership Chair: steviq@gmail.com
Cathy Lynskey, Treasurer: clynskey2000@gmail.com
Lisa Kahn, Administrative Assistant: lisakahnccira@gmail.com
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Is your local council, state committee, school, or community doing something extraordinary for literacy in Colorado? Do you have a great idea to share with other educators on how to enhance literacy in the classroom? Do you know of a conference or event that CCIRA members might be interested in attending? If so, please contact Anne Cook (annecook59@gmail.com) to submit information for publication. |
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