A.P.P.L.E.

Lietuviškai
Viltis camp Dr. Grigonis seminars Klaipėda sessions Elementary
Library Science Computer Science Science Administration

Summer - 2010

Main theme: "Innovation and Best Practices in Education"

 The general lectures will be delivered by Audra Skukauskaite, PhD, on the topic of "Action Research as a Tool for Change."

Our program will take place at the Klaipeda Tourism School, located at 69 Taikos Gatve, in Klaipeda. 
The sessions will be held from July 12th to 16th and from July 19th to 23rd.

Klaipėda sessions

This summer of 2010 is a special summer in so many ways; we join our partners in Lithuania as they celebrate their 20th year of renewed freedom as a Democratic Society in the 21st Century. At the same time, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the American Professional Partnership for Lithuanian Education. Over the last 20 years, we have worked together to develop a variety of programs that further the goals of the Ministry of Education and Science and address common issues that impact our joint roles as members of the Global Society.

Around the world, students, teachers and communities are facing changes at a pace that few could have imagined. These changes have dramatic implications for our educational institutions and our greater society. A.P.P.L.E., in partnership with the Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science, has planned in-service programs for Lithuanian educators, administrators, school librarians, and other school personnel for summer 2010. The theme is Innovation and Best Practices in Education. We will focus on practices and methods that make educational content and instructional methods available to all students; and, we will continue to explore educational practices that promote full participation in the democratic society of the 21st century.

This year, the Summer Seminars will be held in Klaipeda at the Klaipeda Tourism School located at Taikos Gatve, #69. Their website is www.ktm.lt. Dr. Audra Skukauskaite will present the General Lectures on Action Research and Professional Development and will also be working with the Administration and Response to Intervention Strands. Unless otherwise noted, all programs will be offered both sessions.

I. Administration

Theme: Developing and Effective Team Organization

Audience: School Administrators at all levels of experience.

Description: School Administrators bear the responsibility of developing effective teams among their employees as much as managers in any industry. Their ability to effectively hire, motivate and develop their staffs requires a considerable level of understanding and the skills necessary to implement effective strategies. The building blocks of Performance Planning & Appraisals, Negotiation Skills, Time Management and Team Building will provide the basic platform for the success of those administrators participating in this class. Through information sharing, practical exercises and role-playing activities all participants will experience the application of these principles of sound management.

Two specific projects of focus will be a Unique Job description Tool which improves employee effectiveness from the first day of employment and establishes clear accountability and responsibility; which, as a result, ensures that each staff member performs according to the standards set by both employee and employer. Performance appraisal perceptions of unfairness and/or favoritism are eliminated, allowing staff evaluations and/or promotions to be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

A second project encourages the creativity cycle among employees to save money. Administrators will learn how to encourage each employee to come up with a Money Saving Plan to save at least 3,000 Litas in the next twelve (12) months.

Lecturers:

 

II. Elementary Education

Theme: The Response to Intervention Model—Supporting Learners in Reading

Audience: 25 Primary teachers, reading teachers and/or reading specialists

Description: The Response to Intervention (RTI) model is a proactive, systematic, data-based approach to identifying and remediating students' academic difficulties. RTI is a multi-tiered approach that monitors students' progress at each stage of intervention and differentiates instruction based on student needs. This seminar will provide a general overview of the RTI model. Topics covered will include the essential components of the RTI model, potential benefits of RTI, and how to implement RTI in the classroom, with a specific focus on reading.

Lecturer: Dr. Pledger Fedora, Asst. Professor of Reading, Department of Educational Studies, Seton Hall University; South Orange, NJ, USA.

 

III. Computer Science

Theme: Google Apps in the Classroom

Audience: 30 teachers interested in using cutting edge technology with students

Description: With the new and improved Google Apps, administrators, teachers, and students can share email, calendars, collaborative web applications, online documents and more. These tools are available anytime there is an Internet-accessible computer and connection. The apps allow everyone to work together seamlessly and easily. Participants will collaborate using Google sites and Google Docs. They will master the Google calendar. Using free word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation software, participants will create, store, share, and collaborate with others. Instead of emailing files back and forth, Participants will be able to work on a single version of a document together online using this new software. Participants should register for a “g-mail” email account before beginning this course.

Lecturers:

 

IV. Library Science
Session A ONLY: July 12th to 16th

Theme: The School Librarian as a Resource for students, teachers, and researchers in Lithuanian Schools.

Audience: 25 school librarians and information specialists

Description: Over the course of this strand, we will look at the work of the School Librarians and will focus on strategies that relate to the responsibilities that school librarians are able to address in schools given their unique nature of the librarians work in our schools. We will share new strategies for making the library the center of the school and in advocating the role of the library in the education of all students and teachers in the schools. Participants will create programs to demonstrate to teachers the benefit of the library in the education of students and how to best utilize the school librarian to plan and support learning goals across disciplines.

In addition, participants will develop lessons to help students develop good research skills to use when searching the Internet. Specific strategies will encourage students to read, a lost art with the availability of computer games and other devices that attract students away from books.

Lecturers:

 

V. Science

Theme: Best Practices: Inquiry and Student Involvement in the Biology Classroom

Audience: For science teachers, especially in biology and chemistry, who wish to develop and use examples of best practices in science education techniques.
Description: Educational best practices require students to demonstrate and practice the scientific method as well as challenge them to learn scientific knowledge. Best practices of science education will be considered, including inquiry and research, real-life situations, problem solving and issue-based learning. Classroom techniques, which may be applied to other fields of science, such as wait times, questioning, using analogies, simulations and role playing, brainstorming, graphical organizers, and share/pair discussion of a common text will be used.

Lecturer:

·       John J. Trimble, PhD, Professor of Biology, Saint Francis University, Loretto, Pennsylvania, USA. Dr. Trimble is a member of the Faculty for the 21st Century (F21) in Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL). Dr. Trimble has taught Microbiology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Human Biology, Evolution and several different 1st year Colloquium courses on topics including AIDS, Aging, Risk-taking, Discrimination, and the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of the Human Genome Project.

 

Viltis/A.P.P.L.E. Special Education Program
The Camp will operate from Saturday, July 10th through Wednesday, July 21st. 

Theme: Adaptations and Modifications

Description: The A.P.P.L.E. program, in conjunction with the Viltis summer respite camp, provides an opportunity for dialogue between teachers from Lithuania and teachers from the United States. This year our focus will be on the theme Adaptations and Modifications. Research has shown that adaptations and modifications are integral to effective, inclusive education. We will demonstrate effective adaptations and modifications from research and our own experiences to inspire participants to create environments in which diverse student populations flourish.

Lectures will include the following topics and other items generated by participants :

  1. Research based methods of adapting and modifying general education curriculum

  2. Strategies for creating school communities

  3. Response to Intervention

  4. Programming for students with multiple challenges in elementary and high school

  5. Collaborating with other adults (parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators)

An important aspect of the camp is that all staff and teachers are given the opportunity to interact with the children for part of the day and to be involved in the evening camp programs.

Program Staff:


 
Dr. Grigonis Special Education Program
 

Theme: Innovation and Building Best Practices in Special Education

Audience: These sessions will be held in a variety of venues throughout the Kaunas region. These venues will include: University programs; Special Education Schools; Kindergartens; Special Education Residencies and teacher centers. These lectures are supported through the work of the Kaunas A.P.P.L.E. Special Education Branch. 

Lecturers:

 

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