What's the most important letter in Politics? - Think Politics | Google Groups

Think Politics, in conjunction with the Black Community Information Center, is pleased to offer a series of political advocacy training workshops for those who are interested in becoming more knowledgeable about the political process. Even with the recent surge in the number of candidates of color who are launching campaigns, there is a noticeable lack of experienced and savvy political consultants of color behind the scenes, with functional skills ranging from campaign management to organizing, strategy development, field organization, volunteer recruitment & management, public relations, etc.

Veteran campaign organizer and activist, Mukiya Baker-Gomez, and her team will offer the first in a series of grassroots trainings for community residents who wish to dig deeper and build a base of political power in Boston's Black community. Please join us on Saturday, May 8th at 1 PM on the 2nd floor of the Grove Hall Library, which is located at 41 Geneva Avenue in Dorchester.

Getting Ready, Getting In, and Getting Through College: The Benefits of Advanced Placement Classes

Getting Ready, Getting In, and Getting Through College: The Benefits of Advanced Placement Classes.

Boston Public Schools will host a one-day workshop for families with students in grades 6-11 on Saturday, May 8th from 11AM-3PM at Jeremiah E. Burke High School.

The conference will feature a series of workshops designed to help families understand how AP classes can help students prepare for college, strengthen their admission applications, and save money on tuition.

Financial aid experts, college admission representatives, and guidance counselors will be there to guide families through the steps it takes to navigate the college process. Additionally, current and former AP students and their families will discuss the benefits of taking AP classes.

This event will be FREE of charge and families will be provided with lunch and treated to a live student performance. The day will end with a raffle of prizes.

For more information, please visit http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/apconference.

For families to pre-register, please have them contact Dena Soled, 617.635.8079 ext 168, or dsoled [AT] boston.k12.ma.us

Wheelock College Masters of Science in Organizational Leadership Capstone Program

The Capstone project of the Organizational Leadership Masters at Wheelock College is an action learning experience, providing students with an experiential learning opportunity while performing a service for a local nonprofit or higher education organization. Over one academic year students work in teams to address a challenge or opportunity identified by a participating organization. The goal of the Capstone is to contribute to the students' education while also making a contribution to the pubic good.

The Capstone project brings together teams of 3-4 graduate students to address challenges and/or identify new opportunities as identified by the participating organization. In conjunction with the participating organization, the Capstone team will develop a work plan that will produce a carefully scoped final project that addresses the need as defined by the organization. Each team will produce a written report and make a final presentation of its findings and recommendations.

Program Timeline:

1. May 30, 2010 - Capstone proposals are due
2. June-July 2010 - Faculty will reach out to prospective participating organizations for clarification on proposed projects
3. July 2010 ? Faculty will choose projects to be presented to students.
4. July 2010 ? Prospective participants are notified if their proposals have been chosen to move on to the final selection stage
5. September 2010 ? Capstone projects are presented to students to choose those projects that they are interested in. Based upon project selection, students form Capstone teams.
6. October 2010 ? Capstone teams meet with the organizations that they will be working with.
7. April 2010 ? Capstone projects conclude, final products are submitted to participating organization

Qualifying for a Capstone Team: Any nonprofit organization or institution of higher education is eligible to apply for a Capstone team. In order to be considered for a team an application must be completed and submitted by the deadline of May 30, 2010.

The Capstone Project: An acceptable Capstone project is one that is important but not urgent and is achievable within the timeframe of one academic year and supported by the resources available. The proposed project identifies specific deliverables for the team to provide and there is a clear definition of the issue to be addressed. Projects that are not acceptable are those that ask for interns, administrative support or organizations that do not have the resources to appropriately support the work of the Capstone team. Examples of acceptable projects include (but are not limited to): strategic planning, studies of best practices, needs assessments, program planning, board and leadership development or program evaluation.

Capstone teams will negotiate a scope of work agreement with their organization. Based upon this work plan the Capstone team will engage in appropriate activities to perform the described services. Participating organizations will designate one staff person as the Project Liaison. The Project Liaison will be the primary organizational contact to the Capstone team, and will respond to and communicate with the Capstone team on a regular basis as necessary and appropriate for the success of the project. The time that the Project Liaison devotes to the project is dependent upon the size and scope of the work agreement and the needs of the organization and the Capstone team.

Project Selection Process: We do not guarantee that if your organization submits a Capstone proposal that you will be chosen to participate. Proposals are first reviewed by faculty for appropriateness for a Capstone project. Proposals that are accepted by faculty are then presented to students who will choose those projects that they have an interest in. If your proposal is not accepted by faculty you will be notified by the end of July 2010. Applicants who go to the final vetting process will be notified by the end of September whether or not your proposal has been accepted.

Contact for Additional Information and applications: Irwin Nesoff, Coordinator, Graduate Programs in Organizational Leadership (617) 879-2170 or inesoff [AT] wheelock.edu Visit our web site for additional information on the Organizational Leadership Programs at Wheelock College.

Short term project at Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop is producing an interactive comprehensive 9-year English language learning series for classroom use, called Sesame Street English. We are seeking a talented and meticulous teacher trainer with experience in English language learning to take on a short term (5-6 weeks) teacher training project. The teacher training will focus on the first 4 years of the program (K1, K2, K3 and P1). The position begins immediately.

Responsibilities

Working closely with the project’s Educational Content Specialist, the teacher trainer will:

• Create a teacher’s manual which would describe the first four years of program for children ages 3 to 7, including explanations of the classroom components, media components, teaching tips, classroom management tips, etc. The manual will utilize sample lessons and media components from each year.
  
• Create a training manual on how to train trainers to conduct training for the program
  
• Plan and co-present (with the Educational Content Specialist) training sessions for Sesame Workshop’s Japanese partners in a week-long training presentation during the week of May 17
  
• Create a training presentation for the training session
  
• Organize training materials
  
• Assist with post-training follow-up with our partners, if needed
  

The ideal candidate has strong writing skills, classroom experience, and experience in teacher training. He/She must be a quick learner, handy with technology and dedicated, hard-working and efficient. He/She must work well in a fast paced environment and must be able to deliver by a hard deadline. ELL background preferred.

If interested, please contact Sophia Hong with a resume at sophia.hong [AT} sesameworkshop.org

Slow Dance

Not mine, but I'm feeling the sentiment. -POPS

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids

On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rain

Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?

When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?

You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,'Hi'

You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away.

Life is not a race.

Do take it slower

Hear the music

Before the song is over.