CCCCD
HOLDS EDUCATOR SYMPOSIUM
May
2, 2003 - More than 200 teachers, directors, owners of local
child development centers, school district representatives,
and CCCCD education students attended an Educators Symposium
at Spring Creek Campus in Plano recently. This annual, daylong
event was aimed at educators and administrators who work with
children from pre-Kindergarten through middle school, and
served a rich source of in-service training for local educators.
One highlight of the morning was a keynote speech delivered
by Dr. J. Rodney Short, professor emeritus, from the Department
of Educational Leadership at Texas Woman's University in Denton.
Dr. Short's speech was titled "Bee All You Can Bee," which,
using the humble bee as illustration, encouraged educators
to see beyond limitations.
Twenty-five, hour-long breakout sessions were also offered
throughout the day, covering topics as far ranging as infant
brain development to bullying in middle school. Session presenters
came from CCCCD, Eastfield College, Fort Hood, Northeastern
State University in Oklahoma, TWU, UNT, and the ISDs of Denton,
Plano and White Settlement.
In
addition to teaching early childhood education, Elaine Boski-Wilkinson
is also coordinator of the program. She has been with the
college for nine years.
"When
I first came to the area," she said, "there was a need for
quality training and education for teachers in the child-care
industry. I knew there was an audience for such training in
Collin County and regionally. Our first conference had 78
participants. Since then, we have expanded our reach not only
to teachers in the child-care industry but also to those in
public and private schools, as well. This year, the "Educator's
Symposium" had several hundred participants. The Symposium
continues to focus on quality education, training, and related
skills. It's important for educators to come together to share
their knowledge and to support one another in this vital work."
Proceeds
from the conference are used for scholarships for education
students and for enrichment of the Child Development Lab School.