Using Internet Tools to Enhance Mulitcultural Education Presentation

Graduate students enrolled in ED638: Teaching with the Internet presented at the University of Guam’s 22nd Annual Regional Language Arts Conference held November 6 and 7 at the University of Guam and Guam Marriott Resort & Spa. The theme of the conference was Multicultural Approaches in Language Arts Education. The students’ presentation titled Using Internet Tools to Enhance Multicultural Education explored web sites aimed at enhancing multicultural education, including reading, writing, collaboration, professional development, instructional technology, WebQuests, and more. Pictured L-R first row: Angela Sablan; Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, instructor; and Marife Fernandez. Second row L-R: Darlene Quichocho, Ceria Santos, Tessa Pfahler, Yolanda Tabayoyong, Nadine Cruz, and Josephine Mesa Cruz. Back row L-R: Alan Jamison and Devin Paciente.

Family Literacy in the Pacific Website

Check out the new Family Literacy in the Pacific website at http://familyliteracypacific.blogspot.com/

Felis Pasgua ~ Feliz Navidad

May the Lord richly bless you with a memorable Christmas to cherish with family and friends. Felis Pasgua! Feliz Navidad! Have a blessed Christmas filled much love, joy, peace, and happiness!

Funschool.com - A Special ED638 Contribution by Devin Paciente

As part of our community contribution to promote literacy, the University of Guam’s ED638* students and I will continue to share effective literacy websites that we think you’ll enjoy and learn from at the same time!



Website: Funschool

URL: http://www.funschool.com

Contributor: Devin Paciente


The website http://www.funschool.com provides learning activities for students, teachers and parents. There are many learning activities for grade levels Pre-K to 6th grade. Most of the activities are quiz-type games that users can play for subjects such as Reading, Language Arts, and Math. There are also games for content areas, such as Science, Social Studies, and Health.


For students in Pre-K, there are matching, counting and printable coloring activities. K-2 students can have fun learning how to type and spell with the Language game Super Hyper Spider Typer! Students in the 3rd-4th grades can have fun with math and memorizing activities that become more challenging as they progress through levels. The 5th-6th grade students can apply their knowledge to trivia-type games on a variety of subjects. The website also includes a game that helps young learners support recycling.


The website also includes a link for parents to http://www.kaboose.com. On the website there is a blog where parents can read and share their stories, parenting tips, family activities, or just simply exchange ideas. Parents can also find seasonal/thematic arts and crafts activities, as well as many recipes that they can experiment with, such as grilling, cooking with kids, or healthy eating.


*ED638: Teaching with the Internet

Pacific Educator Fall 2009 Issue Avalilable Online

As an advocate for disseminating Pacific news so that our people can be informed, I’m pleased to announce that the Fall 2009 issue of Pacific Educator is now available via PDF download at http://www.prel.org/products/pacific-educator.aspx As mentioned in PREL's announcement, the "Pacific Educator features articles focusing on the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) legislation, classroom applications for teachers, and PREL program updates from throughout the U.S.-affiliated Pacific and continental United States."

In particular, this issue includes topics dealing with standards for Guam and FSM, professional practice in Palau, preparing principals in the Pacific, Pohnpei's digital library training, social entrepreneurship & the arts, special tributes to Drs. Tom Barlow and Rita Inos, and Yap's transitional year of grade 5! Enjoy!

FunBrain.com - Special ED638 Contribution by Tara Balajadia*

URL: http://www.funbrain.com

Funbrain is an interactive website that offers educational activities for grade levels K – 8. Language Arts and Mathematical skills are reinforced through child friendly games. The website also offers a teacher resource and a homework help link.

The teacher resource link has a curriculum guide that groups games by title, subject, and grade level. The grouping is designed to help teachers easily choose appropriate games for their lessons. Math flashcard print outs are available on the teacher resource link. Teachers can create on- line quizzes for students to answer on the Quiz Lab link.

Funbrain offers the student games to practice math and language arts. Students log on to a game by their grade level and rate of difficulty. The language arts games target skills such as spelling, grammar, and word meaning skills. Math skills vary from number identification, measurement, addition, subtraction, and fractions. Students can join the blog sessions or send e-cards to other students.The homework help link offers reference materials with just a click away.

UOG's 22nd Annual Regional Language Arts Conference (LAC) Nov. 6 & 7 - Check out the LAC Website!

The 22nd Annual Regional Language Arts Conference (LAC) will be held November 6-7, 2009. The theme is “Multicultural Approaches in Language Arts Education.” The LAC is an opportunity for professional growth and enrichment in literacy for educators in the Western Pacific region. Presentations will focus on reading and writing across the content areas with particular attention on approaches in the multicultural context. Proposals for individual and panel presentations on innovative reaching strategies, research reports, and practical workshops are welcome. Presentations will be scheduled in forty-five minute blocks.

Conference forms are available at the LAC website at http://www.uog.edu/languageartsconference

Call for Proposals:

Call for proposals are being accepted now. Deadline for submissions was Sept. 30, 2009, but it is extended to the first week of October. If you have any questions, please call Debbie Respicio at 735-2725/6 or e-mail languageartsconf@uguam.uog.edu

Registration Fees:

Early Bird (by Oct. 9, 2009), Presenter, UOG Student, IRA Member - $40

Pre-Registration (By Oct. 23, 2009) - $45

On-site or after Oct. 23, 2009 - $55

Graduate Credits/CEUs:
Educators can also earn 2 graduate credits/CEUs. Students must register for the conference before they register for the LAC course at the Professional International Programs, 2^nd floor/MARC/Computer Center/PIP Building, Rm. #217. For more information, students may call 735-2601 or fax 734-1233. They may also e-mail the instructor, Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, at mnrivera1@yahoo.com.

The LAC course is eligible for YEC support to qualified GDOE educators who have officially been processed through the Dr. Antonio C. Yamashita Corps (YEC). For additional information from YEC, participants may call 735-2470.

For additional information regarding the conference, participants/presenters may call Debbie at 735-2725/6 or e-mail her at languageartsconf@uguam.uog.edu.

Snapshots from last year's Language Arts Conference!*

*Note: Click on the pictures above to get a clearer view of the images.

Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) Conference to be held in the RMI in 2010 - Check out the PIBBA International Website!

Image source: http://www.rmiembassyus.org/

The 29^th Annual International Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) Conference will be held in Majuro in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, June 23 – 25, 2010! For more information, visit the PIBBA International website at http://pibbainternational.blogspot.com

The mission of PIBBA is to promote bilingual-bicultural activities in the Pacific islands areas of Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Hawaii, American Samoa, and the Federated States of Micronesia through the development of policies, dissemination of information, involvement of the community, and encouragement of quality education programs.

Snapshots from the 28^th Annual International PIBBA Conference: “Invigorating Languages and Cultures of the Pacific”

Pictured above: Proclamation signing for the 28th Annual International PIBBA Conference at the Governor's Conference Room. L-R front row seated: Carmen Weaver, Rosa Salas Palomo, Lt. Governor Mike Cruz, Governor Felix Camacho, and Dr. Jose Q. Cruz. Back row L-R: Teresita Flores, Maria Cruz, Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, Carol Cepeda, Marife Fernandez, Mye Ganan-Flores, Risa Salas Miguel, Zander Refilong, Joseph Mafnas, and Antonia Salas.

Pictured above: The 30th Guam Legislature presented a legislative resolution commending the celebration of the 28th Annual International PIBBA Conference on June 22, 2009 at the Guam Marriott Resort and Spa. Pictured above L-R: Dr. Robert Underwood, UOG President and first PIBBA President; Masa-Aki Emesiochl, first PIBBA President-Elect; Juanita Manibusan, PIBBA Conference Co-Chair & 2008-2009 President of PIBBA Guam Chapter; Rosa Salas Palomo, PIBBA Conference Co-Chair & 2008-2009 PIBBA International President-Elect; Senator Tina Muna-Barnes; Frances Sablan, CNMI head delegation; Dr. Marilyn Salas, 2008-2009 PIBBA International Secretary; Alister Tolenoa, Kosrae head delegation; and Shelten Neth, 2008-2009 PIBBA International President.

Pictured above L-R: Zander Refilong, PIBBA steering committee member; Lt. Governor Bill Tosie of Kosrae; PIBBA President Shelten Neth; and Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, PIBBA steering committee member.

Pictured above L-R: Teresita Flores, PIBBA steering committee member; Joe Mafnas, PIBBA steering committee member; Frances Sablan, PIBBA secretary; Alister Tolenoa, Kosrae delegation; and Carmen Weaver, PIBBA steering committee member.

Pictured above: Steering committee members of the Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) are hard at work during the 28th Annual International PIBBA Conference held June 22-25, 2009 at the University of Guam, Guam Marriott Resort, and Merlyn Cook School in Malesso.

IRA Newsletter Goes Digital!

IRA Newsletter Goes Green!

As the Guam Chapter of the International Reading Association (IRA) continues its mission to promote literacy, it has made a commitment to effectively use technology, so that it can expand the ways it shares knowledge by reaching out to as many people as possible. By doing this, it can impact thousands of people globally, with a touch of a button all while reducing printing costs and our carbon footprint by consuming less paper.

This “Going Green” mindset is a necessary change for the Guam Chapter of the IRA as we search for ways we can live in a more environmentally friendly manner. By doing this, it will also save postage, energy, and natural resources! As it takes steps towards “Going Green” it is moving forward on “Going Digital!”

To do this, it has reactivated its website using a blog format, so that various IRA events can be archived for years to come! You can visit the IRA’s new website at http://iraguam.blogspot.com/. Here you’ll find the latest Guam IRA news throughout the year and more, so be sure to visit the site!

Website for Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA)

Check out the following website for the Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) whose mission is to promote cultural and language activities by disseminating information, involving communities, and encouraging quality education programs through the western Pacific: http://pibbainternational.blogspot.com


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UOG Alumni Websites

Check out the following UOG Alumni websites to keep abreast of alumni/UOG events. If you're not an alumni member yet, you can download the membership forms from the websites. Enjoy!


UOG Alumni Association - http://uogalumniassociation.blogspot.com/

SOE Alumni Association - http://soealumniassociation.blogspot.com/

Palau Alumni Association - http://www.uog.edu/dynamicdata/AlumniPalauAlumniAssociation.aspx?siteid=3&p=531

Family Literacy Websites

Family Literacy programs provide a way to teach families to read and write so that they can help their children at home. Family literacy embraces the intergenerational links which can interrupt the cycle of illiteracy. Teaching the parents and grandparents to increase their academic skills allows them to be a child’s first teacher.

The years from birth to 10 are a crucial age span, when a firm foundation is laid for healthy development and lifelong learning. At three, most children are self-confident and trusting, intellectually inquisitive, able to use language to communicate, able to use their increasing physical activity agility to play and explore, able to relate well to others, and able to empathize with others.

Enjoy the following family literacy websites to gather various ideas/activities to strengthen family literacy!


Reading is Fundamental
http://www.rif.org/parents


Family Literacy Special Collection
http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/FamilyLit/parent_links.html


Partnership for Reading’s “A Child Becomes A Reader”
http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/pfr.html


Family Literacy Resource Notebook: http://literacy.kent.edu/Oasis/famlitnotebook/


Family Literacy Foundation: www.read2kids.org


National Center for Family Literacy: www.famlit.org


International Reading Association: www.reading.org


American Library Association: www.ala.org


Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy:
www.barbarabushfoundation.com


Early Childhood Education
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/ECI/publications.html#ECD


United States Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/parents/landing.jhtml?src=pn

Teaching Diverse Learners

Educators are teaching more diverse populations in their classrooms. With the diversity that exists today, it is necessary for them to employ effective teaching strategies that empower students. Here's one of my PowerPoint slides which covers a glimpse of meeting the needs of diverse learners:

Digital Storybook Defined

A colleague of mine asked me to define a digital storybook. Based upon my experience with empowering students to create their very own storybooks, here's the definition I came up with:















Good luck as you empower your students to effectively integrate technology in the classroom!