October 2004 - Vol 64, No.2 - International Technology and ...

IN THE NEWS & CALENDARWhat is the Tech Fest?Each year technology teachers gatherfor the International TechnologyEducation Association’s AnnualConference to share ideas andexperiences. One opportunity to networkis by participating in the ITEATechnology Festival. The Tech Festprovides an informational atmospherefor teachers to share their technologyeducation materials with other conferenceparticipants. Plan now to be apart of this exciting program bycompleting the application to participatein the ITEA 2005 Tech Fest inKansas City, MO, April 5, 2005,9:00am to 11:00am. The link to theTech Fest information iswww.iteawww.org/D3.html.PATT-15 Call for PapersThe theme of the PATT-15 Conference,April 18-22, 2005, is “TechnologyEducation and Research: TwentyYears in Retrospect.”You are invited to submit criticalreviews of twenty years of technologyeducation. The PATT-15 Callfor Papers can be found atwww.iteawww.org/D4c.html. Thedeadline to submit your abstract isNovember 1, 2004.Hey TECA Students—Gettin’ YourMoney’s Worth Yet?The other day I sat at a localMcDonald’s and watched as customersentered, ordered, and exitedthe restaurant. One young manentered, ordered, and received a bagcontaining his Classic #1 menuselection. The young man opened thebag as he dashed off, only to discoverthat the fries he had hoped for werenot in his bag. Immediately, the youngman did a 180-degree turn, dashed tothe front of the line, and protested.The feeling of being shortchanged andhis zeal for justice was high on hispriority list. He was certainly ready todo whatever it took to get his fries;after all, he did spend $4.69. Now justthink. This is a young person whodemands a value for his dollars;however, is he demanding thesame value when it comes to hisprofessional career?Ever think about what being an ITEAmember means and how it opensthe doors to a great career andaccess to some of the world’s leadinginformation and resources for teachingtechnology? For just $25 (first timestudent members), $30 (renewalstudent membership) you could tapinto something that will last longerthan that #1 meal we are often eagerto fight for! Look what you get:• Access to members-only materialson the ITEA Web site.• Classroom activities at memberreducedprices.• Your choice of two greattechnology journals: TheTechnology Teacher orTechnology and Children.• Once you graduate, your first-yeardues as a professional educatorare still at the student rate.• As a student member, you areeligible for the student scholarshipsthat are available throughITEA—you may qualify forscholarships of up to $1,000.• Leadership opportunities throughTECA international officerpositions and working with yourlocal TECA advisor.• Opportunities for participation inTECA regional competitions,and ITEA/TECA conferenceactivities.• Exposure to the ITEA Conferencetrade show exhibits, largestexhibit of anything you wouldneed to be a more successfultechnology education educator.Becoming an ITEA/TECA member iseasy; just go to www.iteawww.org/MembershipApp.pdf or see your TECAadvisor. You deserve the very best, sotreat yourself to the finest resourcesand professional opportunities available.Remember, if those fries areworth fighting for, just think whatITEA/TECA membership and all itsbenefits could be worth! Get yourmoney’s worth today and join yourprofessional organization; it’s worthfighting for.Michael A. De Miranda, Ph.D., ITEABoard Member representing TECA.OpportunitiesThe Mathematics Education Trust ofthe National Council of Teachers ofMathematics (NCTM) has announcedthe Irene Etkowicz Eizen Grant forEmerging Leaders in ElementarySchool Mathematics. The grant willaward up to $6,000 to help educatorsteach mathematics more effectively atthe elementary level by deepeningtheir mathematical content knowledgeand teaching abilities.The recipient of the Eizen grant willwork collaboratively with other teachersin the same district to improvemathematics instruction. The recipientis expected to become a teacherleader in mathematics and to work todevelop expertise in specific mathematicscontent aligned with NCTM’sPrinciples and Standards for SchoolMathematics. Recipients should beconfident in teaching mathematics androutinely extend the classroom beyondthe textbook, with the goal of furnishingcomprehensive, in-depth instructionto elementary school students.The Irene Etkowicz Eizen Grant applicationdeadline is December 3,2004. For more information, visitwww.nctm.org/about/met/eizen.htm.The Intel Foundation will award$250,000 to 22 schools during the2005 Intel and Scholastic Schools ofDistinction Awards. This nationalaward program recognizesNEWS AND CALENDARTHE TECHNOLOGY TEACHER • October 2004 3