EDUCATIONAL FORUM: NOV. 9, 2014
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
9:15 am – Door Opens
9:50 – 10:00 – Welcome and Guide to Forum [MACDONALD HALL]
Presenters: Robert Kosasky, Head of School, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, Patsy Kumekawa, Scholar Search Associates
PRESENTATIONS - 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
10:00 – 11:00 a. Reimagining Teaching, Learning, and Schooling in Current Times [MACDONALD HALL]
Public, private, charter, home-school, parochial, and on-line reflect a growing list of options from which families can choose to educate their children. But
how do you go about deciding which to select to help ensure the right educational environment that would fulfill your child’s potential? Here’s your chance
to find out. Get tips on how to navigate the plethora of current educational choices, and learn the three most important questions that you should ask
every potential teacher and school leader that you meet.
Presenter: Robert Kosasky, Head of School, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School
b. Intercultural Learning – A Journey Toward Transformative Growth
[DREYFUSS LIBRARY – lower level]
There are definitive advantages to broadening horizons beyond one’s own backyard. Jumping the back fence may reveal that the grass may be greener, that the mountains can be
higher. Then again, venturing beyond national and cultural boundaries will disclose much more than mere information. The necessity to adjust physically, mentally and emotionally in a
different country engenders an extremely wide perspective and a willingness to grow – two essential requirements for academic success and personal maturation. It is known that
human resilience can more than withstand the challenge of new experiences in unfamiliar and distant lands. Find out how to pack and discover just how transformative an international
journey can be.
Presenter: Sarah Lorya, School Outreach Coordinator , AFS-USA
11:00 – 12:00 a. Analog Parents Raising a Digital Generation [MACDONALD HALL]
Our children are enveloped in a rapidly-evolving digital world that exerts a substantial influence on how they socialize, conduct their lifestyles, and even
learn. And, if it is difficult to keep abreast of technological developments, it is even more of a challenge to assess how di gitalization will impact lives as
children seek more independence as they age into teenagers and life beyond. Find out what social networking trends are drivin g teens away from
mainstream outlets and into more mobile, visual and personal areas. Understand what h abits – both good and bad – that a digital environment imposes.
And then, look into the myths and realities of digital textbooks and online learning.
Presenter: Raymond A. Pryor, Director of Technology, The Webb School
b. Dickinson In-Depth
[DREYFUSS LIBRARY – lower level]
For an hour of your time, appreciate the beauty and benefits of learning … The skill of close reading is key to being able to understand any complicated
text in depth. Embark on a journey by immersing yourself in a close r eading of Emily Dickinson’s poem “Because I could not stop for Death.” Dissect this
poem, from content and form, to Dickinson’s biographical connections to her own work. You will come to grasp why this is one of the most anthologized of
Dickinson’s poems as it is at once accessible while it forces readers to contemplate the difficult issue of mortality. And, with this experience , you will
come away more aware of how to extract the elegance of any prose heretofore hidden.
Presenter: Liz Sokolov, English Teacher, National Cathedral School
c. Tour of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School -- gather at the St. Andrew’s Episcopal table in the Exhibit Area
12:00 – 1:00 ---------------------
LUNCH BREAK
Families welcome to meet one another
1:00 – 2:00 a. Cultivating the Life-Long Learner in Your Child
---------------------
[MACDONALD HALL]
There is no one way to enable a child to reach his or her full potential both as a learner and as an individual. But there ar e effective strategies that can be
employed that can raise the odds for any child to find fulfillment from discovery through maturation well beyond college grad uation. Parents, with their
knowledge of their child’s motivations and interests, are uniquely qualified to guide and nourish ac ademic and personal development. Discover how you,
as a parent, can contribute to your children’s growth, to help them sustain their wonderment of learning throughout their liv es.
Presenter: Emily Thews, Senior Associate Director of Admissions, Western Reserve Academy
b. Brains and Bravery: The Role of School in the Lives of Girls
[DREYFUSS LIBRARY – lower level]
Did you know that Google Analytics indicates that parents are twice as likely to be concerned with their daughter’s appearance as opposed to her intelligence? Or that only
19% of characters depicted in G-rated films and television series are female? Cultural messages that negatively impact girls are ubiquitous and dangerously subtle. And as
much as things have changed over the past century, the value placed on a girl’s intellectual and academic development is not a given, not even in 2014 here in America.
Understand how education plays a pivotal role in girls’ lives in ways different from the role it plays in the lives of boys and learn how to frame the process of selecting a school
for your daughter. This one is for your girl.
Presenter: Laura Burgess, Associate Director of Admissions, Emma Willard School
EDUCATIONAL FORUM: NOV. 9, 2014
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
PRESENTATIONS - continued
2:00 – 3:00 b. Common Core, the New SAT's, and the Impact on College Admissions
[MACDONALD HALL]
The United States educational approach is experiencing a paradigm shift that is affecting an entire generation of students fr om kindergarten through high
school. From the wide implementation of the Common Core standards in our school systems to the redesigned 2016 SAT’s, the very practice of education
is seeing significant changes. Along with changes come concerns – and many of these concerns have arisen from misconceptions and hearsay. Disco ver
once for all: 1) what are the Common Core standards and how do they shape the student’s learning experience, 2) what are the changes on the upcoming
SAT’s and what new skills do students need to score well, and 3) how does all this factor in the colleg e admission process and how must the student
adjust to achieve success.
Presenter: Edward Kim, Director of Curriculum, C2 Education
b. Extracurriculars For the Love of Them
[DREYFUSS LIBRARY – lower level]
Too often, we are compelled to become involved in an activity because we believe it enhances our presentability, for college, say. In such cases, it is not
uncommon that the motivation for citing our involvement yields little enjoyment and lesser results. But it is a fact that when an extracurricular activity
generates excitement, then the more one benefits in widening awareness, of strengthening self -image and confidence, of expanding exploration - of
enhancing presentability. Hear how students, by just fo llowing their interests, accomplished amazing things. The road of discovery is open to all: Find out
how interests can be focused and learn of resources that can start anybody on a fun and productive path.
Presenter: Keith Berman, President, Options for College
c. Tour of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School -- gather at the St. Andrew’s Episcopal table in the Exhibit Area
3:00 – 4:00 a. Enhancing Teacher Quality & Student Achievement through Mind, Brain, & Education Science
[MACDONALD HALL]
The growing field of Mind, Brain, and Education Science provides teachers with new insights with which to challenge and support all students. With a
focus on cognitive development, discover what research in this field has contributed to our understanding o f memory, attention, and meta-cognition and
how we can apply these findings to enable every student meet his or her peak potential. Most of all, discover a framework tha t can enhance how teachers
can teach and how students can learn.
Presenter: Glenn Whitman, Director, The Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School
b. Getting Accepted, Signed Up or Hired – Interviewing for Success
[DREYFUSS LIBRARY – lower level]
Interviews are an integral part of life. All students should get an early start on learning and practicing this important life skill so that they may have the
confidence and wherewithal to present themselves in the best possible light to school admissions representatives, volunteer c oordinators or potential
employers. But how do you prepare for those very important conversations where you will be asked to define your strengths an d weaknesses and your
goals and dreams? Join us and we will give you the tools you need – the do’s and don’ts - to maximize your attributes and to share your story in the most
genuine and articulate manner possible.
Presenters: Lily Just, Director Admissions, and Melanie Anderson, Admission Associate, Think Global School
EDUCATIONAL FORUM: NOV. 9, 2014
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
STUDENT SESSIONS 10:00 am - 4:00 pm student sessions are
open to all students in 4 t h -12th grades.
1) Viral Insights of Germology (grades 4-6) with Karen Weeks, Program Manager, CTY Summer Programs, Johns Hopkins CTY (ROOM 216)
(10 am, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm)
Viruses – technically are not alive, but their method of reproduction can have possible serious consequences. How can we protect ourselves from viruses like the flu,
ebola, and the “common cold”? They are a challenge to confront in part because of their mutational qualities that continuously counter efforts to blunt their spread.
What makes some so prolific and others just pass out of the population? Discover through simulations how viruses attack and exploit us human hosts, and appreciate
what we humans can do to stave off the assault. (for grades: 4-6, session limit: 20)
2) Creativity + Risk = Success (grades 4-8) with Cynthia Jones, Director of Summer Programs, The Webb School (ROOM 208)
(10 am, 11 am, 2 pm, 3 pm)
If you want to be one of those who can truly “think outside the box” then you must be willing to expose yourself to failure. Creativity requires taking risks and taking risks
invites making mistakes. Yet if the outcome is successful, the feeling can be intoxicating. Come better understand the risk of creativity through puzzles and logic
problems specifically designed to induce risk, experience how mistakes can lead to successful solutions a lot of the time and discover how not to be held back by the
prospect of setbacks. (for grades: 4-8, session limit: 25)
3) Do Improv, It’s Really Useful (grades 4-6, 7-12) with Ritchie Porter, Head of Performing Arts, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School (ROOM 121)
(gr. 4-6: 10 am, 11 am) (gr. 7-12: 1 pm, 3 pm)
For all performers, whether bound for the shower or for a smoke-filled cellar ... Enter a world of improvisation and participate in a series of fun and challenging activities
that will surely enhance your abilities to think fast and nimbly on your feet. As they say, you will gain confidence, you will stand up straight and you will lose your
tendency to mumble. Make your Mom proud. (for grades: 4-6 & 7-12, session limit: 25)
4) Imagination and Creativity at Warp Speed (grades 4-6, 7-12) with Destination ImagiNation (ROOM 204)
(gr. 4-6: 10 am, 1 pm) (gr. 7-12: 2 pm, 3 pm)
Be prepared to be unprepared, when you and your team are given a challenge with a handful of disparate everyday items (eg. ping pong balls, paperclips, string …)
and a seemingly impossible time limit to render a viable solution. When your challenge is unveiled, you will need all your wits and creative acumen to overcome your
obstacles. You will need to listen to and rely on your fellow team members because more minds are better than one. Come live the process of creativity and
collaboration in a real-time experience. (for grades: 4-6 & 7-12, session limit: 24)
5) Statistics Don’t Lie (Or Do They?) (grades 4-6, 7-12) w/ Gregg Ponitch & Karen Kaufman, Math Instructors, St.Andrew’s Ep. Sch. (RM 117)
(gr. 4-6: 1 pm, 3 pm) (gr. 7-12: 11 am, 2 pm)
Explore how to think differently about the world through numbers. Our lives seem defined by data collection and interpretation – thanks to today’s computer processing
powers. Data collection agencies tap our spending habits and online-search activities. We turn to a mountain of data when we assess the potential success of our
favored sports team or political candidate. So come evaluate the promises and perils of statistics – the gathering and interpretation of data – as we all need to know
which numbers to believe. (for grades: 4-6 & 7-12, session limit: 25)
6) Your Brain on Ukulele (grades 4-8) with Amy Wooley, Music Instructor, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School (ROOM 122)
(11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm)
That instrument: George Harrison loved playing it, Jake Shimabukuro loves flaunting it. Discover what George and Jake knew: that the ukulele is a great instrument to
play, that music lights up the brain like few other disciplines. And, since there is a strong correlation between playing an instrument and academic success, attending
this session just might prove to be beneficial. (for grades: 4-8, session limit: 25)
7) The Fiction Writer’s Workshop (grades 5-8) with Steve Barish, Writing Instructor, Johns Hopkins CTYOnline (ROOM 217)
(10 am, 11 am, 1 pm)
It is the first line, they say, that establishes the story. But the road to a great tale begins earlier with the consideration of a setting, of a plot and of characters, and of
overcoming writer’s block. Learn how to address all of these challenges and more so that you can create that dynamic first sentence (you’ll get tips on that, too) and
craft stories that will enthrall your readers. In this workshop, boost your creative capacity to write fiction that comes alive – or non-fiction that reads like fiction.
(for grades: 5-8, session limit: 20)
8) Neuromagic … Sleight of Hand, Sleight of Mind (grades 5-8) with Diana Allen, Instructor, Johns Hopkins CTYOnline
(ROOM 209)
(10 am, 11 am, 2 pm, 3 pm)
The brain is a powerful force but sometimes it seems that it has a mind of its own. Thanks to those cerebral components that determine how we are to perceive our
surroundings, we succumb, under beguiling circumstances, to the fallacy of illusions - we think it magic. Discover what makes us prone to misdirection and unlock some
of the “secrets” of mind-bending tricks. (for grades: 5-8, session limit: 20)
9) Where is Your Cultural Comfort Zone? (grades 5-12) with Eva Crawford, Account Manager, Marketing, AFS-USA (ROOM 220)
(1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm)
Dare yourself to experience something new and poke a hole in your own “cultural bubble”. Using the basic concepts of intercultural education, immerse yourself in a
fun exercise of confronting your cultural expectations head-on and turning them upside down. Say the wrong thing. Do the wrong thing. And learn to laugh at yourself
in a judgment-free, cultural-stereotype-free zone. (for grades: 5-12, session limit: 25)
10) Engineering Design Process & Success Through Failure (grades 6-8)w/Nancy Ehrlich, STEM Coord. & students,Nat’l Cathedral Sch.(RM 206)
(1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm)
Undergo the engineering design process of construction, testing and modification. The project involves your rollout of a viable wind-powered vehicle. Building on the
Kidwind Sail Car Challenge, you are offered the opportunity to investigate wind resistance and aerodynamics to design a car that delivers the best comparative straightline mobility under consistent test conditions. The iterative approach to design instills the understanding that knowledge from failure engenders success. You will need
to apply this knowledge to create a car that can go the farthest. (for grades: 6-8, session limit: 14)
EDUCATIONAL FORUM: NOV. 9, 2014
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
STUDENT SESSIONS - continued
11) Make It Stick: Remember More and Study Less (gr. 6-12) with Glenn Whitman, Dir. CTTL, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School (ROOM 118)
(10 am, 11 am, 1 pm)
That is a promise, and most who would know would agree. Whatever the subject, the most common way most of us study - reading over notes the night before a test
and cramming - is very ineffective in learning and retaining material for the long haul. Recent research on memory, multi-tasking, and sleep has revealed that you can
take steps to enhance your ability to remember more material longer while taking less time to study. For all those who complain about too much work, here’s a session
that could be advantageous for tomorrow’s history test. (for grades: 6-12, session limit: 25)
12) Realizing Your Leadership Potential (grades 7-12) with Emily Thews, Sr. Assoc. Dir. of Admissions, Western Reserve Academy (RM 221)
(10 am, 11 am, 3 pm)
All of us have it … “Leadership Potential”. The key is recognizing what we have and turning the potential into the actual. Get to understand some fundamental criteria
that define the nature of leadership and become aware of how much inherent ability is locked within your inner self. The rest is up to you. With the help of this workshop,
learn how much potential you can tap and how you can achieve your maximum capacity to lead.
(for grades: 7-12, session limit: 25)
13) Writing the College Application Essay (grades 7-12) with Stella Chung and Stephanie Consoli, Counselors, Options for College (ROOM 116)
(10 am, 11 am, 2 pm)
The college essay – it is the one opportunity in the application process to present and distinguish ourselves directly to those who would decide our worthiness for
admission. Come get a handle on how admission officers use the essay in their decision process and learn how to mold the essay into a document that can express
your individuality for a great impact. (for grades: 7-12, session limit: 40)