AGENDA
8:30-9:15 a.m.—Registration Check-in
9:15-10:30 a.m.—Welcome and Keynote
10:30-10:45 a.m.—Break
10:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.—4 Breakout sessions
12:45-1:30 p.m.—Lunch
1:30-3:30 p.m.—4 Breakout sessions (repeated)
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Boys, Literacy, and Popular Culture
This presentation will focus on the well-documented difficulties boys have with reading and writing--and what we as professionals might do about it. In particular we will look at ways we can expand opportunities for boys to bring in interests in drawing, action, and references to popular culture. We will also look at the role of “violence” in their writing and the effect of “No Tolerance” policies on their work. In a globalized and intensely competitive world, opting out of school carries liabilities boys rarely imagine. This keynote will look at how we can help keep boys engaged and their school experience successful.
Speaker: Thomas Newkirk, Ph.D., is a professor of English at UNH. He is the author and editor of a number of books, including “Holding On to Good Ideas in a Time of Bad Ones: Six Literacy Principles Worth Fighting For” (2009), “Teaching the Neglected ‘R’ “ (2007), and “Misreading Masculinity” (2004), which was cited by Instructor Magazine as one of the most significant books for teachers in the past decade. Newkirk is a former teacher of at-risk high school students in Boston, former director of UNH’s freshman English program, and director and founder of its New Hampshire Literacy Institutes. He has studied literacy learning at a variety of educational levels, from preschool to college. He authored the NCTE David H. Russell Award-winning Performance of Self in Student Writing (Boynton/Cook, 1997), co-edited Taking Stock: The Writing Process Movement in the ‘90s (Boynton/Cook, 1994), and edited Nuts & Bolts: A Practical Guide to Teaching College Composition (Boynton/Cook, 1993).
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
(offered in morning and repeated in afternoon)
Understanding Boys with Social Challenges
including Asperger’s, ADHD, High Functioning Autism, & NLD
This presentation provides an opportunity to help you understand and support boys with socially challenging disorders. You will:
• discuss how to help them have positive school relationships
• increase your understanding of the supports boys need in a classroom
• become more effective in making accommodations to support boys’ learning differences.
You’ll leave this workshop with specific techniques and an understanding of what you can do to help make school and home a more successful place for boys.
Presenter: Robin Lurie-Meyerkopf, M.Ed., is the Director of Training and Consultation at the Asperger’s Association of New England. She has over 20 years of teaching experience and has run social skills groups for children and adolescents with Asperger’s, ADHD, and Non-Verbal Learning Disorders. She received her M.Ed. from Antioch University and also graduated from their Autism Spectrum Disorders Certificate Program. Robin has worked with students from elementary school through college in a variety of settings. She presents workshops for parents and professionals throughout New England and the US. With her experience as an educator, her training and background, Robin understands the complexity of working with a variety of populations..
What’s the Matter with Boys?
How many times is the brother smart, driven and doing well in school, and the sister is laid back, unmotivated and doing poorly in school? It’s usually the other way around. According to the Census Bureau, fully one-third of young men ages 22 to 34 are still living at home with their parents--a roughly 100 percent increase in the past 20 years. No such change has occurred with regard to young women. In 2007, the Pew Centers reported that 32% of American women have earned a college degree by the age of 35, while only 23% of America men have done so. In 2010, 142 females compared to 100 males were enrolled in grad school, and women outnumber men in seven out of eleven fields for doctoral degrees.This session will explore what has happened to boys from a neurobiological, cultural, and educational perspective, and what can be done to turn these statistics around.
Presenter: Mike Hague, M.A., has been involved with teaching, counseling and working with youth/students for over 25 years. He has held leadership positions in professional organizations, worked as a state trainer and has been a long time Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Recently retired from Bedford, NH school district where he counseled high-risk students, he coordinates and develops community programs for drug prevention; and presents trainings on adolescent issues for school districts, community organizations, mental health agencies and colleges.
Boys and Bullying: Stories & Research
Boys have generated more of the bullying and aggressiveness in schools and communities for a longer period of time than girls. Their bullying has tended to include more physical aggression than relational aggression in preschool and elementary school years. You will learn about true stories of individual boys who bully, presented along with psychological research explaining the etiology of bullying in boys. Boys who bully have developed particular beliefs and behaviors regarding the role of aggression in their life and the need for aggressive behavior in society. Bullying in boys reveals patterns of friendship that are unique to their aggressive status. As case histories of boys are presented, you will understand the corresponding studies on cognitive and emotional information processing. You will also view current data regarding boys, empathy and aggression. You will be able to describe the code of ethics and moral judgment that contrast with low aggressive boys. Bullying in boys will also be discussed in light of their unique physical strength, neuropsychology and stress responses.
Presenter: Anita Remig, Ed.D., has worked with children and families for over 30 years and gives seminars on ADHD, PDD, LD, and the human brain throughout the country.
Using Apps to Increase Boys Class Engagement
Learn how to choose and use apps with your male students, including some that were not designed specifically for education. See what you can do with the iPad, iPod Touch, and smart phones (Android and iPhone). Don’t be afraid of using these new technologies with the boys in your classroom. This session will help you get started, even if you’ve never had experience with any of these devices. You are welcome to bring devices to the session, but you can participate fully without them.
Presenter: Denise Dayton, M.S., M.Ed., is an experienced educator who has taught students from K to college, including many years as a K-3 classroom teacher. She has published numerous articles on education and information technology.
General Information and How to Register
Location
The conference will be held at UNH Manchester, 400 Commercial St. For information about parking, click here. For more info about the location call (603) 641-4350.
4 Ways to Register
(refer to CRN 391212)
On the Web: Click here
By Phone: Call (603) 862-7380 with credit card information.
By Mail or Fax: Click here to download a pdf of the registration form for mailing or faxing to (603) 862-7381.
Cost and Refund Policy
Conference cost is $199 and includes lunch, breaks, and materials. Refunds, less a $25 processing fee, will be given if written cancellation is received five business days prior to the conference.
For More Information
About the Conference: Call (603) 862-1739
About Registration: Call (603) 862-7380
About other UNH Professional Development & Training Offerings:
Email professional.development@unh.edu,
or visit www.learn.unh.edu/pcw,
or call (603) 862-7380.
Click here to go to the Home Page
for UNH Professional Development & Training
