New Education Secretary Kerry Mazzoni Headlines Conference On Teaching Jan. 31-Feb. 2

Three days devoted to improving teaching

SANTA CRUZ, CA–Kerry Mazzoni, California’s new secretary of education, will headline the third annual symposium on new teacher support being hosted by the UC Santa Cruz New Teacher Center. The event takes place January 31-February 2 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, California.

The conference, "Quality Mentoring: Staying the Course Towards Excellence and Equity," will focus on the importance of developing a high-quality teaching force in the quest for equity in student achievement.

"There is a growing body of research that confirms the role good teaching plays in student achievement," said Ellen Moir, director of the New Teacher Center. "Teachers make the difference. The way we create excellent teachers is through preparation, support during the first years in the classroom, and ongoing professional development."

The conference, which targets veteran mentor teachers, school administrators, and education policy makers, will focus on quality mentoring, leadership and professional identity, and equitable learning and social justice. Participants will learn the latest about what works in new teacher development and support. The schedule includes preconference workshops on January 31, as well as two full days of symposium sessions.

Mazzoni, who was named secretary of education by Governor Gray Davis in December, will deliver the keynote speech on Thursday, February 1, from 8 to 9 a.m.

"California needs to hire nearly 300,000 new teachers in the next ten years," said Mazzoni. "That is an enormous challenge. We also need to correct an imbalance in the distribution of qualified teachers in schools with the neediest students. We can’t do that without increasing the number of good teachers, so it’s critical that we move now to enact mentorship and teacher-preparation programs that work."

Other keynote speakers include Andy Hargreaves, a professor and codirector of the International Centre for Educational Change at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and a leading figure in educational reform. The final keynote address will be delivered by Asa G. Hilliard III, a well-known education researcher who is the Fuller E. Calloway Professor of Urban Education at Georgia State University. His work with schools and school districts focuses on testing, teaching strategies, African content in curriculum, teacher training, and public policy.

On January 31, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the preconference schedule features five concurrent in-depth sessions on the following topics: the emotional bonds that are essential to high standards of teaching; ways for mentor teachers to address racism and other forms of discrimination observed in the new teacher’s classroom; new ways to assess student understanding; developing adolescent literacy; and ongoing professional development for mentor teachers. A total of 42 sessions will be offered on February 1 and 2. For a detailed preconference and symposium schedule, please visit the event web site at http://www.newteachercenter.org/TrainAnnual.html.

Space is limited, and advance registration is recommended. Preconference fees are $175 per person, or $125 for symposium registrants; symposium fees are $295 per person. For more information, call Peggy Young at (831) 459-4323.

The New Teacher Center at UCSC is a national resource committed to improving student learning by supporting the development of an inspired, dedicated, and highly qualified teaching force. Working with dozens of school districts across the country, the NTC provides leadership in teacher development and new teacher training while promoting diversity in America’s teaching force.