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Empowering the Minds of Future Educators

Joshua Hardwick, SCTA Northern Regional Vice President, Chabot College

Saturday, March 8, 2003 will not be the same for the 65 students that attended the Northern Regional Conference at Chabot College. A few minutes after 9:45 am, SCTA Northern Regional Vice President, Joshua Hardwick walked up to the podium and captured the attention of the crowd. Dr. Arnulfo Cedillo, President of the Chabot-Los Positas Community College District, then welcomed everyone to Chabot College. He showed passion, respect, and love for the attendees and had a special message for everyone - becoming a teacher in this time of need is the MOST important thing they can do.

Jeff Barbosa, District Representative for Senator Liz Figueroa, followed with an inspiring keynote speech that created a lot of discussion and made people think. After the introductions and speeches, the day began with a myriad of workshops offered to inform and educate members. A total of eight different workshops were offered.

Stay Intact: Methods of Engaging Students with Visuals was a hands on experience for the attendees. Jeff Reed, presenter and teacher from Windsor High School, used examples from his classroom unit on Cinco de Mayo.
Hints for a Successful Job Search presented by Don Sherratt and Billy Caver, District Liaison/Recruiter from Project Pipeline, gave students an exclusive look into the teaching field and how to find the perfect job within the fog of educational politics. Students left knowing how to write a successful resume as well as how to present themselves in an interview.
HELP! How Do I Get Parents in the Classroom? was presented by Cynthia Hardwick, mother of four and board member of Head Start/Child Family and Community and Alice Arce, mother of three and former Union City Council Member. They introduced students to ways of attracting parents to assist in the classroom by providing helpful tips to communicate with parents.
Jose Nunez, a teacher at Helen Turner School, presented both Classroom Management and Encouragement vs. Praise. He taught useful ways to work with students and how keep the classroom sane throughout the day.
Arts in the Classroom, presented by a mother-daughter team from United Teachers of Richmond, Debbie and Julie Willis, showed members how to utilize puppetry, dances, and songs in the classroom.
Stressed?! Presented by Pam Baugher, CTA Human Rights Dept. Cadre Trainer educated attendees about the importance of stress relief.
Gang Intervention and Awareness presented by Jose Cavazos and Mark Kennedy, CTA Human Rights Dept. Cadre Trainers, opened students' eyes to the life of a gang member and how to reach at-risk students without causing harm to themselves.

A special thank you to David Hernandez, CTA Board of Directors, for addressing students questions and concerns during a lunchtime presentation. An additional thank you goes to the many volunteers who assisted with the setup, coordination, and planning of the conference - Associated Students of Chabot College, Hayward SCTA chapter and Chabot College SCTA chapter.