submitted by Brian Bushner
Each year cable network C-SPAN selects 30 educators from around the nation to attend its annual Summer Educators’ Conference, and this year a teacher from the Hoosick Falls Central School District has been selected.
[private]
Christian Farley, a seventh-grade social studies teacher, will be heading to Washington, DC this July to attend the conference at C-SPAN headquarters. While there, he will learn about resources C-SPAN offers teachers to enhance the learning environment in their classrooms and see examples of how colleagues nationwide use C-SPAN programming for education. While in DC, Farley will also meet the C-SPAN personalities, and get a tour of the studios.
“I’m very honored and excited to get to go to DC,” said Farley. “I’m already using CSPAN in the classroom. It has always been helpful in giving me resources.” Every resource the network makes available to teachers is free. Farley explains, “I’ve been using their ‘Bell Ringer’ series, which is a video series of three or four-minute videos that are great conversation starters.” The Bell Ringers series is separated into sixteen categories commonly studied in social studies curriculums. Each clip contains a brief summary, key vocabulary terms, and related discussion questions.
Farley will be able to share what he learns with his colleagues and students. “This is going to help me take usage of video and other C-SPAN resources to the next level. I will be able to bring back all of the free resources to share with our students and faculty and help them enhance their educational toolbox.”
Farley is excited about the timing of this trip. He said, “With the upcoming presidential election, the tools C-SPAN offers are non-partisan and offer a bird’s-eye view of this great American process.”
C-SPAN provides transportation and accommodations for the educators and holds two sessions, one for high school teachers and the other for middle school teachers.[private]