Week of 3-15-2021

Inside this issue

• School staff vaccination program is working
• Celebrating Helen Wise, a great PSEA leader
• Hip Hop Studies class breaks down barriers
• PSEA’s Center for Professional Learning schedule
• Member Benefits spotlight: Boscov’s Travel

The school staff vaccination program is off to an incredible start and has already dispensed the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to nearly 100,000 educators, support professionals, and administrators.

This program is a true game changer. It will ensure a safer environment for PSEA members and our families. And it will help us to get closer to normal and open our schools for in-person instruction.

PSEA fought hard to get this program going. Members of the bipartisan COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force listened to us – and made it happen. This week, I sent them a letter to thank them for their work.

PSEA, I hope you will take advantage of this program and get vaccinated. If you still have questions about the program, you can find the answers here.

Keep up the great work!

What better way to celebrate Women’s History Month than to remember a great PSEA and NEA leader?

Dr. Helen Wise was PSEA president in 1969 and NEA president in 1973. She was a social studies teacher in the State College Area School District and was an incredible advocate for students, fair school funding, and PSEA members.

Dr. Wise was also a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1976 to 1978, where she chaired the subcommittee on human resources and served on the education, conservation, and federal/state relations committees, and she was Gov. Robert Casey’s secretary for legislative affairs, secretary to the Cabinet, and deputy chief of staff for programs.

Hip Hop Studies class breaks down barriers

Assistant Professor of English Christopher Davis has one of the most popular English classes at Westmoreland County Community College. Delving deep into the language and history of hip hop, Davis breaks down an art form his students already appreciate to examine one they might not.

“Ultimately, we examine hip hop as a poetic art form,” Davis said. “And we look at all the poetics elements related to it. So, rhyme scheme, onomatopoeia, alliteration, consonants. We look at rap lyrics and examine them as we would any other poetic form.”

No study of any art form is complete without proper historical context. And that’s where Davis’ course shines.

“We look at the origins of hip hop, so we do a socioeconomic examination of 1975 South Bronx,” Davis said. “We read a text that looks at that area of New York City, its socioeconomic realities, and how this art form came out of that reality of 1975 South Bronx. So, we look at gang life, we look at the big gang truce in New York City in 1971. We look at elements of the park jam culture at the time, and the role of early DJs in forming the music itself. So we do a real heavy examination of the origins of hip hop early in the class, and that leads us to the more formal analysis of poetry later on in the course.”

His students, he said, eat it up.

“They know the artists, they know the music, they know some of the stories behind them, and they have an interest in it,” he said. “They're not coming into my composition class where they hate writing and I have to get them interested in being writers. With this class, the students come in very interested already. So it's just me trying to heighten and focus their interests, and getting them to see the learning objectives of the course as we move along. So I'm lucky; it's a super fun course to teach.”

PSEA’s Center for Professional Learning schedule

Learn at your speed on PSEA’s Center for Professional Learning:

Earn Act 48/Chapter 14 credit anytime, anywhere.

Webinars

• Maximizing Google Classroom for Remote Learning
  • March 30, 6-7:30 p.m.
• Occupational Therapy in the School Setting: Let’s Grow Fine Motor Skills Together!
  • April 8, 5-7 p.m.
• Leveling Up Seesaw
  • April 13, 6-7:30 p.m.
• Google Classroom (Advanced)
  • April 20, 6-7:30 p.m.
• EdTech Pedagogy in Early Childhood
  • April 27, 6-7:30 p.m.
• Screencasting: Loom, Screencastify, Google Meet
  • May 4, 6-7:30 p.m.
• Educator Evaluation in 2021 and Beyond
  • May 6, 2021, 5-6:30 p.m.
• Implicit Bias in Schools
  • May 20, 6-7:30 p.m.

Book Discussions

• Refugee - Alan Gratz
• April 7, 5-6 p.m.
• Race to Incarcerate: A Graphic Retelling - Sabrina Jones and Mac Mauer
• April 21, 5-6 p.m.
• Out of My Mind - Sharon Draper
• May 5, 5-6 p.m.
• Early Elementary LGTBQIA+ Book Collection
• May 12, 5-7 p.m.
• Late Elementary LGTBQIA+ Book Collection
• May 17, 5-7 p.m.
• New Kid - Jerry Craft
• May 19, 5-6 p.m.

Wellness Sessions

• Mindfulness for Members 2021-VI – This session includes mindful practices for experiencing calm in the chaos.
• March 22, 5-6 p.m.
• Mindfulness for Members 2021-VII – This session includes mindful practices for preventing burnout.
• April 12, 5-6 p.m.
• Mindfulness for Members 2021-VIII – This session includes mindful practices for experiencing gratitude.
• April 26, 5-6 p.m.
• Mindfulness for Members 2021-IX – This session includes mindful practices for healthy minds.
• May 10, 5-6 p.m.
• Mindfulness for Members 2021-X – This session includes mindful practices for developing awareness.
• May 24, 5-6 p.m.
• Mindfulness for Members 2021-XI – This session includes mindful practices for experiencing calm, joy, gratitude, self-compassion, and resilience.
• June 7, 5-6 p.m.

Member Benefits spotlight: Boscov’s Travel

As a PSEA Member Benefits partner, Boscov’s Travel has many perks and benefits just for you when you book your next vacation. Their local, knowledgeable advisors are ready to help you plan your dream vacation – be it a cruise, an all-inclusive island resort, U.S. or global land tours, or Disney and Orlando amusement destinations.

In business for over 46 years, they bring their experience and knowledge to you. Now more than ever, using a professional travel advisor has never been more valuable. As a PSEA member, you get exclusive discounts that can be bundled with the best national offers. Yet another perk – book your travel with your Boscov’s credit card and enjoy 12-months interest-free financing!