Send a proposal to your TYCA regional conference

It is the season to put together proposals for the upcoming TYCA regional conferences in October 2006. Check here, on the NCTE/TYCA web pages for the conference near you. Each of the TYCA regional conferences has a unique set of traditions, but all share one important function – they are the place to meet your peers and to share what is happening in your classrooms. Regional conferences are a wonderful place to add your voice to our conversations about pedagogy, enhancing student success, and developing programs to prepare students for transfer programs and for the work world.

There are also amazing people for you to meet, or to connect with again. I look forward to talking with my TYCA friends because they bring me such joy and renewed enthusiasm for my profession. So come and share. You will be glad you did, and we need to hear what you have to say.

And if you are in the Southeast region, it is not too early to plan for submitting a proposal for the upcoming February 2007 conference.

Sensing a Shift in Attitude

First off, sorry for the long delay in postings. Along with serving Nationa TYCA, I also have a full course / advising / committee load. I needed to handle the start of the new Spring Quarter and it put me a bit behind.

I was just reaidng an article in Inside Education called "Facing Down the Snob Factor" and I was not surprised by the tone of the article. There are transfer institutions which under value transfer students from community colleges - not news to any of us. What was fascinating, however, was the spririted defense of students who begin at community colleges, and the professors who choose to work in community colleges. It sure is worth a look. After reading the article, take a look below at the discussion - and please do join in.

I take this as a hopeful sign that we may be approaching the point where the knee-jerk reaction to community college students is not "lesser." Numerous people pointed out how community college students transfer students often do as well, if not better, than students who begin their programs at four year school. They also pointed out all the reasons students choose community colleges programs - cost, closeness to home and family, ability to work and attend school, and most importantly, that the courses are valuable and rigorous.