CSUSB Palm Desert Hosts Teacher Summit

PALM DESERT, CA - Cal State San Bernardino's Palm Desert campus will host one of 38 teacher summits to be held across the state Friday.

The second annual Better Together: California Teachers Summit will be open to Coachella Valley educators from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the campus' Indian Wells Theater. The meetings are intended to give local teachers an opportunity to collaborate on strategies for implementing the new state standards in California classrooms.

Mick Verdi, associate dean of CSUSB's College of Education, called last year's inaugural summit "a complete success" and said the forum provided local teachers a unique opportunity to network with peers from outside the area.

"It is not often teachers can come and share ideas and strategies with teachers not in their districts or schools," Verdi said. "This sharing of information will make students in the Coachella Valley better prepared for life in the 21st century."

Along with TED-style talks by local teachers, the summit will feature discussions on the latest California standards in English/Language Arts, Math, and the Next Generation Science Standards and workshops for implementation strategies.

"In light of California's teacher shortage, we must do more to celebrate and support teachers," said Kristen Soares, president of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, one of the organizations hosting the summit. "Teaching is a uniquely challenging yet rewarding profession that requires teachers to be lifelong learners."

– By City News Service. Image via Shutterstock.