Irasshai's Family is Growing

This year's enrollment figures for Irasshai, GPB's Japanese language program, have been released for September 2005. GPB is excited to announce that the number of students registered for the program has increased by about 100 students over the last year. Registered students for the week of 9/2/05 totaled 513 (226 in state, 287 out of state), this is up from totals taken during the same week last year of 415 (168 in state, 247 out of state).

For More Information:
- Call the Irasshai Hotline at 1-800-883-7444 or 404-685-2811 in the Atlanta area.
- Visit the Irasshai website

Georgia Read More

It has been a year this month since the Georgia Department of Education implemented a literacy program aimed at 3rd graders entitled Georgia Read More. Since that time the series has proven to be a major success that is scheduled to continue for an additional year. Georgia Read More is a series of programs that promote literacy by having dignitaries and celebrities read a children's book aloud to a group of students. These readings are taped and broadcast on GPB Education Channel 430 for children and educators all over the state to view. The programs are also accessible for viewing via web casts, and DVDs distributed to Georgia's 1,200 elementary schools.

Guest readers include:
Kathy Cox
Mary Perdue
President Jimmy Carter
John Smoltz
Travis Tritt
Bill Elliott
Chief Justice Leah Ward-Sears

The Georgia Department of Education's Georgia Read More project is literacy initiative in collaboration with the Georgia Technology Authority and Georgia Public Broadcasting. Scholastic Books, Peachtree Publishers, and other publishing companies have provided books and copyright permission for this project.

Georgia Department of Education website

Download PDF flyer of Georgia Read More

Sing

How do squeaky-voiced eight-year-olds become amazing singers? "Sing!" focuses on the Los Angeles Children's Chorus, which has worked out of two rooms in a basement for 15 years to create extraordinary music under the guidance of artistic director Anne Tomlinson. The film follows a group of children nervously auditioning for the limited spots in the chorus and dramatically shows their transformation from shower singer into choristers of exceptional vocal beauty. Through it all, they are typical pre-teens who also appreciate art and music in their lives. "Sing!" was a nominee in this year's Academy Awards short documentary competition, and was written and directed by Academy Award-winner Freida Lee Mock.
Tune into channel 410 for this special 30 minute presentation of "Sing!" on Friday, October 7 at 3 pm.

Georgia History 2006 Essay Contest: Georgia's History in your own Backyard

History surrounds us everywhere in Georgia in places like historic buildings, churches, battlefields, courthouses, cemeteries, even in the stories people tell. It is this abundance of history that led to The Georgia History 2006 Essay Contest topic of: Georgia's History in your own Backyard. This contest provides a chance for students in grades 4-12 to look around and discover what history can be found in their own neighborhoods.

The deadline to submit essays is December 12, 2005. Essays should be between one and two pages in length, with a maximum of 300 words.

Mail entries to:
Georgia Voyager Magazine
6063 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 101-A
Norcross, GA 30092

Essays can also be e-mailed to:
gvoyager@bellsouth.net

For more information visit gavoyager.com or call 800-243-6991

Join the DEN!!

You may be wondering about the DEN and what it represents. The DEN is the Discovery Educator Network, which is a global community of educators in the forefront of digital media in the classroom.

IF you

* use unitedstreaming regularly in your classroom, and you are interested in
exploring new ways to infuse the variety of digital resources into lesson plans
and classroom projects
* have seen how video clips can accelerate learning and help make abstract
concepts real
* are always seeking ways to make your classroom more exciting and your lessons
more effective
* want to communicate your enthusiasm to your fellow teachers
* are adept with digital technology and would like to share your skills with
others
* would enjoy being part of a select community of educators who share ideas and
best practices about the use of technology in the classroom
* would enjoy having the opportunity to attend educational conferences, serve on
advisory boards and give presentations about unitedstreaming and the use of
digital video in the classroom

THEN you are a perfect candidate for the Discovery Educator Network!!

Discovery Educator Network members will

* share ideas, insights, and inspiration with Discovery Educators around the
world
* have the opportunity to attend Discovery Education special events
* conduct at least four unitedstreaming presentations or demonstrations for
teachers in their own school districts each year
* participate in educational conferences and other professional development
opportunities
* be active users on the Discovery Educator Network discussion boards and online
community.

Discovery Educator Application

To apply to become a Discovery Educator, please fill out an application and email it to katherine_aiken@discovery.com . See details below:

Microsoft Word Document
Directions to ftp site

In the application, you will need to include the following:

- A one-page statement that addresses the following questions:
* What do you hope to achieve as a member of the Discovery Educator Network?
* What unique skills and experiences will you bring to the Discovery Educator
Network? How will this help other teachers?
* What methods or techniques do you feel are the most effective ways to integrate
technology resources into your curriculum. (Please be as specific as possible and
cite examples of technology integration and its impact on student achievement.)
* At least one example of a technology enhanced instructional resource you have
developed for the classroom.

Visit the Discovery Educator Network website. After reviewing your application, Katherine Aiken - Discovery Educator Network Field Manager for Georgia - will contact you, and she will provide further details about the program.

Think Math: Everyday Math Made Simple for Adult Learners

ALMA (Adult Literacy Media Alliance), the same organization who brought us TV411, is continuing to provide support to adult educators. With a grant from the National Science Foundation, ALMA has developed and produced TV411 Think Math DVD, a multimedia kit for teachers to make math relevant and fun for adult learners across the country.

ALMA's mission is to assist adults to achieve the basic reading, writing, and math skills they need to reach their goals. They create educational and entertaining television-based teaching materials that bring learning to the adults wherever they may be - in class, at work, or at home. They support teachers and social service providers through training and staff development workshops.

The TV411 Think Math DVD includes eight video segments from the TV411 broadcast series that show useful math lessons in everyday situations, lesson plans for educators of adult learners, worksheets that can be used in the class as well as for homework, and links to lessons and online games from the TV411 website. The math topics covered in this DVD are fractions, percentages, basic geometry, perimeter, ratios, rates, number patterns, and data analysis.

If you are an adult educator and would like a free copy of this multimedia kit, please call Linda Johnson at (404)685-2555 or e-mal her at ljohnson@gpb.org.

NEW LOGO FOR IRASSHAI!

After ten years, the Irasshai logo is getting a facelift! The two characters in the original logo made their debut in the first episode of the videos series, Irasshai: Welcome to Japanese! in August, 1996. Since its inception, over 5,000 high school students and community learners have traversed the distance learning hallways of Irasshai, a three-year course in Japanese language and culture, and its logo was ready for a make-over. GPB's Jennifer Barclay, creator of the new design, is herself an admitted Japanese anime fan. "We were searching for a new look for our two-character logo," says Irasshai Program Manager, Kathy Negrelli. "Something that was appealing to a large audience and had a more modern feel. We are thrilled with the personal touch Jennifer added to our logo." The only thing missing from the new logo is a name for each character. Irasshai students will have the opportunity to help solve this problem by participating in a naming contest that will take place during the current school year.

View a larger version of the logo!

Look for T-shirts, buttons and other goods sporting the new two-character Irasshai logo soon!