Professional Development

Each year, the Basic Skills Committee allocates some of the BSI funds toward professional development opportunities. These funds can be used to supplement conference proposals that have been approved by Professional Development.

How can you request additional support from Basic Skills?

1. Submit a conference leave request form to the Basic Skills Chair (Michelle or Ashley) at least one month prior to the activity.
2. Email the Basic Skills Chair (Michelle or Ashley) at least one week prior to a scheduled Basic Skills meeting to request placement on the agenda.
3. Prepare to discuss at the meeting how this professional development activity clearly benefits Basic Skills students. In order for the committee to support any activity, it must be clearly defined for the benefit of Basic Skills students.
   The Committee would then collaboratively decide amount of funding to be provided, and the requestor will be notified of the funding amount following the meeting.
4. After the conference: Be willing to report back to the committee and/or appropriate constituent group(s) what you have learned and how you may use it to benefit Basic Skills students.
5. The Conference Leave Expense Claim Form (pdf) must be completed and signed by the appropriate people, including the BSI grant administrators, prior to obtaining reimbursement.

In the past the committee has supported:

• Fall 2015 FLEX: Keynote speaker John Hetts with the RP Group spoke about multiple measures, assessment, placement and acceleration models seen as best practices across the country.
• Spring 2016 FLEX: Mathematics instructors Ken Rand and John Perez from Hartnell College gave instructors innovative ideas to get students more involved in the learning process (in any class) and provided free tools to help with assessment and immediate feedback.
• Spring 2016 FLEX: LPC Business instructor Erick Bell and Sociology instructor Akihiko Hirose conducted a workshop on Cultural Sensitivity.
• Fall 2017 FLEX:
• Summer 2017: Two faculty to attend Great Teachers Institute.