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LYC/ Project P.A.T.C.H.  ~  2013 Summer Institute

“Civic Literacy and Civic Engagement”

4-Day Law and Civic Education Professional Development Opportunity

30 Hours       2 in-service credits      Grades K-12        3 Graduate Credit Option Available
Fee: $50 per registrant    (Mail to: LYC/NYSBA, 1 Elk St., Albany, NY 12207)
Dates: June 25 – June 28, 2013 
Note new starting day: Tuesday-Friday  
Time: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Place: Northport High School

LYC (The Law, Youth and Citizenship Program of the New York State Bar Association) and
Project P.A.T.C.H. (Law and Citizenship Education Program of the Northport - East Northport U.F.S.D.) will offer this 4-day, 30-hour in-service
Summer Institute at Northport High School.

Special guest speaker ~ Mary Beth Tinker,
litigant in the landmark US Supreme Court Tinker v Des Moines.

This is a great opportunity to learn new strategies and obtain new resources (materials provided) to develop your professional skills in the area of Law, Citizenship and Character Education. The 2013 Institute offers 5 separate strands.
Select the one that best meets your training needs.

The strands are:

#1) Character Education and Peer Leadership (K-12) - intensive training in building citizenship skills through character education that will develop students’ understanding of our democratic traditions, values and institutions.  Innovative, hands-on activities that help students gain a new perspective on justice, character and civic responsibility will be featured.  Peer leadership strategies and cross-age teaching techniques that will revitalize civic education in the classroom and throughout the school community will be shared.  Strand includes cooperative learning and peer education strategies to develop students’ academic skills, social confidence, and conflict resolution skills, while meeting Common Core Standards and preparing students for new methods of assessment.  Materials will be provided that are appropriate for all grade levels in supporting the Dignity for All Students Act.

#2) Global Issues - International Law and Human Rights – turn-key strategies and resources to engage students in learning about global themes of human rights, tolerance, respect, diversity, and the role of international law and institutions in advancing the worth of the individual throughout history. Appropriate for all grade levels and includes materials appropriate for use with students of all ages.  A case study approach will be utilized, including historic events such as the Holocaust, as the framework to discuss issues of International Law and Human Rights.  Using broad themes of tolerance and understanding of the dignity of all persons under law, the core principles of the Dignity for All Students Act will be supported.

#3) American History through Constitutional Law –  opportunity to deeply examine landmark Supreme Court decisions that have impacted American History.  Participants will analyze and discuss historic events and landmark Supreme Court decisions to further understanding and enhance instruction in American History.  A case study approach, involving real cases and controversies, will be utilized to explore core themes of American History.  Instructional strategies will be shared that enhance essential literacy skills and improve students’ civic knowledge.  Participants will gain a better understanding of the role of the law, the Constitution and the judiciary in shaping American History.  The culminating activity will include a moot court exercise. This strand is appropriate for any teacher of American History or any teacher looking for unique strategies to build student literacy skills. 

#4) Criminal Justice for Educators- provides educators greater insight into the function of our Criminal Justice system.  Content will include a focus on core Criminal Justice curriculum that should be a part of a secondary level course either as a stand alone elective or infused within existing courses covering government and civics.  Expert presenters who are practicing Criminal Justice professionals will be featured as guest speakers along with experienced Social Studies instructors to offer practical classroom applications and resources.  Through better understanding of the Criminal Justice system all educators participating will be empowered to assist there students in avoiding destructive decisions.  Issues of bullying, online misconduct and harassment in the school environment will featured through the lens of issues addressed by the Dignity for All Students Act. 

#5)  Mock Trial Leadership and Instruction – turn-key instructional strategies to implement Mock Trial exercises in the classroom or to participate in extracurricular mock trials, including the New York State Bar Association’s Statewide Mock Trial Program.  Trial advocacy skills will be modeled and practiced with the goal of empowering participants to effectively lead students in their development as “student attorneys” and “witnesses” in mock trial exercises.  Key components include building legal theories, presenting opening arguments and closing statements, conducting direct and cross examinations, working with evidence, and objections.  The culminating activity will include a mock trial.  Through Mock Trial, students gain firsthand knowledge of law and courtroom procedures and explore ethics, civility and professionalism and connections are made to key literacy skills & basic life skills, such as listening, speaking, reading and reasoning .

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Please note that you also have an opportunity to earn graduate credit
through Stony Brook University.

For participants that have earned graduate credit through a PATCH Summer Institute in the past, you should note that a “new” graduate course is offered this year.  See the links below about graduate credit from Stony Brook University.  The graduate credit is an option.  It is not required to participate.  Tuition of $939 will be due by June 17th.  To help participants plan for this expense please note that while checks are due by June 17th we will not deposit them until after July 1st.

Teachers not seeking graduate credit will be provided a certificate of completion for the 30-hour institute which you can provide to your school district for up to 2 in-service credits.  Note that in-service credit is awarded at the discretion of your district. Some districts award 3 in-service credits for this institute.  Applicants completing graduate credit will need to order a transcript from Stony Brook University at the conclusion of the course to provide to their district as required by their employer.  Applicants should obtain prior approval, if required, by their school district prior to enrollment.  The graduate course being offered this year is pre-approved as a “content” course for employees of the Northport – East Northport UFSD.

Links (open and read/print all that are applicable to your application):

Graduate Credit information and Course Description (pdf)

TO REGISTER . . .

DIRECT ALL QUESTIONS TO THE P.A.T.C.H. OFFICE AT (631) 262-6874
or e-mail David Scott at patch@northport.k12.ny.us 

Complete online registration and mail $50 registration fee to: LYC/NYSBA, 1 Elk St., Albany, NY 12207

For students seeking graduate credit -- you will be contacted with special instructions for enrollment in the Stony Brook Graduate Course. You must still register online for a strand and mail the $50 registration fee as explained above.

The Institute is made possible, in part,
through the generosity of The New York Bar Foundation.

Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities:  NYSBA welcomes participation by individuals with disabilities.  NYSBA is committed to complying with all applicable laws that prohibit discrimination against individuals on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of its goods, services, programs, activities, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations.  To request auxiliary aids or services or if you have any questions regarding accessibility, please contact LYC Director Eileen Gerrish, egerrish@nysba.org or call 518.486.1748.