iFest Hosts Teachers Professional Development Workshop 

Houston International Festival Hosts Professional

Development Workshop

Educators to get sneak peek of 2009 Teacher’s Curriculum Guide Spotlighting Ireland

WHAT:            The Houston International Festival will host a free professional development workshop for teachers on Saturday, February 28, to introduce the 2009 Teacher’s Curriculum Guide themed “Ireland and the Irish in America.”  The workshop is free and open to all Houston-area educators, and teachers in attendance will receive four certificate hours. The workshop will feature the following group of presenters including local scholars, teachers, writers and Festival staffers who contributed to the guide:

-          Dr. Joseph McFadden, retired history professor, founding member of the Irish Studies Program at the University of St. Thomas (UST) and former UST president, will lead workshops on Irish History and the Irish Famine.

-          Dr. Janet Lowery, professor and Cullen Foundation Chair in English at the University of St. Thomas, will conduct workshops on Irish literature.

-          David O’Keefe, a member of the Board of Directors of the Irish Society of Houston and editor of the Irish Society Newsletter, will lead workshops on the Irish in Texas.

-          Dr. Lynne Gibson, a retired Houston teacher and administrator who writes the lesson plans for the Curriculum Guide, will present a workshop on Irish dance.

-          Kathleen Blakeslee, coordinator of the IB Primary Years program and a fourth and fifth grade teacher at Mark Twain Elementary, will lead a workshop on teaching students how to conduct oral history projects.

-          Rick Mitchell, former journalist and high school teacher, current director of performing arts and education programs for the Houston International Festival, will lead a workshop on Irish music and its relationship to American music and culture.

The 2009 Houston International Festival spotlighting Ireland kicks off Saturday, April 18 and will continue its celebration of world music, food and culture until Sunday, April 26. It is one of North America’s largest urban festivals, and features diverse and celebrated music and dance groups from around the world, and international food and markets in multiple cultural zones.

WHEN:             Saturday, February 28, 2009

                          8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

WHERE:           University of St. Thomas Academic Mall

                          3800 Montrose

                          Houston, TX

                          www.stthom.edu

HOW:              Pre-registration: E-mail ifest2009@gmail.com (include name, school/school district,

                        grade level, two top choices for workshops)

                        Walk-up registration: 8:30 a.m. at University of St. Thomas’ Cullen

WHY:                The Festival's 22^nd consecutive education program features the Teacher's Curriculum Guide produced by the Houston International Festival. The guide will be distributed to more than 1,400 campuses in seven counties across Texas including HISD, Harris County, Galveston and Fort Bend. Attendees will receive four certificate hours presented at the conclusion of the workshop, a Teacher’s Curriculum Guide, and two tickets to the 2009 Houston International Festival  

MORE

INFO:              Call 713.654.8808 or visit www.ifest.org