2023 DKGNJ Convention Offerings
Irene Maskaly, First Vice President, Program Planning/EEC
The Program Planning Committee selected an outstanding variety of workshop presentations for the 2023 DKGNJ Convention that includes something for everyone. While there are two books discussion workshops being offered, we ask that you only register for one so that more members can be accommodated. The earlier you register, the better chance you have of getting your first choices for workshops. Please be sure to take the time to complete the workshop evaluations that will be available online. The information you provided in previous years was instrumental in helping us plan this year’s convention. We thank you in advance for all your suggestions and recommendations. (download a pdf of this information)
Saturday Morning 10:30 – 11:45
Preserving Memories Through Scrapbooking
Presenter: Christine Musick (Nu)
Workshop Description: Started in the United Kingdom in the 19th century, scrapbooking is a method of preserving, presenting and arranging personal and family history in the form of a book, box or card. Typical memorabilia include photographs, printed media, and artwork, often decorated and frequently contain extensive journal entries, or written descriptions.
Participants will learn current techniques and strategies for scrapbooking and should be prepared to create a double page layout bringing 9 - 12 photos.
Tape runners and personal paper cutters would be helpful, but not necessary to bring.
This workshop is limited to 24 participants.
Target Audience: All
Presenter: Christine Musick (Nu)
Workshop Description: Started in the United Kingdom in the 19th century, scrapbooking is a method of preserving, presenting and arranging personal and family history in the form of a book, box or card. Typical memorabilia include photographs, printed media, and artwork, often decorated and frequently contain extensive journal entries, or written descriptions.
Participants will learn current techniques and strategies for scrapbooking and should be prepared to create a double page layout bringing 9 - 12 photos.
Tape runners and personal paper cutters would be helpful, but not necessary to bring.
This workshop is limited to 24 participants.
Target Audience: All
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. A book club discussion aimed at professional women Presenters: Lisa Hirkaler, NBCT and Peggy Stewart, NBCT, NJ Teacher of the Year (Epsilon)
Workshop Description: Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle (Ballantine, 2019), is a book by Emily and Amelia Nagoski, two young professional sisters with advanced degrees in the arts and sciences. This session will encourage active engagement by participants in a safe comfortable environment. Members will discuss the book, guided by the PDF questions offered by the authors, and share our findings. Burnout examines issues that relate to our existence as professional women, feminist stances, stress in the workplace, sleep, impact of being a woman on teaching, and men in the workplace. The goal of this book talk is to share resources the book offers for reducing stress, but also to draw on the collective intelligence of the assembled women. These NY Times award winning authors are witty, engaging, and offer scientific data to aid in alleviating stress or burnout. They are candid and fresh as self-help authors. However, this book offers several key tips to help with Burnout for women in the workplace, and combined with the experience of our participants, can be materially helpful.
Target Audience: All
Workshop Description: Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle (Ballantine, 2019), is a book by Emily and Amelia Nagoski, two young professional sisters with advanced degrees in the arts and sciences. This session will encourage active engagement by participants in a safe comfortable environment. Members will discuss the book, guided by the PDF questions offered by the authors, and share our findings. Burnout examines issues that relate to our existence as professional women, feminist stances, stress in the workplace, sleep, impact of being a woman on teaching, and men in the workplace. The goal of this book talk is to share resources the book offers for reducing stress, but also to draw on the collective intelligence of the assembled women. These NY Times award winning authors are witty, engaging, and offer scientific data to aid in alleviating stress or burnout. They are candid and fresh as self-help authors. However, this book offers several key tips to help with Burnout for women in the workplace, and combined with the experience of our participants, can be materially helpful.
Target Audience: All
A History of Women in America
Presenter: Deborah Hoeflinger (Alpha)
Workshop Description: In this workshop participants will explore how women’s roles have changed throughout our history, starting with the colonial period and reaching to the present day.
Target audience: All
Presenter: Deborah Hoeflinger (Alpha)
Workshop Description: In this workshop participants will explore how women’s roles have changed throughout our history, starting with the colonial period and reaching to the present day.
Target audience: All
Education in Perú - My Experience, Takeaways, and Advice
Presenter: Jillian Bandel (Epsilon)
Workshop Description: At this workshop, the presenter will share her experience teaching English in a remote town an hour outside the main city of Cusco, Peru. The aim of this presentation is to bring to light the extreme inequities in the Peruvian school system - such as lack of support for students with special needs/IEPs/504s, a lack of resources, and the inconsistent education that students receive - while bringing to the table a capacity lens. The presenter focuses on how we can be better global educators, how to help third world countries without diminishing them, and what strong and beautiful communities come from their situations.
In this presentation, Ms. Bandel will discuss what a white savior complex is, how English is a colonizing language and the harm/benefits that it can do to these remote communities, and how we in the United States need to advocate for ‘‘translanguaging’’ in the classrooms and demolish the “English only” idea mindsets. Ms. Bandel states, “My goal is not just to share my students’ stories, but to change peoples’ perspectives on language education as a whole.”
Target Audience: All
Presenter: Jillian Bandel (Epsilon)
Workshop Description: At this workshop, the presenter will share her experience teaching English in a remote town an hour outside the main city of Cusco, Peru. The aim of this presentation is to bring to light the extreme inequities in the Peruvian school system - such as lack of support for students with special needs/IEPs/504s, a lack of resources, and the inconsistent education that students receive - while bringing to the table a capacity lens. The presenter focuses on how we can be better global educators, how to help third world countries without diminishing them, and what strong and beautiful communities come from their situations.
In this presentation, Ms. Bandel will discuss what a white savior complex is, how English is a colonizing language and the harm/benefits that it can do to these remote communities, and how we in the United States need to advocate for ‘‘translanguaging’’ in the classrooms and demolish the “English only” idea mindsets. Ms. Bandel states, “My goal is not just to share my students’ stories, but to change peoples’ perspectives on language education as a whole.”
Target Audience: All
Book Discussion: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Discussion Leader: Sharon Gardner (Iota)
Workshop Description: Open Discussion Format: Set in a small Kentucky town in Depression-era America, the novel details the lives of five women who become traveling librarians, delivering books to the people of Kentucky. The story follows Alice Wright, a British woman, who moves after marrying the Kentucky native Bennett Van Cleve. The Giver of Stars is a lesson in valuing our connection with others and finding love in the most unexpected of places. Based on the real-life stories of the WPA Packhorse Librarians.
Target Audience: All
Discussion Leader: Sharon Gardner (Iota)
Workshop Description: Open Discussion Format: Set in a small Kentucky town in Depression-era America, the novel details the lives of five women who become traveling librarians, delivering books to the people of Kentucky. The story follows Alice Wright, a British woman, who moves after marrying the Kentucky native Bennett Van Cleve. The Giver of Stars is a lesson in valuing our connection with others and finding love in the most unexpected of places. Based on the real-life stories of the WPA Packhorse Librarians.
Target Audience: All
Saturday Afternoon 2:30-3:4
Restoring Balance: Utilizing Nature’s Medicine (Plants, Herbs and Essential Oils) to Support Your Health
Presenter: Dr. Pamela Albert Devine (Mu)
Workshop Description: With the trials, shocks, and challenges each of us face in our everyday lives, mental/emotional and physical blockages and misalignments arise in our lives. This combined with the hectic pace of life it serves to pull us further, and further from our own natural state of balance. Most of us long for connection, to nature, to others, and most especially to our own, true and deepest understanding of ourselves. Which is why cultivating our connection to plants and nature is so important.
The plant-human connection helps keep us grounded, balanced, and in touch with our true self and creates and environment for healing to take place. To receive the benefits of this workshop one does not need to be knowledgeable about plants or nature. Coming with an open mind and a desire to connect more fully with oneself is all that is necessary.
Participates will have an opportunity to add things to their “Nature Toolbox” using plants, herbs and essential oils from both their gardens and form the forest. Inspired by nature, guided by science and sprinkled with some DIY “tricks,” participants will reconnect with nature and most importantly find alternatives to traditional medicines.
Target Audience: All
Presenter: Dr. Pamela Albert Devine (Mu)
Workshop Description: With the trials, shocks, and challenges each of us face in our everyday lives, mental/emotional and physical blockages and misalignments arise in our lives. This combined with the hectic pace of life it serves to pull us further, and further from our own natural state of balance. Most of us long for connection, to nature, to others, and most especially to our own, true and deepest understanding of ourselves. Which is why cultivating our connection to plants and nature is so important.
The plant-human connection helps keep us grounded, balanced, and in touch with our true self and creates and environment for healing to take place. To receive the benefits of this workshop one does not need to be knowledgeable about plants or nature. Coming with an open mind and a desire to connect more fully with oneself is all that is necessary.
Participates will have an opportunity to add things to their “Nature Toolbox” using plants, herbs and essential oils from both their gardens and form the forest. Inspired by nature, guided by science and sprinkled with some DIY “tricks,” participants will reconnect with nature and most importantly find alternatives to traditional medicines.
Target Audience: All
Meet, Greet and Share
Presenter: Laura Perrius (Alpha)
Workshop Description: This interactive workshop will provide an opportunity for active and retired teachers to share their favorite learning activities, demonstrating strategies that succeed in achieving learning that’s fun and memorable. I plan to implement this using personal strategies that have worked successfully in the classroom.
Target Audience: All
Presenter: Laura Perrius (Alpha)
Workshop Description: This interactive workshop will provide an opportunity for active and retired teachers to share their favorite learning activities, demonstrating strategies that succeed in achieving learning that’s fun and memorable. I plan to implement this using personal strategies that have worked successfully in the classroom.
Target Audience: All
Appalachian Music - Dulcimers, Psalteries and more!
Presenter: Joy Allen (Epsilon)
Workshop Description: Learn more about Appalachian folk music and its roots, the instruments used, the people of the mountains and how songs were handed down from generation to generation. See how a “retirement hobby” can open up a whole new world! Listen to performances on various dulcimers, psalteries and banjammers and maybe even sing along to a few old-time, foot-stomping mountain tunes!
Target Audience: All
Presenter: Joy Allen (Epsilon)
Workshop Description: Learn more about Appalachian folk music and its roots, the instruments used, the people of the mountains and how songs were handed down from generation to generation. See how a “retirement hobby” can open up a whole new world! Listen to performances on various dulcimers, psalteries and banjammers and maybe even sing along to a few old-time, foot-stomping mountain tunes!
Target Audience: All
Maintaining the History of Your Chapter
Presenter: Puddy Flynn and PJ Madreperl (Mu)
Workshop Description: Each DKG Chapter in New Jersey has been in existence for decades. During that time, the Chapter has accumulated a wide range of information. These include business records, presentations, scrapbooks, photographs, awards and a whole host of other materials. What do we save? How long do we save it? Do we need help in storing those materials? How do we keep track of the history of our membership? We will discuss appropriate record keeping including what records each Chapter needs to have in their files and how many years they are required to keep these records. We’ll talk about the items specific to the Chapter – presentations, brochures, scrapbooks, photos, framed materials, etc. Does sentiment prevent us from consolidating? As the state Historians we have seen how many chapters have questions about the best way to preserve their chapter’s history. This workshop will provide a template for new chapter historians to begin the process and share examples of innovative methods used by other chapters for accomplishing this task. Target Audience: All
Presenter: Puddy Flynn and PJ Madreperl (Mu)
Workshop Description: Each DKG Chapter in New Jersey has been in existence for decades. During that time, the Chapter has accumulated a wide range of information. These include business records, presentations, scrapbooks, photographs, awards and a whole host of other materials. What do we save? How long do we save it? Do we need help in storing those materials? How do we keep track of the history of our membership? We will discuss appropriate record keeping including what records each Chapter needs to have in their files and how many years they are required to keep these records. We’ll talk about the items specific to the Chapter – presentations, brochures, scrapbooks, photos, framed materials, etc. Does sentiment prevent us from consolidating? As the state Historians we have seen how many chapters have questions about the best way to preserve their chapter’s history. This workshop will provide a template for new chapter historians to begin the process and share examples of innovative methods used by other chapters for accomplishing this task. Target Audience: All
Book Discussion: The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
Presenter: Wilhemina Bryant (Lambda)
Workshop Description: Open Discussion Format: Inspired by true stories from WWII, a young Jewish woman who flees Paris with her mother after the arrest of her father finds herself committing to a forgery ring whose primary goal is to create documents that will help hundreds of Jewish children flee the Nazis.
Target Audience: All
Presenter: Wilhemina Bryant (Lambda)
Workshop Description: Open Discussion Format: Inspired by true stories from WWII, a young Jewish woman who flees Paris with her mother after the arrest of her father finds herself committing to a forgery ring whose primary goal is to create documents that will help hundreds of Jewish children flee the Nazis.
Target Audience: All
