Competitions

All submissions due October 15, 2017

Children’s Literature (any subject/topic, up to grade 3)

The book may be written and illustrated by one individual (the author/illustrator) or two individuals (as co-authors or one author/one illustrator) Assistance with illustrations using graphic design, computer animation or other artist assistance is permissible for the artwork of the book. The participant will prepare the original short story book format designed for a specific age audience (ages 3-5, ages 6-8, or ages 9-11).

Competition Guidelines

Book Guidelines

A. Write a short story in a “book” format in English. The story can be about anything, but should reinforce either academic or social/emotional values appropriate for school.

B. A signed “Statement of Originality” must be completed and submitted with the book. Click here for that form. Completed form may be sent to nldamron@mnu.edu

C. This book should be written for a specific age audience (ages 3-5, ages 6-8, or ages 9-11) selected by the author and illustrator.

Guidelines for the final competition: (If chosen for the final round, you will be notified prior to the conference).

C. The author and illustrator will introduce and read the book to the judges.

D. A time-keeper will hold up time cards as a warning at five minutes and again at eight minutes. The presentation will be stopped at 10 minutes.

E. After the presentation, judges will have time to ask questions and finish scoring sheets. Judges will review the book and score. Once judges have completed scoring, they will return the book to the participant.

F. Presenters should wear conference-appropriate clothing or dress in character costumes relevant to the book.

To sign up for this competition, click here.

TED Talk

A TED talk is a video created from a presentation at the main TED (technology, entertainment, design) conference or one of its many satellite events around the world. For this competition, you will create a TED Talk. In your talk, you must captivate, persuade, entertain, and leave an impression. The TED talk corporation has a mission to spread ideas through 18 minute capped talks, and in these 18 minutes, the speaker talks about any topic towards which he or she has strong feelings. For this competition, you must choose what you consider to be a hot topic in education, and create a video of yourself giving your "talk." We suggest a hot topic in education from the news or social media. This may include things like the current teacher shortage, accountability in education, ranking systems for schools, schools' right to review student social media accounts for threats, etc.

Competition Guidelines

A. All preparation must be done solely by the contestant.

B. This presentation MUST be done over a current hot topic in education.

C. Maximum 18 minutes, minimum 10 minutes.

D. A video must be created of the talk.

E. The video must be submitted by October 15 for the first round of judging.

F. Top submissions will be shared in person at the conference with the finalist performing the TED talk at the awards ceremony.

To sign up for this competition, click here.

Ethical Dilemma

In this competition, the Educators Rising school program must debate an ethical education related

dilemma. This competition requires students to think deeply about an ethical issue, employ

critical-thinking skills, and use persuasive communication techniques to collaboratively debate an

ethical dilemma.

To participate, each member of the school program must first thoroughly consider the ethical issue and

begin to form an individual position on the topic. Then the students must debate the topic together,

listening carefully to each other’s opinions. Through the discussion, the students must come to a

consensus on the topic and then prepare a 10-minute live presentation stating their team’s view.

The students must work together to develop the live, 10-minute presentation and then select at least

two and no more than four students from the school to present the group’s opinion and how it was

reached to a panel of judges.

Competition Guidelines

Prior to the conference

A. Get together and present the ethical dilemma narrative included here. (click to open scenario)

B. Spend adequate time discussing the dilemma. This deliberation may take several meetings. As a group, answer the ethical dilemma questions listed with the ethical dilemma narrative included at the end of this document referenced above.

C. When the discussions have concluded and a consensus has been reached, prepare a 10-minute live presentation stating the team’s view on the dilemma.

At the conference

D. No fewer than two and no more than four student representatives from competing school programs will participate in a 15-minute interactive session with a panel of judges. In the 15-minute interactive session, the student representatives will deliver their live, 10-minute presentation to a panel of judges. The presentation should be a professional, clear, and decisive response to the dilemma. How the decision was reached and what factors were considered should be included in the presentation. Use of AV materials (ex. an original PowerPoint or Prezi presentation, short video, etc.) is permitted but entirely optional for the 10-minute presentation. For the balance of the 15-minute interactive session, the judges will ask the students questions about their deliberation process, the factors that were considered when educatorsrising.org/virtualcampus 2018 ETHICAL DILEMMA COMPETITION making a decision, how they reached consensus, and other questions relevant to the deliberation process.

E. One judge will also serve as time-keeper during the presentations. Team members will receive a visual, non-verbal indication that there is one minute remaining when they reach the nine-minute mark of their presentations.

To submit, click here.

Gaming

According to Educators Network game-based learning is a great way to increase achievement in the classroom through high engagement behaviors. It is defined as "the learning method of using games while teaching a subject. It means that the games that are used for this purpose have been designed with the idea of achieving learning outcomes."

Some benefits of using Game-Based Learning

Get students attention. Students easily engaged to game activities due to their willingness in playing.

Students get a positive experience about learning. The use of games encourages students to keep learning and to erase the idea that learning is boring.

Re-memorize concepts or facts. Activities such as solving a crossword or alphabet soup are activities more engaging than a regular test. Prepare some contests such as “Who wants to be a millionaire” or “The wheel of fortune”. Encourage students to work in teams to achieve the goal where their knowledge is the clue to succeed.

Reinforce and consolidate knowledge in a friendly environment. The most effective way to turn content in something meaningful is to find out where and when to use it. With games students can reinforce and consolidate their knowledge through practicing and getting reward for their achievements.

Understand the consequences of our choices. Using games enables users to understand the consequences of their choices. In other words, the students learn through experiences, through trial and error. Games offer a safety environment to test and learn through mistakes so the information becomes meaningful when students understand its use.

Competition Guidelines

A. Competitors should design either an electronic game or hard copy game i.e. board game, card games, etc. to meet a learning objective.

B. Competitors must provide a 5 minute clip of a group playing the created game and submit an explanation of the game through the link provided below.

C. The finalist chosen to present at the conference will walk judges through playing the game and justify verbally, in an introduction to the game-play, the significance of the created piece.

D. Finalists will be notified by Oct. 21 and must bring all materials with them to the conference for their presentation.

To submit, click here.

Job Interview

The Job Interview Competition is an opportunity for future teachers to develop and practice their interview skills, as well as cover letter and resume writing skills. In this competition, entrants apply for a position as a paraprofessional (a link to position description can be found below). This includes submitting a cover letter explaining why the entrant is a good candidate for the position, as well as a resume that details relevant work, volunteer, and educational experiences.

Judges will review the cover letters and resumes and — just like any job application/interview process — candidates whose resumes are selected will be interviewed for the position. Interviews will take place on-site at the Educators Rising Conference. The judges will act as the school district’s hiring committee and will ask questions of the job candidates one at a time. Since high school graduates are eligible to be employed as paraprofessionals in many districts, this competition offers an immediate opportunity for a real-world application of the work entailed in participation.

Competition Guidelines

A. Entrants will apply for the following teaching assistant position: Paraprofessional

B. The cover letter must follow a standard cover letter format; review the information on this link (https:// owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/723/03/) to see expectations for formatting and content of a successful cover letter. Note: You do not need to already possess a high school diploma to participate in this competition, but be sure to indicate in your materials when you expect to receive the diploma. The designee can be listed as Human Resources Director, Dr. Elaine Morgan, of American School District at 9999 W. 99th Street American City, Kansas 66999.

C. The cover letter should be typed and in English. It should not exceed one page.

D. The cover letter should complement, not duplicate, the entrant’s resume. The cover letter should explain the reasons for the entrant’s interest in the position and school and identify his or her most relevant skills or experiences. The letter should express a high level of interest and knowledge about the position.

E. The resume may follow a standard resume format; review the information on this link (https://owl.english. purdue.edu/owl/resource/719/1/) to see expectations for formatting and content of a standard resume. However, students may use alternative resume formats if they feel that will put them in the best possible position to obtain the job they are seeking. (Always remember your audience!)

F. The resume should be typed and in English. It should not exceed two pages.

G. The resume should include at least two references.

H. All information in the cover letter and resume must be truthful.

I. The interview will last for approximately 10 minutes. All contestants will be asked similar interview questions by a panel of judges acting as the district’s hiring committee.

J. The job description can be found by clicking here.

To sign up for this competition, click here.

Impromptu Speaking

Poise, self-confidence, and the ability to use effective oral communication skills while under pressure are valuable qualities of all educators. This competition is designed to recognize students who demonstrate these qualities by combining clear thinking and conversational speaking into a coherent presentation on a current education-related topic. Contestants who enter this competition will receive the topic upon the start of the event. The topic will not be shared prior to the conference.

This competition is cross-walked with the following Education and Training Career Cluster Knowledge and Skill Statements: ESS01, ESS02, and EDC02.

Competition Guidelines

A. One 4” x 6” index card will be allowed for each contestant during the preparation time and may be used during the presentation. Each contestant is responsible for bringing his/her own index card. Contestants may write notes on both sides of the index card.

B. Preparation must be done solely by the contestant.

C. Each presentation is to be a minimum of two minutes and a maximum of four minutes. A timekeeper will record the time used by each contestant, noting deductions of three points for each full half-minute (30 seconds) over the four-minute maximum or under the two-minute minimum. In order to adhere to the competition schedule, the judges will stop any speech that exceeds five minutes. Contestants will receive a visual, non-verbal indication that there is one minute remaining when they reach the three-minute mark of their speeches.

D. All contestants will receive and speak on the same topic. The topic will be related to a current, education-related issue.

E. Each contestant will have 10 minutes to prepare his or her speech.

F. A lectern may/may not be available for the presentation. No microphone will be available.

G. Students may not share the topic with anyone after completing the speech.

H. Students who are entering this competition will be notified of location and start time of event in conference program.

To sign up for this competition, click here.

Lesson Planning & Delivery

Planning, preparing, and delivering effective instruction is the heart of the work of all educators. This competition challenges young educators to plan and deliver a lesson of their choosing to an actual classroom of students. Self-reflection following the lesson is an essential component of this competition; a clear-eyed evaluation of what you’ve done in the best way to learn and make wise choices in the future. This competition encourages Educators Rising members to try out teaching a lesson in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). Quality STEM education for all students can lay a path to personal success and to long-term national prosperity— and skilled teachers are the keys. Also, America is experiencing a critical shortage of skilled STEM teachers; more and more states are offering salary increases and bonuses for well-prepared STEM educators. Remember, despite your content area of interest, STEM can be cross-circularly integrated into all subjects.

Competition Guidelines:

There are three components to this competition: a written lesson plan, a lesson presentation to the judges, and a reflection session with the judges.

1. Lesson Plan: Written Lesson Plan

A. The lesson plan must be submitted online to nldamron@mnu.edu. The entrant should provide his/her name, the grade level and subject, title of lesson, objective of lesson, description of practice activities, desired outcomes of the lesson, and a method of assessing whether the outcomes were achieved. Make sure the body of the email and the subject line state this is for the Edflix Lesson Plan Competition.

B. The lesson content and grade level is the entrant’s decision.

2. Lesson Plan Presentation and Reflection: An interactive session with judges

A. At the conference, the chosen students will "teach" the lesson to the judges and then have 10 minutes with a panel of judges to reflect on the lesson. This means the lesson must be taught within a 30 minute time period. The reflection should include what the entrant felt went well, how to improve, and what was learned from the experience that will help him/ her become a better teacher. Note cards or papers containing entrant-generated material to support the reflection are permitted.

B. Judges may ask follow-up questions during the reflective, interactive session.

To sign up for this competition, click here.

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - College Student Category

In his 2012 commencement address to University of the Arts students in Philadelphia, world famous author and storyteller Neil Gaiman said:

“Life is sometimes hard. Things go wrong, in life and in love and in business and in friendship and in health and in all the other ways that life can go wrong. And when things get tough, this is what you should do: Make good art.

I'm serious. Husband runs off with a politician? Make good art. Leg crushed and then eaten by mutated boa constrictor? Make good art. IRS on your trail? Make good art. Cat exploded? Make good art. Somebody on the Internet thinks what you do is stupid or evil or it's all been done before? Make good art. Probably things will work out somehow, and eventually time will take the sting away, but that doesn't matter. Do what only you do best. Make good art. Make it on the good days too.”

Educators Rising students: it’s time to make and share some good art. This is your opportunity to summon your storytelling powers and create original children’s literature. Great literature can be entertaining, educational, inspiring, or illuminating, and while it may be fictional, it speaks to inner truths. Children’s book authors — like educators — help young people to understand these inner truths and to make sense of the world. This competition offers Educators Rising students the opportunity to try out that identity as an author and an educator.

Ted Talk - College Student Category

It’s time for you to give your TED Talk. Not sure what that is? Check out some of the most viewed TED Talks here: https://www.ted.com

Storytelling and effective oral communication skills are vital qualities for professional success. Captivating an audience and sustaining their attention and wonder with a compelling topic remains one of the most valuable abilities in an increasingly networked society. Because great stories about meaningful topics are so fascinating and valuable, TED Talks have become one of the most influential contributions to the Internet, garnering over a billion views. These creative lectures present bold ideas often through personal lenses and have elevated a public speaking format that has been replicated across the world. Watch some TED Talks on education here: http://www.ted.com/topics/education

The Educators Rising Standards that apply to this competition are Standard I: Understanding the Profession, Standard II: Learning About Students, and Standard VII: Engaging in Reflective Practice.