Serendipity35

I am headed to Boston today for the Two-Year College English Association (TYCA-Northeast) 44th Annual Northeast Conference. Conferences need themes and this one is using "Collaborations Within and Beyond the Classroom."

In the words of the conference organizers, this year's theme:

...reflects the reality of working in a two-year college in the twenty-first century. As an educational institution, the two-year college meets the personal, academic, and professional needs of a diverse student population. It has expanded its mission over the years, currently offering terminal certificates and degrees in a variety of areas as well as providing transfer opportunities for students. Further, the community college—the most prevalent form of the two-year college today—is so firmly rooted in its community that it is continually collaborating with local towns, businesses, and arts and civic organizations. The community college will, of course, always be defined by its unique ability to know and nurture each of its students in an environment where teaching and learning remain the focus of its mission.

The Two-Year College Association is an organization under the umbrella of the NCTE (National Council of the Teachers of English) that is specifically designed for two-year college English teachers. TYCA Northeast represents Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., as well as New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec. TYCA works to foster the intellectual and pedagogical growth of English teachers and administrators in the two-year colleges.

I noticed that a Ning social network site had been set up for the conference, so I joined. There has not been a lot of activity there pre-conference. We'll see what happens when the conference is on - and over.

Hopefully, the conference will provide some materials for a few posts...