By: Barbara-Jean Slopey, Co-chair

ATTENTION EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETERS!!!

Are you an Educational Interpreter?  If you answered yes…READ ON!  This is “all about you” J

The CRID Mentoring Committee Co-chairs, Barbara-Jean Slopey and Ruth Gribbin-Schmitt, recently met with Cheryl Johnson from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and Ali Boyle, the Colorado Educational Interpreter Coordinator and CDE Advisory Committee representative.  You may recall that the mentoring committee identified the K-12 setting as the area where we felt we could have the biggest impact.  It only seemed natural then to meet with Cheryl and Ali to see if we could partner with CDE to get the ball rolling.  We were a success! 

Both Cheryl and Ali were impressed with the training program, budget and goals that the CRID mentoring committee has established thus far.  So impressed, in fact, that Cheryl did not hesitate to offer CDE funds to help us begin to train mentors and scholars over the next few months.  Cheryl is as thrilled as we are and wanted CRID members to know that CDE is excited to see our groups working collaboratively to expand mentoring opportunities for educational interpreters in the state of Colorado!

And so…as an educational interpreter, are you interested in becoming a mentor?  A scholar?  What does that mean?  It means that you need to contact Ali Boyle (contact information below) as soon as possible to indicate your interest.

It also means that you would need to make a commitment to attending the CRID State Conference (April 15-17, 2005) and participate in two workshops: the Demand-Control Schema Workshop, presented by Robyn Dean all day Friday, April 15th and the Introduction to Mentoring Workshop on Saturday, April 16th. 

The Demand-Control Schema Workshop is designed to introduce interpreters to the complete spectrum of interpreting work challenges and learn how specific factors within interpreting work environments affect them, their consumers, and their resulting translations.  Using the demand-control schema as a work analysis tool allows interpreters to begin incorporating practical knowledge of work environments into their skills repertoire.

The Introduction to Mentoring Workshop is designed to educate anyone interested in becoming a Mentor or a Scholar an opportunity to learn more about the participation criteria and requirements and the application process.  Timelines and further details will also be shared during this workshop. 

So hurry…get your name in soon!  And inform your districts and schools of this wonderful opportunity to support you in your pursuit of excellence by including this on your growth plan for professional development.  

If you have questions or need further information, please contact Ali Boyle at ali.boyle@bvsd.org or 303.506.9316.