2. Welcome to the course. My name is Noreen Gelling and I will be your instructor/facilitator for the next five weeks as we journey into the sometimes daunting world of Curriculum and Assessment.

3. Let me tell you a little bit about me… I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. My family moved to northern New Jersey when I was 19. I have been a resident of NJ since, but have maintained my tight connection to Brooklyn through family, studies and work. (Not to mention my Brooklyn accent )

4. I attended Caldwell College where I earned a B.A. in English. My Master of Science program in Educational Administration was completed at Fordham University in New York City. My continued graduate study has been online at both the University of Massachusetts and the University of Wisconsin.

5. I have twenty two years combined experience as a classroom teacher, curriculum coordinator, principal, and Master Teacher. My current role in Newark Public Schools has me serving first year teachers and teachers with years of service who are experiencing professional difficulties. I also work training third through fifth grade educators in best practices for implementing the Common Core Standards in their classrooms. I find my work both challenging and exciting as I truly believe every child is entitled to a highly effective teacher. I consider it an honor to aid in the enhancement of the teaching learning process for the sake of the children we serve in Newark.

6. When not involved in my work I am happily exhausted being mom to three incredible boys who came to me via Guatemala nine short years ago. They are Mark (16), Robert (14) and Jude (11). All three are heavily involved in soccer through our town leagues and high school. I can often be found on the sidelines cheering! Mark Robert Jude

7. My other “children” are a 75 pound Golden Doodle named Westin, and a now 30 pound Irish Doodle named Mickey. We are enthusiastic NY Giants fans. Here we are with our Eli Manning autographed gear at Giants training camp in Albany NY.

8. My hobbies that do not involve my sons are watercolor painting, working with stained glass and writing.

9. As we move through your work in this course I look forward to supporting your journey and enriching your learning experience. Please do not hesitate to e-mail me any questions/comments you may have throughout the course. The next slide has some important tips for success…on we go! ngelling@education.cu-portland

10. * Be sure to review the rubric for each assignment BEFORE you actually do the assignment. * If you have questions or confusions about an assignment, please ask for clarity. * When responding to discussion posts and formulating written assignments incorporate the text and other readings in your response. * Responses to peer posting need not be lengthy, but they should be rich in content. Simply “liking” or agreeing with a post statement is not considered a substantial response. * Please review the university APA style requirements and apply them to all of your work. * Use this as often as needed: ngelling@education.cu- portland Tips for success…