Community Education: News & Notes

Tea, Anyone? Tea Enjoyment Instructor Featured in Palo Alto Online

2012-01-27T10:28:00.000-08:00

To Tim Pham, the difference in quality between tea steeped from a paper bag and tea carefully brewed from loose leaf is broad -- like comparing a Big Mac and mom's pot roast.

Read the rest of the Palo Alto Online article by Eric Van Suseren here.

Introduction to Tea Enjoyment is a one-night workshop offered in partnership with Tea Time in Palo Alto. The class will run on Mondays from 7:00pm-9:00pm on 2/13, 4/23 and 4/30.

For complete details and to enroll, click here.

Community Education & Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College Partner to Offer New Technology Courses

2012-01-17T13:59:00.000-08:00

Community Education recently partnered with Foothill College's Krause Center for Innovation to offer technology courses. Over the course of several years, many students have requested additional not-for-credit computer classes taught in a lab setting. Given the limited availability of lab space at Foothill and De Anza, creating new courses proved to be incredibly challenging. By working with KCI, students now have access to courses taught in state-of-the-art facilities and a whole new menu of course offerings to choose from. These include:

Adobe Photoshop 1
Adobe Photoshop 2
Adobe Indesign
Introduction to Google Applications
Cartooning with Flash CS5
Introduction to Video Production

Please note: These courses are not-for-credit and are primarily for enrichment purposes only. There are no grades. Classes listed above are taught on weekday evenings or in one-day Saturday seminars.

Classes begin in late January, with many beginning in February, March and April.

Quick Update: Winter 2012 Course Line-up Announced

2012-01-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

The Winter 2012 Impact Short Courses offerings are now posted and available for registration. We'll preview a number of new courses here soon.

Browse the complete catalog here.

Want a Whole New Meaning for the Phrase "Holiday Lights?"

2011-12-09T09:57:00.000-08:00

Join us on Saturdays, December 10th & 17th for the Holiday Magic Laser Light Show at the Fujitsu Planetarium at De Anza College. Set to your favorite seasonal tunes, it's an experience the whole family will enjoy!

Primetime Emmy Award Winning Writers Scheduled to Teach a Course this October

2011-09-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

What better way to learn how to write a screenplay than from award-winning Hollywood writers. In the upcoming course, How to Write Your First (or Best!) Screenplay taught by John and Rebekah Leekley, students will explore the screenplay writing process from many vantage points - and walk away with tools, ideas, and a clear direction on how to finish your first screenplay.

John Leekley is a writer, director and producer. He is one of the most prolific writer/producers in television. He received a Primetime Emmy Award for his work as Executive Producer/Writer on the HBO Original Series “Spawn”.

Rebekah Bradford Leekley is a writer who is passionate about the craft of screenwriting. She received a Primetime Emmy Award for her work on the HBO Original Series "Spawn" and was co-writer for the CBS Movie, Mafia Doctor, starring Paul Sorvino and Olympia Dukakis.

The day-long workshop runs from 9:00am-4:00pm on Saturday, October 22nd at De Anza College. Enroll here.

Friends of REACH Update - Summer 2011

2011-06-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

Last fall a fundraising group was formed to help assist the REACH Program for Post-Stroke. As we head into summer, here's an update on the progress of Friends of REACH from a recent newsletter:

Dear Friend,
REACH has made it through the first year in its new state as a self-sustaining part of Foothill-De Anza's Community Education program. The students and caregivers have adapted to the revised schedules and here we are: planning for our continued operations and the many challenges ahead. In these days of government funding shortfalls, crises, layoffs and programs being eliminated, it is gratifying to have navigated through this first year, and to have your support to keep REACH going and accessible for our students.

While there is much work to do, here are a few highlights:

Since we began fundraising in October 2010, we have raised over $15,000.
All students in need of financial support have received scholarships and fee waivers to cover the cost of program enrollment.
We were able to purchase new pedal exerciser equipment to support students in our mobility and fitness skills programs.

Your support is critical for REACH to provide our services and expertise to everyone in our community who is in need. Quite simply, we would not be able to offer financial support, maintain or update our equipment, or retain our excellent staff without private support like yours. We ask you to continue to include REACH in your charitable giving plans this year. The staff here at REACH wants to thank you again for your trust and support.

Sincerely,
Friends of REACH

At REACH, we have a picture of Mt. Everest displayed in our classroom to remind us to always reach higher. The giving levels we have created are inspired by that idea.

To learn more about REACH or make a tax-deductible donation online, please visit us at www.friendsofreach.org.

Instructor, Tom Taber, Hiking Extraordinaire - Traverses Local Parks with Students

2011-05-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

The class, Hiking the Parks & Trails of the Santa Cruz Mountains, recently concluded at the end of April. Our instructor, Tom Taber, taught his class on the history associated with some of the parks in and around the area, as well as led his students on several beautiful hiking field trips.

His class saw the springtime beauty at Pescadero Creek, Santa Teresa County, and Calero County Parks. Tom captured both the stunning natural beauty of the hikes through pictures and words on his blog - here.

Join us in the fall for Tom's next hiking class. Enrollment will begin in early September.

When the Student Becomes the Master - Happy Birthday, Chef Nanci!

2011-04-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

An inspired student in one of our recent cooking classes surprised Chef Nanci with a beautifully designed set of cakes. The gift was in honor of Chef Nanci's 50th Birthday. A job well done - congrats to the student and a big happy birthday to Nanci!

Congratulations to our Wine Instructors at Savvy Cellar

2011-04-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

We wanted to take a moment to congratulate, Savvy Cellar, host to many of our wine classes for being awarded "Best Wine Bar" and "Best Wine Classes" in the San Francisco Bay Area by the San Francisco Chronicle/SF Baylist. The award for "Best Wine Classes" is Savvy's third year in a row.

We'll offer a new slate of Cooking, Food & Wine classes in September. To see our current offerings, click here.

New Fitness Equipment Arrives at De Anza College Wellness Center

2011-01-31T10:40:00.000-08:00

The Health and Wellness Center at De Anza College recently installed all new state-of-the-art fitness machines.

Quarterly memberships begin at $60. Every month throughout the quarter the cost is pro-rated and discounted by $20. The center is open to the entire community. Contact Fitness Center Coordinator, CJ Jones, for a tour or get your membership here.

Our Wine Instructors at The Savvy Cellar Enlighten Us On Their Favorite Wines

2011-01-14T14:55:00.000-08:00

Savvy Cellar Sommelier Aran H. gives a thoughtful review of a seven different grape Chateauneuf-du-Pape from the Rhone Valley, France on the January 2011 wine bar menu: Domaine de Nalys Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2007.

Fresh from his trip to Spain, Savvy Cellar Wines Server & Certified Specialist of Wine Winston J. gives his rundown on his favorite wine on the January 2011 wine bar menu: Vega Escal Priorat 2006.

Our next upcoming course at The Savvy Cellar - Wine Tasting for The Wine Challenged - begins on Monday, February 28, 7:00pm-9:00pm.

Register here.

Fundraising Group Formed to Help REACH Program for Post-Stroke

2010-12-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

Here is an open letter recently sent out by the Friends of REACH Auxiliary Committee in an effort to ensure the REACH Program is able to continue to serve stroke victims and acquired brain injury survivors.

Dear Friend,
Stroke is a life-changing event that can affect you or someone you love. It is the number one cause of adult disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States. The results may be devastating, often affecting the ability to communicate and leading to paralysis on one side of the body. Rehabilitation may take years, but insurance covers very little of the costs.

What options do stroke survivors and their families have?

Since 1989, the Foothill College REACH Program has served post-stroke survivors and those with acquired brain injury with affordable classes taught by licensed and experienced therapists. Unfortunately, the existence of this valuable community resource is now threatened. Until Summer 2010, REACH was part of Foothill College's Adaptive Learning Division. Due to drastic cuts to community colleges, REACH was eliminated as a funded credit program.

Heralded as a vital resource to our community, REACH has been reconstituted as an entirely self-supporting program under Community Education, with 100% of the costs of the program being borne by students. This has led to a nearly 600% increase in quarterly student fees. Many students and families, now limited by disability, are struggling to afford these necessary classes.

We are asking for your help in order to continue providing rehabilitation opportunities to the students of REACH. Our goal is to raise $100,000 this year to ensure the continuation of classes both now and in the future. Your entire tax-deductible donation will be used to provide scholarships and fee subsidies to ensure no student is ever turned away.

Please take a few moments to watch the video, "I Will Win: Stories from Foothill College's REACH Program" displayed above. To donate, you may go to www.friendsofreach.org and make a secure online donation to the Foothill-DeAnza (FHDA) Foundation.

No matter the amount of your gift, know that it will be used to ensure that every stroke survivor will be able to REACH his or her full potential.

We thank you in advance for your support,
The Friends of REACH

Instructor/Guitarist Richard Hawthorne Lives His Dream—and Shares It

2010-11-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

Our Guitar Instructor, Richard Hawthorne, was recently featured in an article in the Santa Clara Weekly:

What kid hasn't dreamed of playing the guitar?

Richard Hawthorne has been playing and teaching guitar in Santa Clara since 1991, living his boyhood dream. He is a Navy brat from Hawaii who has loved the guitar since he was eight and learned to play on a Sears guitar his parents bought him. After studying music at the University of Hawaii, he played in local bands that gigged around Oahu before coming to the mainland.

"I just love to play the guitar, and I've never lost the passion to be a better player and share my love for guitar with my students. I've explored many styles," says Hawthorne, who teaches everything from acoustic finger style to blues and rock on the electric guitar. Read the full article...

Rich will teach a beginning acoustic guitar course through Foothill-De Anza Community Education beginning in February. Students will be able to register online at the start of January.

Real Estate Instructor Hosts Long -Running Cable Access Show

2010-11-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

Instructor, Pat Kapowich, hosts a real estate education show where he delves into the intricacies of real estate transactions with an attorney. He also teaches two real estate courses through our program in a similar format on a quarterly basis. These courses are Managing Risk: 21 Thing You Wish Your Real Estate Broker Had Told You and Buying & Selling Distressed Properties.

Join us for Pat's next course on Saturday, November 13th with Real Estate Attorney, Peter Brewer - Here's a taste of what students will learn: Only prepared buyers and sellers should enter into transactions involving distressed properties. Short sales, pre-foreclosures and foreclosures are fraught with potential missteps and ramifications that are normally not found in an already stressful situation ~ the buying or selling of a home. Banks have become more aggressive toward buyers, sellers and their representative. Learning all sides of a transaction is paramount when negotiating, especially when the banks have loss mitigation departments that are overwhelmed and/or ill prepared.

View a sample of Pat's show - Kapowich on Real Estate:

Spooktacular Halloween Laser Light Shows

2010-10-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year at the Fujitsu Planetarium! Through October 30th, we will be running a Spooktacular Halloween Laser Light Show. Visitors are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes on Saturday, October 30th.

For the full Saturday line-up, click here. Astronomy shows begin at 5:00pm.

Special Event: All Star Show Night on Saturday, October 9th

2010-10-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

By popular request, for this Saturday, October 9th ONLY, we have dedicated an entire night to the stars. At 9pm and 10pm, we have added two star shows to the night's schedule. No laser shows will run this weekend. The evening show's star-studded line-up includes:

5pm: Zula Patrol (Pre-K to 1st grade)
6pm: The Planets (3rd-5th grade)
7:30pm: Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity
9pm: Astronaut
10pm: Extreme Planets

Get the complete show details here.

Don't forget - Laser shows will resume October 16th with Spooktacular Halloween at 9pm.

Reviving California Community Summit II

2010-09-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

We all know California needs a whole lot of help. A notice for this workshop recently crossed my desk and I wanted to share it with our student community. Here are the details:

Reviving California Community Summit II
Saturday, October 2nd, 9:00am-12:30pm
De Anza College, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014

Learn how the November ballot measures might impact funds available for education. Discuss strategies for cutting stop-gap measures that weaken the foundation of our schools. Participate in interactive voting & small group discussions with topic experts.

Register: http://www.alfsv.org
Info: 408-554-2000/ anu@alfsv.org
facebook.com/revivingca
twitter.com/revivingca

**Free and open to the public with complimentary parking

Co-sponsored by De Anza College, San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, Silicon Valley Community Foundation and Silicon Valley Leadership Group.

Port & Chocolate Class this Fall taught at Award-Winning Wine Bar

2010-09-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

While a bit late, we want to congratulate our partner, Savvy Cellar, on winning the best wine classes by Baylist and SF Chronicle.

We are offering two wine classes this fall at Savvy Cellar's new location in Downtown Mountain View.

Introduction to Food & Wine Pairing - Mondays, November 8 & 15
Port & Chocolate - Monday, December 6

Looking for another food or wine class? See our full offerings here.

Our Middle Eastern Belly Dance Instructor Welcomes World Renowned Dancer to San Jose

2010-09-10T09:53:00.000-07:00

Against all odds, one man defied traditions, demystified taboos and redefined belly dance entertainment in Egypt and the whole world. The Hala Dance Company is proud to bring you this master dancer, teacher & choreographer, Tito of Egypt, to teach and perform in San Jose and Redwood City! A wonderful and rare opportunity to study and dance with an international icon!

Tito of Egypt, the world’s most famous male belly dance artist, performs in ONE SHOW ONLY on Sat Oct 9 in Redwood City 7:30 - 9:30pm at the Veterans Memorial Theater. Details on http://www.HalaDance.com.

Tito is the only dancer in the world who performs the “Asaya” dance with four canes. His innovation of dancing on the “Tabla” (Arabic drum) has become a worldwide phenomenon in belly dance. He’s continually reinventing himself as well as the art of belly dance.

Tito will teach his unique dance style in 3-day workshops in San Jose & Redwood City on Oct 8, 9 & 10. Open to all levels of dancers.

Middle Eastern Belly Dance Instructor, Hala Fauzi, will also be teaching her popular belly dancing courses through Foothill-De Anza Colleges Community Education this fall on Monday nights beginning on September 27th.

For class dates and times, check the schedule here.

Digital Photography Instructor visits Luzech, France with Students

2010-08-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

Our photography instructor, Parry Shoemaker, recently returned from a digital photography workshop in Luzech, France with ten students. Really incredible images!

Check out all the photos at - http://frenchphotoworkshop.posterous.com

VIDEO: Chef Nanci Wokas in Action

2010-07-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Here's video of our cooking instructor Chef Nanci Wokas teaching a recent class. Her classes are primarily demonstration-based, but include lots of Q & A (and, most importantly, tasting!)

Our Fall 2010 cooking line-up will be posted soon.

Chef Nanci - Cooking with Class from Cory Fossum on Vimeo.

Bon Appetit!

Fujitsu Planetarium Creates Wallpaper for iPhone 4

2010-07-20T13:03:00.000-07:00

Tap on an app, click on a folder and the stars come out to shine. We hope you enjoy!

Rancho Cucamonga Woman Tackles Mystery Shopping

2010-06-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

Elaine Moran, who teaches the course - Become a Mystery Shopper, was recently featured in an article from the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin by Wendy Leung.

There's nothing mysterious about Elaine Moran.

At 76, the petite brunette looks like the woman in your neighborhood who walks her dog every morning or the kind stranger who held the door open for you at the department store.

The only thing enigmatic about this Rancho Cucamonga resident is her title.

For the last 20 years, Moran has spent her days as a mystery shopper, getting paid to peruse the mall or savor a creme brulee at a classy restaurant.

While many people spent last Thursday under the fluorescent lights of an office cubbyhole, Moran watched "The Bounty Hunter" and got paid.

It's nice work if you can get it -- and, apparently, you can.

Read the full article...

Extended Year Walk-In Registration Begins June 1st.

2010-05-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

UPDATE - 6/1: Walk-in registration has been extremely heavy today. Lines started to form at 9:00am and totaled ~40 parents at one point. Classes are selling out. Check site for class availability.

The mail-in registration period ended on Friday, May 21st. The next opportunity to enroll your child in the 2010 Extended Year Summer Youth Program will be during the walk-in registration period.

Dates: June 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8
Time: 10:00am-2:00pm
Location:
Student & Community Services Building - Community Education Office.
De Anza College
21250 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Cupertino, CA 95014

The EY program runs from June 21st to July 16th and will be held at Eaton Elementary, Miller and Kennedy Middle Schools. Mornings ONLY.

Check the main site for registration information and class availability. Once the walk-in registration period is over, we will no longer accept any additional students in the program.

Summer Cooking with Chef Nanci: The Art of Grilling and More!

2010-05-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

We've finalized our summer cooking schedule with the incomparable Chef Nanci. Classes will be taught in the state-of-the-art kitchen at Sur La Table in Los Gatos. Students who register before June 11th and apply the promotional code FIT5 at checkout will receive $5 off the total class fees.

Dining Al Fresco! 6/28 - 6:30pm-8:30pm
Ahhhh! Don't you just love the pleasures of warm sunset dinners al fresco! You won’t have to spend all summer in the kitchen to reap the benefits of this season’s delicious bounty. Join Chef Nanci and staff in this fun and informative class that will teach you some time saving techniques as well as how to purchase the freshest ingredients possible to make some truly outstanding meals that are sure to impress family and friends! Menu: Rocket Salad with Pancetta Crisps and Grilled Pears; Chilled Ratatouille & Champagne Soup; Seared Ahi Tuna; Lemon & Wine Linguine Beds with Fresh Asparagus Tips; Grilled Peaches and Pound Cake with Mango Cream

Summer Latin Flavors 7/12 - 6:30pm-8:30pm
Latin Flavors really will sizzle this summer when Chef Nanci and staff bring you this class filled with some great recipes that will sing with latin flavors and traditions. We will also teach some great do-ahead cooking techniques that will get you out of the kitchen and into the backyard to enjoy the season. Menu: Chilled Cazpacho Soup with Avocado; BBQ Pork (Carnitas) with Chiptole Sauce; Roasted Tomatillo Sauce; Grilled Pepper & Onion Medley with Mangoes; Cumin Scented Black Beans; Grilled Corn San Miguel; Espresso Granitas with Cinnamon Crisps

The Art of Grilling 7/19 - 6:30pm-8:30pm
Back by popular demand - The Art of Grilling! Come and learn the secrets of grilling succulent meats and poultry with Chef Nanci and staff. This class is dedicated to the beginner, intermediate and advances grillers out there. We will learn how to slow grill -and how to adjust heats and temperatures for different cuts of meats. We will also discuss the differences between mops, rubs and marinades. This is a must for summertime cooking! Menu: BBQ Clam Linguine; Sweet & Spicy Shrimp Skewers; Chicken with Rosemary Lemon Sauce; Whole Pork Loin with Pepper Lime Marinade; Dry Rub Tri-tip; Blue Cheese Sliders with Grilled Onions

Digital Photography Instructor Travels to Ecuador with Operation Rainbow

2010-04-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

Our instructors do amazing things. Digital photography instructor, Parry Shoemaker, recently traveled to Ecuador as part of Operation Rainbow. Here is her brief journal account and a link to her incredible images on posterous - http://parryshoemaker.posterous.com

April 10th ~ April 18th I was fortunate enough, with Operation Rainbow and my camera, to accompany 50+ medical volunteers to a hospital in Manta, Ecuador. I never expected nor imagined what the week would be. The volunteers, Doctors, Nurses and Staff worked tirelessly and with their technical skills, their good humor and their genuine desire to make a difference they proceeded to change the lives of more than 80 patients. They brought their incredible energy, enthusiasm, and unwavering dedication, along with the necessary instruments (thirty-three 50 lb duffel bags) to truly create new life possibilities for the fortunate patients.

Operation Rainbow is a nonprofit organization dedicated to performing free orthopedic surgery for indigent children and young adults in developing countries worldwide who do not have access to related medical procedures or equipment. Operation Rainbow also provides continuing education to international health care providers to encourage medical self-sufficiency - http://www.operationrainbow.org

Hiking the Parks & Trails of the Santa Cruz Mountains - Part II

2010-04-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

More great pics from the course, Hiking the Parks & Trails of the Santa Cruz Mountains, with instructor Tom Taber. Students recently hiked into Castle Rock State Park on their final field trip outing. Tom's next class will run in late September/early October.

Innovative Instructor Helps Create App for iPhone

2010-04-21T11:54:00.000-07:00

Our communications instructor, Rebecca Linquist, who specializes in teaching accent reduction, recently helped to create an application for the iPhone that helps non-native speakers of English refine their individual accents. The app is called - American Accent Made Easy.

What’s truly unique about the application is what Rebecca Linquist brings to it from years of personal coaching with hundreds of first languages from Chinese to French to Telugu. She integrates the commonalities that all non-native speakers face when speaking American English with exercises that target the distinguishing factors and offer insights and suggestions to create lasting change. Her focus on helping executives achieve changes at a faster pace than typically possible in Accent Reduction class rooms has enabled her content to more cleverly address the underlying issues associated with learning the American accent.

“Acquiring a new accent as a natural and comfortable way of speaking is extremely difficult for most people, especially those who have spoken English in a different way for many years,” Rebecca explains, “It requires daily practice in a meaningful and relevant way, and that’s what the iPhone app provides to people who use their devices daily. It only takes minutes to get feedback from a native speaker for comparison on challenging sounds in natural environments.”

Bala Paranj from Zepho Inc. who helped with the development of the app further clarifies, " We believe that the success of this app will come down to three things: Simplicity, Usefulness and Value. You can repeat the lessons as many times as you like by using the controls for the playback. You can pause and practice your accent at any time, and the audio meter shows you the length and pitch variations so that you can reproduce them correctly.”

Check out the app - American Accent Made Easy - in the iTunes Store.

Bill Gates Visits Foothill College to Experience "Math My Way" Program, a Nationally Recognized Model in Developmental Math

2010-04-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

Bill Gates, chairman of the Microsoft Corporation and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, went to math class April 20 at Foothill College. The software pioneer visited the Los Altos Hills campus to do some homework on Foothill's innovative Math My Way Program, which is helping students grasp basic math concepts, outperform their peers, and progress faster to college-level math classes.

Nineteen Math My Way students were told in advance that a special guest wanted to observe instructors Nicole Gray of Sunnyvale, Rachel Mudge of Mountain View and Kathy Perino of Campbell, to gain a better understanding of how they teach developmental math. Students were surprised when Gates and members of his foundation walked into the classroom, but quickly got to work on the math problems at hand. Later, the students had the opportunity to talk with Gates about how the methods used in the class are making a difference for them.

"I think Bill Gates came to our class today because he's concerned that students in the U.S. aren't progressing and excelling in math as fast as students in other countries. I think he came here to find out what his family's foundation can do to help," said Foothill College pre-law major Cassandra Wong, 20, of Castro Valley. "He heard from us that Math My Way definitely does help! Our instructors emphasize math concepts through repetition, so the concepts stick with you. Math My Way should be offered in more schools. I'm confident my grade in math class will be an 'A' this quarter. Without Math My Way, I might have only earned a 'C'."

Gates and his team are looking at models and best practices in developmental mathematics education. They heard about Math My Way during a meeting at the Gates Foundation offices in Seattle with Foothill-De Anza Chancellor Linda Thor, who was invited to discuss her experiences with innovative online learning programs.

Thor said having Gates visit Foothill "presented a wonderful opportunity for us to share a successful program that could be used in any high school or community college to give math-averse students a solid foundation that will carry them into college-level mathematics and science with confidence. We are all grateful for the work of the Gates Foundation to ensure that more students have opportunities to succeed in school. "

The goal of Math My Way ultimately is to increase the number of science, math and engineering graduates at Foothill College and expand opportunity for students from historically underserved groups, such as Latinos and African Americans, to earn advanced degrees in these subject areas. The Math My Way Program is instrumental in preparing students with poor math skills to advance into college-level mathematics, a gateway class for transfer to a four-year university.

"In our culture it's socially acceptable to say 'I'm bad at math.' This must change. If our nation's math education and 'numeracy' are to change, it will take influence to cause that cultural shift. We need to help students learn to address their issues with math-not ignore them," Gray said.

Concerned that so many students arrived at the college unprepared and were not progressing in mathematics, Gray, Mudge and Perino teamed up three years ago to create a new approach to developmental math, which they called Math My Way.

Math My Way groups together cohorts of students who have similar math skill levels. Through small group interaction and one-to-one attention from math instructors, students are challenged by computer drills, paper drills and computer games that reinforce mathematical concepts. Math My Way is offered on a pass/no pass basis and often allows the student to complete in one quarter what originally took two quarters.

Success is literally built into the program. Students must master each conceptual building block before progressing to the next level, and can move quickly through the program to more advanced coursework. Students work at their own pace so they can focus on the concepts that are most challenging for them. The instructors use live lectures and specialized software to help students build confidence and master essential concepts that build upon each other. Math My Way is comprised of two courses, MATH 230: Preparing for Algebra (5 units) and MATH 231: Math-Specific Study Skills (2 units).

"If we are to increase the number of math, science and engineering degrees, we must improve our student success in pre-collegiate-level math classes,'' said Foothill College President Judy C. Miner. "We were honored to host Mr. Gates and to introduce him to the outstanding work going on in our Math My Way Program."

"This program addresses the student's need to grasp mathematical concepts and progress quickly to more advanced coursework. It's a program that yields student success and confidence, and institutional effectiveness," Miner said.

"We want students' math experience to be positive," said Foothill College Physical Sciences, Mathematics & Engineering Division Dean Peter Murray. "Our mutual goal is to help students develop math confidence, grasp basic math concepts and ultimately be able to succeed at the next level of math (e.g., algebra)."

In 2007, the League for Innovation in the Community College presented its prestigious Innovation of the Year Award to members of the Foothill College Mathematics Department who developed the Math My Way basic skills and developmental education program. The team included math instructors Gray, Phuong Lam, Faun Maddux, Mudge, Perino and Murray, the dean.

The Foothill instructors developed the Math My Way Program in response to institutional research demonstrating relatively low levels of progression from the bottom levels of developmental math to college-level math success. Math My Way re-imagines the typical one-instructor, one-classroom model as a flexible design centered on a series of self-paced, hands-on math learning modules. Students interact with different instructors at different times depending on where they are in the program.

The creativity and innovation by Foothill faculty to improve developmental education has been recognized nationally, as two Foothill instructors have been invited to participate in national projects in this area. In December 2009, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded $3.6 million to the Global Skills for College Completion (GSCC) Project, a developmental math and writing project, for which Foothill College Mathematics Instructor Perino, and English Instructor Rosemary Arca of Los Altos, were selected to participate. The goal of the GSCC is to create a "think tank"-comprised of just 26 outstanding basic skills educators in 16 states on 13 community college campuses-to try out new ideas, develop innovative resources and introduce fresh ways of teaching developmental math and writing to community college students that will consistently increase students' pass rates.

"For Foothill College to be associated with the GSCC Project means that we are recognized nationally as leaders in developmental education," Perino said. "Our participation in the GSCC Project means not only that the innovations we've worked on are validated by others across the nation, but that our classrooms are a model worth looking at closely. I don't think that formal research of this nature on classroom practices in community colleges has ever been done, so we are part of a new type of research."

Fujitsu Planetarium: Giving the Gift of the Stars (SJ Mercury Article)

2010-04-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

Caron Blinick, Dean of Community and Continuing Education at De Anza, was alarmed last fall when apologetic teachers started calling to cancel their field trips. Others asked for special individual scholarships. She received a heart-rending letter from a third-grade teacher about how the trip to the planetarium is a "voyage of discovery" for students who are being introduced to science for the first time,
especially for English-language learners who can absorb so much more knowledge from seeing the constellations in the planetarium sky than merely reading about them in books.

"We all know that kids get hooked on science and math at an early age," Blinick said, "and if you miss that window, it's harder to get them into it later."

Canceling shows also hurts the planetarium, which depends on ticket sales to keep the star lights on.
Then Blinick came up with an idea: Why not ask folks in the community who love science to sponsor field trips? A $5 donation would cover the cost of one child; $150 would get a whole class in to see the show. For $700, she could fill the 140-seat auditorium.

Continue reading the full article by SJ Mercury Columnist, Patty Fisher...

Inspired to donate? Give the gift of the stars here.

Hiking the Parks & Trails of the Santa Cruz Mountains

2010-04-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

Tom Taber, instructor of the course - "Hiking the Parks & Trails of the Santa Cruz Mountains" - and author of The Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Book recently conducted a field trip hike into the heart of Big Basin. Here are some pics he wanted to share with you. Tom encourages everyone to explore their local surroundings - his next class will be offered in the fall.

Coffee Class Instructor to Appear on Local TV Show

2010-03-30T15:23:00.000-07:00

Jared Carlson, our instructor for the course - The Coffee Class: An Evening of Great Coffee and owner of The Roasted Coffee Bean in Cupertino - will appear on local TV between April 4th to 10th. He is scheduled to take part in a TV interview on the program "The Better Part"

The name of the program is "Coffee-How to Enjoy It". The series is produced by Cupertino Senior TV Productions operating out of the Cupertino Senior Center. The show may be viewed on public access stations from Half Moon Bay to San Juan Bautista. After the cablecast, it will be available on You Tube.

Here are the scheduled show times:
Cupertino and Los Altos: Comcast channel 15, Monday at 4:30pm, Tuesday and Friday at 7:00pm

Stop in and let Jared know you saw him on TV, or enroll in his final coffee class this spring here.

Check out reviews of The Roasted Coffee Bean on Yelp.

New Partnership: De Anza College Fitness Center Now Offers Memberships Through Community Education

2010-03-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

Community Education is now working with the De Anza College Lifetime Fitness and Wellness Center to offer quarterly memberships to the facility. In a letter distributed to fitness center users this past week:

Thanks for your support and continued use of the Lifetime Fitness and Wellness Center at De Anza College. We would like to make you aware of several key changes coming with the start of Spring Quarter.

Due to recent budget cuts, we will no longer be able to offer courses in the Lifelong Learning Physical Education Program. While we deeply regret having to take these steps, we have formed a new, exciting partnership with Community Education to allow the center to remain open to all.

To enroll by membership:

Students may purchase a fitness membership online or by calling the Community Education Office at (408)-864-8817. (Please refer to course #126 when enrolling)
Registration is extremely flexible. Students may enroll at anytime for current and future quarters. All students are eligible to enroll.
Quarterly memberships will cost $60 per quarter; however, at approximately each four-week interval the price will be automatically discounted by $20.
Students may come and go as they please. There will be no set time or workout requirements, grades etc.

The center is located in the PE Quad towards the back of the swimming pool area. We recommend parking in the Stelling Road parking structure located in Lot C.

Should you have any questions, please contact the Fitness Center Coordinator at jonescj@deanza.edu or (408)-864-8594.

Extended Year Program Registration Kicks Off

2010-03-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Extended Year Summer Youth Program registration period has begun. Here are the important program dates to remember:

Mail-in registration from March 8th through May 21st. (All registrations must be mailed. Drop-off will not be allowed.)
Walk-in registration is on June 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 & 8 at De Anza College, Student & Community Services Building (Community Education Office) from 10:00am-2:00pm.
Program begins on June 21st and runs to July 16th.

Download the application and find program information at extendedyear.deanza.edu.

95% say web registration is easy-to-use

2010-01-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

We went live with our new web registration system just over one week ago. Based on the data we've gathered of students who've registered up to this point, just over 95% of students have found the system easy-to-use. We'll continue to further refine the registration process to ensure it continues to serve our community well.

How was this data gathered? At the end of check out, students are required to answer what's called our response analysis question. The question simply is: "Did you find the registration system easy-to-use?"

We believe it's incredibly important to maintain feedback on our program or courses. Should you have any ideas, please contact us at your convenience.

The Early Bird Gets the Discount & The Print Catalog Arrives

2010-01-06T17:38:00.000-08:00

With much anticipation, we took our new web registration system live yesterday afternoon. We called it our "soft opening" in advance of the actual print catalog being delivered. By and large, the students who did register over the past few days have remarked they have found the new online registration process easy and intuitive, unlike the pain of our previous system.

We want to encourage all students to register online. Students who register online and apply the promo code EARLY will receive a $5.00 discount at checkout through January 27th.

Also, in a conversation we had with our printer today, the print catalog is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow to De Anza College and the post office. Our best guess is residents in the area will receive catalogs beginning Friday and through the following week.

Discounts are coming for those who follow us on Facebook & Twitter.

Sneak Preview - Winter 2010 Cooking, Food, & Wine Classes

2010-01-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak preview list of our latest cooking, food, and wine courses scheduled for this Winter/Spring 2010:

Wines of California
Enjoying European Wines
The Coffee Class
The Art of Sushi-Making
Fear No Fish! Incredible Seafood Dishes
From Tuscany With Love (Featured Class on Cover of the Catalog)
Steakhouse Favorites
Cruising the Mediterranean
Un-Corked & Cooked!
Flambe' - Cooking With Alcohols
Soups, Stews & Casseroles
A Classic French Dinner Party
Shellfish Favorites
Tapas! Small Bites from Around the World

Our full catalog will be available for registration on Wednesday, January 6th. Students who enroll online and use the promotional code EARLY will receive $5 off enrollment.

Bells & Whistles: Features of Our New Web Registration System

2009-12-23T18:05:00.000-08:00

As we wrote in our previous post, our Winter/Spring 2010 Impact Short Courses Program registration period is scheduled to begin the first week of January. Our target date to go-live is Tuesday, January 5th. While we've been utilizing online registration for many years now, we felt our course management system was incredibly inflexible and difficult to navigate (and many of you agreed). We will debut our new system when we return in January. Some of the new features include:

Username/passwords -Students may select their own username, password and update their profiles anytime they wish. No more long online applications to create, or student ID numbers you will never remember.

Email confirmations - Finally, all students who register and provide an email will now receive an email notice when they create a profile, register for a class, and/or receive course start date reminders.

Quantity registration - Rather than register only one student at a time, all students who enroll online may now include friends or guests they want to enroll as well. No more coordinating with your friends to register; you may simply to do it for them.

Household profiles - Parents may now keep all of their family information in one place and manage all the courses a spouse, partner, or child is enrolled in.

eGift Cards - Individuals may now give the gift of a short course. You may purchase eGift cards in any amount and they are good for 24 months from the date of issue. Look for the eGift Card icon at our registration site.

Discounts and promotions - We'll now be able to offer discounts on many of our courses. At the start of the quarter, we'll extend an early-bird discount to anyone who registers in a class before January 22nd. The discount will be applied at checkout.

We're excited to begin next quarter - we hope you'll join us!

Community Education Set to Go-Live with New Web Registration System

2009-12-13T21:59:00.000-08:00

In January 2010, Community Education will begin utilizing a brand new web registration system. Over the past several years, we have relied on the online enrollment process both Foothill & De Anza Colleges have used to enroll students in for-credit, academic classes.

While we attempted to customize the online registration process as best we could, we clearly recognized there were serious limitations. Over the coming weeks, we will explore some of the new features related to our new system. Most importantly though, our new system will be far more user-friendly. We are extremely excited at taking our new system live in January and sincerely hope it will provide a better student experience for our community.

Ed2go Six Week Online Courses Rise Over 30% in 2009

2009-12-12T15:34:00.000-08:00

With over a 30% increase in enrollment from this time last year, the convenience of online learning is clearly taking hold amongst our student community. Over 1,100 students enrolled in an online course through our Community Education - Impact Short Courses program. We plan to grow our online programs as we head into 2010. In March, we will issue a special edition publication dedicated exclusively to online courses and career training programs.