POTSDAM --Twelve SUNY Potsdam students majoring in education recently participated in a seminar on best practices in teaching, “Keys to Effective Teaching,” sponsored by Teacher Opportunity Corps (TOC) and SUNY Potsdam’s School of Education and Professional Studies.

Carol Rossi-Fries, 2003 New York State Teacher of the Year, a clinical faculty member at SUNY Potsdam and former social studies teacher at A.A. Kingston Middle School, presented the seminar.

Rossi-Fries involved participants in learning the elements, principles and strategies of the Effective Teaching Model using illustrated instructional guidelines, handouts, discussions, demonstrations of artifacts and modeling.

There were thorough presentation and evaluation of what are considered to be the most effective principles and strategies in classroom management, developing lessons, and maintaining student interest and participation in the classroom.

SUNY Potsdam has been educating educators for nearly 200 years. Teacher education at Potsdam traces its history back to the St. Lawrence Academy, established in 1816, making SUNY Potsdam’s teacher education programs the oldest in the SUNY system.