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660 Search Results for "2011"

  • Nike Air Max 2011 benchmarks b Nike Air Max 2011 benchmarks beyond 4C (Understanding

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  • Release The Tests! Release The Tests!

    • From: Michael_Fisher
    • Description:

      

      Full disclosure: I am a New York Network Team Representative that is charged with taking the message of NY State Ed back to my participating districts. I attend meetings in Albany several times a year and then share this information with the schools I work with and help them understand and implement all that is coming in the wake of Race to the Top.


      I believe in helping teachers help students. I believe that students are the focus of everything I do. I believe that some of this initiative, including the new Standards, is working and is good but I also believe some of it is not. I believe that teachers are professionals that deserve better than they’ve been treated in the last couple of years (particularly in the media) and I believe that if we trust them with children, then we should trust them with how to instruct and assess those children as well. I believe in fairness and I believe in calling attention to inconsistencies, not for the sake of argument or anger, but for the sake of solving solvable problems and getting this right. I believe in our obligations to our children.


      I also believe that NY State has an opportunity here to build a new bridge.


      But first, a little background:


      In August of 2011, I began attending the NY State Education Network Team Institutes--the first of many that I’ve attended where State Ed rolls out initiatives, resources, upcoming expectations, etc. At one of these meetings, I had the very good fortune of meeting Mr. Paul Bambrick-Santoyo, author of Driven By Data. Data Informed Inquiry models were to be part of our message that we took back to schools as schools were expected to form their own inquiry teams for the sake of letting the data guide instructional decisions. The assessments were meant to be more frequent and standards-based with a quick turnaround so that teachers could use the data and make necessary tweaks and improvements to the instructional program in the moment, rather than waiting until the end of the year to see if students “got it.”


      The most important part of Santoyo’s message is transparency in the assessment. In order to do the deep analysis required, teachers must have the assessment in hand so that the skills that a student needs to answer the questions could be analyzed. Additionally, having the test in hand means that there are further opportunities for professional development around the structure of the test, the deconstruction of the questions for type and strategy, and the levels of cognition (Bloom’s, Webb’s, etc.) on the assessment and how those compare to the levels of cognition in instruction. Understanding by Design 101.


      At these Network Team meetings, we spent HOURS understanding this methodology, preparing to turnkey it to our participating districts by exploring the models and creating our own data analysis spreadsheets and understanding protocols for data meetings. Throughout every single bit of this, we had the assessments in our hands. Again, let me say, WE. HAD. THE. ASSESSMENTS. IN. OUR. HANDS.


      We taught our districts to do this exact same thing through their data meetings. Test in hand, begin analysis, use the observations to make changes in instruction to benefit students and their success.


      This is not intended to give teachers ammunition for teaching TO the test, this is about understanding skills and strategies that enable students to be successful on assessments. This is not just about multiple choice either--it’s meant to analyze multiple types of assessments but to do so quickly so that students reap the benefits of deep understanding and teachers reap the benefits of planned student successes. This is an opportunity to leverage our professional development to do well what we were trained to do: TEACH.


      Jump to now.


      New York State just finished administering the first tests that are aligned with the Common Core. They were way more rigorous than previous assessments and both teachers and students struggled. Sometime over the summer, scores will be released, but the test will not.


      The test will be embargoed and teachers will not be able to see it. State Ed Leadership will say that there are sufficient samples available online. They will say that there are curriculum modules to help with understanding skills and cognition to prepare for the assessments. They will say that it’s too time-consuming and expensive to share the tests as new ones will have to be developed.


      They will also continue to promote Santoyo’s model on one hand, but deny teachers access to the central message of the model on the other hand. This is the inconsistency.


      With all of the stress that teachers are under to both perform and be evaluated on that performance in ways they never have before, there needs to be some team-building going on, something that will bring everyone together for the sake of our students.


      There is an opportunity here:  Release the tests.


      Teachers need an anchor right now, a shelter in the storm of changes. They need something concrete that will help them and their students be more successful and help them to feel that they have more control over the flawed teacher evaluation system currently in place. There are so many across the state just treading water and releasing the test would be a major lifeboat moment.


      Many of the teachers I’ve talked with over the last couple of years of implementation will tell you that the Common Core Standards are not bad. They will tell you that with time and continued professional development that we can use those standards as a basis for modern learning practice and to prepare our kids to succeed in the world they will graduate into.


      These teachers will tell you that data driven inquiry is important and that they agree that it is necessary. They will even tell you that they are fine with teacher evaluation and that, for the most part, there is a desire to improve professional practice and discover opportunities to do things better and implement new ideas.


      They will also tell you that the current evaluation plan is inauthentic, inspiring a checklist of “to-dos” that meet the requirements of Race to the Top but do little to impact practice. They will tell you that a single test score has too many uncontrollable variables such as parent support, home environment, and poverty status to be a reliable measure for any part of a teacher’s evaluation. They will tell you that doing the same thing for all may be equal but it is not fair.


      They will also tell you that it is difficult to prepare for an assessment when the potential exists for only a narrow secret set of assessed standards which in turn need broad preparation, leading to missed opportunities in instruction and inconsistent results.


      Release the tests.


      Teachers need to see that they are trusted and valued. They need to see that they are viewed as capable collaborators in this quest for college and career readiness. They need to see themselves as part of the whole team.


      Release the tests.




      Follow Mike on Twitter: @fisher1000


      Upgrade Your Curriculum now available from ASCD.org


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  • L2L News: April 2013 L2L News: April 2013

    • From: Meg_Simpson
    • Description:

       

      Thanks for a fantastic 2013 ASCD Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois!

      Read ASCD Executive Director Dr. Gene Carter’s annual conference reflections here.

      Your To-Do List: Action Items for ASCD Leaders

       

      Register for the Whole Child Virtual Conference: May 6–10, 2013

      Join ASCD for its third annual Whole Child Virtual Conference. This free online event offers thought leadership discussions; presentations from leading authors and experts; and an exploration of the steps outstanding schools, communities, and individual countries take as they move along the continuum of a whole child approach—from implementation to sustainability to culture. No matter where you are on this continuum, you’ll find lessons you can learn and questions you can ask to improve and grow your schools.

      This year the conference will include 24 sessions over 7 days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. eastern time, with sessions on May 2 and 3 specifically for Australasian and European audiences. This year’s conference speakers include authors and experts Thomas Armstrong, Michael Fullan, Andy Hargreaves, Eric Jensen, Wendy Ostroff, William Parrett and Kathleen M. Budge, Pasi Sahlberg, and Yong Zhao.

      Sessions will also feature presentations from ASCD Emerging Leaders, ASCD’s Outstanding Young Educators Award winner, the recipient of Vision in Action: The ASCD Whole Child Award, and members of ASCD’s Whole Child Network of Schools.

      Registration is now open. Go to www.ascd.org/wcvirtualconference to sign up.

       

      ASCD Nominations Committee Applications Open in May

      ASCD is seeking ASCD leaders who are interested in serving on the 2013–14 ASCD Nominations Committee. More information—the committee’s charge, qualifications for service, and time commitment—will be available starting May 1 on www.ascd.org. ASCD will be accepting applications May 1–31. We invite ASCD leaders to consider their interest in this opportunity over the next few weeks before the application becomes available.

        

       ASCD Leaders in Action: News from the ASCD Leader Community

       

      ASCD Student Chapters Help Chicago’s Hungry During ASCD Annual Conference

      On March 15, 46 ASCD Student Chapter members volunteered to make a difference in the fight against hunger in Chicago. Working together the Friday morning before ASCD’s Annual Conference, the students packaged more than 15,000 pounds of food to help feed the nearly 678,000 people who rely on emergency and supplemental food from the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Thank you and congratulations to our ASCD Student Chapter volunteers! Read the full Conference Daily article.


      ASCD Forum Session at ASCD Annual Conference Gives Educators a Voice on Teacher and Principal Effectiveness

      On March 17, ASCD Past President Debra Hill facilitated a discussion of the ASCD Forum topic “how do we define and measure teacher and principal effectiveness?” Ten ASCD leaders stepped forward to help lead the discussion:

      ·         Jason Flom, ASCD Emerging Leader

      ·         Ben Shuldiner, Position Advisory Committee Member

      ·         Amy Vanden Boogart, ASCD Emerging Leader

      ·         Jeffrey Lofthus, Alaska ASCD Executive Director

      ·         Daina Lieberman, ASCD Emerging Leader

      ·         Mamzelle Adolphine, Professional Interest Community Facilitator

      ·         Laurie McCullough, Virginia ASCD Executive Director

      ·         Alice Wells, Arizona ASCD Executive Director

      ·         Matthew Cotton, ASCD Emerging Leader

      ·         Torian White, ASCD Emerging Leader

       

      Session attendees stepped up to the front of the room to share their thoughts and also posted tweets to the #ASCDForum hashtag. Many thanks to the ASCD leaders who participated to make this session a success!

       

      Congratulations to ASCD Affiliate Recognition Award Winners

      Please join ASCD in congratulating the ASCD Affiliate Recognition Award Recipients:

      Two affiliates were recognized for the 2013 Overall Excellence Award: Iowa ASCD, for its increased focus on integrating technology into professional learning opportunities and their influence and advocacy work with ASCD, and New Hampshire ASCD, for its work to increase membership and provide increased professional learning opportunities, such as Common Core workshops.

      In addition, New Jersey ASCD received the Area Excellence Award for Programs, Products, and Services for their leadership in their state as a trusted source for professional learning. Texas ASCD received an Exceptional Progress Award in Influence and Policy, and Alberta ASCD, Ohio ASCD, and Vermont ASCD were all recipients of the Exceptional Progress Award in Programs, Products, and Services.

      Read the Conference Daily article.

       

      Welcome to the “Educating Beyond Disabilities” Professional Interest Community

      Please join ASCD in welcoming our newest Professional Interest Community, facilitated by 2011 ASCD Emerging Leader Christina Yuknis. Please join her group on ASCD EDge.

       

      Tennessee ASCD Featured in ASCD Inservice Blog Series

      Weasked some of our affiliate leaders to tell us how the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) has been going in their home states. In the sixth post of the series, Tennessee ASCD President-Elect John Combs writes about the challenges and successes that Tennessee has had with CCSS implementation.

      Previous Posts:New Jersey ASCD,Alabama ASCD, Arkansas ASCD, New Hampshire ASCD, and Florida ASCD


      Congratulations!

       

      Other News

       

      Meet ASCD President Becky Berg

      Becky J. Berg is from a family of educators. "My dad was a school board president; my mom was a career educator; and my sister, my grandmother, and my great-grandfather were educators," she says. Despite the genetic pull, Berg wasn't completely convinced she would follow in the family's footsteps until her experience as a summer camp counselor while she was in college. It was then that she realized how much she loved working with kids. Read the full Conference Daily article.

       

      Congratulations to the 2013 Outstanding Young Educator Award Winners!

      ASCD salutes a new generation’s passion for education excellence through this year’s selection of two Outstanding Young Educator Award winners: Joshua Garcia, deputy superintendent of Tacoma Public Schools (Wash.), and Parkville High School  (Parkville, Md.) teacher Ryan Twentey. Twentey teaches art, photography, and interactive media production and also serves as the school’s technology liaison. Read the full Conference Daily article.

       

      Interactive ASCD 2012 Annual Report Features ASCD Leaders

      Check out the ASCD 2012 Annual Report, entitled “Creating Solutions: The ASCD Revolution in Motion.” This interactive report features videos footage of ASCD leaders, including ASCD Emerging Leader Steven Anderson, Florida ASCD President Alina Davis, Alabama ASCD Executive Director Jane Cobia, ASCD Board Member Harriet Arnold, and Connecticut ASCD President David Cormier.


      Throughout April at wholechildeducation.org: Principal Leadership

      Principals are the key players in developing the climate, culture, and processes in their schools. They are critical to implementing meaningful and lasting school change and in the ongoing school-improvement process. Principals who have a clear vision; inspire and engage others in embracing change for improvement; drive, facilitate, and monitor the teaching and learning process; and foster a cohesive culture of learning are the collaborative leaders our schools need to fully commit to ensuring each student—and school staff member—is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

      What qualities do principals in today’s (and tomorrow’s) schools need to fulfill their roles as visionary, instructional, influential, and learning leaders?

      There are two episodes of the Whole Child Podcast in April for you to download and share. The first episode, “Leveling and Raising the Playing Field,” features school staff from Oregon’s Milwaukie High School, winner of the 2013 Vision in Action: The ASCD Whole Child Award, and is available now. On April 11, the second episode will be available. It will focus on principal leadership and include guests Kevin Enerson, principal of Whole Child Network school Le Sueur-Henderson High School in Minnesota, and Jessica Bohn, ASCD Emerging Leader and principal of  Gibsonville Elementary School in North Carolina.

      Throughout the month, read the Whole Child Blog and tell us what has worked in your school and with your students. E-mail us and share resources, research, and examples.

       

      The Best-Case Scenario

      As we review and reinforce our schools’ safety measures, we aren’t planning for the worst-case scenario that might happen; we are working to make sure the best-case scenario—where schools are learning environments that are physically, socially, and emotionally safe for students and adults—is an everyday occurrence that does happen. Read more on the Whole Child Blog.

      In February and March, we looked at what we, as educators, believe is crucial to making our schools safe—not just physically safe, but also safe places to teach and learn. Listen to the Whole Child Podcast with guests Joseph Bergant II, superintendent of Chardon Schools in Ohio; Howard Adelman, professor of psychology at UCLA and codirector of the School Mental Health Project and the Center for Mental Health in Schools (a whole child partner); and Jonathan Cohen, adjunct professor in psychology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and president and cofounder of whole child partner National School Climate Center.

      Have you signed up to receive the Whole Child Newsletter? Read the latest newsletter and visit the archive for more strategies, resources, and tools you can use to help ensure that each child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

        

      Something to Talk About

      Most recent blog posts on ASCD EDge®

      Mostclicked stories from ASCD SmartBrief

       

      Association News

      • ASCD Announces 2013 Conference on Teaching Excellence in National Harbor, Md.—ASCD will host its Conference on Teaching Excellence June 28–30, 2013, in National Harbor, Md. The conference—which will take place over two and a half days—will focus on the topic of teaching excellence and will have more than 150 sessions tailored for educators of all levels, including teachers, teacher leaders, principals, and district supervisors. Read the full press release.

      • ASCD Announces New Spring and Summer Professional Development Institutes Supporting Common Core Implementation—ASCD announces new one- and two-day Professional Development Institutes supporting educators nationwide as they implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Read the full press release.

      • The Third Annual ASCD Whole Child Virtual Conference Launches May 6, 2013—ASCD’s third annual Whole Child Virtual Conference, entitled “Moving from Implementation to Sustainability to Culture,” will run May 6–10, 2013. The free and exclusively online event—which attracted more than 900 participants last year—offers educators around the globe 24 sessions to support their work to implement and sustain a whole child approach to education. Read the full press release.

      • ASCD Names 2013 Elected Leaders and Affiliate Awards Recipients—ASCD announced Becky J. Berg—superintendent of the Deer Park School District in Deer Park, Wash. —as the association’s new President. Berg took office at the conclusion of ASCD’s 68th Annual Conference and Exhibit Show in Chicago, Ill., on March 18. Read the full press release.

      • ASCD Launches Interactive 2012 Annual Report—ASCD is pleased to announce the release of the association’s 2012 Annual Report, entitled “Creating Solutions: The ASCD Revolution in Motion.” This report showcases the association’s achievements and serves as a resource discovery tool for educators who seek programs, products, and services that empower them to support the success of each learner. Read the full press release.

      • Florida Association of District School Superintendents Launches Professional Development Partnership with ASCD—At ASCD’s 68th Annual Conference and Exhibit Show, ASCD and the Florida Association of District School Superintendents (FADSS) announced a new partnership to provide FADSS members statewide with customized professional development that will build participants’ capacity for successfully leading, supporting, and monitoring the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in their districts. Read the full press release.

      • ASCD Selects Washington State Deputy Superintendent and Maryland Teacher as 2013 Outstanding Young Educators—At ASCD’s 68th Annual Conference and Exhibit Show in Chicago, Ill., Joshua Garcia, deputy superintendent of Tacoma Public Schools in Tacoma, Wash., and Ryan Twentey, a photography teacher at Parkville High School in Parkville, Md., were announced as winners of the association’s prestigious 2013 Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA). Read the full press release.

      • Oregon's Milwaukie High School Named 2013 Vision in Action: The ASCD Whole Child Award Winner—ASCD announced that Milwaukie High School, located in Milwaukie, Ore., is the 2013 winner of the association’s Vision in Action: The ASCD Whole Child Award. Principal Mark Pinder accepted the award on behalf of Milwaukie High School from ASCD Executive Director and CEO Dr. Gene R. Carter at ASCD's 68th Annual Conference and Exhibit Show in Chicago, Ill., on Sunday, March 17. Read the full press release.
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  • This Month’s Character Trait: This Month’s Character Trait: Hope

    • From: Kevin_Parr
    • Description:

      Returning from spring vacation to a new month I am reminded that as a schoolteacher the beginning of a new month means more than simply flipping the calendar.  It signals the time to erect another pillar of our growing character.

      Elementary school children around the nation are gathering in their schools’ gymnasiums for the monthly ritual of introducing a new character trait from Character Counts.   In many schools one of the Six Pillars of Character (respect, responsibility, honesty, caring, citizenship, trustworthiness and fairness) will be introduced with a video or skit.  Students will then in some cases make posters or banners to adorn the school walls and advertise the value of the trait.  Teachers will give token attention to the character trait in the classroom by reading a picture book or doing some other isolated activity to highlight the trait of the month.  At the end of the month the same school children will reconvene in the gymnasium to see who was selected as best demonstrating the character trait of the month. 

      Sadly, that is the state of character education, or social emotional learning, in many schools today.  In fact, this article explains these two approaches among others.  Even sadder, when presented with the idea of beginning to infuse a comprehensive social and emotional learning program into the existing curriculum many teachers at those same schools will reply, “No thanks, we are already doing that.”    

      Now let me be clear about one thing:  I am in no position and have no motives to neither endorse nor reject Character Counts as an effective character education program.  It is simply that Character Counts seems to be ubiquitous in schools, including mine.  What I do reject, however, is the method by which many schools use Character Counts as their best attempt at teaching social and emotional skills.  We can (and must) do better than simply mentioning and celebrating these virtuous traits once a month.

      In a landmark meta-analysis of social and emotional learning (SEL) programs published in 2011 the authors found that effective SEL programs include “processing, integrating, and selectively applying social and emotional skills in developmentally, contextually and culturally appropriate ways.”  Furthermore, “Through systematic instruction, SEL skills may be taught, modeled, practiced, and applied to diverse situations so that students use them as part of their daily repertoire of behaviors.”  The four practices recommended in the study create the acronym SAFE.  From the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning’s (CASEL) summary of the findings:

      Effective programs and approaches are typically sequenced, active, focused, and explicit (S.A.F.E.), meaning they:

      • S: use a Sequenced set of activities to achieve skill objectives
      • A: use Active forms of learning
      • F: include at least one program component Focused on developing personal or social skills
      • E: Explicitly target particular personal or social skills for development

      Clearly, there is a stark contrast between a comprehensive SEL program as described in the meta-analysis and the manner in which many schools today are using Character Counts for teaching students the social skills necessary for a productive life inside and outside of school.  We as teachers must drop our “we’re-already-doing-it” attitude and start doing what students and the rest of society needs us to do—put forth a wholehearted effort in teaching social and emotional skills in our schools.  That will be cause for real celebration.     

       

      

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  • Throwing Money At It Isn't Alw Throwing Money At It Isn't Always The An$wer

    • From: Craig_Mertler
    • Description:

       

      In last week’s (March 27, 2013) edition of Education Week, a story reported on New York state’s  plan to purchase the design of customized curricula to reflect the Common Core standards.  A graphic reported that the total cost of P-12 curriculum materials in (only) English/Language Arts and Mathematics is equal to:

      $28,335,642...

      ...more than $28 million!  For only two content areas!!  Although I realize that it’s not an entirely scientific or completely accurate calculation, I extrapolated this figure to the 45 states that have adopted the Common Core Standards, and I came up with the following nation-wide expenditure:

      $1,275,103,890...

      ...one and one-quarter BILLION dollars!!!  What happens to this dollar figure when the remaining subject areas are added over the next few years?  Seriously??  What about all of the required professional development for teachers that must go on related to the implementation of the Common Core Standards, as well as to the assessments??  And, what about the cost associated with the development of the new assessments??  WOW—mind-boggling, isn’t it?!

      I have to be honest—I don’t get this . . . at all.  I have always been a huge, devoted supporter of public education.  But, we’ve had standards before; we’ve had standardized assessments of the mastery of those standards for years.  How will a “national curriculum” and “national assessments” result in improved learning and academic achievement???  For example, are we really going to be teaching math and math content differently than we ever have before?  And, are the assessments going to be markedly different?  If not, we seem to be wasting a lot of money.  If so, maybe it will be a good thing, but with no supporting evidence or data at this point, this is an extremely risky investment, to say the least.

      We seem to be throwing a lot of money at the problem, in the hopes that these new standards and assessments will “stick.”  What if they don’t?  There hasn’t been much (any?) of a “trial” period to see just how effective they might be.  Isn’t this important—even critical— enough that we have some idea of how effective it could potentially be, before spending such exorbitant amounts of money on it??  Our kids’ lives and futures are at stake.  Imagine if a similar process was followed for a new drug, whose potential effectiveness had not been demonstrated—there would be a national outcry against it.

      For the broader educational community—across this country—that has become so data-driven in its approach to decision making and to teacher/administrator evaluation, why are we implementing something that has not been field-tested and for which we have no data about its potential effectiveness?  I have to admit—I find this frightening.

      Doesn’t seem to be a very “data-driven approach” . . . at all!

      Engaging in your own professional development through an action research approach—perhaps, even extending it to an entire building or district—can provide these data as sort of a pilot test.  Doing so does not cost a lot of money up front, but can provide information on how potentially effective a program or educational approach can be, and can do so prior to large-scale implementation.  I’ve written a lot about this idea, and have spoken about it at several professional conferences.  You’ll find links to two of these below.

      The first is a video of my 2008 Presidential Address at the annual meeting of the Mid-Western Educational Research Association.  The title of the talk is “A Systematic Approach to Transforming the Art of Teaching into the Science of Teaching: Developing a D-DIDM Mindset.”

      http://youtu.be/hsxmE3G6AMw

      The second one below is a video of my 2011 Keynote Address at the annual meeting of the Eastern Educational Research Association.  The title of the talk is “Transformational Innovation in Education:  Empowerment as a First Step.”

      http://youtu.be/5-kvqhMkweE

      Here’s the proverbial bottom line for me—

      We have to find ways to improve education in this country, not just ways to spend money in the hope that maybe we can improve education. 

       The latter is simply not good enough.

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  • STEM Event...For Middle School STEM Event...For Middle School Girls Only!

    • From: Laura_Riley
    • Description:

      What is S.T.E.M? Science.Technology.Engineering.Math.

      Do you like building things with toothpicks, marshmallows, and straws? Would you like to design and construct a raft that will float to hold the most pennies? Then this is a learning opportunity for you. In April, there will be two after school STEM events for you to participate in. You can participate in hands-on activities and experiments. You can design, construct, and build cool stuff using everyday household items. You can learn the concepts of Newton’s Laws of Motion and build a balloon rocket car. You can utilize an iPad to dissect a frog.

      Who is invited to participate?

      Middle School students...girls only.

      Why is this for girls only?

      Women are generally underrepresented in the STEM fields and according to a 2011 report by the U.S. Department of Commerce, only one in seven engineers is female. Today only 27% of all computer science jobs are held by women. There is a need to create interest in the STEM fields with engaging, hands-on opportunities for girls.  At Westmont Junior High a learning opportunity has been created for girls.


      When is the STEM event?

      Thursday, April 4th and Thursday, April 18th from 3:30-5:00pm. STEM event sponsors. Mrs. Laura Riley and Mrs. Amy Jordan will meet with participants in Room 309.

      What are the benefits of participating?

      This is an opportunity to enhance their understanding of STEM career opportunities. Girls will learn skills that are needed in a high technology workplace. Girls will get to interact with other girls, test their ideas, meet new people, and learn about new careers. 


    • Blog post
    • 2 months ago
    • Views: 197

  • Don't Stop Achievin' Don't Stop Achievin'

    • From: Hannah_Penna
    • Description:

      Don't Stop Achievin' (Cover of "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey)

      Authors: Lyrics by David Brower, Sacajawea Middle School Principal, and Hannah Gbenro, Instructional Technology Specialist.
      Performed to the tune of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" by JoAnne Landis (Vocals), Jerry Warren (Vocals), Adrienne Chacon (Vocals), Rex Tucker (Guitar), Hannah Gbenro (Keyboard), and David Brower (Drums) at the FWPS August 2011 Administrative Retreat.

      Verse 1
      She's a brilliant girl
      Acing History of the World
      But she knows her grades don't mean anything
      A boy failing math
      Oh, how he hates that class!
      But he knows his grades don't mean anything

      Grades based on achievement
      Learning is the focus
      K-12 vocab we'll go on and on and on and on

      Chorus
      Standards, re-do's, different pathways guaranteed
      Learning, instruction, this is right
      Leverage, endurance, readiness - take the lead
      All kids reaching a new height

      Verse 2
      Clear and transparent
      Grades based on academics
      Giving options for success

      Grades based on achievement
      Learning is the focus
      K-12 vocab we'll go on and on and on and on

      Chorus
      Standards, re-do's, different pathways guaranteed
      Learning, instruction, this is right
      Leverage, endurance, readiness - take the lead
      All kids reaching a new height

      Chorus
      Don't stop believing
      Hold on to that feeling
      Teachers, students
      Don't stop achieving
      Hold on to that feeling
      Leaders, parents

      Cross-posted from:
      http://www.fwps.org/cur/sbe/staff/blog/1112/111007blog.html?nav=off
      Originally Posted: October 7, 2011

    • Blog post
    • 2 months ago
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  • Every Teacher a Teacher of Rea Every Teacher a Teacher of Reading: How Teacher Preparation Programs Can Help Teachers to Meet the Common Core Standards

    • From: Amy_Vanden_Boogart
    • Description:

      This post is a part of the ASCD Forum conversation “how do we define and measure teacher and principal effectiveness?” To learn more about the ASCD Forum, go to www.ascd.org/ascdforum, or join the ASCD Forum group on ASCD EDge.

       

      We have all heard the adage, “Every teacher a teacher of reading.” Some educators find this notion controversial because our education system is not set up to allow every teacher to be a teacher of reading. Departmentalization is the norm in middle and high schools, and even in a good number of elementary schools. One teacher teaches language arts, while others teach math, science, or social studies. Some content area teachers are understandably frightened at the thought of having to teach reading. For teachers whose expertise is in math or social studies, the idea of having to teach reading might be unpalatable. But we have entered the era of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and the standards have brought the notion of “every teacher a teacher of reading” back full force. In addition, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading scores tell us that a large percentage of our students really do need help to read proficiently. Only 34% of fourth graders read at or above a proficient level, and a third of fourth graders read below the basic level for their grade [National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2011]. The story only gets a little better for eighth graders; 34% read at or above a proficient level, and 24% read below basic (NCES, 2011). All educators must therefore band together and embrace the challenge of helping their students become proficient readers, and teacher preparation programs play a huge role in this challenge.

        

      The CCSS writers themselves seem to support the notion of “every teacher a teacher of reading.” The introduction to the CCSS for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects states,

       

      “The Standards insist that instruction in reading, writing, speaking, listening,
and language be a shared responsibility within the school. The K–5 standards include expectations for reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language applicable to a range of subjects, including but not limited to ELA. The grades 6–12 standards are divided into two sections, one for ELA and the other for history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. This division reflects the unique, time-honored place of ELA teachers in developing students’ literacy skills while at the same time recognizing that teachers in other areas must have a role in this development as well” (p. 4).

       

      And in the section that discusses what is not covered by the standards, the CCSS writers continue,

       

      “The Standards define literacy expectations in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects, but literacy standards in other areas, such as mathematics and health education, modeled on those in this document are strongly encouraged to facilitate a comprehensive, schoolwide literacy program” (p. 6).

       

      The interdisciplinary approach to literacy taken by the CCSS poses a challenge to teacher preparation programs nationwide. How can teacher educators prepare teachers who will be effective not only in their areas of disciplinary expertise, but also in enabling their students to access the varied and complex texts that they encounter throughout the grades? I believe that a three-pronged approach will help teacher preparation programs foster and sustain the effectiveness of all teachers as teachers of reading.

       

      First, there should be increased preparation for elementary teachers in how to teach reading. In my Master’s program in elementary education, through which I attained my licensure for teaching grades Pre-K through 6, I had only one course specifically focused on reading, and a lot of our time and assignments in this course were focused on children’s literature. This was great because using children’s literature appropriately and effectively is certainly one very important aspect of teaching reading. But with the increasing focus on informational text in the CCSS and with the multitude of skills that underlie proficient reading, it takes much more than one course on reading to help elementary teachers learn all that they need to know and be able to do to teach reading. My Master’s program also included coursework on teaching language arts, but a lot of this was focused on writing instruction and development. This was also incredibly important and valuable content, but there still seemed to be a lot of content on teaching reading that there simply wasn’t enough time to cover. Preparation in the teaching of reading for elementary teachers must be much more extensive. It must cover the five big areas of reading [phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000)] thoroughly and with lots of opportunity for application in working with students.

       

      Second, all teachers need to know and understand the five big areas of reading. A high school math teacher would then be able to discuss with other professionals in her school what to do about a student who might be reading very choppily from his math textbook, using the term fluency. A high school biology teacher with a student who could not read the complex, multi-syllable words in his textbook would understand that there might be a phonics-based or morphological weakness underlying the student’s difficulty reading, and could seek assistance from the school’s reading specialist on ways to support this student. Having some working knowledge of the different areas of reading with which students struggle would empower content area teachers. Many secondary education programs do include one course on reading and writing across the curriculum, but this type of coursework should be more comprehensive and inclusive of the five big areas of reading. (No one ever talks about phonemic awareness or phonics and very rarely do they discuss fluency with middle or high school teachers!) Teacher preparation programs should also require all teachers to complete case studies where they practice implementing literacy strategies within their content areas with students so that they are prepared to incorporate literacy instruction into their teaching in ways consistent with the CCSS.

        

      Finally, content area methods classes in teacher preparation programs should emphasize the specific disciplinary challenges inherent in that content area. For instance, a few years ago I worked on a content analysis study of middle school history textbooks. We tried to identify the specific features inherent in historical writing that might prove challenging for students. Our work revealed that text structures such as cause and effect and chronology, and linguistic features such as unclear referential devices are some of the most common in history texts. These are the features of historical texts that history teachers should be prepared to emphasize with their students, providing them with strategies for tackling these linguistic and structural challenges. The texts of each discipline have their own unique challenges, and when teachers are familiar with these challenges, they can help their students overcome them more easily.

       

      The CCSS have set a high bar with the expectation that all teachers must be teachers of reading. It is now up to teacher preparation programs to prepare all teachers to take on this role.

       

       

      References

       

      National Center for Education Statistics (2011). The Nation's Report Card: Reading 2011 (NCES 2012–457). Retrieved from   http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/main2011/2012457.pdf

       

      National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction: Reports of the subgroups (NIH Publication No. 00-4754). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

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  • L2L News: March 2013 L2L News: March 2013

    • From: Meg_Simpson
    • Description:

      ASCD Leader to Leader (L2L) News is a monthly e-mail newsletter for ASCD constituent group leaders that builds capacity to better serve members, provides opportunities to promote and advocate for ASCD’s Whole Child Initiative, and engages groups through sharing and learning about best practices. To submit a news item for the L2L newsletter, send an e-mail to constituentservices@ascd.org.

      Your To-Do List: Action Items for ASCD Leaders

      • We are seeking blog post writers for the ASCD Forum. How do you think teacher and principal effectiveness should be defined and measured? Constituent Services is seeking ASCD leaders who are interested in writing blog posts aligned with a series of themes on the topic of educator effectiveness. To learn more, e-mail Meg Simpson at constituentservices@ascd.org.
         
      • Submit a proposal for ASCD’s 2014 Annual Conference. ASCD is accepting proposals for 2014 Annual Conference presentations until May 15.
         
      • Nominate a colleague for the ASCD Emerging Leaders program. ASCD is accepting nominations and applications for the Emerging Leaders program until April 1. For more information, go to www.ascd.org/emergingleaders 

      Attending ASCD Annual Conference?

      We hope to see you in Chicago this weekend at ASCD’s 2013 Annual Conference: Our Story, Our Time, Our Future. Here are a few tips as you head out for St. Patrick’s Day weekend:

       

      Can’t make it to Chicago? Attend the ASCD Virtual Conference instead!

       

      Join the ASCD Forum Conversation

      For the first time, ASCD is hosting a forum to focus on a topic of importance to educators across the globe. Nations, states, and provinces all around the world are grappling with the issue of educator effectiveness. ASCD invites all educators to make their voices heard in an ongoing discussion of the question, “How do we define and measure teacher and principal effectiveness?” The current discussion theme (March 3-16) is:

      Educator Evaluation Systems: What research and evidence support the validity of existing evaluation systems?

      Upcoming themes include:

      • Multiple Measures (March 17 – 30): What measures do we use and how do we weight them to measure educator effectiveness?
      • Conclusion:How do we define and measure teacher effectiveness? (March 31 – April 6)
      • Conclusion: How do we define and measure principal effectiveness? (April 7 – 12)

            The ASCD Forum concludes April 12. We invite educators to join the conversation by blogging on the ASCD EDge®social network, commenting on other blog posts, taking a survey, and attending a live session at ASCD Annual Conference. Results from the ASCD Forum conversations will inform the ASCD Board of Directors’ position development process. To learn more about the ASCD Forum, join the ASCD Forum group on ASCD EDge or contact constituentservices@ascd.org.

       

      Newest Policy Points Highlights Teacher Evaluation

      ASCD’s newest issue of Policy Points (PDF) spotlights the association’s original 50-state analysis of educator evaluation systems as outlined in states’ NCLB waiver applications and other resources; it features a series of maps for easy comparison of key evaluation system components across the states. The resource provides graphic depictions of the frequency of state teacher evaluations, the rating levels used by states to rate teacher performance, and the extent to which states use student learning data in teacher evaluations.  

       

      Save the Date! ASCD Whole Child Virtual Conference: Moving from Implementation to Sustainability to Culture

      May 2–10, 2013

      How can schools implement and sustain a whole child approach to education? ASCD invites you to participate in the free, online Whole Child Virtual Conference from May 2–10, 2013.

      You will

      ·         Hear from renowned speakers, including Pasi Sahlberg, Michael Fullan, and Andy Hargreaves.

      ·         Learn from educators, authors, and experts who have successfully implemented a whole child approach in schools around the world.

      ·         Discover the steps taken by ASCD’s Vision in Action award-winning schools and Whole Child Network schools to implement comprehensive, sustainable school improvement and provide for long-term student success.

      ·         Discuss how you can bring a whole child approach into your schools.

      Twenty sessions will be broadcast live over five days, May 6–10, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, with additional sessions on May 2 and 3 for Australasian and European audiences.

      No matter where your school falls on the whole child continuum, be it the early implementation stage or well beyond, the Whole Child Virtual Conference provides a forum and tools for school sites and districts that are working toward sustainability and changing school cultures to serve the whole child.

      Register Now! Go to www.ascd.org/wcvirtualconference

       

      Throughout March at wholechildeducation.org: Reducing Barriers and Expanding Opportunities

      Addressing students' needs levels the playing field. Or rather, addressing students' needs is only leveling the playing field. If a child is hungry, then schools can address the need by providing breakfast, lunch, and assistance as needed. The same applies if the child is unwell. Many schools have made great strides in addressing students' needs, but some schools have gone further. They have taken an issue that was initially a need and used it to enhance and improve what the school offers.

      Join us throughout March as we look at schools that have taken a deficit and turned it into an asset. Some schools have used connections formed into and across the community to enhance and build on what they first envisaged. Other schools are forming alliances to improve a specific situation and have then used those same alliances to improve the entire school. How has your school or community taken a challenge and turned it into a win?

      Check out the Whole Child Blog and tell us what has worked in your school and with your students. E-mail us and share resources, research, and examples.

      We are taping this month’s Whole Child Podcast in front of a live audience at ASCD’s 2013 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show, on Saturday, March 16, in Chicago, Ill. Joining hosts Sean Slade and Donna Snyder of ASCD’s Whole Child Programs team will be representatives from the winning school of the 2013 Vision in Action: The ASCD Whole Child Award as they discuss this month's topic and what works in today's schools. The podcast will be available for download on Monday, March 18.

       

      ASCD Leaders in Action: News from the ASCD Leader Community

       

      New Jersey ASCD Featured in ASCD Inservice Blog Series

      ASCD asked some of our affiliate leaders to tell us how the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) has been going in their home states.  In the fifth post of the series, New Jersey ASCD Executive Director Marie Adair writes about the challenges and successes that New Jersey has had with CCSS implementation.

      Previous Posts:Alabama ASCD, Arkansas ASCD, New Hampshire ASCD, and Florida ASCD

       

      Join the ASCD Forum Conversation

      The ASCD Forum has begun, and you’re invited to be a part of it! Check out these ASCD EDge posts on teacher and principal effectiveness:

      Be Prepared: The ASCD Forum Discusses Educator Preparation Programs

      Use Emotional Intelligence as an Effectiveness Tool and Both Sides of the Scale by Professional Interest Community Facilitator Mamzelle Adolphine

      The Road to Principalship and Beyond by 2012 Emerging Leader Dawn Imada Chan

      Making Teacher Observation Matter by Virginia ASCD Executive Director Laurie McCullough

      Conversation is also taking place in the ASCD Forum group on ASCD EDge, and the #ASCDForum hashtag on Twitter. You are also invited to join us for a live face-to-face session at Annual Conference that will also stream live via Virtual Conference. For more information, go to www.ascd.org/ascdforum.

       

      ASCD Leaders to Ignite ASCD Annual Conference

      With the tagline “Enlighten us, but make it quick,” Ignite presentations are a fast-paced, breathtaking, and inspiring way to share stories. Each presentation is 20 slides long, and each slide automatically advances every 15 seconds; this format keeps the presentations moving quickly. The following ASCD leaders will present their Whole Child stories in Ignite session format at ASCD Conference on Saturday, March 16:

      • 2011 Emerging Leader Kimberly White Glenn
      • 2010 Emerging Leader and Maryland ASCD President-Elect David Stovenour
      • Western Kentucky University Student Chapter Leaders Rachel Glass and Kateiri Kintz with Student Chapter Faculty Advisor Rebecca Stobaugh
      • 2011 Emerging Leader Doug Paulson
      • 2012 Emerging Leader Jessica Bohn
      • Assessment for Learning Professional Interest Community Facilitator Michael Rulon
      • ASCD Board of Directors Member Gabriel Rshaid
      • OYEA Honoree and 2010 Emerging Leader Dallas Dance
      • 2012 Emerging Leader Ember Conley
      • 2010 Emerging Leader and Florida ASCD Board Member Jason Flom

      Please join us for an exciting Saturday afternoon session from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.!

       

      Welcome to the new Common Core Professional Interest Community

      We are pleased to announce the newest ASCD Professional Interest Community: Common Core in the Classroom facilitated by Suzy Brooks of Massachusetts ASCD! The group will share ideas and resources for implementing the Common Core State Standards in instruction. Please join the group on ASCD EDge.

      Congratulations to Matthew Cotton

      2012 ASCD Emerging Leader Matthew Cotton has been selected to serve as a reviewer for the music standards by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Matthew was identified from among hundreds of applicants and nominees nationwide as an expert in an area of music education who can contribute to this process. Congratulations to Matthew on this exciting achievement!

       

      Check Out These Great Pieces by ASCD Leaders

       

      Something to Talk About

      Most recent blog posts on ASCD EDge®

      Mostclicked stories from ASCD SmartBrief

       

      Association News

      • ASCD Continues Expansion of Award-Winning Professional Development Offering with New PD In Focus Videos and PD Online Courses—ASCD announces the release of two new PD In Focus® videos and three new PD Online® courses. These new resources address a variety of topics important to educators today, including instructional leadership, formative assessment, and Common Core State Standards implementation. Read the full press release.

      • ASCD Makes Professional Development E-books Available Through International Retailer Kobo—ASCD is pleased to announce that its e-books are now available through Kobo, a global leader in e-reading. More than 80 of ASCD’s professional development e-books are now available at www.kobo.com to educators in 200 countries, and counting. Read the full press release.

      • ASCD Introduces New Conference App, Offers Support for First-Time Attendees—Attendees at ASCD's 2013 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show, held March 16–18, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill., will be able to improve their conference and professional development experience by downloading a new ASCD app that puts important conference information at their fingertips. Read the full press release.

       

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  • L2L News: February 2013 L2L News: February 2013

    • From: Meg_Simpson
    • Description:

       ASCD Leader to Leader (L2L) News is a monthly e-mail newsletter for ASCD constituent group leaders that builds capacity to better serve members, provides opportunities to promote and advocate for ASCD’s Whole Child Initiative, and engages groups through sharing and learning about best practices. To submit a news item for the L2L newsletter, send an e-mail to constituentservices@ascd.org.

      Your To-Do List: Action Items for ASCD Leaders

      • üWe are seeking blog post writers for the ASCD Forum. How do you think teacher and principal effectiveness should be defined and measured? Constituent Services is seeking ASCD leaders who are interested in writing blog posts aligned with a series of themes on the topic of educator effectiveness. To learn more, e-mail Meg Simpson at constituentservices@ascd.org.
      • üRegister now for ASCD’s Annual Conference.ASCD President Debra Hill invites you to the 2013 Annual Conference & Exhibit Show in her hometown of Chicago, Ill., March 16–18.
      • üSubmit a proposal for ASCD’s 2014 Annual Conference. ASCD is now accepting proposals for 2014 Annual Conference presentations until May 15.
      • üNominate a colleague for the ASCD Emerging Leaders program. ASCD is accepting nominations and applications for the Emerging Leaders program until April 1. For more information, go to www.ascd.org/emergingleaders.

       

      The ASCD Forum Has Begun

      For the first time, ASCD is hosting a forum to focus on a topic of importance to educators across the globe. Nations, states, and provinces all around the world are grappling with the issue of educator effectiveness. ASCD invites all educators to make their voices heard in an ongoing discussion of the question, “How do we define and measure teacher and principal effectiveness?” The current discussion theme is:

              Educator Preparation (February 3–16): What is the role and responsibility of educator preparation programs to foster and sustain effectiveness?

      Upcoming themes include:

      •  Educator Evaluation Purpose (February 17 – March 2): What is the purpose of educator evaluation systems?
      • Educator Evaluation Systems (March 3 – 16):  What research and evidence support the validity of existing evaluation systems?
      • Multiple Measures (March 17 – 30): What measures do we use and how do we weight them to measure educator effectiveness?
      • Conclusion:How do we define and measure teacher effectiveness? (March 31 – April 6)
      • Conclusion: How do we define and measure principal effectiveness? (April 7 – 12)

            The ASCD Forum concludes April 12. To join the conversation, educators are invited to blog on ASCD EDge®social network, comment on other blog posts, take a survey, and attend a live session at ASCD Annual Conference. Results from the ASCD Forum conversations will inform the ASCD Board of Directors’ position development process. To learn more about the ASCD Forum, join the ASCD Forum group on ASCD EDge or contact constituentservices@ascd.org.

       

      ASCD Releases 2013 Legislative Agenda

      ASCD’s 2013 Legislative Agenda (PDF) urges Congress to immediately reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replace it with a comprehensive rewrite that fixes the current law’s flaws; aligns with and supports current state and local initiatives; and guides revisions to other federal programs, such as special education and career and technical education.

      The legislative agenda, developed by ASCD members and recently released at ASCD’s Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy (LILA) in Washington, D.C., offers three key policy recommendations to Congress as part of any ESEA reauthorization. Together, the recommendations advance the goal of educating students who are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged, and who graduate ready for the demands of college, careers, and citizenship.

      • Support meaningful accountability systems that determine student proficiency, school quality, and educator effectiveness by tracking student growth, differentiating among performance levels, and using multiple evaluation measures beyond standardized test scores. 
      • Promote comprehensive improvement strategies that engage all stakeholders and are grounded in a whole child approach to education. Interventions for those who do not meet expectations need to be commensurate with their level of performance. Meanwhile, districts and schools that consistently perform well or demonstrate growth should receive rewards and incentives, including the flexible use of federal funds.
      • Help educators support students through adequate and effective preparation and ongoing professional development. In addition, teacher and administrator evaluations must drive high-quality professional development opportunities that build district and school capacity; enhance classroom management, planning, and preparation; and address effective instructional practices and subject-area content consistent with standards that prepare students for college and careers.

      As part of LILA, ASCD educator advocates from across the country discussed these recommendations with their federal lawmakers on Capitol Hill. We ask you to build on their work by sharing the 2013 Legislative Agenda (PDF) with your colleagues and elected officials.

       

      Alabama Featured in ASCD Inservice Blog Series

      ASCD asked some of our affiliate leaders to tell us how the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) has been going in their home states.  In the fourth post of the series, Alabama ASCD Executive Director Jane Cobia writes about the challenges and successes that Alabama has had with CCSS implementation.

      Previous Posts:

       

      ASCD Leaders to Ignite ASCD Annual Conference

      With the tagline “Enlighten us, but make it quick,” Ignite presentations are a fast-paced, breathtaking, and inspiring way to share stories. Each presentation is 20 slides long, and each slide automatically advances every 15 seconds; this format keeps the presentations moving quickly. The following ASCD leaders will present their Whole Child stories in Ignite session format at ASCD Conference on Saturday, March 16:

      • 2011 Emerging Leader Kimberly White Glenn
      • 2010 Emerging Leader and Maryland ASCD President-Elect David Stovenour
      • Western Kentucky University Student Chapter Leaders Rachel Glass and Kateiri Kintz with Student Chapter Faculty Advisor Rebecca Stobaugh
      • 2011 Emerging Leader Doug Paulson
      • 2012 Emerging Leader Jessica Bohn
      • Assessment for Learning Professional Interest Community Facilitator Michael Rulon
      • ASCD Board of Directors Member Gabriel Rshaid
      • OYEA Honoree and 2010 Emerging Leader Dallas Dance
      • 2012 Emerging Leader Ember Conley
      • 2010 Emerging Leader and Florida ASCD Board Member Jason Flom

            Please join us for an exciting Saturday afternoon session from 1:00–2:30 p.m.!

       

      Join the ASCD Forum Conversation

      The ASCD Forum has begun, and you’re invited to be a part of it! Check out these ASCD EDge posts on teacher and principal effectiveness:

      Conversation is also taking place in the ASCD Forum group on ASCD EDge, and the #ASCDForum hashtag on Twitter. Join us! For more information, go to www.ascd.org/ascdforum.

       

      Throughout February at wholechildeducation.org: Safe Schools

      Safety is and always will be a fundamental concern for schools. Students who aren’t or don’t feel safe at school cannot learn, and schools must ensure that their environments are both secure and supportive. The current debate on school safety brings with it a renewed interest in addressing safety, school climate, and mental health concerns at schools and promises to improve school policy and practice.

      Yet while the current debate has engaged the nation in community-wide discussions, it also has the potential to overlook the voice of educators. Join us throughout February as we look at what educators (teachers, administrators, and counselors) believe is crucial to making our schools safe—not just physically safe, but safe places to teach and learn. What can educators do to implement and reinforce the conditions for learning where students are physically and emotionally safe; learn to manage their emotions and relationships positively; and are connected to the school, community, and caring adults?

      Download the Whole Child Podcast, check out the Whole Child Blog, and tell us what has worked in your school and with your students. E-mail us to share resources, research, and examples.

        

      Opportunity to Learn, Teach, and Lead

      What does it mean to be a teacher, a learner, and a leader in today’s schools and classrooms? What do we need to be effective? How will the current standards movement affect us, as professionals, and our students? How do we find the answers to these questions? Read more on the Whole Child Blog.

      In December and January, we looked at what we can do to implement the Common Core standards within a whole child approach. Listen to the Whole Child Podcast with guests Arnold Fege, president of Public Advocacy for Kids; Craig Mertler, professor and dean of the Ross College of Education at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla.; and David Griffith, director of public policy at ASCD, who leads the development and implementation of ASCD’s legislative agenda (PDF) as well as ASCD’s efforts to influence education decision making at the local, state, and federal levels.

      Have you signed up to receive the Whole Child Newsletter? Read January’s newsletter and visit the archive for more strategies, resources, and tools you can use to help ensure that each child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

       

      The Time Is Now: Make the Case for Educating the Whole Child

      Whether you are a parent, educator, or community member, you can help turn political rhetoric about “investing in the future of our children” into reality. Updated with crucial research and real-world examples of education policies and practices that ensure students are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged, Making the Case for Educating the Whole Child (PDF) is a free advocacy tool that you can use as you work with policymakers, the media, and other groups. You can also add your local statistics and success stories so that decision makers in your community understand the difference a whole child education can make. Learn more.

       

      Something to Talk About

      ·         Most recent blog posts on ASCD EDge®

      ·         Most-clicked stories from ASCD SmartBrief

       

      Association News

      ·         Results-Only Learning the Subject of Pioneering Educator Mark Barnes’s New ASCD Book—ASCD is pleased to announce the release of Role Reversal: Achieving Uncommonly Excellent Results in the Student-Centered Classroom by Mark Barnes, 20-year classroom teacher and creator of the Results Only Learning Environment (ROLE). In this groundbreaking book, Barnes walks middle and high school teachers through the fundamentals of a ROLE. Results-only learning eliminates traditional practices—homework, worksheets, tests, and even grades—and replaces them with student-driven, yearlong projects that enable students to sharpen and expand their skills. Read the full press release.

      ·         Pinellas County Schools and ASCD Partner to Support Common Core Implementation—The award-winning Pinellas County Schools (PCS) has chosen ASCD as its newest professional development partner. The seventh largest school system in Florida, PCS serves 104,000 preK–12th grade students in more than 145 schools. Read the full press release.

      ·         ASCD Releases 2013 Legislative Agenda—ASCD released its 2013 legislative agenda (PDF). Developed by the association’s Legislative Committee, which is a diverse cross-section of ASCD members representing the entire spectrum of K–12 education, the 2013 ASCD Legislative Agenda outlines the association’s federal public policy priorities for the year. The key priority for ASCD and its members in 2013 is the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Read the full press release.

      ·         ASCD Introduces the New PD QuickKit—ASCD introduces the new PD QuickKit® digital packs. PD QuickKits are a cost-effective, powerful new professional development option that combines engaging multimedia resources focused on the most important issues in education today. Read the full press release.

       

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  • L2L News: January 2013 L2L News: January 2013

    • From: Meg_Simpson
    • Description:

      ASCD Leader to Leader (L2L) News is a monthly e-mail newsletter for ASCD constituent group leaders that builds capacity to better serve members, provides opportunities to promote and advocate for ASCD’s Whole Child Initiative, and engages groups through sharing and learning about best practices. To submit a news item for the L2L newsletter, send an e-mail to constituentservices@ascd.org.

      Your To-Do List: Action Items for ASCD Leaders

       

      The ASCD Forum Kicks Off Next Week

      For the first time, ASCD is hosting a forum to focus on a topic of importance to educators across the globe. Nations, states, and provinces all around the world are grappling with the issue of educator effectiveness. ASCD invites all educators to make their voices heard in an ongoing discussion of the question, “How do we define and measure teacher and principal effectiveness?” Discussion themes will include

      • Equity and Access (January 22 – February 2): How do we give students across the globe equitable access to effective teachers and principals?
      • Educator Preparation (February 3-16): What is the role and responsibility of educator preparation programs to foster and sustain effectiveness?
      • Educator Evaluation Purpose (February 17 – March 2): What is the purpose of educator evaluation systems?
      • Educator Evaluation Systems (March 3 – 16):  What research and evidence support the validity of existing evaluation systems?
      • Multiple Measures (March 17 – 30): What measures do we use and how do we weight them to measure educator effectiveness?
      • Conclusion:How do we define and measure teacher effectiveness? (March 31 – April 6)
      •  Conclusion: How do we define and measure principal effectiveness? (April 7 – 12)

            The ASCD Forum starts January 22 and concludes April 12. To join the conversation, educators are invited to blog on ASCD EDge, comment on other blog posts, take a survey, and attend a live session at ASCD Annual Conference. Results from the ASCD Forum conversation will inform the ASCD Board of Directors position development process. To learn more about the ASCD Forum, join the ASCD Forum group on ASCD EDge or contact constituentservices@ascd.org.

        

      Emerging Leaders Featured in ASCD Inservice Blog Series

      In an effort to highlight more educator voices on the ASCD blog, we recently initiated a series of Q&A sessions featuring ASCD Emerging Leaders. Learn more about 2011 Emerging Leader Victoria Ayam, 2012 Emerging Leader Robert Zywicki, and 2011 Emerging Leader Krista Rundell.

       

      Affiliate Presidents’ Posts Featured on ASCD Inservice Blog

      ASCD asked some of our affiliate leaders to tell us how the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) has been going in their home states. In the second post of the series, Arkansas ASCD President Joe Fisher writes about the challenges and successes that Arkansas has had with CCSS implementation. New Hampshire ASCD President Bill Carozza offers his perspective in the third post of the series. Revisitthe first post focused on CCSS implementation in Florida by Florida ASCD President Alina Davis.

       

      Please Welcome the ASCD Instructional Technology Professional Interest Community!

      ASCD is pleased to announce that the Instructional Technology group is the latest addition to ASCD’s Professional Interest Communities. Stefanie Rosenberg Wager (Cortes) is the group’s founder and a 2011 ASCD Emerging Leader. Please join her group on ASCD EDge.

       

      ASCD Leaders on ASCD EDge

      Check out these great posts from ASCD leaders on the ASCD EDge community site. Please read, comment, and share.

       

      2013-14 Educational Leadership Themes

      The selected themes for the upcoming publishing year are as follows:

      • September 2013: Resilience and Learning
      • October 2013: Leveraging Teacher Leadership
      • November 2013: Tackling Informational Text
      • December 2013/January 2014: Getting Students to Mastery
      • February 2014: Building School Morale
      • March 2014: Using Assessments Thoughtfully
      • April 2014: Writing: A Core Skill
      • May 2014: The New Face of Professional Development

      Write for Educational Leadership magazine.

       

      Something to Talk About

      ·         Most recent blog posts on ASCD EDge®

      ·         Most clicked stories from ASCD SmartBrief

       

      Association News

      • Targeted ASCD Books, Institutes Released to Strengthen Common Core Implementation Nationwide—ASCD is pleased to announce the release of four new grade-level and subject-specific books in the Understanding the Common Core Standards series. Written by the experts at McREL and edited by a leading authority in standards implementation, John Kendall, these quick-start guides are now available in paperback and e-book formats. Read the full press release.

      • ASCD Expands Professional Development Team by Appointing Valda Valbrun New Director of Professional Development—ASCD has expanded its professional development team by appointing Valda Valbrun as the association’s new Director of Professional Development. In this role, Valbrun will help lead the development and implementation of ASCD’s capacity-building solutions. Read the full press release.

      • ASCD’s 2013 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show Sessions Feature Cutting-Edge Solutions to Current Issues in Education—ASCD’s 2013 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show features new sessions on some of the most important topics in education. Built on the theme, “Learning: Our Story. Our Time. Our Future.,” the Annual Conference and Exhibit Show will be held March 16–18 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill., and will inform, engage, help, and challenge educators from across the globe to better support student success. Read the full press release.

      • ASCD Announces Complete Schedule for 2013 Virtual Conference—ASCD announces the complete schedule for the association’s 2013 Virtual Conference. The 2013 Virtual Conference will run concurrent with ASCD’s 68th Annual Conference and Exhibit Show March 16–18, in Chicago, Ill. Read the full press release.

      • ASCD's 2013 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show Sessions Feature Cutting-Edge Solutions to Current Issues in Education—ASCD’s 2013 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show features new sessions on some of the most important topics in education. Built on the theme, “Learning: Our Story. Our Time. Our Future.,” the Annual Conference and Exhibit Show will be held March 16–18 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill., and will inform, engage, help, and challenge educators from across the globe to better support student success. Read the full press release.

       

       

    • Blog post
    • 4 months ago
    • Views: 409

  • Checking in with Common Core I Checking in with Common Core Implementation in Florida

    • From: Alina_Davis
    • Description:

      Checking in with Common Core Implementation in Florida

      http://inservice.ascd.org/commoncore/checking-in-with-common-core-implementation-in-florida/

      Written By: Inservice Guest Blogger

      |

      December 3, 2012

      |

      Posted In:

       
       

      ASCD asked some of our affiliate leaders to tell us how the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) has been going in their home states. Below, we hear from Alina Davis, the president ofFlorida ASCD, on the challenges and successes that Florida has had with CCSS implementation.


      Implementing new standards is not unfamiliar territory for teachers in Florida. In 2007, we were introduced to the more rigorous Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSS), which led to the need to enhance curriculum and redesign instruction. When the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were introduced in 2011, the idea of something new was not scary, but the level of complexity was new territory. The Florida Department of Education developed a timeline for implementation that included training, instruction, and assessment. With professional development, kindergarten teachers would begin the implementation of the CCSS in 2011–12, and 1st and 2nd grade teachers in 2012–13, while a blended curriculum (NGSS/CCSS) would be used in grades 3–12.

      Statewide webinars and additional professional development were offered to the districts as tools to assist in the transition from NGSS to CCSS. While many districts are incorporating additional training and support, the levels of awareness and understanding of how to implement the Common Core standards varies. In classrooms where schools and districts have devoted time to train teachers, students are being exposed to more challenging or complex texts, making connections across the curriculum, and using higher-order thinking questions.

      It has been a challenge to determine the best way to imbed the Common Core standards in the curriculum being used for students in grades 2–12. These students will still take the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT), which will assess the NGSS, creating the need for a blended curriculum. Some district and school teams are using this as an opportunity to develop common assessments and implement the lesson study design. Teachers are engaged in rich conversations about how to teach more effectively and provide students access to the knowledge materials needed to succeed.

      One of the most significant challenges faced by our state is addressing the needs of English language learners and students with disabilities. Instruction must be modified for both groups, but finding materials or resources that provide support and also meet the standards is a challenge. How English language learners will access the standards at their language levels is not clearly defined, and the English language proficiency standards must be changed to align with the Common Core. Without this knowledge, differentiating instruction for English language learners is a struggle.

      For students with cognitive disabilities, the NGSS offered Access Points where students could achieve the standards based on the level of support they required. Those points are not included in the Common Core, causing many special education teachers to navigate a path through the standards on their own. Another challenge that schools face in implementing Common Core standards is the limited or even nonexistent money available for professional development. This makes the integration of cutting-edge technology nearly impossible. It brings up the question, “How will schools prepare for the PARCC assessments that are to be given online?”

      The Common Core State Standards are redesigning how we teach. Replacing workbooks and scripted textbooks with more student-generated, authentic work that keeps students engaged and active is an arduous and time-consuming process that daunts many teachers.

      There is a vast array of tools available to help with implementing the Common Core standards. Florida has developed online toolkits, including the Just for Teachers website and CPALMS, a platform to “collaborate, plan, align, learn, motivate, and share.” Districts have trained cadres of teachers to go into schools to demonstrate and help develop lessons that are based on the Common Core standards. Teachers are using websites, Twitter, blogs, and Pinterest to find lesson ideas and support.

      As educational leaders work to implement the standards, it is important to be consistent and patient with students and teachers. Find ways to offer teachers ongoing professional development that makes them feel confident they are using the correct materials and techniques to implement the Common Core State Standards. Be proactive in finding ways to support English language learners and students with disabilities. Explore and expand technology. Change the mindset from “paper and pencil” to drill deeper to the core of learning. Finally, help teachers discover new ways to make the standards relevant to the students and build their capacities to support the learners of our future.

      For more information on the Common Core resources ASCD has to offer, visit www.ascd.org/commoncore. 

       
    • Blog post
    • 4 months ago
    • Views: 302

  • Know Your Harbor Know Your Harbor

    • From: Michael_Fisher
    • Description:

       

      As 2012 comes to a close, I thought I would end my ASCD Blogging year with this recent post that I originally published on Smart Blogs in Education a few days ago. There are still so many that are overwhelmed with all the recent changes in education and my end of the year message is simple: talk to each other. Talk to each other physically, virtually, any way you can at any time you can. We are stronger as a chain of connected people and we can do great things for the children we teach. Good luck to you all in 2013, and I hope to see many of you in Chicago in March at the Annual conference!

       

      'Boats' photo (c) 2011, Matteo Staltari - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

       

      Many teachers beginning the process of deep curriculum work and/or practice / teaching transformations start in zones of comfort.  It's difficult sometimes to articulate the changes needed when everything is new, and starting from a known point, i.e., current curriculum unit, current assessment, current methodologies, strengthens foundations and helps to solidify the systemic growth I’m always advocating for.  I call this "Knowing Your Harbor."

      Harbors are places of refuge, a shelter from the rough seas; they are known places. The assumption in the harbor is that you know where you are anchored, as well as know where to find what you need within that safe zone.

             We have to realize, though, that even when you are anchored in a harbor, you are still on a ship. A ship is not designed just for anchoring. In order to be a working vessel, it must be on the water, sailing. There's a big difference when we break down the nouns and verbs here.  Ship is different from shipping. Boat is different from boating. Sail is different from sailing. It is the verb, the action, that matters. This is a very important realization, and I discuss it often in my work with curriculum design and practice. If we are looking only for endpoints, for harbors and anchors as the barometer of our work, then we are not meeting the needs of ourselves, or our students.
             We have to know our ships, too. We have to know that they are designed for action and are not about the ship itself, it's what the ship can DO that matters.  The ship, in curriculum terms, could be you the teacher, it could be the collaborative group you work with, it could be the system you operate within. Whatever you determine your ship to be, the actions you collectively take are what matters to the shipping event.  You must determine who and what needs to be "on board" with you as you plan your journey. This includes content experts, interest experts (this could be students!), resources and technology, and could include elements beyond the ship. (Virtual experiences that relate to the learning.)  All of these elements have roles, and those roles could change with different shipping adventures: Captains, mates, or other crew.  

      Coaching Point:

       

      "Research on intelligence and the brain suggests that we learn best when we are engaged in meaningful classroom learning experiences that help us discover and develop our strengths and talents." (Silver, Strong and Perini, 2000)  When we think about the College and Career ready student, what are some considerations for preparing them to be Captain? If they are always crew, then they aren't really being prepared to sail the ship themselves. How can we assure that the students are ready? By having them take on multiple roles. I’ve mentioned in multiple blog posts and online conversations how important it is for students to use collaborative and communicative technologies, and we need to make sure that they are "on the boat" with it all. In terms of communicating, this would be a good time to work with students on something like  Thinking Routines, where students articulate how they are exploring, interpreting, and justifying through communication and conversation. This moves communication from a planning event to an action event, as well as a teaching and learning event. Teachers could use the Thinking Routines as a mechanism for establishing and sustaining curriculum conversations.

       


             The final step is about knowing your Journey. We have to know the destination, and we have to make plans for what it will take to get us there.

      "To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding

      of your destination. It means to know where you’re going so that you

      better understand where you are now so that the steps you take are

      always in the right direction." (Covey, 1994)


      If our destination is unclear, it's going to be hard to figure out what needs we may have along the way, what roles we need to plan for, and how we keep to our intended path along the way.
             When a teacher commits to a particular transformation or improvement in their professional practice and begins the process of revising and aligning curricular elements, the process of continued communication and collaboration (like we’re asking the kids to do!) allows for constructive feedback and additional revision moments. Committing, Communicating, and Re-Communicating are vital to meaningful and systemic transformations.  

      To complete the metaphor, these processes illustrate the "round trip" nature of good curriculum work. A boat sails out into the ocean on its journey, arrives at its destination, and sails home again to prepare for the next journey. The ship is always on the move, and always finding new places to visit.



      Covey, S. R. (2004). The 7 habits of highly effective people. New York, NY: Simon

      Project Zero, . "Project Zero." Introduction to Thinking Routines. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2010. Web. 13 May 2011. <http://pzweb.harvard.edu/vt/VisibleThinking_html_files/VisibleThinking1.html>.

      Silver, H., Strong, R., & Perini, M. (2000). So each may learn: Integrating learning styles and multiple intelligences. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

       

      Originally posted on SmartBlogs on Education:

      http://smartblogs.com/education/2012/12/26/know-your-harbor-mike-fisher/


      Mike on Twitter:@fisher1000

      Upgrade Your Curriculum: Practical Ways to Transform Units and Engage Students - coming in Feb. 2013 from ASCD

      Cure for the Common Core - eBook available now from Amazon

    • Blog post
    • 5 months ago
    • Views: 812

  • Put counselors on the success Put counselors on the success team

    • From: Stephen_Holland
    • Description:

      When online students fall behind in your course, who do you call? My answer is to call the student’s college counselor. Calling in the counselor to help make that important connection has saved many a student enrolled in my online courses. I recommend putting counselors on the team as active participants. Counselors are crucial in putting action into the student’s success plan.

      Of course, counselors are teammates who are involved in a student’s success long before the day of enrollment. We long have recognized them as valuable agents of success for students. They have many, many duties. Many of these duties are addressed in the 2011 report that Dr. Mac Adkins of SmarterServices and Julie Bryant of Noel-Levitz authored. The authors make four recommendations to help colleges build an online experience of quality for the students. Writing in “Online Student Readiness as a Predictor of Online Student Satisfaction,” they suggest:

      • “Online learning should provide a measurement of a student’s level of readiness for studying online as a beneficial student service.
      • “Appropriate individuals should have a dialogue with online learning students about their levels of readiness to inform decisions regarding instructional delivery systems and/or provide students with appropriate resources for remediation and support.
      • “Literature in online learning programs should communicate to students that their level of readiness will likely impact their level of satisfaction with the online learning experience …
      • “Institutions should monitor student satisfaction regularly to determine how they are meeting their students’ expectations and which areas require improvement.”

      I have highlighted in bold a few key concepts in those recommendations, in order to highlight phrases where counselors may take action. Now let us focus upon how counselors put these concepts into action, illustrating how the suggestions help students. A case in point, not long ago I had a student who for several weeks was making very good progress from the start of the semester in one of my online courses. Just after midterm, however, her name showed up on our student-at-risk dashboard as she had not entered the course for several days and missed a deadline for a major assignment. Here our monitoring system provided data calling us into action. What did I as an instructor do? I wrote the student, and I called her counselor.  By the way, I also consider the student to be a teammate.

      Prior to the start of the semester, the counselor had worked with the student to create an academic plan, so he was more aware than I of her academic needs. He was also aware of personal issues in her life, which gave him insight I did not have. Plus, he quite often saw the student on campus. As an online instructor, I rarely bump into students on campus unless I specifically go to the college. Even so, I do not have photographs of students and would most likely walk right past those in my online classes unless they recognized me first and then introduced themselves. My photo is included in the course design, but I only have a slim chance of this possibility happening. However, the counselor often knows the students face-to-face, often sees them on campus, and already is connecting with them via phone, text, email, or, most importantly, in person. While the student mentioned in my case study did not respond to my attempts to communicate with me, there was no escaping the counselor. The counselor very quickly made the personal connection for me, and with this nudge addressing my concern the student again became an active member of the class. I credit her successfully finishing the course to the counselor’s timely intervention. The lesson learned is that even though I now teach only online I often do have an on-campus appearance through the efforts of the counselor, my teammate.

      As Adkins and Bryant suggest, placing the counselors on the success team starts long before the student finds himself or herself in trouble. With that being said, I request counselors welcome my students immediately after enrollment in my courses. It is common practice that students enroll in courses several weeks ahead of their start. For example, spring semester courses may start in the middle of January but the roster may be completed by the middle of November. This is a shorter wait time than the one for fall courses, which tend to start in late August. Enrollment for fall courses at my college starts in the middle of April. In either case, this is too long to go without a personal contact.

      Given that the wait is so long, I want to address this. As early as I can after students enroll, usually within 48 hours, I send an email welcoming them to the class. I immediately send students a syllabus, schedule, and invitation to explore the course. Here is where the counselors show up as teammates for a particular course. I also provide the students the name of their counselors. Many students do not know who is assigned to them as a counselor. Some students, for example, are transfer students and may not immediately have been assigned a counselor. If I see this, I ask one of the transition-to-college counselors to stand in and make a connection until an academic counselor has been assigned. I then ask the counselors to send a brief email to welcome the students to my class and to provide contact information. Instantly, a counselor is activated as a team member for the student’s success within the course. When I spot a potential issue for the student’s success after an exploration of student records, I confer with the counselor who then helps me to devise a strategy to address the concern. Thus, long before the student has officially begun the class, attention is being given to the student to enhance the opportunity for success.

      In addition, I find that the more I talk with counselors about my classes the more they help me to succeed as a teacher through student placement. To explain, I find that sometimes counselors recommend a student for my courses, doing so with increasing clarity as to my objectives. That is, counselors become more and more familiar themselves with my assignments as well as my teaching efforts on the behalf of the students. Sometimes the recommended student is a high-achiever and sometimes the student needs developmental help. The point is that the counselor sees something in the student’s profile that appears to be a good match to my approach. I have grown to rely upon counselors to review student profiles that make for better matches in my courses.

      Many institutions now post online syllabi and even the complete course. There are orientation units, study plans, notes on financial aid, and more instantly available to students. Early intervention strategies such as these take the mystery out of the course. The personal touch, though, helps the students to be ready for success not only on day one of the course but also while the course is underway. Putting counselors on the team works for students.

    • Blog post
    • 5 months ago
    • Views: 248

  • Tackling the Common Core Tackling the Common Core

    • From: Robert_Zywicki
    • Description:

      A great starting point for supervisors who are revising their curricula to implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is to read Wiggins and McTighe’s “From Common Core Standards to Curriculum: Five Big Ideas.”  I wish I had this two years ago to distribute and discuss with my staff.  That being said, I unknowingly set out on a course that is, in my estimation, very consistent with the recommendations of Wiggins and McTighe. Here’s how I tackled the CCSS with the Social Studies Department at Hunterdon Central Regional High School.

       

      Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

      In 2011, I launched a departmental PLC structure. Each of our three required courses (Global Studies, United States History 1, and United States History 2) has a PLC. We also have mini-PLCs for our AP and electives courses. The PLCs provide for collaboration, sharing of best practices, and the revision of our curricula. It is in the PLC meetings that teachers wrestled with and unpacked the CCSS while writing units using Understanding by Design (UbD). The PLC structure has yielded several positive externalities including increased teacher autonomy and ownership of the newly written curriculum units and assessments. As supervisor, the PLCs have allowed me to assume the role of coach. I visit each PLC and listen to their approach to the curriculum. I provide support and make suggestions where appropriate. My go-to resource on PLCs is DuFour and Marzano’s Leaders of Learning: How District, School, and Classroom Leaders Improve Student Achievement.

       

      Curriculum Mapping 

      Faced with the daunting task of overhauling all of our curricula, I looked for a web-based solution for the PLCs to collaboratively write and store our UbD curriculum maps. After ten of my teachers and I attended a professional development session on Rubicon Atlas, I acquired a license to pilot their curriculum mapping platform. Our Atlas pilot was a very positive experience and we now utilize Atlas district-wide. Since June 2011, 40 courses in my department have been mapped using Atlas with uploaded and/or hyperlinked formative/summative assessments, lessons, and resources. Jacobs’ Curriculum 21 has served as an excellent guide for our revision and mapping process.

       

      New Resources

      As the PLCs embarked on writing their curriculum units, I researched resources to help us provide student-centered activities that target 21st Century Skills. I selected resources that emphasize relevance and rigor. The fact that these activities are aligned to the CCSS is a bonus. My teachers are making extensive use of the DBQ Project, Brown Choices Program, and Stanford Program on International and Cross-cultural Education throughout our curricula. Most recently, teachers have started experimenting with the lessons and formative assessments from the Stanford History Education Group.  For details on each of these resources, see my recent blog.

       

      Common Assessments

      This summer, the PLCs developed CCSS aligned common formative and summative assessments. The CCSS have empowered the PLCs to move beyond traditional summative assessments that focus only on recall of content. An example of these new summative assessments is our capstone PBL experience in our junior year Global Studies course. Students utilize evidence-based decision making to role play and apply for funding (via written proposal and oral presentation) from an international organization to help remedy a public policy issue. The project requires authentic inquiry and synthesis. Most importantly, students must draw upon and make connections amongst the essential questions and enduring understandings from their three years of high school social studies. Schmoker’s Focus has been helpful to the PLCs in designing writing assessments.

       

      To scaffold and support the common summative assessments, each PLC developed a common formative assessment (often document-based questions) for each unit of every course. The common formative assessments provide the PLCs opportunities to discuss what is working in the revised curricula and share strategies for reaching every student. William’s Embedded Formative Assessment has provided me with many insights for guiding the PLCs in their use of formative assessment.

       

      It’s Not Over

      The PLCs’ activities up to now constitute the early stages in a cycle of implementation and reflection. This is the first year of fully CCSS aligned curricula. As our first quarter closes, the PLCs will be meeting to examine assessment data to determine what is working and what can be tweaked going forward. I am fortunate to lead a dedicated department that is fully committed to our collaborative curriculum revision work, the collegial sharing of resources, and the departmental PLC structure.

      

    • Blog post
    • 6 months ago
    • Views: 2072

  • L2L News: November 2012 L2L News: November 2012

    • From: Meg_Simpson
    • Description:

      ASCD Leader to Leader (L2L) News is a monthly e-mail newsletter for ASCD constituent group leaders that builds capacity to better serve members, provides opportunities to promote and advocate for ASCD’s Whole Child Initiative, and engages groups through sharing and learning about best practices. To submit a news item for the L2L newsletter, send an e-mail to constituentservices@ascd.org.

      Leader to Leader (L2L) News: November 2012

      Join the L2L Conversation on Twitter

       

      Your To-Do List: Action Items for ASCD Leaders

      Congratulations to the Newly Elected ASCD Leadership

      Following voting in the 2012 General Membership election this fall, ASCD members elected the following individuals to ASCD’s leadership:

      President-Elect:   Nancy Gibson, Illinois

      Board of Directors (two-year term):  Judy Zimmerman, Ohio

      Board of Directors (three-year terms):  Matt McClure, Arkansas and Pam Vogel, Iowa

      These individuals will begin their leadership terms at the 2013 ASCD Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois. Please join us in congratulating them on their new ASCD leadership positions!

       

      Diane Ravitch to Speak at ASCD’s Legislative Conference

      Diane Ravitch, the renowned education historian, author, and professor, will be the keynote speaker for ASCD’s Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy (LILA) in Washington, D.C., January 27–29, 2013. Register for LILA to hear Ravitch’s provocative and unfiltered opinion about the current state of education reform.

      Ravitch, a former assistant secretary of education under President George H.W. Bush and onetime supporter of the No Child Left Behind Act, has undergone a dramatic rethinking of school improvement strategies as she’s witnessed school choice and standardized test–based accountability in action. She’ll share her insights about the policy and communications challenges facing educators today and how those obstacles can be overcome to prepare students to be college-, career-, and citizenship-ready. She will also advise conference attendees on how they can build public support for their profession and achieve their education policy goals.

      LILA will provide you with the most up-to-date information on federal education policy; share what November’s election results could mean for educators; and help attendees become effective advocates for their students, peers, and schools. Register for this premier legislative conference today and access the conference agenda, as well as lodging and travel information.  

       

      ASCD Leaders in Action: News from the ASCD Leader Community

       

      Congratulations to Bahamas ASCD, Our Newest ASCD Affiliate!

      Bahamas ASCD began as a Connected Community in 2008, and was recently approved by ASCD’s Board of Directors to become an affiliate. Please read Dr. Carter’s ASCD Inservice blog post “Join Me in Welcoming Bahamas ASCD.”

       

      2011 Emerging Leader Hannah Gbenro Featured in New ASCD Inservice Blog Series

      In an effort to highlight more educator voices on the ASCD blog, we recently initiated a series of Q&A sessions featuring ASCD Emerging Leaders. Check out the first post featuring 2011 Emerging Leader Hannah Gbenro.

       

      Please Welcome Huntingdon College to the ASCD Student Chapter Program

      ASCD is pleased to announce that Huntingdon College has been accepted into our ASCD Student Chapter Program. The student leaders are enthusiastically planning recruitment events and other activities for the coming semester. To learn more about ASCD Student Chapters, go to www.ascd.org/chapters.

       

      Brad Kuntz Writes Last “In the Classroom” Column for Education Update

      Please join us in thanking 2011 Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA) Winner Brad Kuntz for writing the monthly “In the Classroom” column for Education Update. If you haven’t had a chance to read them yet, check them out:

       

      Emerging Leader Leads First #ASCDL2L Chat

      Earlier this week, 2012 Emerging Leader Eric Bernstein (@BernsteinUSC) led the first #ASCDL2L Twitter chat with several other ASCD Emerging Leaders. The topic of the chat was on the effect of the recent U.S. presidential election on education policies in the United States. Emerging Leaders will be leading future #ASCDL2L chats; the next one will take place this Tuesday, November 13, from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. EDT.

      Follow the #ASCDL2L hashtag or join the Leader to Leader group on ASCD EDge to learn about the future Twitter chats; the archive of this week’s Twitter chat is in the documents section of the Leader to Leader group.

       

      ASCD Leaders on ASCD EDge

      Check out these great posts from ASCD leaders on the ASCD EDge community site. Please read, comment, and share!

       

      Emerging Leader Featured in ASCD Express

      2012 ASCD Emerging Leader Jessica Bohn is a school principal in a state that has fully implemented the Common Core State Standards. Her ASCD Express article, “Setting a Common Course,” shares tips to help others be instructional leaders in common core standards implementation. Please read and share her article!

      Other News:

       

      Putting the Whole Child Approach Into Action

      This month, we added 100 new schools and communities to the ASCD Whole Child Example Map. Identified by an ASCD leader or Whole Child Partner organization, these school and community examples reflect a commitment to a whole child approach put into practice. Each example highlights whole child achievements and links to information about the school or community. Use our interactive map tool to find current examples of schools and communities putting the whole child approach into action in your hometown and around the world. A whole child approach to education ensures that each child, in each school, and in each community is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

      We continue to seek examples from across the world of exemplary schools, districts, and communities that are using a whole child approach. Please review the criteria for inclusion in our Whole Child Examples Map on our online form, and submit an example for review.

       

      New ASCD Publication Policy Points to Highlight Timely Education Topics

      ASCD’s newest policy resource, ASCD Policy Points, will be published every other month and will provide ASCD members, Educator Advocates, and the public with important information, data, and insights on timely education policy topics in an easy to use, easy to understand format (e.g. myths and facts, FAQs, and infographics). The inaugural issue of ASCD Policy Points, published in October, spotlighted the U.S. presidential candidates’ positions on education policy.

       

      Something to Talk About

      Most recent blog posts on ASCD EDge®

      Mostclicked stories from ASCD SmartBrief

       

      Association News

      ASCD Urges All Educators to Stay Informed and Involved—With the election decided, it is crucial for educators to become involved to ensure education remains a top priority for the Obama administration and the 113th Congress. ASCD has a few great ways for educators to stay informed and help shape future education policy. Read the full press release.

      ASCD Releases Report on Common Core State Standards Implementation—ASCD has released a new report titled Fulfilling the Promise of the Common Core State Standards: Moving from Adoption to Implementation to Sustainability illuminating activities educators and policymakers at all levels can undertake to successfully implement the Common Core State Standards across the nation. This free report can be found on the EduCore™ site, ASCD’s free repository of evidence-based strategies, videos, and supporting documents that help educators transition to the Common Core standards. Read the full press release.

      New, Free ASCD App for iPad Brings Valuable Professional Development Content to Educators Anywhere—ASCD has launched a new , free app for iPad that lets educators who purchase ASCD e-books easily access that content on their iPad. ASCD members can also use the app to access their members-only content such as Educational Leadership, Education Update and Policy Priorities. For ASCD premium online or select online members, the app will automatically sync their ASCD e-books. Read the full press release.

      ASCD Appoints Mary Catherine “MC” Desrosiers as New Chief of Program Development—ASCD has appointed Mary Catherine “MC” Desrosiers as the association’s new Chief Program Development Officer. In her new role, Desrosiers will lead and direct the association’s publishing, content acquisition and development, creative services, professional development, and conferences and institutes units. Read the full press release.

      GlobalScholar Renews Support for ASCD’s 2013 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show—GlobalScholar, a provider of innovative education solutions, returns this year as a lead partner for ASCD's 2013 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show. From March 16 to 18, in Chicago, Ill., the association’s Annual Conference and Exhibit Show, “Learning: Our Story. Our Time. Our Future.,” will explore what committed educators are doing to support the success of each learner. Read the full press release.

       

       

    • Blog post
    • 6 months ago
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  • L2L News: October 2012 L2L News: October 2012

    • From: Meg_Simpson
    • Description:

      ASCD Leader to Leader (L2L) News is a monthly e-mail newsletter for ASCD constituent group leaders that builds capacity to better serve members, provides opportunities to promote and advocate for ASCD’s Whole Child Initiative, and engages groups through sharing and learning about best practices. To submit a news item for the L2L newsletter, send an e-mail to constituentservices@ascd.org.

      Your To-Do List: Action Items for ASCD Leaders

      1. Vote in ASCD’s general membership election.Voting ends October 15. Make your voice heard! More information about voting is below.
      2. Register now for the Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy (LILA).This institute is an outstanding opportunity to hear from national education leaders about the latest education policy developments, network with fellow educators, and share your expertise with your federal lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
      3. Speak out on sequestration.An education crisis is looming with the potential to disrupt services to 7.5 million U.S. students and threaten 90,000 U.S. educator jobs. Read more and take action on ascd.org.
      4. Register now for ASCD’s Annual Conference.ASCD President Debra Hill welcomes you to the 2013 Annual Conference & Exhibit Show in her hometown of Chicago, Ill., March 16–18.

       

      Vote in ASCD’s 2012 General Membership Election

      ASCD’s general membership election closes October 15, 2012. You can help determine the association’s leadership by voting for President-Elect and members of the Board of Directors. Successful candidates will take office at the conclusion of ASCD’s Annual Conference on March 18, 2013.

      The election is online only. Hereis how to vote online: Go to www.ascd.org/vote. You will need to log in using your ASCD username, e-mail address, or member ID and password. If you are eligible to vote in this year’s election, click on the “Vote Now” button to connect to our secure online election system. If you don’t have your log-in information or password, contact the ASCD Service Center at 1-800-933-ASCD(2723) (International/DC callers: dial 703-578-9600) and then press 1, or send an e-mail to member@ascd.org. Candidates’ photos and biographies are included with the online ballot and also appeared in the September issue of Education Update.

      Have questions? Not every member has voting privileges. You are ineligible to vote if your membership was unpaid as of August 16, 2012, or you hold a complimentary membership. Please contact ASCD Governance Director Becky DeRigge at bderigge@ascd.org or by phone (1-800-933-2723 or 1-703-575-5601) with any questions.

       

      Spread the Word About the School Improvement Tool

      Please feel free to download and print this School Improvement Tool Buck Slip (PDF) to help spread the word about the ASCD School Improvement Tool.

       

      ASCD Student Chapters: They’re Learning to Teach, Now Learning to Lead

      ASCD is proud to announce great new resources for ASCD student chapters, including updated web pages for current chapters and an infographic on how to start a student chapter of your own. And for the first time, we’re offering a student discount for the ASCD Fall Conference; students can access the discounted rate by selecting the student registration rate at checkout—$139 for members and $159 for nonmembers. Please use these resources and discounts to spread the word about ASCD student chapters in your community! Contact constituentservices@ascd.org if you have any questions.

       

      ASCD Leaders on ASCD EDge

      Check out these great posts from ASCD leaders on the ASCD EDge community site. Please read, comment, and share!

       

       

       

       

       

       

      Other News

      • Did you catch a familiar name in the “Perspectives” column from this month’s Educational Leadership issue themed “Students Who Challenge Us”? Marge Scherer shares 2010 OYEA winner Brian Nichols’ story about two teachers who made all the difference in his life: one for the better, one for the worse. Read it on page 7 of your copy of EL or check it out online.
         
      • Washington ASCD recently published the fall issue their e-newsletter, Curriculum in Context using issuu, a free online e-publishing software. This informative issue is themed “Upholding Common Standards: Adopting and Implementing Common Core.” Please read and share this great resource with other educators who may be interested.
         
      • 2012 ASCD Emerging Leader Michael DiCaprio recently wrote an article for ASCD’s Core Connection newsletter. Please read and share his piece, “The Building Leader and the Common Core.”

      • Please read, share, and comment on 2012 ASCD Emerging Leader Jessica Bohn’s first Whole Child blog post, “Engaging the Whole Community to Support Positive Bus Behavior.”

       

      Something to Talk About

      By Kevin Scott, ASCD Constituent Services Director: What Are You Watching? and BTSN

      By Walter McKenzie, ASCD Constituent Services Director: Rich, Real World Performance-Based Learning, The New Minimalism, An Education Engine

      By Tom Whitby: PD: How do Educators Get to Know What They Don’t Know?, Does Being Connected Help in Being Recognized? , and The Six “P’s” of Education

      Most recent blog posts on ASCD EDge®

      Mostclicked stories from ASCD SmartBrief

       

      Association News

      ASCD Introduces Three New PD Online® Courses for the Common Core and Differentiated Instruction—Since 1996, ASCD has provided innovative and award-winning PD Online courses to educators across the world. PD Online features more than 80 courses focusing on a broad array of important topics and incorporates multimedia and high-quality digital content that fits the needs of almost any type and size of learning group, ranging from individual learners to statewide deployments and integration with university programs. Read the full press release.

      Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Selects ASCD to Support Professional Development Goals—Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), winner of the 2011 Broad Prize for Urban Education, recently selected ASCD as its new, district-wide professional development partner. Read the full press release.

      ASCD Announces November 2012 Professional Development Institute Series in Myrtle Beach— ASCD announces a series of two- and three-day professional development institutes in Myrtle Beach, S.C., this November. Read the full press release.

      Registration Now Open for ASCD’s 2013 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show—ASCD is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the much-anticipated 68th ASCD Annual Conference and Exhibit Show. Built on the theme “Learning: Our Story. Our Time. Our Future.," the Annual Conference and Exhibit Show will be held at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill., March 16–18, and will inform, engage, help, and challenge educators from across the globe to better support student success. Read the full press release.

       

       

    • Blog post
    • 7 months ago
    • Views: 319

  • From Common Core Standards to From Common Core Standards to Curriculum: Five Big Ideas (Part 3)

    • From: Jay_McTighe
    • Description:

      Grant Wiggins and I have written a white paper on implementation of the Common Core Standards entitled From Common Core Standards to Curriculum: Five Big Ideas. 


      Here is the third of five:

      Big Idea # 3 – Standards need to be “unpacked.”

      As suggested above, the first step in translating the Common Core Standards into engaging and outcome-focused curriculum involves a careful reading of the documents in order to insure clarity about the end results and an understanding of how the pieces fit together. This idea is not new. Over the years, we have suggested various ways of unpacking standards in conjunction with our work with the Understanding by Design framework®. (See, for example, Wiggins and McTighe 2011, 2012). 

       

      When working with the Common Core, we recommend that educators “unpack” them into four broad categories – 1) Long term Transfer Goals, 2) Overarching Understandings, 3) Overarching Essential Questions, and 4) a set of recurring Cornerstone Tasks.

       

      The first category, Transfer Goals, identifies the effective uses of content understanding, knowledge, and skill that we seek in the long run; i.e., what we want students to be able to do when they confront new challenges – both in and outside of school. They reflect the ultimate goals, the reason we teach specific knowledge and skills. Unlike earlier generations of standards where transfer goals were implicit at best, the Common Core Standards have made them more overt. Indeed, the College and Career Anchor Standards in ELA specify long-term transfer goals, while the Mathematics Standards strongly suggest a goal such as, Students will be able to use the mathematics they know to solve “messy,” never-seen-before problems using effective mathematical reasoning.

       

      The second and third unpacking categories – overarching Understandings and Essential Questions – are like two sides of a coin. The Understandings state what skilled performers will need in order to effectively transfer their learning to new situations, while explorations of the Essential Questions engage learners in making meaning and deepening their

       

      understandings. Here are examples for Mathematics and English Language Arts, respectively:

       

       

       

      Overarching Understandings

      Overarching Essential Questions

      Mathematical

      Modeling

      • Mathematicians create models to interpret and predict the behavior of real world phenomena.

      • Mathematical models have limits and sometimes they distort or misrepresent.

      • How can we best model this (real world phenomena)?

      • What are the limits of this model?

      • How reliable are its predictions?

      Determining Central Ideas in Text

      • Writers don’t always say things directly or literally; sometimes they convey their ideas indirectly (e.g., metaphor, satire, irony).

      • What is this text really about?

      (e.g. theme, main idea, moral)

      • How do you “read between the lines?”

       

       

      The term overarching conveys the idea that these understandings and questions are not limited to a single grade or topic. On the contrary, it is expected that they be addressed across the grades with application to varied topics, problems, texts and contexts.

       

      The fourth category, Cornerstone Tasks, are curriculum-embedded tasks that are intended to engage students in applying their knowledge and skills in an authentic and relevant context. Like a cornerstone anchors a building, these tasks are meant to anchor the curriculum around the most important performances that we want learners to be able to do (on their own) with acquired content knowledge and skills. Since these tasks are set in realistic contexts, they offer the natural vehicle for integrating the so-called 21st century skills (e.g., creativity, technology use, teamwork) with subject area content knowledge and skills. They honor the intent of the Standards, within and across subject areas, instead of emphasizing only the content measured more narrowly on external accountability tests. These rich tasks can be used as meaningful learning experiences as well as for formative and summative purposes.

       

       

       

      Cornerstone tasks are designed to recur across the grades, progressing from simpler to more sophisticated; from those that are heavily scaffolded toward ones requiring autonomous performance. Accordingly, they enable both educators and learners to track performance and document the fact that students are getting progressively better at using content knowledge and skills in worthy performances. Like the game in athletics or the play in theater, teachers teach toward these tasks without apology.

       

      The four categories that we recommend are initially unpacked at the “macro,” or program, level to establish the equivalent of a curriculum blueprint. More specific course and grade level curriculum maps are then derived from backward from them, just as rooms in a building are constructed using the architect’s blueprint as a guide. Practically speaking, this macro level work is best undertaken at the state, regional or district levels by teams of content experts and experienced teachers. Currently two states, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, have assembled teams of content experts to unpack their Common Core state standards in this very manner, and the Next Generation Arts Standards, presently in development, are using this same construct to frame the Standards from the start! 

       

      While we strongly advocate this type of unpacking and have witnessed its benefits, we have also seen the process become way too narrow and granular when applied at the “micro” level. Thus, we concur with the important cautionary note offered by the Kansas Department of Education about a misapplication of Standards unpacking:

      “‘Unpacking’ often results in a checklist of discrete skills and a fostering of skill-and-drill instruction that can fragment and isolate student learning in such a way that conceptual understanding, higher order thinking, cohesion, and synergy are made more difficult. Too often, the process of ‘unpacking" is engaged in an attempt to isolate the specific foundational or prerequisite skills necessary to be successful with the ideas conveyed by the overall standard and is a common precursor to test preparation and reductive teaching. Although this process may be important work in some instances and can certainly be enlightening, it also poses substantial problems if those completing the work never take the time to examine the synergy that can be created when those foundational or prerequisite skills are reassembled into a cohesive whole. Metaphorically speaking, ‘unpacking’ often leads educators to concentrate on the trees at the expense of the forest.”

       

       

       

    • Blog post
    • 7 months ago
    • Views: 1108

  • Melissa_Bergfeld

    • ASCD EDge Member
    • Points:250
    • Views: 110
    • Since: 8 months ago
    • Not yet rated

  • Connecting the dots Connecting the dots

    • From: Kyle_Pace
    • Description:

       

      'Dotted Perspective Vector Background' photo (c) 2011, Vectorportal - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

      So, I've been trying to find the right words to express some thoughts I have about being a connected educator. We've got just under a week left in Connected Educator Month and I wanted to make a contribution because becoming a connected educator in various online spaces has had profound impact on my professional and personal life for nearly 4 years now (come October).

       

      While I (and as many others have shared) get tremendous benefit to being connected every single day from Twitter, Google+, Google Reader, etc., there's a benefit to being connected that allows me to help others. I get to help people connect dots. It's helping others become more connected. It's connecting the connected I suppose.

       

      This looks like me seeing someone pose a question like, "Does anyone have any ideas for how I can make communication better between school and home?". While I don't have direct experience with this, I might reply to them saying, "Have you talked to @Joe_Mazza?". I know that Joe has implemented many new and innovative ways he reaches out to parents to bridge the gap between school and home. I make sure that person knows Joe and reaches out to him because I know Joe is always willing to help.

       

      Here are some other topic/subject specific connected educators that are great to learn from and are always willing to help:

       

      Erin Klein - elementary education
      Stephanie Madlinger - professional development
      Bob Dillon - secondary administrator
      Pernille Ripp - elementary education
      Tim Gwynn - elementary tech facilitator
      Chris Betcher - Google Certified Teacher
      Amanda Dykes - secondary science teacher
      Dave Guymon - 6th grade teacher
      Scott Newcomb - mobile learning devices
      Jill Bromenschenkel - ELL
      Lisa Dabbs - new teacher mentoring
      Jason Markey - high school principal, 1:1 initiatives

       

      This of course is in no way an exhaustive list. There's no ranking here. This is a handful of people I know and what they specialize in. You know folks like this too. Once we become connected educators, do we have a responsibility to help others connect? I think we do. If you're connected and see someone needing help (whether they're a brand new connected educator or not), I urge you to help connect some dots from time to time. Not just during August, but making it part of your commitment to being a connected educator.

    • Blog post
    • 9 months ago
    • Views: 756
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