81 Search Results for "release"

• L2L News: May 2013 L2L News: May 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

    • Attend today’s Whole Child Virtual Conference Session “Grit: Multiple Intelligences and Instructional Technology in the Classroom” at 4:00 p.m. eastern with Walter McKenzie and Professional Interest Community Facilitator Tom Hoerr. Register now.
      View and register for the other Whole Child Virtual Conference sessions.
      
      
    • Apply for the 2013–14 Nominations Committee. ASCD is seeking ASCD leaders who are interested in serving on the 2013–14 ASCD Nominations Committee. More information, including the committee’s charge, qualifications for service, and time commitment, is available at www.ascd.org/nominations. ASCD will accept applications until May 31.
       
    •  Submit a proposal for ASCD’s 2014 Annual Conference. ASCD is accepting proposals for 2014 Annual Conference presentations until May 15.

     

    Newest Policy Points Revisits A Nation at Risk

    ASCD’s newest Policy Points (PDF) takes a closer look at A Nation at Risk, the 1983 report on the state of U.S. education that launched a spirited and ongoing debate about the quality of our public schools. This issue of Policy Points examines the specific recommendations of the report, the accuracy of its dire prediction about “a rising tide of mediocrity” undermining the nation’s well-being, and the evolving school reform debate the report kick-started three decades ago.

     

    Throughout May on www.wholechildeducation.org: The New Poverty

    In today’s global economic state, many families and children face reduced circumstances. These “poor kids” don’t fit the traditional stereotypes—two-thirds live in families in which at least one adult works and the percentage of poor students in many rural districts equals that in inner-city districts. In the United States, the economic downturn has dramatically changed the landscape, and districts that were previously vibrant are now dealing with unemployment, underemployment, and more transient families.

    Join us as we share what new—and old—solutions we are using to support learning and ensure that each child, whatever her circumstances, is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

    Download the Whole Child Podcast for a discussion on the current economic downturn; its result that many families and children face reduced circumstances; and implications for schools, many of which have seen drastic changes in the populations they serve and their communities. Guests include Deborah Wortham, superintendent of the School District of the City of York, Pa., and former assistant superintendent for high schools and director of professional development for Baltimore City (Md.) Public Schools; Felicia DeHaney, president and CEO of the National Black Child Development Institute; William Parrett, director of the Center for School Improvement and Policy Studies and professor of education at Boise State University;  and Kathleen Budge, coordinator of the Leadership Development Program  and associate professor in the Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Department at Boise State University. Parrett and Budge are also coauthors of the 2012 ASCD book Turning High-Poverty Schools into High-Performing Schools.

    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.

     

    ASCD Leader Voices

    • Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA) cadre members PJ Caposey and Brian Nichols were featured in EdWeek’s Classroom Q&A series with Larry Ferlazzo. Read their thoughts about ways to observe teachers without demoralizing them.
      
      
    • Read ASCD Emerging Leader Ember Conley’sWhole Child Blog post about “Promising Whole Child Practices in Arizona”
       
    • Read ASCD Emerging Leader Daniel Smith’sWhole Child Blog post, “Who is Today’s Principal?”
       
    • Check out OYEA winner and ASCD Board Member Marc Cohen’s Whole Child Blog post, “Our Expectations Are (and Should Be) High”
       
    • 2013 OYEA Winner Joshua Garcia has a blog series on ASCD EDge called WILL (What I Learned Lately). Read his #2, #3, #4, #5, and #6 posts.
       
    • ASCDEmerging Leader Kevin Goddard, also known as “the Goddblogger,” has written great posts over the last few weeks on ASCD EDge: “Complicated vs. Complex,” “Systems Theory,” “Reductionism,” “Chaos vs. Complexity, ” and“Capacity Building.”
    • Read ASCD Emerging Leader Nicole Zuerblis’ ASCD EDge blog post: “Everything But the Kitchen Sink?”

     

    Arkansas Governor Signs Whole Child Legislation

    Arkansas Governor Michael Beebe signed a new bill into law that promotes a whole child approach to educating the state’s children. The legislation (PDF) establishes a Whole Child Whole Community recognition program and aims to measure the comprehensive well-being of children and how well stakeholders are meeting their needs according to the five whole child tenets and their indicators as identified by ASCD.

    The recognition program will acknowledge and highlight the work of Arkansas educators, parents, community members, and policymakers who support the whole child. The legislation also indicates that one purpose of the recognition program is to help spur systemic collaboration and coordination within and beyond schoolhouse doors and to promote a shift from narrowly defined student achievement and traditional education reform to broader, more comprehensive efforts that recognize the crucial out-of-school factors that influence teaching and learning. A diverse state working group will work over the course of a year to recommend a framework and process for recognizing exemplary whole child and whole community successes.

    Congratulations to Arkansas ASCD, which played a crucial role in supporting the bill’s development and introduction!

     

    Rhode Island Passes Whole Child Resolution

    The Rhode Island General Assembly passed a joint resolution (PDF) supporting a whole child approach to education that ensures each child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

    The resolution affirms that to educate Rhode Island’s children effectively, the state must pay attention to factors within and beyond its school buildings as well as integrate efforts among schools, families, and communities. In addition, the resolution expresses the assembly’s intent to model whole child concepts in its own work and to join with other stakeholders who support the whole child.

    Congratulations to Rhode Island ASCD(RIASCD), which worked hard to have this joint resolution introduced into the Rhode Island legislature!

    To help the state fulfill its commitment to whole child education, ASCD and RIASCD offered some initial steps (PDF)—organized by the five whole child tenets—for educators, parents and community members, and policymakers to take. RIASCD also highlighted some of ASCD’s free resources to help the state put its whole child vision into action. 

     

    South Carolina 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 seventh post of the series, South Carolina ASCD leader Josh Patterson writes about the challenges and successes that South Carolina has had with CCSS implementation.

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

     

    The Effective Principal

    What we see through our research, reading, and conversations with principals and school staff is that to see what an effective principal is, don’t look at the person; look at the effects of her leadership on student achievement, school culture and climate, teacher effectiveness and satisfaction, and community relationships. As the wearers of many hats, principals are crucial to implementing meaningful and lasting school change. Read more on the Whole Child Blog.

    In April, we looked at what qualities principals in today’s (and tomorrow’s) schools need to fulfill their roles as visionary, instructional, influential, and learning leaders. Listen to the Whole Child Podcast with guests Donna Snyder, manager of Whole Child Programs at ASCD; Kevin Enerson, principal of Le Sueur-Henderson High School in Minnesota (an ASCD Whole Child Network school); and Jessica Bohn, an ASCD Emerging Leader and principal of Gibsonville Elementary School in North Carolina.

    Also this month on the Whole Child Podcast, we talked with educators from Oregon’s Milwaukie High School (winner of the 2013 Vision in Action: The ASCD Whole Child Award) about how they meet student and staff needs, taking challenges and turning them into opportunities for all. Guests include principal Mark Pinder, assistant principal for curriculum Michael Ralls, assistant principal for student management Tim Taylor, dean of students Donnie Siel, and teacher leader David Adams.

    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

    Killeen Independent School District Deepens Professional Development Partnership with ASCD—Killeen Independent School District (ISD)—whose more than 6,100 staff members serve approximately 42,000 students—is deepening its relationship with ASCD to meet its professional development goals. Read the full press release.

    ASCD Publishes Leadership Guide on Transforming Any Teacher into a Master—ASCD is pleased to announce the release of Never Underestimate Your Teachers: Instructional Leadership for Excellence in Every Classroom by best-selling education author, renowned educator, and professional development expert Robyn R. Jackson.
    Never Underestimate Your Teachers offers school leaders a new model for understanding great teaching as a combination of skill and will, and it's the first book of its kind to support leaders as they facilitate teacher growth in both areas through differentiated leadership. Jackson shows readers how to design and deliver targeted professional development to help each teacher realize his or her potential and achieve great results for the benefit of every student. Read the full press release.

    New ASCD Common Core Academy Supports School Leadership Teams Across the United States—ASCD is bringing its inaugural ASCD Common Core Leadership Team Academy to Chicago August 5–8, 2013. This intensive four-day professional leadership experience offers groups of administrators, teacher leaders, and nonprofit and higher education partners an accelerated plan for putting the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) into routine practice. Read the full press release.

    ASCD Summer Reading List Identifies 10 Books That Can Transform Teaching and Learning—In the spirit of promoting year-round professional development, ASCD has assembled a diverse list of books essential to educators who seek to improve their practice over the summer months. These books—organized by how they help educators transform teaching and learning—offer readers the opportunity to dive deep into the hottest topics in education, including using data to focus improvement, project-based learning, child development, and neurodiversity. All books are currently available in paperback and e-book formats. Read the full press release.

    Arkansas Governor Beebe Signs Education Reform Law Supporting the Whole Child—Arkansas Governor Michael Beebe has signed a new bill into law that promotes a well-rounded whole child approach to educating the state’s children.“An Act to Establish the Whole Child– Whole Community Recognition Program; and for Other Purposes” (Senate Bill 1051[PDF]) outlines a plan for the Arkansas education system that ensures Arkansas students receive a whole child education. Read the full press release.

    New ASCD Staff Expand Association’s Ability to Design, Deliver, and Evaluate Professional Development Resources—ASCD welcomes three new staff members to the association’s Program Development Work Group. Dr. Andrea Muse has accepted the position of director of research and program evaluation, Jen Thompson will serve as director of program management and process improvement, and Elizabeth Thurman has joined ASCD as director of customer engagement and product support. The additions of Muse, Thompson, and Thurman expand ASCD’s capability to design, deliver, and evaluate the crucial professional development resources today’s educators need to learn, teach, and lead. Read the full press release.

     

     

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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

    •  Submit a proposal for ASCD’s 2014 Annual Conference. ASCD is accepting proposals for 2014 Annual Conference presentations until May 15.

     

    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!

    • ASCD Emerging Leader Jessica Bohn wrote an article for this month’s Educational Leadership issue on The Principalship. Read her article “First-Year Hurdles” on ascd.org.
      
      
    • ASCD Emerging Leader Craig Martin is featured in the Spring 2013 issue of Teachers of Color Magazine.Read the article (PDF).
      
      
    • Niles West High School Dean and ASCD Emerging Leader Alum Antwan Babakhani has been promoted to be the school’s new assistant principal effective July 1. Read more about Antwan.
      
      
    • ASCD Emerging Leader Torian White was featured in a blog post for the points he made during the ASCD Forum discussion. Read the post about Torian.

     

    Other News

    • ASCD Emerging Leaders Curtis Pelham,Amy Murphy, and Armentress Robinson were recently featured in the ASCDInservice blog “8 Questions” series.
       
    • Check out Fred Ende’sWhole Child Blog post, “Exceeding Needs Through a Partnership Perspective.”
      
      
    • Minnesota ASCD’sSpring Conference, “Creating a Highly Engaged Classroom,” takes place on April 25.
       
    • South Carolina ASCD’s Spring Conference was a huge success! Read more at scascd.org.
      
      
    • Check out Illinois ASCD’s revised website.
      
      
    • Five new members joined the ASCD Board of Directors at ASCD Annual Conference. Read the press release.

     

    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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• 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:

    • Download the ASCD Conference app. Search “ASCD” in your mobile app store or go to www.ascd.org/ascd13app. Plan your sessions, access social media activity, get up-to-the-minute news on ASCD Annual Conference, and more.
       
    • If applicable, read the First Timer’s Guide on ASCD Inservice.
       
    • Read Getting Your Game Plan Together for #ASCD13 on ASCD Inservice.
       
    • Follow the #ASCD13 hashtag on Twitter to connect with other attendees. Consider attending the Tweetup on March 16 as well.

     

    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

    • ASCD Express: Three Strategies for Encouraging and Developing Student Voice by ASCD Leader Dawn Imada Chan, and cross-posted to the Whole Child Blog.
       
    • Whole Child Blog: Our Children Are Counting On Us by ASCD Board of Directors Member and former OYEA Winner Marc Cohen
       
    • ASCD Inservice: Eight Questions for Emerging Leader Kim Glenn
       
    • Get to the Core Webinar Series:Implementing the Common Core: Transform Principals into Instructional Leaders with 2012 Emerging Leader Michael DeCaprio(this webinar was recorded March 6, and will be archived soon)
       
    • Whole Child Blog: Safer, Not Safe by 2012 Emerging Leader Jason Ellingson
       
    • Lab Out Loud: STEM in Primary Classrooms by 2011 Emerging Leader Doug Paulson
       
    • Washington ASCD’s Spring issue of Curriculum in Context: A Systematic Approach to Implementing Innovation (p. 25) by 2011 Emerging Leader Hannah Gbenro

     

    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:

    • Arkansas ASCD
    • New Hampshire ASCD
    • Florida ASCD 

     

    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:

    • Welcome to the ASCD Forum (Includes guidelines on how to participate)
    • How Do We Give Students Equitable Access to Effective Teachers and Principals?
    • Mosaic of Effectiveness by Jason Flom, 2010 ASCD Emerging Leader and Florida ASCD Board Member
    • Access and Equity by Michael DeCaprio, 2012 ASCD Emerging Leader
    • Reflecting on the Value I Add  by Brooke Eisenbach
    • Take the ASCD Forum Access and Equity Survey
    • Resources for Access and Equity
    • Keepin’ It Real: Preparation Pathways that Work, by Fred Ende, 2012 ASCD Emerging Leader
    • What is the role and responsibility of educator preparation programs to foster and sustain effectiveness? By Suzann Girtz, 2011 ASCD Emerging Leader
    • Reflecting on Teacher Preparation Programs by Dawn Imada Chan, 2012 ASCD Emerging Leader

    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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• Where Are the Education Leader Where Are the Education Leaders?

  • From: Tom_Whitby
  • Description:

    I read a post recently talking about education leaders coming from teachers. That, in my experience, is a very difficult transition for really dedicated classroom teachers to make. They are too often consumed with doing what is needed to be a great classroom teacher. Even when professional education organizations recruit leaders for their own organizations on the state, or national levels, teachers from their ranks often cannot get enough release time from their individual schools to serve in the high-time-demanding positions required to move up the ladder of leadership in those organizations. Often times, administrators, or education consultants move into these organizational leadership positions.

    I am not saying that Administrators are poor leaders, or bad people. I am pointing out that they have a unique perspective and often one not close to that of a classroom teacher. YES, there are exceptions, and every administrator reading this post probably sees himself, or herself as such an exception. The point here however is that, in many instances, the further away from a classroom that an Education leader gets, the less the leadership becomes about education and the more it is affected by other influences.

    It is understandable how this change in perspective happens. Moving from the decisions about learning to the decisions about building management, staff management, budget management, public relations, labor relations, teacher observations, schedule maintenance, community relations, Board meetings, and political considerations as a focus to lead a school or district is a shift from learning considerations being the focus. Such is the stuff of administration, and understandably there is little time left for much else. It is no wonder that the average career lifespan in a district of an administrator is less than three years. Of course administrators leaving buildings and districts after such short periods of time complicates things even more in a negative way for a variety of reasons, but that requires another post.

    Next, we need to consider the influence of technology on our leaders. Data is King. Administrative decisions can now be more easily made and numbers can be tallied in the blink of an eye. We can call it researched-based decision-making, because we have the ability to easily quantify things. We have the all-powerful numbers. The question facing our leaders would be what things to quantify. Do we have the right numbers answering the right questions? What should we be assessing and how do we do it? Does assessment always require testing?

    Who gets to make up the questions becomes key. Our politicians are concerned with elections and they will be driven by whatever the popular sentiment is, whether or not it is based in fact, or if it has an impact on learning. Our business leaders will be driven by whatever is profit bearing, whether or not has any bearing on learning. Then we have the media leaders who are driven by both the leaders of politics, as well as the leaders of business, and of course popular sentiment will drive the entire bus with all on board.

    There are many things that are wrong with our education system, which cries out for leadership and change. Of course the greatest negative influences on education, which are often overlooked, come from the outside. Issues like poverty, security, safety, nutrition, health, and family support are some of these issues. That is all further complicated by political interference, as well as a mythology built around learning, motivation, and real assessment of learning. How are these measured? How will any core curriculum or standardization change these factors of influence? Non-educators claiming enough knowledge about education constantly legislate, and mandate many things that prove to educators to be counter productive to learning. Why is this met with such little resistance from educators? A better question might be why have educators been quiet about their objections?

    Why were educators removed from the national discussion on education? How did education leaders allow this to happen? Who stood up for education?

    Ask educators today where they stand on standardized testing and compare that answer to the national agenda. I believe they will be diametrically opposing positions. Who are the education leaders that allowed this to get so far from where we should be going? I wish I could point to the leaders standing up for education. I wish we could point to specific people directing the reform movement beyond just Diane Ravitch, Michelle Rhee, Bill Gates, Arne Duncan, and Michael Bloomberg. Those are the voices that have a platform, but how many have an education portfolio of experience?

    I know the standout leaders of connected educators who speak out on many issues. I know Keynote speakers and education authors at National and statewide Education Conferences who regularly express many of the same the same concerns. They all seem to be cheerleaders for the cause of education, but have not found a way to lead educators. Is it the lack of leaders or the lack of access to a medium to get the message out?“Why is this post filled with so many unanswered questions?” is a question that a leader should answer. Who steps up for education? Where are our leaders? What medium do we use for the educator’s voice? Politicians, business people and media people always have access to media and the public audience. Educators after being demoralized in too many cases are limited and seem to be far less inclined to speak out about needed reforms in education.  But then again, even if politicians, business people and media folks were to manage their own industries and get out of education, who will step up to fill the void? Who are the real educators who will lead the real reform for education?

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• Education Reform? How about Re Education Reform? How about Relationship Reform?

  • From: Ryan_Thomas1
  • Description:

    Ken Chenault, CEO for American Express, once said, “Most companies maintain their office copiers better than they build the capabilities of their people, especially the ones who are supposed to be future leaders.” This is something all educational leaders aspiring to greatness should take to heart.
    
    

    We hear an awful lot about education reform. We’re no stranger to the discourses about high-stakes testing and reaching every student. We’ve heard the “3 R’s” (“Rigor, Relevance and Relationships”) and probably bandied them around ourselves. But do we have it all backwards? Shouldn’t it be more like, “Relationships, Relevance and Rigor?”
    
    

    In the political hubbub, it seems that we may have forgotten about nurturing the capabilities of our students and teachers by taking the time to establish real and meaningful relationships with them. There are an infinite number of ways to make this happen, but here are five to get you started.
     

    Use the gradual release of responsibility model with your teachers
    You spent time in the classroom. You didn’t simply stand before your students, tell them how to do something, and then watch them blossom before your eyes, did you? Very likely, you practiced some variation on what Frey and Fisher have described as the “gradual release of responsibility model.”
    
    

    You modeled the activity; then you offered guided instruction by posing questions, facilitating discussion and collaborating with your students.  When they were ready, you had them work in pairs and when they finally mastered the activity, they put it into practice and flew on their own.
    
    

    Your faculty and staff are no different. You can tell them how to respond to student work. You can talk about classroom organization and describe mentorship, but have you gone through the gradual release process that you’d use with your students?
    
    

    Stop by a different classroom every morning
    We’ve talked about 5-minute walkthoughs as an alternative to traditional teacher evaluations. But when was the last time you stopped by a random classroom just to reconnect with teachers and students? Before you do this, you may want to arrange it with teachers to make sure that you’re not interrupting a test or presentation. You’ll also want to let them know your intentions: You’re not evaluating; your visit isn’t a guise for something punitive. You simply want to reconnect for five measly minutes.
    
    

    Substantiate your philosophies
    If you’re passionate about your school’s vision of success, you should shout it from the rooftops. But don’t expect everyone to get on board until you’ve substantiated your initiatives with scholarship. Generally speaking, people are resistant to change; they don’t like disruptions and they are skeptical of new ways of doing things.
    
    

    If you want to win their hearts, prove to them that your way is not simply “best practice” because you happen to like it. No, it’s best practice because scholarly research and data say so.
    
    

    Get out of the office
    It’s easy to find yourself cloistered up in your office for hours (maybe even days) at a time, but you’ll find that parent, student and teacher concerns become much more tangible when you see them for yourself. Setting up shop in a “satellite office” is one of the best ways to get out of the office, but without having to compromise the work you do in your home base.
    
    

    Chances are that you spend a significant amount of time on your computer. Why not head over to the computer lab or grab your laptop and work at one of the tables in the library. This is a great way to engage with students and other faculty that you don’t get to see as often as you should. It’s also the best way for you to get an in-the-trenches perspective on the school culture.
    
    

    Greet your students every morning in person
    You probably arrive well before the students, but where are you when they start to trickle in every morning? You have your hands full, but being a visible and approachable leader is as important as the duties that call from your office.
    
    

    When it’s cold outside, stand in the lobby of the front entrance to the school and greet each student with a hello or a handshake. When it’s warm, stand outside and do the same. You’ll be surprised when students start approaching you on their own accord simply to say hello or chat.
    
    

     

                                          

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
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• Fostering student-initiated le Fostering student-initiated learning with literacy work stations

  • From: Ryan_Thomas1
  • Description:

    Imagine a classroom where the teacher works closely with five students at the guided reading table. Meanwhile, 20 of their peers are on task at a variety of literacy work stations: Two students are manning the overhead projector; they’re reading a poem that is being projected on the whiteboard and compiling a list of words that rhyme with those in the poem. Over in the corner, three more students are in the classroom library; one student is reading and the other two are repairing books at the work bench.
    
    

    We could paint a more vivid picture, but you get it. How does this happen? If you were to ask author, educator, and national educational consultant Debbie Diller, she’d give much of the credit to literacy work stations. But what are they and how do they differ from literacy centers?
    
    

    Literacy work stations place an emphasis on work.  They take advantage of existing spaces in the classroom and give students the opportunity to work independently on the things the teacher has already modeled: read-alouds, shared reading, modeled writings, literacy games, shared writing and small-group instruction.
    
    

    Unlike literacy centers, literacy work stations do not contain “busy” work; they’re not a place where students go to kill time while they wait for the rest of the class to finish an exercise or assignment. Literacy work stations place an emphasis on independence not only to help students take charge of their learning experience, but to keep the teacher from working harder than the students.
    
    
    Too often, we exhaust ourselves, we burn out by trying to take care of everything when there’s no reason to. Our students are savvy in a variety of ways, so stop printing out materials, cutting them out, laminating, and cleaning up. They are perfectly capable of this. Instead, collaborate with your students; have them help you “decide when the materials at the work station need to change…and negotiate ideas for what they’d like to practice at each station.”
    
    

    How do I set up a literacy work station?
    The idea behind work stations is that often a simple change of location can engage our students. That space can be anywhere in the classroom regardless of how cramped it feels. Pick up a few carpet squares at a remnant warehouse and utilize the floor. Do you have an overhead projector? Good, there’s your screening station. Do you have a CD or Mp3 player? Have your students grab that, a splitter, and two pairs of headphones out of the closet. Voila, there’s their portable listening work station.
    
    

    What should the work stations look like? And what kind of teaching materials should they have?

    • Miller suggests that they should be filled with materials that have already been used for instruction first. Then they are placed in the station to be used independently.
    • The materials in each station do not change arbitrarily or adhere to a calendar. Instead, they grow with students’ abilities and reflect the strategies and topics being taught.
      
      

    This sounds great, you say, but how do you keep everyone on task?
    
    

    One way to nurture independence is through modeling what Frey and Fisher have described as the “gradual release of responsibility model.”
    
    

    First, the teacher models the activity (“I do it”). If, for example, you want to set up an overhead station where students read poems and come up with related rhymes, you’ll want to walk them through the entire process. Find the file folder containing the transparencies, turn on the overhead, read the poem aloud, circle the words that rhyme and begin writing your own rhymes on the board. When you are done, turn off the projector and return the transparency to its proper home.
    
    

    Second, offer guided instruction by prompting, posing questions, facilitating and collaborating with students (“We do it”).  Third, place your students in groups (“You do it together”). You’ll guide and help them when they get stuck, but mostly you observe from the sidelines. Once your students have mastered the activity, you turn it over to them (“You do it alone”).
    
    

    Keep in mind that this is not a linear approach, so as your students master certain activities, expect them to move back and forth between steps.
    
    

    If you are considering implementing literacy work stations into your classroom, we suggest that you check out Diller’s book, Literacy Work Stations: Making Centers Work. In addition to this, keep in mind that less is more. Introduce materials into each station gradually; having fewer materials will give students focused freedom and help them stay organized. Also, don’t abandon materials that still have a currency with your students. Move on when they are bored with it or when they have mastered it.
    
    

     

     

                                                          

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
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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

    • 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 ASCD Annual Conference presentations until May 15.

     

    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.

    • College and Career Ready Clearly Isn’t Enoughby 2012 Emerging Leader Fred Ende
    • 3 Steps to Getting a Grant for Your School by 2012 Emerging Leader Jessica Bohn
    • What Vision is Pulling You?, Obstacles or Opportunities by 2012 Emerging Leader Jason Ellingson
    • School Violence When Will It Endby 2011 Emerging Leader Patricia Dickenson

     

    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
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• Book Chat on Neurodiversity at Book Chat on Neurodiversity at EdWeek.org February 8, 2013

  • From: Thomas_Armstrong
  • Description:

    I will be doing a text-based chat online for Education Week Teacher on Febuary 8, 2013 at 4-5 pm ET (1-2 PT). The topic will be my new book Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life. Liana Heitin, associate editor, Education Week Teacher, will moderate this chat. Here is Education Week’s press release for the chat:

    ”The conversation around special education students is almost exclusively a “disability discourse,” says veteran special educator and author Thomas Armstrong. But instead of talking about what students can’t do, why not talk about their strengths, capabilities, and interests? Instead of lamenting students’ deficits and dysfunctions, why not celebrate their neurological diversity?

    During this online chat, Armstrong will explain a paradigm shift in which general and special educators focus on students’ aptitudes, not their needs and difficulties, in order to effectively differentiate instruction. He’ll answer your questions about universal design for learning, the components of positive learning environments, and the strengths typically associated with particular disability categories.”

    Hope to see you at the book chat February 8th! To go to the site of the chat, click here.

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 245

• L2L News: December 2012 L2L News: December 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.

    Action Items for ASCD Leaders

    • Submit your Ignite Session Proposal by January 9. Embodied in the tagline, “enlighten us, but make it quick,” Ignite presenters have 5 minutes to present on any topic of interest using 20 PowerPoint slides that automatically advance every 15 seconds. (Learn more about Ignite.) The theme of this Ignite session is “Your Whole Child Story.” We have found in general that the best presentations are on topics that personally inspire or motivate the presenter. We’re looking for fun, creative, out-of-the-box ideas, so please keep that in mind when completing your presentation proposal. Please note that the Ignite session proposals are only open to L2L ASCD leaders.
    • Save the date for the 2013 Leader to Leader Conference. The 2013 L2L Conference will take place July 18–20, 2013 at the Hyatt Dulles in Herndon, Va. Stay tuned for more details and information in the spring.
    • Register now for the Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy (LILA). This institute is an outstanding opportunity to network with fellow educators, share your expertise with your federal lawmakers on Capitol Hill, and hear from national education leaders about the latest education policy developments.
    • 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 www.ascd.org.
    •  Register 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.

     

    Why You Should Attend the Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy

    ASCD’s Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy (LILA), one of the association’s most unique experiences for educators, provides participants with the opportunity to learn from some of the nation’s leading education thinkers and policymakers in a much more personal setting than the usual conference. Register for LILA now to take advantage of the conference’s hands-on format so that you can gain the skills and knowledge to make a difference.

     

    LILA takes place January 27–29, 2013, in Washington, D.C. Read on for some of the features that set this conference apart.

     

     

    • Up Close and Personal: Ample opportunity to hear from and ask influential speakers like Diane Ravitch and National Teacher of the Year RebeccaMieliwocki about their unfiltered insights on the latest education developments.
    • Inside Scoop: Information from Capitol Hill and U.S. Department of Education influencers, including their firsthand perspectives on current education policy debates and priorities and what those mean for the status of No Child Left Behind and other federal education legislation.
    • Sneak Peek: A first look at ASCD’s 2013 Legislative Agenda, which is developed by educators for educators and drives the organization’s policy priorities for the coming year.
    • Advocate Extraordinaire: Tailored advocacy training and customizable resources to help you advocate for better education policy at the federal, state, and local levels now and throughout the year.
    • Make a Difference: Personal meetings with members of Congress and their education aides where you can share your expertise and discuss the education issues that matter the most to you.

     

     

    Space is limited and the registration deadline is fast approaching! Register for this premier legislative conference today and check out the conference agenda as well as the registration and travel information. Questions? Contact ASCD’s policy team at policy@ascd.org.

     

    New ASCD Policy Points on Sequestration and Education Now Available

    Learn all you need to know about sequestration and its consequences for educators and schools in the latest issue of Policy Points, ASCD’s newest policy publication.

    Sequestration, the 8.2 percent deep, across-the-board cuts to nearly all federal spending, will happen in January 2013 unless Congress acts to stop it. For education programs, this means a loss of more than $4 billion in federal funding. Unless lawmakers act soon, the potential loss of educator jobs, programs, transportation, and key school services could have a devastating effect in every state.

    Policy Points explains how we got to this point, outlines what sequestration means for education, and shares action steps that educators like you can take to help stop sequestration. Take one of these steps today, and urge your federal lawmakers to stop sequestration before time runs out and our nation’s students are forced to pay the price for Congress’s inaction.

    Check out the new Whole Child Tenets document

    The Whole Child Programs Unit within Constituent Services has released a new copy of the whole child tenets document (PDF).  In addition to having an updated design, the new layout allows users to see connections between the indicators that describe a tenet, and their correlating components, which were also identified for the ASCD School Improvement Tool. We hope users will find the new format more user-friendly as you work with schools, districts and states to support a whole child approach to education. We believe it to be the most comprehensive way to help educators in the field understand the real scope of a whole child approach.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Emerging Leaders Featured inASCD 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 2012 Emerging Leader Daina Lieberman and  2011 Emerging Leader Doug Paulson.

     

     

    Florida ASCD Leader Post Featured in ASCD Inserviceand Core Connection

    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 first post of the series,Florida ASCD President and Emerging Leader alum Alina Davis writes about the challenges and successes that Florida has had with CCSS implementation. This post was also featured in the December 5 issue of ASCD’s Common Core e-newsletter, Core Connection.

    
    

     

    Please Welcome Montclair State University to the ASCD Student Chapter Program

    ASCD is pleased to announce that Montclair State University 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.

     

     

    Congratulations!

    • New Mexico ASCD Secretary Toni Hull is a 2012 Teaching Ambassador Fellow for the U.S. Department of Education.
    • 2011 Emerging Leader Torian White was recently appointed as interim principal in his school district, and after this school year, the position will become permanent. White is also featured in the Annual Conference video series: listen to his story about an educator who made a difference in his life.
    • 2009 OYEA Winner Bijal Damani was recently selected to become a Google Certified Teacher, and last month she received the DerozioAward for Education and Human Enrichment from the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (ICSE).

    Other News

    • 2012 Emerging Leader Erica Ringelspaugh is currently blogging for Wisconsin ASCD. Check out her blog, “What Erica Knows.”
    • Check out Iowa ASCD’s blog!

     

     

     

    ASCD Leaders on ASCD EDge

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

    • Solving the “Play” Problem, Disconnected Doesn’t Mean “Not Connected,” 2012 Emerging Leader Fred Ende
    •  Cogito Ergo Sum, Should Students Live Someone Else’s Education?, Comprehensive Planning, Improvise, 2012 Emerging Leader Jason Ellingson
    • We Need More Poetry in Social Studies, Build and Sustain a Successful AP Economics Program, SMART Goal for the Common Core, Tackling the Common Core, 2012 Emerging Leader Robert Zywicki
    • Supporting New Principals (survey link included), Professional Interest Community Facilitator Amelia Hicks
    •  Think Globally, Act Locally, 2012 Emerging Leader Steven Anderson
    • An Introduction to the Concept of Complexity, 2012 Emerging Leader Kevin Goddard 

     

    ASCD Can Help Support Your Common Core Efforts

    Are you interested in having a session presenter or keynote speaker on Common Core implementation at your next event? ASCD has resources and assistance available to state affiliates that will help to inform your members and educators  about implementing the Common Core standards. ASCD’s recent reportFulfilling the Promise of the Common Core State Standards: Moving from Adoption to Implementation to Sustainability illuminates activities educators at all levels can undertake to successfully implement the Common Core State Standards across the nation. The report and its implementation recommendations have already been successfully presented at events held by Utah ASCD, Ohio ASCD, and North Carolina ASCD. If you are interested in learning more about these opportunities, e-mail  Efrain Mercado, lead strategist for the Common Core State Standards, at both efrain.mercado@ascd.org andConstituentServices@ascd.org.

    
    

    A Progress Report on Teacher Evaluation

    Teacher quality is the most important in-school factor influencing student learning and achievement. Research shows that students with high-performing teachers can progress three times as fast as students with low-performing teachers and each student deserves access to highly effective teachers in every subject. In turn, all teachers deserve a fair and accurate assessment of their skills, how they perform in the classroom, and how they can improve. Teacher effectiveness is dependent on accurate and fair evaluations, based on multiple measures, including—but not solely based around—their students’ performance in the subjects they teach.

    If the ultimate goal of teacher evaluation is to improve student performance, what should evaluators look for? Read more on the Whole Child Blog.

    In November, we looked at the current teacher evaluation landscape. Listen to the Whole Child Podcast with guests Mike Blakeslee, deputy executive director and chief operating officer of the National Association for Music Education, a whole child partner organization and member of ASCD's College, Career, and Citizenship Readiness Coalition; Bryan Goodwin, vice president of communications at McREL, based in Denver, Colo.; and Cindy Weber, superintendent of Durand Area Schools in Durand, Mich. Have you signed up to receive the Whole Child Newsletter? Read this month'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.

    ASCD’s Educational Leadership also focused on fair and effective teacher evaluation in its November issue, featuring articles by Robert J. Marzano, Charlotte Danielson, Tony Frontier, Thomas R. Hoerr, Carol Ann Tomlinson, and other experts and practitioners. Topics, research, and commentary include peer review, classroom observation, value-added measures, school district examples from across the United States, and lessons from South Korea.

     

    Something to Talk About

    ·         Most recent blog posts on ASCD EDge®

    ·         Most clicked stories from ASCD SmartBrief

     

    Association News

    ·         New Professional Development Resources from ASCD Support Problem-Based Learning, Differentiated Instruction, and Common Core Implementation—ASCD announces the release of a series of new PD In Focus^® videos, as well as two PD Online^® courses. These new resources focus on supporting educators in implementing problem-based learning, differentiated instruction, and the Common Core State Standards. Read the full press release.

    ·         Thomas Armstrong Presents Strength-Based Model for Teaching Learners with Special Needs in New Book—ASCD is pleased to announce the release ofNeurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life by seasoned educator and best-selling author Thomas Armstrong. This new professional development book is available in paperback and e-book formats. Read the full press release.

    ·         ASCD Authors Headline 2013 Annual Conference Pre-Conference Institutes— ASCD announced the pre-conference session lineup for the 2013 ASCD Annual Conference and Exhibit Show, being held at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. The three-, two-, and one-day Pre-Conference Institutes will be held March 13–15 and offer intensive learning experiences on curriculum, instruction, assessment, and more. Read the full press release.

    ·         Atlanta Public Schools Select Digital Solutions from ASCD to Support Professional Development Goals—Atlanta Public Schools (APS), serving more than 51,000 students in the greater Atlanta, Ga., metro area, has become the latest school system to select digital solutions from ASCD to meet theirdistrictwide professional development goals. Read the full press release.

     

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• Teach Like You Teach: How to A Teach Like You Teach: How to Approach Professional Learning

  • From: Michelle_Young
  • Description:

     

    

    Teach like you Teach: A Quality Approach to Professional Learning

    “Good morning class. Today we will study the entire Renaissance from start to finish. I trust that all of you will be able to not only recall, but also discuss with confidence, the details and outcomes of the Renaissance,” is the type of statement one will not hear from a classroom teacher.   For students to learn successfully, teachers need to tap prior knowledge so that students make connections and the teacher plans appropriate content.  In addition, a classroom teacher will practice gradual release of responsibility and formative assessment to guarantee mastery before moving forward.  These are practices that take time and don’t happen in one class period.  For some reason, however, even though it’s a learning situation, teachers who teach professional learning traditionally abandon those effective practices for a “quantity over quality” learning experience.  A combination of having a passion to share our strategies with other professionals, combined with the venue often being a “one-shot deal” contributes to these approaches.  Communicating what quality professional learning looks like is as simple as reminding those educators to “teach like you teach.”

    Standard instructional practices and strategies need to transcend classroom walls into professional learning sessions for them to be successful. Quality professional learning will be the direct result of needs-assessments, include differentiation, time for processing and adoption of what has been learned, and in the most effective settings, even time for problem solving and reflection through collaboration.  What this means for professional educators is that quality professional learning will take more than a two-hour session or one day event.   They need to approach a professional learning session much like a unit of study with students in a classroom. 

    Why so much detail for quality professional learning to take place? The answer is as simple as teachers need time for implementation and reflection.  What it really comes down to is that quality professional learning leads to quality student learning. Regardless of how wonderful a professional learning session may be, if teachers do not have need for the strategies shared or time to figure out how to incorporate it and reflect on it, there are missed learning opportunities not only for the instructors, but also for  students. 

    Even more like a classroom, quality professional learning requires that all stakeholders get actively involved. Teachers need to actively reflect and set professional growth goals. In addition, they need to bring their own classroom data and other artifacts, just as they expect of their students, to professional learning sessions. These practices result in quality professional learning that makes its why directly to students and their growth.  Quality professional learning that follows these standards is quality learning for everyone.

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 5 months ago
  • Views: 282

• Will Common Core equal Common Will Common Core equal Common Practice?

  • From: Garth_McKinney
  • Description:

    Will Common Core equal Common Practice?

    As we look to the future implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS), teachers must begin to have a broader knowledge base, a more diverse toolkit for teaching and learning, and greater experience with teaching in a standards-based environment. The growth required over the next three years seems to be large. After working for over seventeen years in public education within five different school systems, few districts seem to have provided the necessary professional development on standards based approaches.

    I am fortunate to be working in a district that has provided an ongoing, continual approach to teaching toward these standards by engaging teacher content teams with standards consultants throughout the school year. Over the last three years, we have collaborated to unpack standards, determine power standards, design essential questions and big ideas, and collaboratively design units that emphasize both prioritization and conformity but not removing creativity. After observing and participating in this work for the last year, I believe the following items are crucial for what teachers should be able to both comprehend and implement:

    “Unpack” first – This learning process began three years ago by first “unpacking” standards by dissecting the wording to look for skills and knowledge. We also designated our power standards that we all would teach and felt were the most important. This process must be a primary one, as teachers first look for skills and knowledge necessary for students to attain before beginning to design instruction. Although it was unknown to our teachers, we were following recommendations from McTighe and Wiggins (2001) for translating the standards from the state frameworks to teacher based terminology for classroom instruction. Furthermore, McTighe and Wiggins believe that unpacking the standards is the third big idea out of five for implementing the CCSS.

    Understanding by Design - McTighe and Wiggins’ model suggests to start backwards by keeping the end in mind rather than designing a series of activities built upon one another. This process asks teachers to start to “identify desired results, determine acceptable evidence, and plan learning experiences” (McTighe and Wiggins, 2001). For us, this first step was a struggle as teachers who were new to the process, the language, theory, and practice. However, three years later, as we talk together, this process has paid off as we all see a common path of learning for students and have a shared understanding to build upon. Furthermore, this process has shifted practice away from independent classroom teacher activities to a more common approach that focuses more on “enduring understandings” than ideas and concepts that are either “worth being familiar with” or “Important to know and do” (McTighe and Wiggins, 2001).

    Student self-assessment – Students must grow as learners but also as evaluators of their own learning. Last year, we began designing Learning Progressions which were valuable in thinking about student misconceptions prior to instruction rather than during. However, many teachers viewed this as a rubric for scoring student work, which is not, so developing this for a number of units was and still is, for some, a challenge. As we now implement two new common standards-based units, I feel these progressions are more important for students for them to assess their learning with a tool that both ties into a common language about enduring understandings and links to feedback they get from formative assessments. We have made a commitment to post Learning Goals and Success Criteria this year for students, but I feel our next step may be to learn progressions as well so that students can visually see where they are with their learning and they need to go next.

    Release of responsibility – Teachers have started to work differently in their classrooms as a result of this work. They have become better facilitators of learning by modeling quality instruction, including important concepts and strategies. Students then practice these concepts and strategies with support through small groups, triads, or partners. While monitoring progress, students are then asked to individually apply their new learning in order to meet the standards.

    Differentiation – Fortunately, language arts lends itself nicely for differentiation by varying the reading level and challenge of books, scaffolding support with models, and adjusting the writing for students to provide the appropriate level of support and challenge. Differentiating the “process, product, or content” should become more the norm, not the exception, as teachers review results from formative assessments to see the paths that students must travel to become proficient for each standard (Tomlinson, 2000).

    Flexible grouping – Many structures such as Literature Circles are helpful but now with both the growing needs of students and the expanding capacity of teachers, we have moved to flexible groupings that allow students options and choices to complete standards based activities rather than being confined by a structure. This opportunity motivates students, provides them with choices, and reduces compliance and behavior issues in the classroom.

    Formative Assessments – Gathering data and information through formative assessments should be more commonplace as teachers should be tracking where each student is in their progression towards mastery. This does not mean not giving summative assessments, but rather allowing ample time for modeling, practice, and support. These assessments “check for understanding” and are designed to inform teaching and learning, not a summative or final exam grade (Fisher & Frey, 2007). In addition, these formative assessments may be designed and administered collaboratively to creative common formative assessments, which give more information to teachers allowing for reflection, discussion, and innovation. One of our favorite resources is 25 Quick Formative Assessments for a Differentiated Classroom by Judith Dodge which has a number of short, creative assessments that can be used for a number of subject areas. Some examples that we use include using dry erase boards, sheet protectors, 3-2-1 Summarizers, Quick Write/Quick Draw, and My Top Ten List. These templates work well as we ask students to “show me what you know” and that these assessments are not parts of the grade book but rather, parts of a conversation among educators about what each student has learned and still needs to learn.

     

     

     

     

     

    Working smarter not harder – In a standards-based classroom, teachers should be working smarter not harder by looking to students to complete more work than teachers. Teachers should be looking at the big picture of learning and guide students down a path of achievement while also managing a classroom day to day. This requires both attention to detail and broader thinking, which is a shift for many teachers from the narrow focus of daily activities for students. For example, we have now shifted towards more product based assessments that go “beyond the literary essay” and require student engagement by completing a “nontraditional task requiring imagination and creative thinking” (Benjamin, 2008). Our favorite resource for this is Formative Assessment for English Language Arts – A Guide for Middle and High School Teachers by Amy Benjamin.

    More resources – With teacher growth, teachers need access to more resources in order to meet the needs of all students. This is a challenge for teachers as many struggle with finding appropriate materials while also managing a classroom with a diverse student group with diverse needs so that they all meet a standard or learning goal within a certain period of time. Time is critical and there is never enough of it so teachers must find quick and appropriate ways to use class time wisely. For example, our eighth teachers are looking for more short story selections at variety of reading levels so that readers of all abilities can access the text and then demonstrate their abilities to identify story elements, or irony or flashbacks, etc. If students are successful at this step, then we move them into novels at their reading level.

    Choice and challenge – It is becoming more rare to teach a whole class novel, as both students and teachers need a greater variety of book options. The range of abilities in a middle school classroom continues to grow, so having more books that are interesting to students as well as challenging for the more advanced students has increased in importance. This is also a challenge for school systems to provide funds for purchases, crosscheck book usage between schools, as well as read and review novels to screen for mature or possible challenged content. Another resource that we have turned to is Creative Book Reports: Fun Projects with Rubrics for Fiction and Nonfiction by Jane Feber which we have used to create smaller nonfiction research projects for students to complete before some of our novels units on weather and the Civil War. I’ve also used this resource to create a final assessment on story elements for a Coming of Age novel study. Assessment – In the end, this is the most challenging area as many teachers may resist rubrics and standards-based grading. Many middle and high schools still have conventional letter and/or numeric grades while some have designed hybrids that combine all three: numbers, letters, and standards. Many elementary schools converted to standards-based reporting years prior.

    Many of these initiatives could not happen without the planning, dedication, and support of administrators. After observing and participating in the work for the last year, I believe the following items are crucial for what administrators should know and be able to do:

    Developing a school culture that supports innovation and excellence – Change means loss for so many teachers so their reactions tend to lie in one of two pools. First, “this new initiative will never last since it was tried before and it didn’t work out.” Or second, “what I am going to do with my seven years of materials I developed?” After three years of coaching, supporting, listening, and calming down so many teachers, we now have a school that supports our standards-based work. We have SCALES (Strategies for Collaboration and Learning Essential Standards) Leaders in each department area that lead and support their teachers. It was also one of these leaders that came up with the acronym as well. These SCALES Leaders also led a half-day professional development day by modeling for teachers how formative assessments could be used effectively in each subject area. These leaders meet as a group once a month with the principal and assistant principal as well as present to the school board at the end of year by reporting out on our progress. Developing a school culture that supports innovation and excellence is easier said than done but with patience, commitment, and the help of teacher leadership it can be done. Professional Development – Our principal and assistant principal have repeatedly said that over the last two years that it is all about “support and challenge” for both the teachers and our students. For teachers, it has been a challenge to make this instructional shift in thinking and practice and to design the necessary products to support the work. Thankfully, we have had the support of time and professional development from books, articles, and outside consultant from WestEd Learning Innovations. This focus of support at the school level could not happen without the assistance from central office, where both the superintendent and assistant superintendent monitor and support the process throughout. Without this combination, our work would have either not been completed or done without the higher level of competence. So in the end, administrators can adopt this mantra and provide consistent, ongoing professional development for teachers.

    Time, time and more time! – Over the past three years, the time commitment has been consistent and expansive. We’ve used after school department meeting time, held summer institutes, in-service workshops days, and release days from the classroom with substitute teacher coverage. Now we are fortunate to have time during the school day to meet, collaborate, review common formative assessments, and/or share effective practices. Staying the course by providing the time and structure for teacher teams to collaborate and complete the work as been essential.

    Works Cited

    Benjamin, Amy. (2008). Formative Assessments for English Language Arts – A Guide for Middle and High

    School Teachers. New York: Eye on Education.
    Dodge, Judith. (2009). 25 Quick Formative Assessments for a Differentiated Classroom. New York: Scholastic.

    Feber, Jane. (2004). Creative Book Reports : Fun Projects with Rubrics for Fiction and Nonfiction. Gainesville: Maupin House.

    Fisher, Douglas & Nancy Frey. (2007). Checking for Understanding: Formative Assessment Techniques for Your Classroom. Alexandria :ASCD.

    Tomlinson, Carol Ann. (2000). Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades. Champaign: University of Illinois.

    Wiggins, Grant and Jay McTighe. "What is Backward Design?," in Understanding by Design. 1st edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall, 2001, pp. 7-19.

     

    Garth McKinney serves as the Language Arts Coordinator at the Merrimack Middle School (MMS) in Merrimack, New Hampshire. At MMS, he teaches and supervises the language arts department. Prior to this position, he worked as a Reading Specialist, Elementary Principal, Elementary Assistant Principal, and Classroom Teacher for grades four and six. He has worked in public education for over seventeen years. This fall, he is also teaching graduate courses both online and on campus as well as applying for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Garth holds a doctoral degree from Boston College in Educational Administration, a master’s degree from Fordham University in Reading, and a bachelor’s degree inElementary Education from Stonehill College.
    

  • Blog post
  • 5 months ago
  • Views: 307

• Three Things Every Teacher Sho Three Things Every Teacher Should Know and Be Able to Do

  • From: Steven_Weber
  • Description:

    The role of the classroom teacher is changing at a rapid pace.  In the 1980's, teachers were encouraged to teach in isolation. In 2012, teacher teams understand the importance of collaboration.  In earlier years, technology integration included using the Overhead Projector or a VCR.  Sorting and selecting students based on their ability was easier than preparing all students for College and Career Readiness.  Great teachers define what each student should know and be able to do.  It is easy to focus on what students should be learning and applying.  What should every teacher know and be able to do?

     

    Three Things Every Teacher Should Know and Be Able to Do 

     

    1.  Create a Twitter account and Participate in an Education Chat

     

    Twitter is a great way to grow and share ideas!  If you are new to Twitter, you can join a chat for educators.  Two of my favorite education chats are #atplc and #satchat.  #atplc focuses on Professional Learning Communities.  Teachers, Principals, Curriculum Directors, Asst. Superintendents, Education Consultants, and College Professors share ideas.  Each Thursday night, a different educator facilitates the online conversation from 9:00 - 10:00 EST.  #satchat is hosted on Saturday mornings.  I enjoy participating in this group because it includes educators from all levels and across the United States.  The topics that are addressed are broad, so a teacher or an administrator can participate.  When you have a question, answer, or comment, you simply insert the hashtag #satchat and your tweet is posted for the group to view.  For more information on #atplc visit Thursday Twitter Chat. For more information on #satchat visit SAT Twitter Chat (which meets at 7:30 am EST and 7:30 am PST). Cybrary Man has organized several Educational Chats on Twitter. If you try a Twitter Chat, you will be hooked.  You will have trouble closing your laptop at the end of the chat, because you will have so many new resources to review and the conversation often continues after the chat ends.

     

    2.  Utilize Online Tools to Communicate 

     

    Communication tools support teaching and learning.  There are several tools available to help educators communicate within and across buildings.  These tools make curriculum mapping and the ability to communicate available 365 days a year.  Teachers can use Moodle, LiveBinders, Corkboard.me, Twitter, TodaysMeet, TeacherTube, Google Docs, surveys, interactive templates, blogs, wiki-based programs, websites, curriculum mapping software, and more to communicate. Thousands of teachers started their careers before it was possible to have computers in the classroom.  Today, educators have the opportunity to create, share, collaborate, communicate, and reflect on the latest lessons and instructional strategies. Educators can make decisions like Jack Bauer, "In Real Time."  I get frustrated when I hear teachers say, "We don't have time to meet with each other."  While face-to-face meetings are beneficial, online tools have made teaching and planning more efficient.  Rather than having a meeting to plan the next Early Release Day, you can plan using an online tool.  If you need to have a "parking lot" or a place to save your team's best ideas and online resources, use on online post-it note, a discussion board, or a Google Doc.

     

    In The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork, Maxwell (2001) wrote, “Communication increases commitment and connection; they in turn fuel action.  If you want your team to perform at the highest level, the people on it need to be able to talk and to listen to one another” (p. 197).   Does your professional learning team communicate on a regular basis?  Do you plan to meet daily, weekly, or monthly?  How often do you need to meet in order to make certain all students learn the essential learning outcomes?  If Cool Hand Luke came to your school would he say, "What we've got here is failure to communicate."?  

     

    3.  Create a Blog or Share Your Ideas on ASCD EDge

     

    Blogging is a great way to reflect and share your experiences!  When I started my first blog in 2009, I didn't know what to say.  I knew that teacher leaders had their blogs, literacy gurus wrote and posted articles, and Web 2.0 authors shared information that was timely.  At the time, I was a curriculum director and I wanted to find a way to share resources and ideas with educators. Hundreds of articles later, I can tell you that it is best to go with something you are passionate about.  It is like learning to walk, you take it one step at a time, or in this case one blog at a time.  You will develop your own writing style.

     

    In 2010, I started posting articles on ASCD EDge.  The biggest difference between my blog and ASCD EDge was that a community already existed.  I received feedback on my writing and that helped me grow as an educator.  As a result of posting articles on ASCD EDge, I was able to meet a curriculum consultant in New York, an Asst. Superintendent in Iowa, a principal in Texas, a college professor in Maryland, and international educators.  These are people I had never met before ASCD EDge.  If you are passionate about curriculum mapping, you will find like-minded educators.  If you are seeking strategies for English Language Learners, you will find a group of bloggers who specialize in this area.  Do you want to connect with teachers who are implementing the Common Core State Standards?  There is a community discussing implementation success stories and barriers. 

     

    Professional teachers are required to take risks and experiment with online tools that support their professional growth. If you don't have a strong professional learning community, you will be amazed at the number of educators who are online waiting to share their ideas with you.  ASCD EDge has over 50,000 educators who blog, tweet, collaborate, connect, and share! 

     

    Opportunities to Grow and Invest In Your Professional Career

    
    

    “Over the coming decades, an accelerating pace of change will test the resilience of every society, organization and individual. Luckily, perturbations create opportunities as well as challenges. But the balance of promise and peril confronting any organization will depend on its capacity for adaption. Hence the most important question for any company is this: Are we changing as fast as the world around us?” (Gary Hamel, The Future of Management – as cited by Chris Perry).  Opportunities to learn and grow once depended on whether your principal could afford to send you to a state or national conference.  These annual events provided teachers with the opportunity to learn, present, and network.  Twitter, Online Tools, and Blogging provide you with the opportunity to attend a national conference daily.  In 2012 and beyond, classroom teachers can continue to grow and learn.  In fact, the opportunities are endless!  If you are seeking to grow as a teacher, establish a learning goal for 2013.  You will be surprised at how much these three recommendations impact you and support your students.   

  • Blog post
  • 5 months ago
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• L2L News: September 2012 L2L News: September 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

    • üNominate a school for the Vision in Action: The ASCD Whole Child Award by September 30. Nomination is open exclusively to ASCD leaders; e-mail wholechild@ascd.org for the nomination form and more information.
    • üVote in ASCD’s general membership election. Voting ends October 15. Make your voice heard! More information about voting is available below.
    • üRegister now for the Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy (LILA). This conference 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. More information about the institute is available below.
    • üSpeak out on sequestration. An education crisis is looming with the potential to disrupt services to 7.5 million students and threaten 90,000 educator jobs. Read more and take action on ascd.org.
    • üRegister now for ASCD Annual Conference. ASCD President Debra Hill Welcomes you to the 2013 Annual Conference & Exhibit Show in her hometown of Chicago, IL, March 16-18.

     

    Vote in ASCD’s 2012 General Membership Election

    ASCD's General Membership Election is open from September 1 through 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. Here's 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) and then press 1, or send an e-mail to member@ascd.org. Candidates’ photos and biographical information are included with the online ballot and will also appear 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 phone (1-800-933-2723 or 1-703-575-5601) with any questions.

     

    Register Today for ASCD’s Legislative Conference!

     

    What will the presidential election and the new Congress mean for education in 2013? How will policy decisions related to the Common Core State Standards, educator evaluation systems, and education funding affect what’s happening in your districts, schools, and classrooms? ASCD’s 2013 Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy (LILA) will address these and other timely topics that influence your day-to-day work as an educator. Register now for 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.

     

    The conference, to be held January 27–29, 2013, at the Westin Georgetown Hotel in Washington, D.C., will also feature

    ·         Sessions with Capitol Hill and U.S. Department of Education insiders who will share their perspectives on the fate of the No Child Left Behind Act.

    ·         The introduction of ASCD’s 2013 Legislative Agenda, which will outline the organization’s policy goals and vision for the coming year.

    ·         A Capitol Hill boot camp featuring video vignettes that will address the dos and don’ts of conducting meetings with your legislators.

    No matter your level of education policy and advocacy expertise, LILA offers something for you. Emerging leaders new to advocacy will get easy tips to apply throughout the year. Seasoned affiliate leaders will learn how to maximize their influence and deepen their relationships with federal policymakers. Access the conference agenda and registration and travel information. Questions? Contact ASCD’s policy team at policy@ascd.org.

     

    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 an infographic on how to start a student chapter, a video on why ASCD student chapters are beneficial, and updated web pages for current student chapters. Also, for the first time, a student discount is available for the ASCD Fall Conference; students can access the discounted rate by selecting the student registration rate at checkout ($139 for members, $159 for non-members). Please use these resources to spread the word about ASCD Student Chapters in your community! Contact constituentservices@ascd.org if you have any questions.

     

    ASCD Emerging Leaders Sound Off on ASCD EDge

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

    ·         Questions We All Should Ask by Steven Anderson, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         Five Things Principals Should Focus on First; Blunders Can Lead to Breakthroughs; Prioritizing the Work; and New Beginnings and Where to Begin by Jessica Bohn, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         21st Century Connected Educator by Craig Martin, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         Five Top Resources for Aligning Your Social Studies Curricula to the Common Core by Robert Zywicki, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         Not a Disadvantage by Jason Ellingson, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         The Good News about Giving Bad News and Is Your PLN Truly a PLN? by Fred Ende, 2012 Emerging Leader

    Also, be sure to check out 2012 Emerging Leader Amy Fowler Murphy’s first blog post Be Prepared to Let Go to Grow.

     

    Congratulations!

    • 2012 ASCD Emerging Leader Matthew Cotton gave a paper at the ISME (International Society of Music Education) on Music in Charter Schools at the 2012 World Conference in Thessaloniki, Greece this last July.
       
    • 2010ASCD Emerging Leader Ayanna Cooper recently accepted a position as a Senior Professional Development Consultant with World Class Instructional Design & Assessment (WIDA). She provides nationwide professional development to consortium members on assessing English Language Learners. Read her bio and her articles on professional development and Common Core State Standards.
      
      
    • 2012 Emerging Leader Curtis Pelham was promoted last month to the assistant principal position at Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary School Charleston, SC.
       
    • Fred Ende’s acceptance to the ASCD Emerging Leader class of 2012 was recently featured on lohud.com.
       
    • OYEA Honoree Maureen Connolly recently wrote a great article for ASCD’s Common Core newsletter, Core Connection. Read her article on the Common Core and Service Learning.
      
      
    • OYEA Honoree and Emerging Leader Marnie Hazelton was recently appointed Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education at Roosevelt Union Free School District in New York.

    Other News

    • The Northeast ASCD Affiliate Conference themed “Learning and Leading: Transformation Matters,” takes place November 29–December 1, 2012, in Boston, Mass.
       
    • Check out ASCD Constituent Services Director Kevin Scott’s blog postsDay 1 and 9/12 on ASCD EDge, where he explores the education experience through the eyes of his children.
       
    • ASCD Constituent Services Director Walter McKenzie recently guest posted for SmartBlog on What does a 21st Century Organization Look Like?
      
      
    • The Pennsylvania ASCD Annual Conference themed “Power Up: New Perspectives” takes place November 18–20 in Hershey, Penn.

     

    OYEA Winner’s School Sustains Significant Fire Damage

    Last weekend, a three alarm fire ravaged the Hoboken Charter School, where 2007 Outstanding Young Educator Award Winner Deirdra Grode is currently serving as Principal. According to the school website, classes have been moved to a new facility while repairs are made to the severely damaged school building.

    Updates are available on the school website and Facebook. Our best wishes and support are with Deirdra and her school during this difficult time.

     

    Help Stop Sequestration!

    Members of Congress returned to their Capitol Hill offices in Washington, D.C., this week. Contact them today to help ensure that stopping sequestration—the 8.4 percent across-the-board cuts to discretionary spending—is at the top of their agendas. Unless Congress repeals sequestration, federal education spending will be cut by about $4.1 billion beginning as early as January 2013.

    In addition, ASCD's policy team wants your stories about how sequestration is affecting (or will affect) you, your schools, and your school districts. Please e-mail your stories to policy@ascd.org. We will share them with lawmakers on Capitol Hill as part of our effort to urge Congress to repeal sequestration.

    Thank you for taking the time to reach out to your legislators about this important topic.

     

    Sign Up for ASCD’s Whole Child Down Under Webinar Series

    
    This three-part series, presented by Australian educator and ASCD Director of Whole Child Programs Sean Slade, aims to further engage ASCD audiences in the work of ASCD and its Whole Child Initiative, which seeks to ensure that each child, in each school, and in each community is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.
    
    The Down Under webinar series* runs from late September through the end of October and will outline a whole child approach to education through the role of the principal, school improvement, and alignment of health and education and how it links to current debates in Australia regarding the National Curriculum, findings from the Gonski Report (PDF), and the value of a well-rounded education.

    Learn more and register here.* Please note the series sessions are conveniently timed for Australian residents.

     

    Something to Talk About

    • Seven Tips for Aligning Assignments to Common Core
    • Does Flipping Your Classroom Increase Homework Time?
    • Most recent blog posts on ASCD EDge®
    • Most-clicked stories from ASCD SmartBrief.

     

     

     

    Association News

    ·         ASCD Announces Additional Common Core State Standards Institutes for Fall 2012 and Winter 2013—ASCD announces additional two-day and one-day Common Core Institutes for fall 2012 and winter 2013.These new institutes are part of the association’s ongoing effort to support educators at all levels nationwide as they implement the Common Core State Standards. Read the full press release.

    • Building Assignments that Help Students Meet Standards the Focus of a New ASCD Book —ASCD has released Assignments Matter: Making the Connections That Help Students Meet Standards, written by seasoned teacher coach and curriculum design expert Eleanor Dougherty. This new professional development resource for educators is now available in e-book formats and in paperback. Read the full press release.
      
      
    • ASCD Introduces Enhancements to Premier Professional Development Tool for Educators—ASCD recently introduced version 2.0 of its award-winning PD In Focus® online professional development tool. Based on research and user feedback, the enhancements in version 2.0 help teachers and administrators better meet their personal and systemic professional development goals. Read the full press release.
      
      
    • ASCD Receives Three Green Globes from the Green Building Initiative—ASCD has been awarded three Green Globes from the Green Building Initiative. The Green Globes designation recognizes ASCD’s commitment to maintaining a sustainable building. Read the full press release.
      
      
    • ASCD Handbook Translates Child Development Research into Effective Classroom Actions—ASCD is pleased to announce the release of Understanding How Young Children Learn: Bringing the Science of Child Development to the Classroom by prominent cognitive psychology and child development expert Wendy L. Ostroff. This publication is now available in paperback and e-book formats. Read the full press release.
      
      
    • ASCD Launches Free Digital Common Core Implementation Tool, Announces Fall Common Core Webinar Series—ASCD introduced the new, free EduCore™ digital tool for educators implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in both mathematics and literacy. Funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the EduCore tool is a repository of evidence-based strategies, videos, and supporting documents that help educators transition to the CCSS. Read the full press release.
      
      
    • International Education Association Announces Free Webinars for Australian Educators—ASCD announced a free webinar series for Australian educators—the Whole Child Down Under Webinar Series. The aim of the series is to further engage Australian audiences in the work of ASCD and the Whole Child Initiative, which aims to ensure that each child, in each school, and in each community is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. Read the full press release.
      
      
    • ASCD Launches Free Online Needs Assessment and School Improvement Tool—ASCD has unveiled the free online ASCD School Improvement Tool, which is based on a whole child approach to education. Read the full press release.

     

  • Blog post
  • 8 months ago
  • Views: 836

• "Bread crumbs" lead students t "Bread crumbs" lead students to better study habits

  • From: Stephen_Holland
  • Description:

    Depending upon your outlook, when students tell us they would like more study tips, we either see that as a good thing or a bad thing.

    I have written before about how my courses use the Noel Levitz retention tool, the Noel Levitz College Student Inventory ™, to leverage what students tell us their needs are with content useful to them in the course. The majority of the students in my current Comp I online course say they would like help in finding good study tips. They told me this through the CSI, which was presented prior to the start of the semester.

    Of course, we teachers pride ourselves on building study tips into our courses, and so it is easy at first to say the students just are not paying attention. I can easily take this attitude as the course is marked with what I call bread crumbs. That is, worksheets, practice quizzes, diagnostics, referrals to counselors, links to tutors, and so much more are clearly labeled. I even have the words “start here” to indicate that students should start with the lectures. How can the students possibly miss all of this? Well, some do. Plus, remember that the survey was done prior to the semester when students had not seen any of the study elements.

    With that, I continue to build into the online courses I teach more bread crumbs to provide the help they crave. My latest effort was to create short study tips as announcements. I have created 10, focusing on tips for essays and critical thinking. I have cued the computer to release a new one every 10 days. In addition, I plan to provide a hyperlink within each study tip announcement that tells students where they can find more on the topic.

    One of my key concerns is whether or not I am giving the students the exact study tip they seek. However, I also view these tips as entry points, so to speak, to a broader resource they can find, which is why I add the hyperlinks for more help. For example, I am moving them toward the tutors, the handbook, worksheets, and myself, following a study tip in the announcements.

    I am including my list of 10 resources in this blog. Readers may use any of these, if they are so inclined. If you have good ones of your own, please share. I am grateful to others who have shared many of these ideas. Here are the tips I am now placing in the announcements:

    Study Tip 1: SQ3R clarifies the reading

    One approach to reading an assignment, even to review your own writing, is the SQ3R approach. This stands for Survey, Question, Read, Review, and Reflect. To expand, first Survey the essay. That is, scan it. Pay attention to sub-heads, if present, and look quickly for the main ideas in paragraphs. Then think of the Questions you have after scanning the essay. This will engage your mind to look for the answers. Then Read through the essay. Next, take time to Review what you have learned and whether or not your questions were answered. Finally, Reflect upon the meaning of the content. Then repeat the process. Sometimes the essay is better with the second read.

    Study Tip 2: Include three things when writing a thesis

    When writing a thesis, be sure you do three things: 1. make a claim, 2. explain why it true, and 3. show why it matters. Example: Children should not stay up late at night watching television (claim) because they need eight hours of sleep each night (why it is true), so that they will not be inattentive the next day in school (why it matters).

    Study Tip 3: Organize thoughts before you start to write

    One element that marks the difference between the novice writer and the experienced one is taking time to organize your thoughts. Just as a home builder would not construct a house without a blueprint, the writer needs to plan thoughts. Planning an essay can be in the form of an outline, a brainstorm, a list of ideas that need to be included, and so on. The point for the writer is to consider the ideas to be included within the essay prior to starting.

    Study Tip 4: Essay structure key to success

    Presenting ideas in a structure that helps the reader to comprehend the ideas is important for successful communication. One essay format, the five-paragraph structure, offers the reader a format for comprehending the writer’s ideas. The five-paragraph structure calls for, in this order, an introduction, a thesis within the first paragraph, at least three main body paragraphs that each has a main idea with supporting examples and explanations, and a conclusion that summarizes the lessons learned and/or makes a prediction about the future.

    Study Tip 5: Conclusions summarize lessons learned make future predictions

    A conclusion should add to the points the main body has made as the writer wraps up the essay.  A good way to do so is to make a prediction about the future, given the points made in the main body. A writer may also comment upon the lessons learned, for example, how the case that was just made has changed him or her as a person. A conclusion must not present ideas that were not developed in the main body. In addition, the conclusion must connect to the thesis.

    Study Tip 6: Avoid distractions when studying

    Many students think they are good at multi-tasking and so they study with the television or music on in the background. The cell phone and text-messaging are also close at hand. Studies show that human beings really are not good at multi-tasking, that the examples presented really should be called what they are, distractions. Study in a quiet environment and your mind will be better able to focus on the material.

    Study Tip 7: Make use of Online Tutors

    The course offers opportunities for connecting with online tutors for questions involving math and English. Students are encouraged to make use of the tutors. Each student has 15 hours of time scheduled with tutors per year and very few students make use of this time. Having a person who is trained as a consultant is valuable. However, do not expect the tutor to do the work. The tutor’s role is to guide the student to individual success.

    Study Tip 8: Paragraphs require explanation and example

    When writing a paragraph, remember that your objective is to communicate your ideas that support the thesis to the reader. Because the reader cannot “read” your mind, but is limited to only the words on the page, you need to provide details beyond the main idea of the paragraph. It is important to support the main idea with examples and explanations. Therefore, a writer must be aware of what the reader needs to know to fully understand the message being delivered.

    Study Tip 9: Critical thinking valued in communication

    Instructors value the concept of critical thinking, but at the same time this can be very confusing as to what is wanted because it is seldom defined. To demonstrate you are thinking critically begin with any one of three processes: one, review the evidence and conclude what is truthful; two, consider a concept and apply it to a situation; or, three, show how you would solve a problem. Note that each of these approaches must be appropriately applied to the question being asked.

    Study Tip 10: Creative thinking brings out the inventor

    One creative thinking approach is to combine two ideas and make something new. For example, someone in the plastics industry once looked at the spoon and fork and made a new eating utensil, the spork, combining the spoon and fork into one utensil. To apply the creative thinking concept to your studies, consider how, for example, big ideas have changed history. In addition, consider how big ideas of today are changing the world. Finally, consider how the big ideas you have learned in one course can be applied to another.

  • Blog post
  • 8 months ago
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• Structures of Accountability Structures of Accountability

  • From: Adrian_Bertolini
  • Description:

    “Can you consistently perform if you are not accountable for your own performance?”

    In a discovery session with a group of teachers recently we explored the skills and understandings they saw missing from their year 12 students to enable them to perform well in their end of year exams. Our purpose was to use backward planning to map what would need to be developed in each of the preceding years if we were intending to support student performance at year 12.

    At one point, as I was listing the ideas they were bringing up, I had a realisation. I then asked them the question above. We then discussed some of the ways they challenged the students to be accountable for their learning. The main one was as the students entered Year 11 by having the students do an assignment that was at the end of Year 12 level. The intention was to shake the perceptions of the students and have them realise that the road to performing well in the final Year 12 exams was to grow up and be accountable for their own learning journey.

    I don’t know how many teachers complain about the lack of ownership of students of their learning. I do hear a lot of comments about spoon feeding and teachers needing to put in a lot of effort to support the students to develop themselves.

    What I would like to suggest to you is that we need to develop structures of accountability where we gradually release responsibility for learning from the teachers to student. This is not a new idea as Vygotsky spoke of this idea 50 years ago. More recent research has back this approach for cognitive development. However I want to extend it further than just a classroom pedagogical result.

    How could we design learning through a student’s years such that they develop being accountable for their own performance. It isn’t our job to make them learn … that is their job.

    What sort of structures could we begin to embed into the way we teach and the students learn that will naturally lead them to becoming responsible learners who are accountable for their own performance?

    Could we possibly plan this gradual release as a natural part of the way they learn? I believe we can but it would need teachers to think from the whole school picture not just their domain and class responsibilities.

    How does your school do this?

     

  • Blog post
  • 9 months ago
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• Gradual Release.gif Gradual Release.gif

  • From: Adrian_Bertolini
  • Description:
  • 9 months ago
  • Views: 375
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• L2L News: August 2012 L2L News: August 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.

     

    Join the L2L Conversation on Twitter

     

    ASCD Launches Free Online Needs Assessment and School Improvement Tool

    All educators want to improve the work they do for students. Whether it’s instruction, school climate, leadership, family engagement, or any of the other issues we face on a daily basis, we all need tools to help us improve in our context with our students. The ASCD School Improvement Tool is the newest and best way to get a snapshot of how well your school or district is doing and then identify what steps to take to get to the next level.

    Designed for use in schools and districts around the world, this free tool offers educators a comprehensive and completely online needs assessment. It includes a survey based on the indicators(PDF) of a sustainable whole child approach to education which span school climate and culture, instruction and curriculum, leadership, family and community engagement, professional development and staff capacity, and assessment.

    Based on your unique results, the tool points you to professional development resources that can help immediately address schoolwide challenges. Go to http://sitool.ascd.orgto get started.

    To post an ASCD School Improvement Tool badge on your website:

    Go to http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/images/siteASCD/ProfessionalDevelopment/school-improvement-tool-150x150.png. Download the image to your computer (for PC users: right-click your mouse and select “save image as”). Hyperlink the image to http://sitool.ascd.org, preferably to open in a new window/tab.

    -Or-

    Use the following html code to embed the image, already linked, on your website: <a href="http://sitool.ascd.org/Default.aspx" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/images/siteASCD/ProfessionalDevelopment/school-improvement-tool-150x150.png" alt="ASCD School Improvement Tool" width="150" height="150" /></a>

    Contact Klea Scharberg at kscharbe@ascd.org with questions or specific size, format, or language requests.

     

    Please Welcome the Whole Child Network of Schools to the ASCD Community

    The 10 schools—nine from across the continental United States and one from Guam —chosen to participate in ASCD’s Whole Child Network kicked off their efforts with a two and a half day Whole Child Network Summer Institute in Alexandria, Va., on July 15–17, 2012.

    These chosen schools have committed to a comprehensive school improvement process using the tenets of the Whole Child Initiative—healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged—and their indicators (PDF) as a sustainable whole child approach to education.

    The July institute will be followed by a one-day, on-site professional development at each school. Facilitated in partnership with ASCD’s Whole Child Programs staff, the training will introduce the whole child approach to education within each participating school’s community. ASCD staff will work with each school to support a comprehensive implementation based on the school’s results fromthe new ASCD School Improvement Tool and in correlation with their school improvement plans.

    Contact Donna Snyder, Manager Whole Child Programs, for more information at 703-575-5448 or donna.snyder@ascd.org

    2012 Whole Child Network of Schools:

    ·         Albert Harris Elementary School, Martinsville, Va., K–5.

    ·         Drew-Freeman Middle School,  Suitland, Md., 7–8.

    ·         Finegayan Elementary School, Hagatna, Guam, Head Start and K–5.

    ·         Fredstrom Elementary School, Lincoln, Neb., K–5.

    ·         Holly Glen Elementary School, Williamstown, N.J., preK–4.

    ·         Le Sueur-Henderson High School, Le Sueur, Minn., l 6–12.

    ·         Martinsville High School, Martinsville, Va., 9–12.

    ·         Odyssey Community School of the Santa Clara County School District in San Martin, Calif., 9–12.

    ·         P.S. 9, the Teunis G. Bergen Elementary School Brooklyn, N.Y., preK–5.

    ·         Urban Community School in Cleveland, Ohio, preK–8.

    Read the full press release.

     

    ASCD Emerging Leaders Sound Off on ASCD EDge

    Check out these great posts from ASCD leaders on ASCD EDge. Feel free to comment and share!

    ·         Ready, Set, Goals! By Fred Ende, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         On the Edge of Insanity: Developing My First PLN! By Craig Martin, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         Practice Makes Permanent by Fred Ende, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         How Will You Be a Connected Educator? By Steven Anderson, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         If It Ain’t Broke… by Fred Ende, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         Reform in Mathematics Teaching by Patricia Dickenson, 2011 Emerging Leader

    ·         The Power of the Lurker by Steven Anderson, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         Does the Student Create the Teacher? By Jason Ellingson, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         Learn to Lead, Lead to Learn by Fred Ende, 2012 Emerging Leader

    ·         If We Are Going to Lead, We Have to Be Connected by Steven Anderson, 2012 Emerging Leader

     

    Over 200 Leaders Gather for the 2012 Leader to Leader Conference

    Last month, ASCD leaders met at the Hyatt Dulles hotel for the 2012 Leader to Leader Conference. ASCD staff would like to thank attendees for a great conference and for their dedication and renewed commitment to revolutionizing the way we learn by ensuring that each child, in each community, is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. Attendees have already provided extremely helpful feedback in the conference evaluation that will help inform future improvements to the conference.

     

    Past OYEA Cadre Members Share Their Thoughts on ASCD Inservice

    ·         From School Leader to Community Leader “You can no longer just worry about the issues that are happening within your school.”—Luis Torres, 2011 OYEA Winner

    ·         How Leaders in Singapore Stay Relevant to the Classroom “It’s this constant rotation in leadership so that educational leaders still have that fresh classroom experience to really think as a teacher.”—Deirdra Grode, 2008 OYEA Winner

    ·         Educational Leadership is My Just-in-Time Resource —Dallas Dance, OYEA Honoree

    ·         Using Mobile Devices to Improve Feedback Between Teachers and Principals “As principals, the quickest way to help students is to give teachers really good feedback.” — Brian Nichols, 2010 OYEA Winner

    ·         Is Learning Being Redefined as Project-Based?—Bijal Damani, 2009 OYEA Winner

     

    Help Stop Sequestration!

    Sequestration will take effect in January 2013 unless Congress repeals it, making it crucial for education leaders like you to act now to prevent education spending from being cut by 8.4 percent, or about $4.1 billion.

    • Access ASCD’s updated sequestration page to learn more about the estimated cuts and their timing for key education programs and to calculate the amount that your school or program stands to lose.
    • Take advantage of this month’s congressional recess to meet with your federal lawmakers, inform them about sequestration’s severe consequences on local schools, and urge them to repeal the across-the-board cuts.
    • E-mail your stories about how sequestration is affecting (or will affect) you, your schools, and your school districts to ASCD’s Policy Team. We will share them with lawmakers on Capitol Hill as part of our effort to urge Congress to repeal sequestration.

    If you haven’t yet e-mailed your federal legislators about sequestration, we strongly encourage you to take five minutes to contact them today.

     

    Save the Date for ASCD’s Annual Legislative Conference

    Don’t let Congress make decisions about student achievement, teacher effectiveness, and school reform without the expert information you can provide. Let your voice be heard at ASCD's Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy (LILA), which will be held January 27–29, 2013. LILA is your opportunity to learn about and advocate for the education policies that have a direct effect on your work in the district, school, and classroom. Whether you are just becoming interested in advocacy or are a long-time activist, LILA can enhance your influence and effectiveness with policymakers at all levels. Look for more information, including registration details, in the coming weeks.

      

    Something to Talk About

    ·         Most recent blog posts on ASCD EDge®

    ·         Most-clicked stories from ASCD SmartBrief.

     

    Association News

    ·         Prince George's County Public Schools and ASCD Partner to Achieve Title I Professional Development Goals—Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) Title I Office has chosen ASCD as its newest professional development partner. As the second largest school system in Maryland and the 18th largest in the nation, PGCPS's 9,000 educators serve 125,000 students in 205 schools. Read the full press release.

    ·         School Renewal Experts Publish ASCD Guidebook for Fearlessly Leading School Transformation—ASCD is pleased to announce the release of Aim High, Achieve More: How to Transform Urban Schools Through Fearless Leadership, a practical and inspiring new book by school renewal experts Yvette Jackson and Veronica McDermott. Read the full press release.

    ·         ASCD Leader Receives Award for 20 Years of Service—ASCD CEO and Executive Director Dr. Gene R. Carter was honored by the association’s Board of Directors for his 20 years of service to the organization. The award was presented to Dr. Carter by ASCD President Debra Hill at the close of the association’s summer Board of Directors’ meeting in Alexandria, Va. Read the full press release.

     

  • Blog post
  • 9 months ago
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• Free On-Demand Webinar: Cuttin Free On-Demand Webinar: Cutting Edge Science

  • From: Ryan_Thomas1
  • Description:

    Marygrove College is pleased to present a free, on-demand webinar on how to enrich great science teaching with the Next Generation Science Standards.

    Curious about the Next Generation Science Standards in the absence of a common core in science? Take a sneak peek as we walk you through the much-anticipated guidelines of how science instruction is changing--for the better.
    

    According to the National Science Teachers Association, 26 states are leading the development of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), led by the bi-partisan group Achieve. The science education community got its first glimpse of the NGSS draft when it was released in May. Achieve will release a second draft for public comment this fall. Here’s a preview of things to come! Join Marygrove College MAT Coordinator of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Dr. Charles Pearson for a discussion about the current status of the NGSS, and how you can keep abreast of the latest changes in the process. A 30-year veteran educator, Dr. Pearson taught middle school science for many years and was a principal for nine. He’ll share his passion for teaching science, and give you some insights to make the most of your classroom time.  

     

    Watch Our FREE Webinar “Cutting Edge Science,” On Demand Now

    Find out about the “big three” dimensions:

    1. Scientific and engineering practices: modeling, evaluating, analyzing

    2. Crosscutting concepts: energy, patterns, cause & effect

    3. Disciplinary core ideas: key ideas that relate to students’ interests, and future jobs

    Get ready! Position yourself on the cutting edge of science. Watch Now!

    ---

    Featured Speaker

    

     Dr. Charles (Chuck) Pearson is the Coordinator for the Marygrove Master in the Art of Teaching (MAT) Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Program. Retired from K-12 in 2011, Dr. Pearson brings his 30-plus years of classroom and leadership experience to the MAT program, and is looking forward to helping teachers raise student achievement through practical research-based outcomes.
    
    Dr. Pearson earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership, Cognate in K-12 Superintendency from Western Michigan University. He has several publications in K-12 science to his credit, including multiple presentations for the National Science Teachers Association Annual Conferences around the country. He is a former National Board Member of the National Science Teachers Association Publication Committee and was elected to the state board of the Michigan Science Teachers Association, 1985-92. He recently served as Field Instructor for six Detroit Public School science teacher interns through the University of Michigan/Teach For America organization. 

    

  • Blog post
  • 10 months ago
  • Views: 776