ASCD Association News
Contrasting Attitudes of Japanese and American Teachers
ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 06, 2009
An ASCD blog post looks back the March 1982 issue of Educational Leadership in which research associate Takiko Morimoto explored the attitudes of Japanese and American educators by comparing survey results from a small sample of teachers in Los Angeles with a small sample in Tokyo. The post also highlights a more recent study by Public Agenda and Learning Points Associates' that offers a comprehensive and nuanced look at how teachers differ in their perspectives on their profession.
DVD: Giving Effective Feedback to Your Students
ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 06, 2009
Drawing from the best-selling ASCD book "How to Give Effective Feedback to Your Students" this DVD series demonstrates the power of effective feedback in improving student achievement. Authentic classroom filming showcases written and oral feedback strategies that put students at the center of the learning and help them improve their performance. An embedded professional-development program on each DVD, with accompanying PowerPoint presentation and handouts, ensures teachers become engaged in discovering and applying good feedback with all their students.
Whole Child E-Book Free Download
ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 05, 2009
Through Nov. 17, ASCD's newest e-book, "Supporting the Whole Child: Reflections on Best Practices in Learning, Teaching, and Leadership," is free to download. This book, a collection of articles from Educational Leadership and other ASCD publications, explores the various meanings of support in the classroom, school and community, including how educators can build trust through exchanges that lead to positive behaviors and engagement, helping students confront new concerns and catching them before they falter. Authors such as Carol Ann Tomlinson, Douglas Fisher and Robyn Jackson share perspectives and strategies for shaping instruction, providing scaffolds and interventions, and preparing students for the 21st century.
Free Live Stream of Author Presentation Is Tomorrow
ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 05, 2009
Baruti Kafele, author of the new ASCD book "Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School and in Life," will present his book to an audience of educators and students from the Washington, D.C., area from 11 a.m. to noon EST tomorrow at the ASCD headquarters in Alexandria, Va. Kafele's book helps educators understand why lack of proficiency in reading, writing and math among black males is a symptom of deeper problems that are generally ignored. "If we want to motivate our black male students to succeed, we as educators must be of the right mindset first," writes Kafele. Tune in to the ASCD Web site tomorrow for a free live stream of the event.
November Digital Edition of Educational Leadership Is Now Available
ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 04, 2009
The brand-new November digital edition of Educational Leadership, which focuses on multiple measures, is available. The issue includes an article by Gerald Bracey on the purposes of the "big tests" (NAEP, PISA and TIMMS) and whether they're being misused. Other articles address performance pay, value-added tests and grading. Take advantage of the digital edition's unique features by sharing articles with friends and social networks, watching videos and more.
Conference Daily Keeps You Up to Date
ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 04, 2009
This past weekend, educators from around the globe gathered to discuss Leading & Learning in the 21st Century, the theme for this year's Fall Conference. And ASCD's Conference Daily staff was there to cover it all. Visit the Conference Daily Web site to read the news stories, blog posts and tweets. Paige Johnson's general-session presentation on 21st-century skills is also available for viewing.
Maintaining Professional-Development Momentum
ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 03, 2009
After a weekend of discovery and networking at ASCD's Fall Conference, educators should maintain that momentum for their professional-development gains. ASCD knows that true change comes to schools with sustained, ongoing capacity-building professional development. ASCD has research-based models dedicated to cultivating educators into local experts in specific instructional and leadership practices. By providing a range of PD services customized for states, intermediate agencies, districts and schools, ASCD supports on-the-ground educational change efforts around the world.
- Learn more about ASCD's on-site capacity-building approach.
21st-Century Priorities -- What and How We Teach
ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 03, 2009
At ASCD's recent Fall Conference, Mike Schmoker caught many in the crowd off guard with his presentation about 21st-century priorities. He warned against education's tendency to subscribe to unproven "fads" and said that schools should deliver a content-rich curriculum in which all students are encouraged to read deliberately, discuss what they've read and then write about it. A Conference Daily article summarizes the presentation and provides a snapshot of attendees' varied responses on Twitter.
I Do It, You Do It, We Do It
ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 02, 2009
At ASCD's Conference on Teaching and Learning, author Doug Fisher spoke about the importance of integrating productive group work into structured instruction. Fisher provided evidence for why an effective teacher should provide all levels of effective instruction by moving from focused to guided to collaborative, and finally, to independent work. He disapproves of classrooms where students are expected to sit down and complete an assignment on their own without help from the teacher and without interacting with classmates. In his new book, "Productive Group Work," Fisher and co-author Nancy Frey expound group work as a powerful, sometimes incorrectly used, learning strategy.
- Learn more about the session.
- Learn more about Fisher's upcoming member book, "Productive Group Work."
21st-Century Skills to Revolutionize High-Stakes Tests?
ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 02, 2009
At ASCD's recent Fall Conference, Paige Johnson, global manager of K-12 education for Intel's Corporate Affairs Group, talked about the buzz around teaching 21st-century skills and why it's a worthy topic. An ASCD blog post highlights a development she shared during her presentation about Denmark's pilot of a high-school exit exam in which students will be fully online while taking the test. Read the post for Johnson's thoughts about the implications of this assessment model.
Understanding by Design Exchange
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 30, 2009
Understanding by Design is a framework for designing curriculum, assessments and instruction. This framework explores questions such as: What is teaching for understanding? How can you unpack content standards to identify the important big ideas that you want students to understand? What instructional practices are engaging and effective for developing student understanding? To help educators enrich student understanding, ASCD offers the Understanding by Design Exchange, a Web site dedicated to the design of curriculum, assessment and instruction that leads students to deep understanding of content.
- Find out more.
- Also available: Review other Understanding by Design resources
ASCD's Conference Daily
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 30, 2009
Even if you are unable to attend ASCD's fall Conference on Teaching and Learning, which kicks off today, you can attend virtually via the Conference Daily Web site. Check the site for ongoing conference news coverage, including articles, blog posts and a Twitter feed. Archived video of the opening general session featuring Paige Johnson from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills will also be available soon.
Live Streaming from ASCD's Fall Conference
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 29, 2009
Tomorrow, ASCD will feature live streaming video of the 2009 Teaching and Learning Conference's Opening General Session featuring Paige Johnson, global manager of K-12 education for Intel's Corporate Affairs Group and chairwoman of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills Board. The video is available to the public for free from 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. EDT on the ASCD Web site, and Johnson will share expertise about leading a coalition of business, education and policy leaders that has emerged as the leading advocacy organization focused on infusing 21st-century skills into education. Please note the video will be archived for future viewing.
Renegotiating the Parent-School Relationship on Homework
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 29, 2009
In "Rethinking Homework: Best Practices That Support Diverse Needs," Cathy Vatterott provides an outline for educators to renegotiate the relationship with families over homework. "[It] will require teachers to compromise, respect parents' wishes, and relax a bit," writes Vatterott. "One of our biggest handicaps as educators is our own anxiety about poor student performance and the belief that homework will save poorly performing students. Forging a true partnership for homework will require some hard work and tough thinking."
Cages of Their Own Design
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 28, 2009
Although it's true that reform attempts by principals and superintendents are frequently hampered by contracts, policies and regulations, education leadership is also marked by debilitating timidity, writes Frederick Hess in this Educational Leadership article. His article examines familiar barriers to reform and how those barriers can be overcome, as well as strategies for how education leaders can shift from a defensive mind-set to that of a change-agent.
Duncan Puts Education Schools on Blast
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 28, 2009
Last week, Education Secretary Arne Duncan's speech at Columbia University's Teachers College criticized U.S. education schools for failing to prepare K-12 teachers to do their jobs well. An ASCD blog post summarizes various reactions to Duncan's message from across the blogosphere. It also asks readers whether education schools deserve this criticism and what they would improve about their own teacher-training experiences.
Continuity of Learning and H1N1: What Questions Do You Have?
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 27, 2009
If you missed ASCD's Web seminar -- H1N1 and Continuity of Learning: Meeting Students' Learning Needs When they Return to School -- set aside some time to listen to the archived version of the presentation. An ASCD blog post provides a link to the presentation, which addresses the timely question of how educators can prepare for the possibility of lengthy and widespread absences because of H1N1. The post also asks readers what is keeping them up at night as they deal with H1N1.
Meet the ASCD Conference Scholars
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 27, 2009
Follow, learn from and engage with ASCD Conference Scholars. This select group of educational leaders from around the globe are teaming up before, during and after ASCD's 2010 Annual Conference in San Antonio to blog and tweet about school leadership in theory and in their own practice. Readers will be able to follow them and join the discussion on the ASCD blog and Twitter.
- Find out more about the ASCD Annual Conference Scholars.
- Read the ASCD Scholars' inaugural blog post.
ASCD's 2010 Annual Conference Theme is "Critical Transformations"
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 26, 2009
ASCD's 2010 Annual Conference, to be held from March 6 to 8 in San Antonio, gives participants more than 550 sessions that advocate for powerful change in learning and teaching, demonstrate bold leadership efforts in professional practice and serve as catalysts to help educators better meet the complex needs of the whole child. Sessions will cover important topics, such as No Child Left Behind, math and reading, differentiated instruction, school improvement, professional learning communities and closing achievement gaps.
- Find out more.
- Also available: Get recorded sessions from the 2009 annual conference sessions.
ASCD Fall Conference "Leading and Learning in the 21st Century" is Online
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 26, 2009
For the first time, ASCD will be delivering real-time updates on our fall conference on ASCD's Conference Daily Web page. ASCD will be providing blog posts, pictures, tweets and more. ASCD will stream video live from Paige Johnson's general session, "Why Is Everyone Talking About 21st Century Skills?", from 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. EDT on Friday. The conference, being held from Friday to Sunday in Washington, D.C., will offer more than 80 sessions to ensure teacher leaders have the skills to lead learning in the 21st-century classroom.
- Find out more on the Fall Conference Daily Web page.
- Learn more about this conference.
Leadership for the 21st Century: Breaking Down the Bonds of Dependency
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 23, 2009
Because of work overload and competing responsibilities, principals often find it challenging to blaze new trails and lead proactively. An ASCD blog post looks back at an April 1998 Educational Leadership article in which internationally known educator Michael Fullan writes about how principals can overcome some of these obstacles and become leaders in school reform. With principals still feeling the weight of immense responsibility, Fullan's advice feels relevant more than a decade later.
The Curriculum Mapping Planner: Templates, Tools, and Resources for Effective Professional Development
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 23, 2009
Curriculum mapping is a way for educators to review curriculum and assessment on an ongoing basis to identify the necessary adjustments that will improve student learning. Creating and using curriculum maps is faster and easier when using ASCD's new curriculum planner as an in-depth resource in a variety of professional-development settings, from workshops and curriculum teams to professional learning communities. The manual provides a collection of templates, samples and tools to help establish the rationale for mapping and an effective mapping process.
Election of Officers
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 22, 2009
ASCD's election of officers opened Sept. 1. Eligible ASCD members are asked to vote for president-elect, members of the Board of Directors and members-at-large of the Leadership Council by returning a paper ballot or by voting online at my.ascd.org and entering their member ID and password by Nov. 15. Contact Becky DeRigge for more information or questions.
New Hong Kong Connected Community
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 22, 2009
ASCD is proud to announce the formation of the new Hong Kong Connected Community, which will provide Hong Kong educators with a platform to support the improvement of learning and teaching for the success of all learners, as well as research-based, quality programs, products and services that support success in education. The Hong Kong Connected Community's goals include encouraging innovation and reflective discussion in educational issues and fostering collaboration to achieve excellence through leadership and commitment.
- Find out more about the Connected Community program.
A New Curriculum for a New Century
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 21, 2009
ASCD Express is looking for 600- to 1,000-word essays on the theme "A New Curriculum for a New Century." Through current examples and provocative expert insights, this issue will offer ways to jumpstart the critical conversations about the school curricula and teaching formats necessary for a new century. That will include the content, assessment, program structure and instruction and the habits of mind that students, teachers and administrators need to get it all done. Deadline for submissions is Nov. 9.
- Learn more about writing for ASCD Express.
Can Focusing on Student Needs Bring Peace To Education Wars?
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 21, 2009
Last week's most-clicked ASCD SmartBrief story lauds schools who side-step the politics of pedagogy and adapt teaching practices to meet their students' needs. An ASCD blog post highlights the article and education writer Karin Chenoweth's thoughts on whether good schools can address career and college preparation and skills and content.
Do the Draft Standards Measure Up?
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 20, 2009
The comment period closes Wednesday on the proposed Career and College Readiness Standards for English/Language Arts and Mathematics. An ASCD blog post provides a link to a feedback form where educators can let NGA and CCSSO know whether they achieved their objectives of fewer, clearer and higher standards and whether content and cognitive skills are well-matched. The post also highlights an upcoming analysis of the proposed ELA standards by guest teacher-blogger Dina Strasser, which will be available at the end of the month.
Increasing the Ranks of Minority Principals
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 20, 2009
A principal who feared that her school was communicating the message that Spanish was not valued because the teachers never spoke to their Latino students in Spanish -- even though they knew quite a few words -- found opportunities to chat with her Spanish-speaking students in their home language. This principal may have been sensitive to subtle messages for language learners because she was Latina, write the authors of an Educational Leadership article. The authors explain why we need more culturally diverse principals and what we can do to increase the number of minority principals.
Research on School Organizational Restructuring and Collegiality
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 19, 2009
Because a significant number of teachers spend their time either with students or alone planning and grading papers, it is not surprising to hear them say they feel isolated from their colleagues. The latest case study in the International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership tells the story of a Canadian elementary-school staff that decided to address their perceived problem of teacher isolation by transforming the internal organization of their school into a collaborative environment designed to foster collegial practices among themselves.
How to Start Eliminating Fear from Your Classroom
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 19, 2009
Many teachers still intentionally create an atmosphere of fear in their classroom to manage student behavior and encourage academic achievement -- despite compelling evidence against such strategies. Fear compromises our ability to learn and in one of ASCD's new books, "The Motivated Student," author Bob Sullo explains why and how to create a classroom that minimizes fear, and he gives teachers six tips to get started.
A Tradition of Excellence: How School Leaders Are Helping Turn One Troubled School into a Success Story
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 16, 2009
In a new ASCD Express issue, Marc Cohen, a middle-school principal in Germantown, Md., writes about his experience taking over a troubled school and working tirelessly to turn it around, starting with a mind-set adjustment. In the article, Cohen discusses the environment and some of the challenges he faced coming to the middle school, including one of the highest rates of referrals and suspensions in the school district and what actions he took to turn it around.
Weighing Enthusiasm Versus Experience of Alternatively Certified Teachers
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 15, 2009
In Indianapolis, a city that has long struggled to fill teaching vacancies, the path to the classroom has dramatically changed with the arrival of several alternative certificate programs. An ASCD blog post delves into a Teacher Beat blog post pinpointing Indiana as a flashpoint state in the debate over teacher licensure. Notably, the New Teacher Project recently studied human resources policies in Indianapolis Public Schools and made recommendations that would give principals more autonomy over staffing decisions.
Coming Soon: ASCD Scholars
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 15, 2009
Starting next week, ASCD Scholars, a newly formed group of educators from around the world, will be discussing leadership topics on Inservice (the ASCD blog), Twitter and ASCD Express. Scholars will discuss topics in education leadership through the lens of their country, region or job title, and they'll invite you in on the conversation. Tackle education leadership theory, research, challenges and practicalities of implementation with the ASCD Scholars. Look for new content from the scholars every two weeks on Inservice, help us keep the conversation growing and share us with your professional learning network.
- Check out the ASCD Scholars Web page to learn more about this dynamic new group of leaders.
The Power of Two
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 14, 2009
Being a principal can be an isolating experience without someone with whom to share problems and exchange strategies. An article in the latest Educational Leadership examines how two principals solved this problem by setting up a regular schedule to meet. The article discusses how these meetings, including their discussions and brief observations of each other's schools, have helped them put into practice some of their best ideas.
- Read the article.
- Related resource: Read the blog post, "The Power of Two".
What Is Your Transformative Moment?
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 14, 2009
Drawing on the 2010 Annual Conference theme, "Critical Transformations," ASCD sat down with authors Robert J. Marzano and Harvey Silver to capture stories of their transformative moments as educators. During this videotaped discussion, Marzano shares the moment at his child's back-to-school night when he knew he wanted to apply his research to the classroom, and Silver shares how his perspective changed from a football coach to a teacher as a result of a tragic incident at his school.
- Watch the video at the ASCD Annual Conference Web page.
Mastery Charters As a National Model?
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 13, 2009
Last week, everyone was reading about Mastery charter schools in Philadephia. The schools and their leadership are getting props from the Obama administration for their rigorous college-prep-for-all curriculum model, strict behavior code and emphasis on personal responsibility and interpersonal skills. An ASCD blog post highlights the Philadelphia Inquirer article featuring this school, Education Secretary Arne Duncan's opinion of this school and familiar questions from critics.
In Japan, Manga Teaches Tough Lessons
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 13, 2009
Educators in the U.S. are increasingly integrating graphic novels and comics into classroom lessons. But in Japan, teachers have been using manga and anime for years to teach topics ranging from traditional Japanese culture to the devastating effects of the atomic bombs. An article in the latest Education Update explores how the Japanese have been using the media forms as teaching tools.
- Read this online-only Education Update article.
- Related Resource: Read other articles in the October issue of Education Update
ASCD Provides Many Opportunities for Educators
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 12, 2009
With more than 175,000 members and a commitment to excellence in education, ASCD stands out as a leading source for information, ideas and professional-development opportunities that are guiding the world's most successful schools. Join other ASCD members in getting access to the best new ideas in education.
Piecing It Together
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 12, 2009
In the quest to educate the whole child, does it sometimes feel like a struggle to complete a complicated puzzle? The most recent Whole Child newsletter discusses how the process of educating the whole child forces us to examine how we put each piece together, often in new and unfamiliar ways. The newsletter also highlights this month's Whole Child Podcast featuring a few of the people that have used the Community Conversations Project to engage stakeholders in educating the whole child.
Developing Habits of Mind in Elementary Schools: An ASCD Action Tool
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 09, 2009
"Habits of Mind" are thoughtful behaviors that allow us to cope with a complex and rapidly changing world. ASCD's new action tool, "Developing Habits of Mind in Elementary Schools" provides a series of tools, based on ASCD's groundbreaking "Habits of Mind" series, to help elementary-school teachers plan lessons and classroom activities that teach students thoughtful behaviors and promote successful learning in the classroom and beyond.
Health and Learning
ASCD SmartBrief | Oct 09, 2009
ASCD Express is looking for 600- to 1,000-word essays on the theme "Health and Learning." This issue will examine programs ranging from creating school-based community health clinics to keeping physical education part of the school day; from implementing discipline policies that make hallways and classrooms free of physical or emotional violence to teaching students about nutrition and fitness; and from helping students maintain a healthy body image to helping them avoid self-destructive behaviors. We also welcome research on the links among physical and mental health, student motivation and achievement. Deadline for submissions is Oct. 26.
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