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ASCD Association News


The New Teacher's Companion: Practical Wisdom for Succeeding in the Classroom

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 20, 2009

New teachers have completed all of their preparation requirements, and then the real world of teaching begins. Some teachers -- especially in the beginning -- may be confused, scared and ill-prepared. This new ASCD book is intended to assist new teachers during that crucial first year, to ensure they are equipped with the background knowledge and support they need to develop their talents and maintain the enthusiasm that will keep them in the profession for years to come. Combining the wisdom of a sage mentor with the comfort of someone who's been there, author Gini Cunningham dispenses tips and ideas that cross the spectrum of good teaching.


Meep Learning Curve on Discipline

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 20, 2009

There has been a lot of news lately regarding zero-tolerance policies and how effective they are at changing student behavior. An ASCD blog post looks at a scenario playing out at Danvers High in Massachusetts, where a principal recently decided to ban the word "meep" from utterance on school grounds. Realizing that there are students who will demonstrate less-than-perfect behavior, the post examines a strategy from the ASCD book "Discipline with Dignity" that might be more effective in handling this type of situation.


Where Does Your Elected Official Stand on Education?

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 19, 2009

During ASCD's annual legislative institute, an ASCD member confessed to an official from the Department of Education that he didn't vote for President Barack Obama, but he loves what the president is doing on education. ASCD Executive Director Gene Carter highlights this anecdote in his November "Is It Good for the Kids?" editorial to underscore the importance of working together despite our professional and political differences. As we move into the important business of reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, he writes, we need to remember that debate should illuminate issues, rather than obscure them.


Meeting Students Where They Are

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 19, 2009

ASCD Express is looking for 600- to 1,000-word essays on the theme "Meeting Students Where They Are." This issue will include identifying students' background knowledge, interests, strengths and learning styles; understanding and building on students' diverse cultural backgrounds; and overcoming challenging school structures that make it difficult to get to know students. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 7.

  • Learn more about this issue and writing for ASCD Express.


ASCD Testimony on Child Nutrition and Wellness

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 18, 2009

A report from the Department of Agriculture released this week shows that in 2008, almost 15 percent of U.S. households were food-insecure, meaning they had difficulty putting enough food on the table at times during the year. It seems the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, which provides school meals to millions of low-income students, can't come soon enough. ASCD recently provided testimony to the House Committee on Education and Labor Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities regarding the issue of innovative child nutrition and wellness programs.


The Many Meanings of "Multiple Measures"

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 18, 2009

Why do education policymakers and practitioners sometimes opt to make important decisions based on only one indicator? The latest Educational Leaderships examines what we mean by multiple measures, the rationale for multiple measures, what counts as a "measure" and how this information on multiple measures should be used to generate meaningful decisions.


The Education and Public Health Intersection

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 17, 2009

On the Whole Child Blog, ASCD responds to Rick Hess, resident scholar and director of education policy at the American Enterprise Institute, who wrote a blog post that questions why Education Secretary Arne Duncan would become involved in health-care reform. ASCD's post describes how research and common sense have shown time and again that education and health are inextricably linked. It references H1N1 as a current example of the intersection between the two sectors and profiles schools that participate in ASCD's Healthy School Communities program. Rick Hess' upcoming ASCD book, "Education Unbound: The Promise and Practice of Greenfield Schooling," will be available in February.


Teaching Kids to Teach Each Other

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 17, 2009

In a new ASCD book, "Productive Group Work," authors Nancy Frey, Doug Fisher and Sandi Everlove guarantee that engaged, cooperative group work can occur in every classroom. How can teachers use collaborative learning to help students "consolidate what they know, clarify what they don't know, and extend their learning skills"? The authors recently sat down for an ASCD Talks With an Author interview, where Frey called productive group work the "linchpin for what happens in student learning."

  • Listen to the talk.
  • Read sample chapters from the book.


New Teacher's Guide to Better Assessment

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 16, 2009

The New Teacher's Guide to Better Assessment, an article in this month's issue of Educational Leadership, describes three important steps that school leaders can take to ensure new teachers use assessment practices that help improve -- not just audit -- student performance. The steps range from coaching to an emphasis on assessment balance.

  • Read a blog post about the article and share how your school encourages use of effective assessment.


Teacher Evaluation Plan Prompts Debate in South Korea

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 16, 2009

A new teacher evaluation plan is fueling debate among South Korean educators, parents and education stakeholders. Under the proposed plan, teachers ranked at the very bottom will be forced to undergo special training. If they remain at the bottom for three years, they will be fired. Educators ranked at the very top will be rewarded with incentives.

  • Read more about the proposal in this month's edition of Education Update.


ASCD Express Is Looking for Submissions

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 13, 2009

ASCD Express is looking for 600-to-1,000-word essays on the theme "Turning to National Standards." As common core standards gain traction at the state and federal levels, what do you think? How can national standards aid school-reform efforts and promote a common base of knowledge for all students? What are the challenges to implementing standards? How have other countries succeeded -- or not -- with national standards? Submissions are due Nov. 23.


Free Author Video

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 13, 2009

Last week, Baruti Kafele, author of the new ASCD book "Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School and in Life," spoke to an audience of 50 educators and students from the ASCD headquarters in Alexandria, Va., near Washington, D.C. Kafele's remarks helped educators understand why lack of proficiency in reading, writing and math among black males is a symptom of deeper problems that are generally ignored.


ASCD Conference Scholars on Leadership

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 12, 2009

ASCD Conference Scholars have participated in two recent online conversations about leadership within the education field. The first conversation -- How Can Educators Take Back the Mic? -- focuses on how to ensure that educator voices are included in policy discussions at all levels. The second -- Who Will Lead? -- addresses the shortage and attrition rate of education leaders and tackles how to move beyond the model of an individual self-sacrificing leader to create the critical mass of strong, new leaders needed in the 21st century.


Robert Marzano on Critical Transformations

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 12, 2009

In a short video clip, ASCD author Robert Marzano shares his personal story of critical transformation, which changed the course of his career and committed him to work that shapes what happens in the classroom. ASCD's 2010 Annual Conference focuses on the theme of critical transformation and will be held from March 6 to 8 in San Antonio.


Supporting Students to Succeed: Keeping Kids from Checking Out and Dropping Out

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 11, 2009

Robert Balfanz, researcher and co-director of the Everyone Graduates Center, and Tom Brewster, assistant superintendent of Virginia's Pulaski County Public Schools, are guests on this month's Whole Child Podcast, which focuses on providing students with critical support to keep them engaged in school. The podcast shares research on why students check out and drop out, what schools can do about it and how community partnerships can help deliver the support that students need.


Facing First-Year Challenges

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 11, 2009

In this month's "In the Classroom with Deirdra Grode" column, Grode comments on the essential support that first-year teachers need but all too often don't get. She shares that during her first year of teaching, she would have benefited from having better organization skills, an understanding of differentiated instruction and a mentor to guide her in developing plans for classroom instruction and management.

  • Read a related blog post and share what essential support you had -- or wish you had -- in your first year of teaching.


ASCD's Redesigned PD Online Courses

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 10, 2009

ASCD has just released a redesign of the popular PD Online course catalog. These self-paced courses are designed with the adult learner in mind and focus on relevant topics such as assessment, instructional leadership and curriculum. Each course employs a lesson-based approach, including pre- and post-assessments and multimedia activities featuring content experts in real classrooms. New course takeaways and supplementary readings add to the PD experience by providing additional depth and perspective on the topics.


ASCD's Sustainability Movement

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 10, 2009

After more than two years of moving the ASCD headquarters building toward sustainability, or "going green," the association was awarded two Green Globes by the Green Building Initiative in May. ASCD enjoys cost savings because of the efforts, but the ultimate benefit is reducing the organization's carbon footprint to benefit the community and the planet.


Measuring ARRA's Impact on Education

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 09, 2009

Recently, Vice President Joe Biden hosted an event to highlight jobs saved or created with money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. An ASCD blog post highlights two ASCD members who were featured at the event: Jill Neustadt, a math content coach in Gaithersburg, Md., and Crystal Turner, a reading interventionist who is also in Montgomery County, Md. The post also addresses skeptics' views on the estimated number of jobs saved through ARRA, and it links to a preliminary federal report on the educational impact of ARRA.


The Tests That Won't Go Away

ASCD SmartBrief | Nov 09, 2009

How many hours does a teacher spend preparing students for "multiple assessments"? An Educational Leadership article explains how the answer depends on the interpretation of the word "assessment." The article also examines whether all these "multiple measures" really lead us to achieve the three most-often cited goals of testing.


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.


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.


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.


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.




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