Utah Implements Common Core Standards

Math and language arts courses in Utah schools are getting a makeover with the new Common Core Standards. The initiative is “designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills our young people need for success in college and careers,” according to the Common Core mission statement. With changes such as math labs, renaming the curriculum, new books, and more, there is much to look forward to for Utah students and teachers.

To learn more about Utah's Common Core Implementation Click Here

Closing the Achievement Gap through Vocabulary Building

Schools all around the country are faced with the immensity of the achievement gap. Shrinking, and eventually eliminating, the achievement gap is crucial for socioeconomic, racial, and other groups affected. San Diego Unified School District is taking a stab at closing the achievement gap through a new approach at vocabulary building. While traditionally students would look up a word in the dictionary if they didn’t know the meaning, about two dozen schools in San Diego Unified are teaching students how to use their everyday knowledge to find the meanings of words they don’t know. In the real world there isn't always a dictionary on hand. The hope is that students will be able to retain meanings and learn new meanings for themselves without depending on
external resources.

To learn more Click Here

Parents Offer Their Own School Bus Service

Cache County parents in Utah ran into a dilemma when they were told their courtesy bus service would no longer be available. Although some of these Smithfield residents live within walking distance of Sunrise Elementary School not all parents feel the streets are safe for their children. So what did these parents do? They decided to create their own bus service. After meeting regulation after regulation, eventually Ty Haguewood was able to offer bus service to 82 kids in the local area.

To learn more Click Here

Governor Christie Appoints Christopher Cerf to be New Jersey Education Commissioner

Recently, Chris Christie nominated Christopher Cerf, a former New York education official to be the New Jersey education commissioner. Cerf backs Gov. Christie’s commitments to school choice, merit pay, and accountability. Cerf also recognizes a need for equality in education among different socioeconomic groups and hopes to improve the educational circumstances of those in poverty. Teacher unions are somewhat optimistic about the new appointment hoping that it will spark a fresh start to negotiations with administration.

Read the full article at The Wall Street Journal

Online Mentoring for Florida Middle School Students

In the past, students have depended upon parents or older siblings to help them with their homework. While some have parents and siblings that have a vast knowledge of math, English, and science, not all are as fortunate. At John F. Kennedy Middle School in Rockledge, Florida all students are now getting the same quality of help with their homework through an online mentoring program. Students now have the option of logging on to their school website and, for one hour, getting help from their teachers, while both the students and teachers work from the comfort of their own homes.

To learn more about how the online mentoring program works Click Here

Full-time Programs for Gifted Students

When most of us think of struggling students, we think of the students struggling to meet state standards and those demonstrating low test scores. However, there is another group of struggling students, those who struggle due to lack of stimulation—the gifted students. In Minnesota schools, administrators and teachers are striving to address the needs of the highly gifted students by providing specialized programs that are more than just a few hours away from the normal classroom—these programs are full-time.

To learn more about these full-time gifted programs Click Here

Addressing the Challenges Associated with Change in Schools

Today, reform is a topic being discussed in every avenue of the education world. The “how,” “who,” and “why,” are all details administrators and lawmakers are seeking to establish. As reform takes its place in the classroom, however, there may be certain challenges that arise with implementation. Eric Sheninger, Principal at New Milford High School in N.J., outlined his first-hand experience with change and the obstacles associated with it in his blog post on the ASCD blog.

Do you agree with the challenges Sheninger lists?

What are some of the obstacles your district faces with education reform?

Students Get Excited About Reading During the Holiday Break

During the holiday season most students spend their time doing anything but homework, but Donalyn Miller’s students are doing quite the opposite this year. With enthusiasm, each child in her classroom plans well in advance what he or she will read over the Christmas break. She explains that when the students plan to read in advance, reading when they are not in school becomes less of a burden and more of a pleasure as they decide which ones to explore.

Learn more at Teacher Magazine

Salt Lake Schools On the Way to Decreasing Dropout Rates

Increasing dropout rates are affecting high schools all across the country. While many districts are scrambling for a solution to this crisis, Salt Lake schools may be taking a step in the right direction. Three counselors at Highland High School formed a Freshman Success Team where students failing in their freshman year are closely monitored to make sure they don't continue failing. These counselors become their mentors as they also attend extracurricular activities of those they help as well. Although the program is for freshman, the school has seen a major increase in class passing rates and a decrease in dropout rates.

Learn more about the decline in dropout rates from Deseret News

The Changing Face of Education: School of One

The traditional classroom model is quickly becoming extinct with new instruction methods and systems appearing every day. One of the people contributing to this shift in education is Christopher Rush. Rush is co-founder of a new learning system called School of One. According to his system, students would “choose” each day which teacher they will work with and what activities they participate in based on their answers to an algorithm. Although School of One is making a difference, Rush admits that some elements will work and some won’t, but it is important to continue to try new things.

To learn more about School of One Click Here

Administrators’ Role in Establishing Successful PLCs Proficiency 2 of 5: Model Collaborative Behavior

This post if from guest blogger Amy Chamberlain, a content producer at School Improvement Network.
Note: This is part two of five in a series that discusses how administrators can support and sustain the growth of professional learning communities (PLCs) in their jurisdiction.  
The Sanger Unified School District in Sanger, California is an area of high diversity and rapid demographic change—and one that is experiencing a tremendous amount of student success. Much of this they credit to the widespread use of professional learning communities, or PLCs.

When they are well established, PLCs have a measurable and immediate effect on the quality of teaching and student success. Every educator I talked to in the Sanger Unified School District told me that their PLCs played a key role in the tremendous turn-around they and their students enjoyed (in seven years, the Sanger Unified School District went from a program improvement district to one of the top in the state; two of only thirty-five California Blue Ribbon Schools are located in SUSD).

While the day-to-day work of PLCs happens at the faculty level, administrators play a key role in creating an atmosphere where true collaboration can flourish. Sanger administrators developed five proficiencies that encouraged healthy PLCs throughout the district. These proficiencies are:

1) Develop instructional expertise
2) Model collaborative behavior
3) Hold PLC members accountable for good results
4) Create environments where trust is possible
5) Get—and stay—involved in faculty PLCs

This blog entry focuses on the second proficiency: modeling collaborative behavior.
Marc Johnson, the Superintendent of the Sanger Unified School District, inherited a culture that he describes as “fractured and broken.” The district had been seen as a meat-grinder of sorts, with the result being high levels of suspicion, mistrust, and a closed-door approach to teaching. Eleven years ago, when Marc became the superintendent, he saw that the culture had to change. No longer could teachers function as “independent contractors” and meet the needs of a highly diverse student body. “We had to move to a team approach,” he says.
To encourage this fundamental shift in behavior, Marc began to model collaborative practices. Successfully shifting a set of assumptions, he claims, “requires that leadership is actively engaged.” He explains, “Collaboration is not something that just teachers do. We have professional learning communities that are really functioning at all levels. I have a deputy superintendent and an associate superintendent and we are in almost every respect a professional learning community as well.”

Moving toward a culture of collaboration can generate fear amongst staff who are not used to sharing their teaching strategies and results. Because of natural resistance to change, Marc says “no one can assume that a culture of collaboration will develop. You have to nurture that. You reframe the conversation so it’s never about the person. It’s about the outcome, and how we can collectively work together to change that outcome.” Focusing on results, rather than on the person, helps establish the trust necessary for true collaboration. John Yost, principal of Washington Academic Middle School, sums up the point of these collaborative conversations: “You’re on a treasure hunt, not a witch hunt.”

John Wash Elementary School principal Wes Sever modeled collaborative behavior for his staff by reaching out to other principals in his area and creating his own PLC. “I realized there were other schools making the same reforms we were making,” he said. “So I started meeting with the principals of the three schools that were closest to us demographically.” These informal meetings evolved into the “Northside PLC,” a valuable learning and collaborative resource. “It’s a friendly competition,” says Wes of the group. “We are learning from them and they are learning from us.” When John Wash Elementary became a national Blue Ribbon school, Wes said, “Two of the schools in the Northside PLC had results similar to mine. So I had to call up the [Blue Ribbon] committee and find out why those other schools weren’t nominated too.” The next year, three of the four Northside PLC schools were nominated as Blue Ribbon schools. “Collaboration breeds success,” Wes notes. “When I ask my faculty to collaborate, I’m not making them do anything that I’m not doing already.”

Effective administrators do more than just encourage faculty to collaborate. They model good PLC efforts to demonstrate their commitment to establishing an atmosphere of collaboration and trust. Faculty are much more willing to move to a culture of group work when administration models this behavior for them so they can see the benefits.

Part Three: The next blog entry discusses Administration Proficiency #3: Hold PLC members accountable for good results.

A New Approach to Math Teaching

"It doesn't matter how much you know. It matters what you can do," states Thomas Gaffey. Gaffey, a math teacher at Philadelphia’s High School of the Future, has created an atmosphere of real-world, interactive learning in his classroom where you won’t find a textbook, desk, or paper in sight. His Project 100 course is a combination of geometry, algebra, and estimation and students are finding that math is more than numbers on a page.

To learn more about Thomas Gaffey’s techniques Click Here

Students Are Not College-Ready According to Common Standards Analysis

Yesterday, a report was released identifying how many of the nation’s students presently meet the Common Standards based on their performance on the ACT assessment. Surprisingly, in an analysis performed by ACT Inc. the scores showed that 38 percent of 11th graders hit the proficient range in reading, and the results were worse in mathematics than in English/language arts. The study also showed a trend of racial and ethnic minority students performing lower than their white peers.


To view the full report from ACT Inc. Click Here

What Type of Education Reform without Race to the Top Funding?

Earlier this year, numerous states were notified they would not receive the federal funding from President Obama’s Race to the Top competition. Since that time, state leaders have been faced with deciding what to do with the education reform plans that had been started or established to meet Race to the Top qualifications. Some states are saying they will still try to meet all of the initiatives they had planned, while others believe their plans just aren’t possible without the extra funding.

To learn more Click Here

Technology in Education and Other Topics Discussed at National Summit on Education Reform

On Wednesday, the National Summit on Education Reform came to a close with state education secretaries, superintendents, professors and business executives voicing their ideas on the current state of education in America. Major topics included charter schools, technology, and the re-authorization of No Child Left Behind.

To learn more about the summit Click Here

Andres Alonso's Successful Approach to Education Reform for Baltimore Schools

In Baltimore, Andres Alonso is taking leaps and bounds in his approach to education reform. Baltimore city schools previously has been known as one of the worst school systems in the country, but now, for the first time in years, the system has gained students instead of losing them. In 2007, when Alonso was hired, many of Baltimore’s citizens did not support his methods. However, after 3 years in the school system, Andres Alonso is proving he can make a difference in Baltimore city schools.

Learn more about Andres Alonso’s impact on Baltimore city schools at The New York Times

Black Visits Schools After Being Granted Waiver




Photo taken by Rob Bennett for the Wall Street Journal

 

On Monday, Cathie Black was granted a waiver to become the next chancellor of New York City Schools. Since the waiver signing, Black has spent the majority of her time speaking with students, parents, and teachers within the school system she will be responsible for managing and improving. Although the waiver has been signed, Ms. Black officially begins her chancellorship on January 3, 2011.


Read more about Cathie Black's response to the granted waiver at the Wall Street Journal.

Shael Polakow-Suransky Appointed New York City Schools Deputy Chancellor

Last week, Cathie Black was denied the waiver that would allow her to take her place as the new chancellor of New York City Schools. In an effort to persuade David Steiner (State Education Commissioner) to sign the waiver, the mayor’s office announced the appointment of Shael Polakow-Suransky as deputy chancellor on Friday. Polakow-Suransky has worked as a teacher and principal and would be the “education” counterpart to Black’s business background.

To read more Click Here

Fighting for Students' Attention in a Digital World

Every day, students all across the globe are choosing between using their computers to find the most up-to-date information on their favorite topics and post status updates, pictures, and videos to their favorite social media sites or take the time to study the information in their school textbooks. In a battle for students’ attention it is easy to understand why, for some students, school has lost its interest and educators are trying to find a way to keep students focused. More technology in the classroom is one way schools have attempted to fight for a position at the forefront of students’ interests. What more can educators do to increase focus and learning in schools?

Read more about this dilemma at The New York Times

Administrators’ Role in Establishing Successful PLCs, Proficiency 1 of 5: Developing Instructional Expertise

This post if from guest blogger Amy Chamberlain, a content producer at School Improvement Network.

Note: This is part one of five in a series that discusses how administrators can support and sustain the growth of professional learning communities (PLCs) in their jurisdiction.

In my role as researcher and writer for School Improvement Network’s PD 360 content, I’ve been working with the talented educators from Sanger, California. This is an area of high diversity and rapid demographic change—and one that is experiencing a tremendous amount of student success. Much of this they credit to the widespread use of professional learning communities, or PLCs.

When they are well established, PLCs have a measurable and immediate effect on the quality of teaching and student success. Every educator I talked to in the Sanger Unified School District told me that their PLCs played a key role in the tremendous turn-around they and their students enjoyed (in seven years, the Sanger Unified School District went from a program improvement district to one of the top in the state; two of only thirty-five California Blue Ribbon Schools are located in SUSD).

While the day-to-day work of PLCs happens at the faculty level, administrators play a key role in creating an atmosphere where true collaboration can flourish. Sanger administrators developed five proficiencies that encouraged healthy PLCs throughout the district. These proficiencies are:

1) Develop instructional expertise
2) Model collaborative behavior
3) Hold PLC members accountable for good results
4) Create environments where trust is possible
5) Get—and stay—involved in faculty PLCs

1. Develop Instructional Expertise Marc Johnson, the superintendent of SUSD, notes that the days when a principal or administrator could just be a good manager are over. “I have to know as much or more about teaching as my faculty,” he notes, “because I may have expertise that [they] don’t, and neither of us will get better unless we share that expertise.” By changing his emphasis from managing people to sharing expertise, Marc demonstrated his commitment to sound instructional practice.

Stephanie Rodriguez, vice-principal of Washington Academic Middle School, also has a clear understanding of her job. “My role in the PLC is that of instructional leader,” she notes. “I really want to interact with the teachers and in order to do that, I have to know what it is that they’re doing. I have to be able to provide them with instructional tools and techniques that they may not have.”

John Hannigan, principal of Reagan Elementary School, notes that the Sanger district administrators provided support as he, too, shifted the focus of his work. They “constantly train and support, train and support,” he says. “The district leaders have put a big emphasis on capacity within their principals and setting up those principals as instructional leaders. We’re a support system to those teachers so that we have that knowledge to be able to support them, and help them grow. The admin team showed me how to take my own job from manager to teacher leader. ”

This shift from administration-as-manager to administration-as-instructional-leader is profound. It shrinks the distance between administration and faculty and gives them the shared goal of student success. Instructional leadership is more involved and challenging than a managerial role, but it is one of the crucial proficiencies in establishing a rich, effective PLC culture.

Part Two: The next blog entry in the series discusses Administration Proficiency 2: Model collaborative behavior.

A New Approach to Math Teaching

When any of us think of math we probably imagine worksheets and heavy books filled with math problems, but for Gail Iman's fifth-grade students math is more of an active adventure. With everything from paper money auctions to searching their surroundings for right angles, these students are learning math in a whole new way.

To learn more about Gail Iman's approach to math teaching Click Here

Six New Members Named to the National Assessment Governing Board

Today, Education Secretary Arne Duncan named six members of the National Assessment Governing Board. David P. Driscoll, former commissioner of education for Massachusetts, will remain the chairman of the 26-member Board. Newcomers to the Board range from a governor to an award-winning middle-school science teacher.

To learn more about the new members Click Here

Saving American Education is "The Cool Thing to Do"

In an article published by the Atlantic, Peter Osnos presented the idea that saving American education has become “the cool thing to do.” Revolving mostly around the appointment of Cathie Black as chancellor of New York City’s schools, Osnos also mentions the documentary Waiting for Superman, Teach for America, and Mark Zuckerberg’s, the co-founder of Facebook, $100 million donation to Newark Public Schools.

Has saving American education really become “the cool thing to do?” If so, will it help improve American education long term?

To read the full article Click Here

Parent Portal Keeping Parents Connected

What if parents knew exactly what grades their children were getting in school just by logging on to the internet? In Aberdeen, South Dakota parents are doing just that through a system called Parent Portal. By logging on to Parent Portal, parents can monitor their child’s attendance, grades, and behavior. At first, the district questioned if using the online technology would cause a decrease in parent attendance at parent-teacher conferences, but statistics show that parent attendance is still very high. The Parent Portal has created a greater level of communication between teachers and parents.

To learn more Click Here

'Grading' Utah Public Schools

Schools all across the country are implementing measurements for schools and teachers. Now, Utah public schools may be asked to ‘make the grade.’ A positive initiative already in place in Florida, State Superintendent Larry Shumway said he is impressed with Florida’s results. The grading system would be based on a number of factors including, public input on specific subjects, math, reading, and other topics. Shumway believes it is a cost effective approach to education reform in the state of Utah.

To learn more Click Here

A Larger Achievement Gap for Black Males

For years, there has been a debate over the achievement gap that exists in America’s schools—whether there is one and how to close it. Although the debate continues, especially on how to close it, it is easy to brush aside how truly daunting the gap may be in today’s schools. In a recent article published by the New York Times, researchers discovered the low proficiency of black males may be greater than previously thought. Only 12 percent of black fourth-grade boys are proficient in reading, compared with 38 percent of white boys. The article seems to suggest the achievement gap has to do with more than poverty alone.

Full article: New York Times

History Teacher Connecting Students from Immigrant Families to American History

Some might question the importance of teaching history in school compared to English or math, but Tim Bailey, the 2009 Preserve America National History Teacher of the Year, is showing the importance of educating young people about the history of America through creating an "emotional connection." Instructing at a school with nearly 70% poverty and an 86% minority population, Bailey felt it his duty to teach all of his students how to be an American citizen.

To learn more or if you can't view the video below, Click Here

Cathleen P. Black to Replace Joel I. Klein as Chancellor of New York City Schools

Today Cathleen P. Black was named the New York City schools chancellor, replacing Joel I. Klein. When Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg made the announcement this afternoon Department of Education officials were surprised, especially since many of them were not notified until just before the announcement. While Black was praised by Bloomberg for being a “superstar manager” in the past, she looks forward to a future with the “incredible opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young people.”

To read more: New York Times

The Rubik's Cube in the Classroom

Although some may say the Rubik's Cube is just a toy, teachers across the nation are finding the 3-dimensional block to be a useful classroom tool. Three years ago the company that makes the cube began working with educators to create downloadable lesson plans that help to teach critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity.

To learn more Click Here

Elementary Students Using Technology to Report Progress

In Arizona, teachers are helping students do more than learn about technology; they are helping them use that technology to report their own progress. First graders at Kyrene de la Esperanza Elementary are using tools like Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and other programs to build a presentation they will show at the end of the year.

To learn more Click Here

A Second Chance for High School Dropouts

It’s safe to say that every child deserves an education. Whether or not they take advantage of the opportunity to receive one is an entirely different story. Every year high school students all across the nation drop out of high school. Whether it be because they need to work more to help support their family, or because of teen pregnancy, or just because they are bored at school and feel they can use their time better elsewhere, these students forfeit the education they deserve. However, although it might be delayed, some of those who drop out want to come back and receive their diploma, but is it too late? At Indianapolis’ Excel Center, high school dropouts are getting a second chance to earn that diploma they so greatly desire. With a waiting list of about 800 students, this charter school is only the beginning of a second chance for high school dropouts.


To learn more Click Here

Is Amplification Improving Classroom Learning?

In Janesville Wisconsin teachers are testing how amplification affects learning in their classrooms. Purchased with extra federal funds at the end of last year, the equipment (microphones and speakers) has yet to prove its positive or negative effects. Some teachers claim amplification systems help to increase focus among students, while others say it isn’t always practical for every classroom.


To read the full article Click Here

Mobile Technology in the Classroom?

Are mobile devices in the classroom the next big thing? Last week, Project Tomorrow’s annual Speak Up survey revealed that 62 percent of responding parents would purchase mobile devices for their children if used for educational purposes in school. More and more schools are looking at utilizing mobile technology in the classroom, especially considering the money districts would save if students used their own mobile devices.

Find out more about the survey HERE

PUSH is Taking Education Beyond the Classroom

For Oak Canyon Junior High students in Lindon, Utah, learning has become an inter-disciplinary adventure. Better known as the PUSH (Preserving Utah’s Science and History) program, enrolled students have participated in previous projects which include: presenting a business fair, a film festival, and even writing for children in lower grade levels. Of course, not every student at Oak Canyon has the privilege of participating in the PUSH program. There are only 114 spots for the 250 students who apply each year.

To learn more about PUSH Click Here

Is Twitter Useful for Educators?

What can educators learn from Twitter? Lisa Nielsen, The Innovative Educator, suggests eight reasons an innovative educator would or should use Twitter. From finding people, to getting instant answers to questions, personal or professional, Lisa suggests Twitter is a meaningful place to learn and interact with other educators.

To see Lisa’s eight reasons Click Here

Can Diversity Be Taught In the Classroom?

For a Long Island Middle School Class diversity is not just a topic in passing conversation, it’s a class offered to any student wanting to learn more about the stereotyping in their everyday world.

“It’s a concern that students are not prepared for what they’re going to face when they leave the school district, particularly in more homogenous communities,” said Timothy G. Kremer, the executive director of the New York State School Boards Association, who supports the elective.

Some might argue, “How can you grade a class on diversity?” or “Is it possible to teach a class on diversity without biases interfering?”

To learn more about this class on diversity read the full article at The New York Times

Can Middle-Class Schools Help Low-Income Students?

Some athletes might say, “To be the best, you have to train with the best.” A study in Montgomery County Schools is making a similar claim that when high-poverty students attend school with middle-class students outside their neighborhoods, they perform better in school, particularly in math. The reasons behind this result are still to be determined. Could it be the middle-class students somehow motivate the high-poverty students more than their peers at high-poverty schools? Could it be because of an improved learning environment not found at a high-poverty school?

Is economic integration a solution for high-poverty students?

To read the full article Click Here

Q&A with Waiting for "Superman" Director, Davis Guggenheim

Last week in L.A., Ben Goldhirsh (from GOOD) sat down with Waiting for "Superman" director, Davis Guggenheim, to ask him about the film that has attracted attention all over the U.S.
To read the entire transcript of the Q&A Click Here

President Obama Renews White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics

On October 18, the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics hosted a summit on Hispanic education. The next day, President Obama signed an executive order to renew the initiative. The initiative first began as an executive order signed by President George H.W. Bush in 1990.


The summit attendees included school administrators, college presidents, and Latino advocates, while topics included reduction of the dropout rate, improved connections between pre-K-12 and postsecondary education, and passage of the “DREAM Act.”

To learn more about the summit and the initiative Click Here

President Obama Speaks at White House Science Fair

On Monday, President Obama welcomed students from all over the U.S. to the first ever White House Science Fair. He mentioned key initiatives that had commenced within the last year, such as Race to the Top and Change the Equation and how those programs are a step in the direction of improving the nation's ranking in the world in the subjects of Math and Science.

As he continued, he encouraged fair attendees and all students to further their education in the STEM subjects. He was sure to point out that the most common education background of CEOs of S&P 500 companies was not business, finance, or economics—it was engineering.

"Anybody with a good idea can prosper. Anybody with talent can succeed." —President Obama

Watch President Obama's speech below:

Charlotte Danielson's New Online Course—Talk About Teaching

In her new online course, Talk About Teaching, Charlotte Danielson brings her expertise to educational leaders everywhere through the online platform PD 360. With her expert techniques, administrators and educational leaders will learn to conduct effective professional conversations that will help improve student achievement.

To learn more about the techniques in Charlotte Danielson's Talk About Teaching Click Here 

NY Times Looks For Technology in Classrooms

Wednesday, The New York Times published an invitation to all teachers to send in videos about how technology is changing their classrooms.

"If you are a teacher who has been thinking about how technology is affecting teaching and learning, we want to hear from you. We’re interested in seeing real-life examples from classrooms that show technology’s promises and its perils."

To find out more and to learn how you can submit a video from your classroom Click Here

Secretary of Education and Other Education Officials Announce National Education Reform Conference

Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, Randi Weingarten the president of the American Federation of Teachers, and Dennis Van Roekel, the president of the National Education Association, announced plans to hold a national education reform conference on labor-management collaboration next year.

This conference will include participation of national, state, and local union leadership as well as school superintendents and school boards from across the country. Speaking of the successful districts where administrators and union leaders are seeing effective collaboration, Secretary Duncan said, "We need to learn from these successful collaborative efforts and build upon them across the country."

Several of the progressive labor-management agreements include those from Baltimore; Delaware; New Haven, Connecticut; Denver; Pittsburgh; Evansville, Indiana; Detroit; Montgomery County, Maryland.

To learn more Click Here

Effective Classroom Instruction—Teaching with Verbs vs. Nouns

Technology is seen and used differently in every generation. One key factor in effective classroom instruction then would be the method of teaching to today's students keeping in mind the way they see technology. Marc Prensky, CEO of Games2train, posted an article on Today's Campus asking teachers "Are you lecturing about nouns or facilitating learning with verbs?" He uses the term "digital immigrants" to describe those who view digital technology as a series of tools and "digital natives" to describe those who see technology as a means of getting things done. Many of the today's students would be considered digital natives, therefore requiring a unique approach to instruction by teachers. He explains the difference between teaching "stuff" and facilitating action—communicating and doing.

To learn more and to see the list of 21st century skills expressed as verbs Click Here

Free Common Core (ELA) Webinar from Scholastic

Scholastic is offering a free webinar, Understanding the Common Core State Standards in ELA on Monday, October 25, 2010.

Description: Join Scholastic to learn more about the specific requirements of the standards and also receive an overview of Expert 21, a new English Language Arts curriculum that will help schools implement the standards in Grades 6-8.
To learn more or to register Click Here

Monday Teacher Appreciation Video

Let's face it; everyone can use a little appreciation now and then. At the beginning of this new week we thought we would show a little appreciation to all the teachers who take the time to educate minds, young and old.

To watch the video, click HERE

Note: The YouTube video has been converted into a SafeShare video to help with viewing at schools that have YouTube blocked.

A Different Kind of Online School

We've all heard about the new trend toward online classes as an alternative avenue for traditional schooling. However, unlike schools who offer classes that students can take from home, this school is combining the convenience and variety of online course subjects with interactive people-to-people elements as well.

Complete with breaks between classes, a lunch period, and a boardroom and other meeting areas, MC2, a cyber high school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is not taking all of the social elements out of the school day for its approximately 90 students enrolled for the 2010-'11 school year.

To learn more visit the Journal Sentinel

Tools For Teachers From cellphones.org

Teachers are working every day to keep up with their students in a world with increasing technological tools. Now there is a way for teachers to keep up with their students and get the information they need in an instant. In 2009 cellphones.org posted a list of 100 mobile tools for teachers on their blog. Although technology changes every day, we thought teachers, even in 2010, could benefit from this useful list.

100 Mobile Tools For Teachers

What other technological tools have you found useful as a teacher?

Equity 101 Session 8

Practice

Thursday, October 7 at 9 a.m. (PDT), 10 a.m. (MDT), 11 a.m. (CDT), 12 p.m. (EDT)

How does practice need to change in order to accomplish equity with all students? Our traditional teaching practices are insufficient for today’s ever-diversifying student body. Engage in this informative webinar about what administrators and teachers need to do in order to assure that pedagogy supports the learning of all students. Based on the successful practices of highly diverse schools that have eliminated achievement gaps, the Practice component of the Equity Framework will lead you towards equity.

Learn More

Register

•Follow Curtis on Twitter @curtislinton

•Follow the Equity 101 conversation with #equity101 on Twitter

Free ELL Webinar from WestEd

Online training is becoming more and more prevalent as school districts strive to save money. This webinar may be a solution for school districts that have had to cut travel budgets for teachers to attend conferences about ELLs. On October 27, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time WestEd will be offering a webinar with Diane August, a senior research scientist for the Washington-based Center for Applied Linguistics, and Timothy Shanahan, a professor of urban education at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

Learn more at Education Week

A Possible Remedy For Rural Community Teacher Shortage

Urban, suburban and rural areas alike have been faced with teacher shortage. With budget cuts and layoffs school districts might be wondering how to keep the best teachers in their schools. In a recent article published by The Huffington Post rural communities are looking to "their own" to find quality teachers. "Small, rural communities are grounded in tradition and have deep roots," said Catherine Kearney, president of the California Teacher Corps. "Someone who understands those traditions makes a huge difference."

Read the full article at The Huffington Post

Principals Are Honored In October—National Principals Month

The U.S. Senate passed S. Res 607, a resolution drafted by NAESP and the National Association of Secondary School Principals to designate October 2010 as National Principals Month. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-North Dakota, introduced the resolution, which honors elementary, middle, and high school principals for their passion and dedication to students across the country.

Find out more and read the entire article at NAESP

Did you have a principal who made a difference in your childhood?

Is there a principal you work with now that makes a difference? Let us know!

City Teachers Would Be Able to Earn More Under New Contract

On Wednesday, The Baltimore Sun reported that a new contract would enable ambitious and effective Baltimore teachers to move quickly through the ranks and earn up to $100,000 a year, as well as give teachers more input on working conditions in their schools.

Read the full article at The Baltimore Sun

Is this fair?

Would a contract like this be effective in other cities?

New Online Course from Marcia L. Tate on Brain-Engaging Strategies

Based on Marcia Tate’s best-selling books, School Improvement Network and Corwin announce a new online course from Marcia L. Tate, Growing Dendrites: 20 Strategies That Engage the Brain. Participants in Tate’s online course will see how to improve students’ retention of what they have learned by learning and practicing the rich brain-compatible strategies she offers in the course. Marcia L. Tate has helped thousands of teachers every year discover the power of brain-compatible teaching and now her classroom-proven practical techniques are available through this rich multi-media online professional learning experience.


Through the 10 completely interactive modules of Marcia Tate’s course, participants learn about the research behind brain-compatible teaching and develop concrete strategies that can be applied directly in the classroom. Participants will also have the opportunity to hear directly from Marcia via live webinars. As with all Corwin-SINET online courses, Marcia’s course allows participants to see actual educators applying the course content: 20 strategies that engage the brain, at both elementary and secondary levels all across North America.

Read the full article HERE

The Education Nation Interactive Summit

During the week of September 26th, NBC News will highlight education stories broadcast live at Rockefeller Plaza. The stories will focus on the challenges and opportunities in education today.

To learn more and to view videos from the summit visit Education Nation

Getting Great Teachers in the Classroom and Getting Them to Stay

This week, edweek.org released an article about keeping great teachers in the classroom. They reminded America that:

"According to the United States Education Department, the country will need 1.6 million new teachers in the next five years. Yet a recent report by the nonprofit National Commission on Teaching and America's Future reports that 'approximately a third of America’s new teachers leave teaching sometime during their first three years of teaching; almost half leave during the first five years. In many cases, keeping our schools supplied with qualified teachers is comparable to trying to fill a bucket with a huge hole in the bottom.'"

Read the entire article at Teacher Magazine.

So how do we keep great teachers in the classroom? How do we get them there in the first place?

New Courses and New Observation Tool for PD 360

PD 360, the world’s largest online community, video and professional development distribution network for teachers and educators announces significant enhancements to their content and technology. Included are new courses from the leading authors and experts on diversity in the classroom, teaching, and educational leadership, as well as a cutting-edge classroom observation tool that works on an iPad, iTouch, or iPhone and integrates with PD 360.

To ensure the highest quality professional development, School Improvement Network and Corwin have joined forces to develop several exciting new job-embedded training courses for PreK-12 educators from experts such as Michael Fullan, Marcia Tate, Charlotte Danielson, Glenn Singleton and many others. Utilizing the easy-to-use tools powered by PD 360 technology, each course is unique and in depth with live author collaboration, facilitation by the authors themselves, networking with experts and participating peers, and more.

To learn more about the new online courses or the new observation tool integrated with PD 360, click HERE

Promise Neighborhoods Include Charter Schools

Yesterday, Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan released the results of the winners for those who applied for the development of "Promise Neighborhoods." The communities are inspired by the Harlem Children's Zone in New York. The 21 winners will divide $10 million in funds from the Office of Innovation.

Read the full article at GOOD

Kansas City, Missouri Schools Chose PD 360 for School Turnaround Efforts

Needing more than incremental change, Kansas City, Missouri started by closing just under half of its public schools, and then partnering with School Improvement Network to help them with a metamorphosis. “Their report card will be our report card,” says CEO Chet Linton.

Kansas City has customized its use of PD360’s on-demand professional development content by embedding it within its new online curriculum frameworks as well as providing the content to teachers as part of on-going feedback from the new e-walk observation system.

To learn more about how Kansas City is making school improvements with PD 360, read the full article HERE

Michael Fullan Explains How to Create Motion Leadership

School Improvement Network and Corwin have produced an online learning experience with Michael Fullan that can't be had anywhere else. Motion Leadership: The Skinny on Becoming Change Savvy is a content-rich online course that dives deep into what it takes for any school leader to put real and measurable change in motion. The course is divided into eight self-paced modules. Through each module, participants join Michael on a journey that explores change leadership—visiting, through video, successful schools and effective administrators that have accomplished significantly profound institutional change that works. Developed in direct collaboration with Michael, the Motion Leadership course is intended for leaders as well as leadership teams as they focus on putting practice into theory.

Learn More

The Future of STEM Education—"Change the Equation" from President Obama

Today, President Obama announced "Change the Equation," an effort to improve science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in the United States. The President reminded Americans that, "One assessment shows American 15-year-olds ranked 21st in science and 25th in math wehn compared to their peers around the world."

Read President Obama's full remarks.

What Can We Learn From President Obama's Back to School Speech?

Yesterday, President Obama gave his second annual back to school speech at Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He spoke about the need for education in life beyond just for getting into a great college or getting the perfect job. So what are some of the things we can learn from the President's speech?

-"Nobody gets to write your destiny but you.  Your future is in your hands.  Your life is what you make of it.  And nothing -- absolutely nothing -- is beyond your reach, so long as you’re willing to dream big, so long as you’re willing to work hard."

-"You’ve got an obligation to yourselves, and America has an obligation to you, to make sure you’re getting the best education possible.  And making sure you get that kind of education is going to take all of us working hard and all of us working hand in hand."

And with a little help from Tamerria Robinson (a 12-year-old girl in Georgia) we learn, "'I try to achieve my dreams and help others do the same."  "That," she said, "is how the world should work."

Read the full speech at The Whitehouse Press Office

Equity 101 Session 7

Equity Culture: Practitioner Interview with Dorothy Kelly

Thursday, September 16 at 9 a.m. (PDT), 10 a.m. (MDT), 11 a.m. (CDT), 12 p.m. (EDT)

Engage in this informative webinar as Curtis Linton interviews Dorothy Kelly on how she worked to build an equitable culture for students. Dorothy Kelly has worked over 26 years as an educator, serving 19 years as a middle school assistant principal and five years as a district-wide administrator. She recently retired from the School District of Clayton where she was an assistant principal at Wydown Middle School and the Director of the Clayton Voluntary Student Transfer Program. This program is a highly successful desegregation program in which African American and African descent families from the city of St. Louis attend St. Louis suburban school districts. In describing an equitable school culture, Dorothy says:


“An equitable school culture involves a leader who is hyper focused on achievement, and his or her attitude and actions permeate all aspects of teaching in the building. Teachers, counselors, students, and parents know the goals and purpose of what and how students are learning. All who enter the door are welcomed and feel confident that children will be nurtured and taught well. A healthy school culture exists when students have support in their learning endeavors, whether they need special education or gifted education. Those children would not be able to tell the difference—they would simply know they are cared about and are having fun while they learn.”

Learn More

Register for Session 7

•Follow Curtis on Twitter @curtislinton

•Follow the Equity 101 conversation with #equity101 on Twitter

Homework for Equity 101, Session 6

Watch the PD 360 video segment School Culture: Professional Attitudes from the program How to Increase Minority Student Achievement featuring Bonnie Davis discussing that teachers who have true pride in their work do not let students fail.
Elementary version: http://www.pd360.com/index.cfm?ContentId=883
Secondary version: http://www.pd360.com/index.cfm?ContentId=832

Describe two colleagues/mentors/administrators that you have personally worked with who:

1. Explicitly exhibited positive professional attitudes towards equity. He or she strongly believed in the potential of every one of his or her students, and worked to assure that none of them failed. He or she also showed strong cultural competency towards all students.

2. Clearly did not show a strong professional attitude towards equity. He or she placed all learning responsibility explicitly upon the students, and showed little responsibility for student failure. He or she also often engaged in deficit thinking in assuming that the student lacked certain skills and/or ambition to succeed.

Describe each of these colleagues in terms of what they were like to work with, the impact they had on students and other educators, and the ways in which they seemed to enjoy or not enjoy their work.

304 Schools Receive Blue Ribbon Recognition

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recognized 304 schools as 2010 National Blue Ribbon Schools. The schools—254 public and 50 private—will be honored at an awards ceremony Nov. 15-16 in Washington, D.C. In the past 28 years, more than 6,000 of America's schools have received this coveted award.

To learn more and to see a complete list of winners, read the full article at the U.S. Department of Education

Minnesota Sees Its Share of $10 Billion

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that Minnesota will receive $166.7 million to support education jobs. Minnesota is one of the first to submit their application for funds and receive the money within days. The $10 billion education fund will support education jobs in the 2010-11 school year and be distributed based on population figures.

To learn more go to msnbc.com

Teachers in a New Role at School

What if your teacher was also your principal? For Brick Avon Academy students in Newark, this idea has become a reality. Dominique D. Lee became the main founder of Brick Avon after he was disgusted with a system that produced ninth graders who could not name the seven continents or the governor of their state. Lee and five other teachers who worked with Teach For America are now taking the reigns in one of the first teacher-run schools in the New York region.

To learn more, read the full article at The New York Times

Are teacher-leaders an answer to weaknesses in education?

How New Tests Could Change U.S. Education

With the recent naming of the Race to the Top grant winners, measurement of teacher success has been a top priority for the U.S. government. Standardized bubble tests have played an ever increasing role in teacher evaluation, but now Secretary of Education Arne Duncan envisions a different kind of test. He says the new tests will be computer-based and include students' ability to read complex tests, synthesize information and do research projects.

There will be two groups of states that will experiment with different tests in order to determine the most effective assessments in both English and math.

Full Article at The New York Times

Will the new tests be more effective?

The Future of U.S. Education: Arne Duncan Answers High School Students' Questions

Today the U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, answered some tough questions from high school students across the country. Questions ranged from, "Should education be nationalized?" to "How can the U.S. government help private and faith-based schools in order for them to have the same resources as public schools?"

What to do about inequalities in education? Duncan said, "We want a child in Mississippi held to the same standards as a child in Massachusetts."

What changes are in store for our nation's education?

Listen to the entire Q&A at NPR

Math Camp Making a Difference in Detroit

Only 59% of Detroit Public School students graduate from high school. Against the odds and amidst a $363 million budget deficit, two Wayne State University professors are taking the initiative to make a difference. Math Corps, started in 1990, is a math camp for students in grades 7-12. There is a belief that not only can this math camp change the lives of the students who attend, but that Math Corps can help change the entire city of Detroit.

See the full story about Math Corps HERE

Teacher Bulletin Board Ideas

At the beginning of every school year teachers are faced with the challenge of how to decorate their bulletin boards. If you're having trouble deciding whether you should go with leaves or pencils maybe, check out this article from Buzzle.com.

What ideas do you have for your bulletin board this school year?

New School Combines Vocational and General Classes

Yesterday, Quincy High School opened its doors to the public. Complete with three separate wings: a science, mathematics, technology wing; an arts wing; and a humanities wing, this high school will have vocational labs across from the subjects that accompany them, according to principal Frank Santoro.

Full Article at The Boston Globe

How can combining vocational and general classes benefit students?

How Passing Pays Off—Literally

Yesterday, the Houston school board agreed to implement a $1.5 million program to provide incentives for parents and students at the 25 elementary schools ranked the lowest in math achievement.

Students would earn money for mastering key math concepts while parents would earn money for attending conferences with teachers. Together, students and parents could earn over $1000.

Will this program really pay off?

Learn more by reading the full article at the Houston Chronicle

Equity 101 Session 6

Session 6: Online Conversation with Best-selling Author Bonnie Davis on Equitable School Culture

Join Curtis Linton and Bonnie Davis for the next webinar on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 9 a.m. Pacific/ 10 a.m. Mountain/ 11 a.m. Central/ 12 p.m. Eastern
Register HERE

For thirty-eight years, Bonnie Davis has shared her passion about education with thousands of fellow teachers and students. She has taught at many levels and in a wide variety of diverse settings: middle schools, high schools, community colleges, four universities, a homeless women's shelter, a shelter for runaway adolescents, and a men's prison. In this powerful Equity 101 webinar, engage with Curtis Linton and Bonnie Davis as they discuss equitable school culture: a safe learning environment for educators and students alike, and culturally competent administrators and teachers. Bonnie Davis' best-selling book How to Teach Students Who Don't Look Like You will serve as the basis for this conversation that will help you learn culturally relevant teaching strategies in order to reach all students, especially students of color and those from diverse backgrounds.

Virginia School District Attributes 80% of Equity Gains to Use of PD 360

PD 360 is the leading on-demand professional learning resource for schools and districts. After two years with PD 360 Loudoun County Virginia Schools English achievement among economically disadvantaged students improved 15%, raising them from the 68th percentile to the 81st percentile. Among ESL students, scores improved by 18%, taking them from the 61st percentile to the 79th percentile.

To find out more about how Loudoun's economically disadvantaged students also saw improved math scores read the full article HERE.

Longer Days for 15 Chicago Schools

Chicago Public schools has plans to add 90 minutes to the schedules of 15 elementary schools using online resources and nonteachers. While some believe this initiative will help increase test scores, others are worried children will not be as engaged or excited about learning as they need to be to truly excel in class subjects.

Full Article at Chicago Tribune

Could your school benefit from online courses and longer school days?

Homework for Equity 101 Session 5

Thank you for joining the webinar last week about Building an Institutional Culture of Equity! The next webinar will be August 31st. Curtis will be speaking with best-selling author Bonnie Davis on Equitable School Culture.

Homework for Equity 101 Session 5:

Describe your Equitable School culture according to:
1. Your greatest success,
2. Your greatest challenge.

Explain in detail.

Email to: curtis.linton@schoolimprovement.com

Going Green with Back-to-School Supplies

With school starting again, it's time to grab your school supplies shoppping list and head to the nearest store. If you're looking for a safer solution for your children this school year, click the link below to see a full list of tips.

Full Article at Environmental Working Group

School Turnaround from the Right Sources

This past year the Obama administration has supplied significant amounts of money to improve education in America. With this money available, inexperienced companies are claiming to be school-turnaround experts without having the knowledge or ability to fulfill such claims.

Full Article at The New York Times

Tips to Find the Right Help for Your School

1. Do your research. Make sure if you are using any third party to help with your school-turnaround efforts that they have the years of experience to make a difference.

2. Evidence. Make sure they have past clients and/or studies to demonstrate their effectiveness.

3. Find out more. Learn more about the specifics of any products or training any company is offering.

Equity 101 Session 5

Building an Institutional Culture of Equity
Register: https://my.dimdim.com/schoolimprovement

What is the greatest obstacle for equity that all students face? The institution itself--whether a school or district--poses the greatest challenge to students from a diverse background in receiving an equitable education. As long as the educators within the institution remain unalarmed and uninformed as to why certain student groups--as defined by race, economics, and language--continue to perform below their peers, then a school site will never attain equity. Engage in this dynamic webinar which will address how to change institutional culture so that equity for all students can be achieved. Join Curtis Linton as he presents the key elements of institutional equity: Who are "we" as educators? Who are our students? And, what is the learning culture of the school? When institutional culture becomes equitable, all students succeed.

View all previous webinars by joining the Equity 101 group in PD 360.
Follow Curtis on Twitter @curtislinton
Follow the Equity 101 conversation at #equity101 on Twitter

Closing the Achievement Gap in Santa Clara County

According to test scores released today in California, the achievement gap is starting to narrow in Santa Clara County between Latino students and white students. Despite staff cuts and other adverse economic times, the achievement gap narrowed in English, Math, and Science.



Full Article at Mercury News



To learn more about closing the achievement gap see Equity 101 Session 5

D's Are Not An Option at Mount Olive High School

There will be no more D's this fall at Mount Olive High School in Mount Olive, New Jersey. Larrie Reynolds, the Mount Olive superintendent commented, "D's are simply not useful in society...It's a throwaway grade. No one wants to hire a D-anything, so why would we have D-students and give them credit for it?"

Mr. Fiedorczyk, a seventh-grade science teacher said, "I have kids who walk the boderline. They know it. They admit it. They calculate what they need to get the D." For some students this will mean a stronger effort toward getting an A, B, or C grade.

Full Article at The New York Times

Do you think taking away the D grade would help the students at your school?

$26 Billion to Save Jobs

On Tuesday, the House approved a bill that will supply $26 billion in aid to school districts and states to prevent layoffs of teachers and public employees.

"We can't stand by and do nothing while pink slips are given to the men and women who educate our children or keep our communities safe," Mr. Obama said early on Tuesday.

Full Article at The New York Times

How will this affect your school district?

Homework for Equity 101 Session 4

Thank you for joining the webinar last Friday with Michael Fullan. Don't forget you can view the webinar on PD 360 in the Equity 101 group under "content." Homework for the 4th session of the Equity 101 series is listed below:

After listening to the discussion with Micahel Fullan, describe the role of equity in traditional school leadership. How can an effective educational leader (administrator and/or teacher leader) use equity to drive change at the school? What strategies should be used? How should resistance be addressed?

Email responses to: curtis.linton@schoolimprovement.com

Equity 101 Session 4

Register: https://my.dimdim.com/schoolimprovement
August 6, 2010 10 a.m. (MDT)

Join the conversation as Michael Fullan and Curtis Linton discuss the critical role of leadership in building equitable schoools in the fourth webinar of the Equity 101 Series. Best-selling author Michael Fullan is one of the foremost experts in accomplishing systemic change in education. Discover Fullan's Motion Leadership principles and see how they guide educators in quickly moving change forward. Explore these effective school improvement efforts through the lens of equity. With Fullan and Linton, learn how effective leadership is central to building equity for all students.

Follow Curtis on Twitter: @curtislinton

Follow the conversation on equity at #equity101. Just search for hashtag #equity101 and start commenting or asking questions.

Homework for Equity 101 Session 3

Thank you to everyone who attended session 3 of the Equity 101 series! We look forward to seeing you on Friday, August 6, at 10 a.m. (MDT) when Curtis will interview change expert Michael Fullan about equity and leadership.

Homework for Equity 101 Session 3:

What did you learn from Sandy Nobles in terms of:

1. Equity Leadership
2. Practical equity as applied in schools. Define according to The Equity Framework: leadership, culture, and practice.

Email to: curtis.linton@schoolimprovement.com

Equity 101 Session 3

Equity 101 Session 3:

Register: https://my.dimdim.com/schoolimprovement/
July 29, 2010, 10 a.m. (MDT)

Join us in this informative webinar where Curtis Linton will interview Sandy Nobles, former principal of Northrich Elementary in Dallas, Texas, a school that turned from one of the lowest performing schools in the district to 100% of students at grade level!

Homework for Equity 101 Session 2

Describe yourself as an equity leader according to:

1. The Authentic Equtiy Definition

2. The Equity Framework--your efforts in developing equitable leadership, culture, and practice.

Email to: curtis.linton@schoolimprovement.com

Free Equity 101 Certification Session 2

Equity 101 Session 2:
July 22, 2010 10 a.m. (MDT)

The Equity Framework: Learn about this powerful framework for building equity school and system-wide, based on schools that have eliminated their achievement gaps.

Register: https://my.dimdim.com/schoolimprovement/

This 12 week series with 12 webinars is based on Curtis Linton's forthcoming book Equity 101, showcasing dozens of highly successful schools visited by School Improvement Network that have closed their achievement gaps and lifted all students to grade level and above.

Follow Curtis on Twitter @curtislinton
Follow the Equity 101 discussion at #equity101