http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/ Conversation, insight, and resources for educators en-US Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0500 http://www.typepad.com/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/contrasting-attitudes-of-japanese-and-american-teachers.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/contrasting-attitudes-of-japanese-and-american-teachers.html In the March 1982 issue of Educational Leadership, research associate Takiko Morimoto explores 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. Asked... My Back Pages Ben Licciardi Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0500 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/facing-first-year-challenges.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/facing-first-year-challenges.html Little support and even less classroom experience combined to make Deirdra Grode's first year teaching chaotic and almost her last. It didn't have to be that way. Grode says training on how to organize the classroom and learning, better understanding... In the Classroom with . . . ASCD Bloggers Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:24:17 -0500 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/platooning-at-the-elementary-level.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/platooning-at-the-elementary-level.html Platooning, or departmentalizing instruction according to content area, is on the rise in elementary schools, according to last week's most popular SmartBrief story. High-stakes tests that target subject areas and grade levels are cited as the big motivator in this... Most-Clicked ASCD Bloggers Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:13:34 -0500 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/measuring-arras-impact-on-education.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/measuring-arras-impact-on-education.html Late last week Vice President Joe Biden hosted an event to highlight jobs saved or created with money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Two ASCD members were featured at the event: Jill Neustadt, a math content coach... Education Policy Melissa McCabe Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:01:40 -0500 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/why-should-we-care-about-teacher-leadership.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/why-should-we-care-about-teacher-leadership.html Presenter Ann Nkiruka Ifekwunigwe posed this question to a room of attendees Sunday morning in her ASCD Fall Conference session, "Preparing Successful Teacher Leaders: What Have We Learned?" She then shared some research about why teacher leadership is a worthy... Conference on Teaching and Learning ASCD Bloggers Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0500 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/take-back-the-mic.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/take-back-the-mic.html (Post submitted by ASCD Scholars facilitator Jen Morrison.) I once worked in a large, top-down, bureaucratic district where, as a teacher, I was expected to follow a detailed pacing guide, give weekly district assessments, and work only from the adopted... ASCD Scholars ASCD Bloggers Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:30:30 -0500 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/what-methods-work-in-the-classroom.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/what-methods-work-in-the-classroom.html At ASCD's Fall Conference, ASCD author Doug Fisher is discussing what methods work in the classroom during his session, "Better Learning Through Structured Teaching." Fisher says the balance between teacher responsibility and student responsibility in the classroom is key to... Conference on Teaching and Learning Matthew Swift Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:08:05 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/to-laminate-or-cutkeepcreate-curriculum.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/to-laminate-or-cutkeepcreate-curriculum.html This morning at ASCD's Fall Conference on Teaching and Learning, author Heidi Hayes Jacobs spoke about upgrading curriculum for 21st century learners, or what she calls "Curriculum 21." Her forthcoming ASCD book of essays on the topic is due out... Conference on Teaching and Learning ASCD Bloggers Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:03:45 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/marzano-on-feedback-that-improves-teaching.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/marzano-on-feedback-that-improves-teaching.html How do supervisors systematically give teachers feedback so that they improve? To answer this question, in his Fall Conference session "Supervising the Art and Science of Teaching," Robert Marzano also had to address how supervisors don’t give teachers feedback that... Conference on Teaching and Learning Laura Varlas Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:36:00 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/21st-century-assessments.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/21st-century-assessments.html This morning at ASCD's Fall Conference, Paige Johnson talked about the buzz around teaching 21st century skills and why it's a worthy topic. On assessments, she brought up an interesting new development: Denmark is piloting a high school exit exam... Conference on Teaching and Learning Laura Varlas Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:27:15 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/how-did-test-scores-become-king.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/how-did-test-scores-become-king.html Post submitted by guest blogger Gerald Bracey. A longtime champion of accurate analysis of education research and vocal advocate for public education, Bracey died October 20, 2009. In my article in the November Educational Leadership ("The Big Tests: What Ends... Educational Leadership ASCD Bloggers Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:11:47 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/kinds-of-knowledge-principals-use.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/kinds-of-knowledge-principals-use.html A new article from the International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership explores the types of knowledge principals use and need, underscoring the need for more principal training that develops candidates' experiential or tacit knowledge. The article identifies three big... Publications ASCD Bloggers Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/duncan-puts-ed-schools-on-blast.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/duncan-puts-ed-schools-on-blast.html Last week saw the most clicks landing on coverage of Arne Duncan's speech at Columbia University's Teachers College, where the Education Secretary criticized U.S. education schools for ill-preparing K-12 teachers. High enrollment programs like education bring in the bucks, but... Most-Clicked ASCD Bloggers Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:17:42 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/do-we-pay-a-price-for-being-nice.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/do-we-pay-a-price-for-being-nice.html The norms in education are different than in politics. We don't throw shoes at leaders, we don't yell "You lie" during a speech, and we don't heckle and boo when someone is speaking. But does that politeness carry a cost?... ASCD Scholars ASCD Bloggers Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:00:00 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/continuity-of-learning-and-h1n1-what-questions-do-you-have.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/continuity-of-learning-and-h1n1-what-questions-do-you-have.html 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 at our H1N1 page. Hosted by ASCD... Ben Licciardi Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:47:52 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/fastestgrowing-facebook-demographic-is-users-over-55.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/fastestgrowing-facebook-demographic-is-users-over-55.html Dude, your teacher totally has a Facebook account. WaPo wonders what's next for social networking, we wonder if teachers are the fastest growing professional demographic on Facebook? There's a lot of talk about how social networking is shaping the profession,... In the News Laura Varlas Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:55:39 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/leadership-for-the-21st-century-breaking-down-the-bonds-of-dependency.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/leadership-for-the-21st-century-breaking-down-the-bonds-of-dependency.html Because of work overload and competing responsibilities, principals often find it challenging to blaze new trails and lead proactively. In the April 1998 issue of Educational Leadership, internationally known educator Michael Fullan writes about how principals can overcome some of... My Back Pages Ben Licciardi Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/the-carrot-revolution.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/the-carrot-revolution.html We stumbled on the intriguingly titled blog the Carrot Revolution while digging through Dangerously Irrelevant’s new subject-specific education blog wiki. What a find. Here art educator David Gran pulls together resources for teachers, students, and artists with an eye toward... EdBlog Watch Ben Licciardi Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/can-focusing-on-student-needs-bring-peace-to-ed-wars.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/can-focusing-on-student-needs-bring-peace-to-ed-wars.html 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. Career and college preparation, skills and content--education writer Karin Chenoweth editorializes that good schools do both by... Most-Clicked ASCD Bloggers Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:27:33 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/a-new-curriculum-for-a-new-century.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/a-new-curriculum-for-a-new-century.html ASCD Express is looking for short, 600–1,000-word essays on the theme "A New Curriculum for a New Century." The theme description is below, and guidelines for submissions are here. Send us your submissions by November 9, 2009. Now a decade... Announcements ASCD Bloggers Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/do_the_draft_standards_measure_up.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/do_the_draft_standards_measure_up.html Wednesday, October 21 the comment period closes on the proposed Career and College Readiness Standards for English / Language Arts and Mathematics. This is your last chance to let the NGA and CCSSO know whether they achieved their objectives of... Education Policy In the News ASCD Bloggers Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/what-makes-or-breaks-a-principal.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/what-makes-or-breaks-a-principal.html Principals often face a paradox, note the October EL authors of "What Makes or Breaks a Principal": "The bold action needed to improve the school's performance often puts staff relationships at risk." Complicating matters, typical principal certification programs and professional... Educational Leadership ASCD Bloggers Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:52:32 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/ascd-scholars.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/ascd-scholars.html Starting next week, check this space for dispatches from ASCD's newly formed, select group of educators from around the world—the ASCD Scholars. Over the 2009–2010 school year, they'll discuss topics in education leadership through the lens of the education situation... ASCD Scholars ASCD Bloggers Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:42:10 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/weighing-enthusiasm-vs-experience-of-alt-certified-teachers.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/weighing-enthusiasm-vs-experience-of-alt-certified-teachers.html Transition-to-Teaching, Teach for America, and New Teacher Project Teaching Fellows--in the past few years, the path to the classroom has dramatically changed, particularly in urban districts. In Indianapolis, a city that has long struggled to fill teaching vacancies, school officials... Most-Clicked ASCD Bloggers Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:33:13 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/the-power-of-two.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/the-power-of-two.html Post submitted by Principals William Sterrett and Matthew Haas. Because of our frantic schedules, principals often have no meaningful dialogue, in any consistent manner, with a peer. As we describe in our October EL article ("The Power of Two"), the... Educational Leadership ASCD Bloggers Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/teaching-social-justice.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/teaching-social-justice.html Last spring, EL stirred up social justice in its May issue. This fall, Deirdra Grode talks about teaching through a social justice lens as a way to raise student engagement and consciousness. Read Grode's latest column, "Teaching Social Justice" In... In the Classroom with . . . ASCD Bloggers Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/the-outsideinside-connection.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/the-outsideinside-connection.html The Outside-Inside Connection Challenges you face inside the school are connected and compounded by things happening outside the school. So, says Thomas Hatch ("The Outside-Inside Connection"), It's not enough for principals to be good administrators of staff and school operations... Educational Leadership ASCD Bloggers Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:36:26 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/mastery-charters-as-national-model.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/mastery-charters-as-national-model.html 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, wed to a strict behavior code, and emphasis on personal responsibility... Most-Clicked ASCD Bloggers Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:54:22 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/halving-dropout-rate-would-yield-45-billion.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/halving-dropout-rate-would-yield-45-billion.html With President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan seriously committed to high school reform, it's time federal policy focused on turning around high schools with abysmal achievement and dropout rates—according to presenters at a discussion on turning around high schools... In the News Naomi Thiers Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:47:39 -0400 http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/health-and-learning.html http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/10/health-and-learning.html ASCD Express is looking for short, 600–1,000-word essays on the theme "Health and Learning." The theme description is below, and guidelines for submissions are here. Send us your submissions by October 26, 2009. Research shows that healthy children learn more,... Announcements ASCD Bloggers Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0400