Return-Path: <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id gBDCMwX23166; Fri, 13 Dec 2002 07:22:58 -0500 (EST) Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 07:22:58 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <NCBBKFFJMKFIFAGAFGNEKEJHDFAA.jlee@famlit.org> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Jon Lee" <jlee@famlit.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1347] Clips and Cross Posts X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 5122 Lines: 106 Good Morning! From: PEN Weekly NewsBlast for December 13, 2002 To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit: http://www.publiceducation.org/news/signup.htm DATA-DRIVEN DISTRICTS: USING DATA TO INFORM KEY DECISIONS The old tools of education -- intuition, teaching philosophy, personal experience -- do not seem to be enough anymore. Virtually every state has put into place an assessment system intended to measure and validate student achievement and school performance. The call for greater accountability means administrators and teachers must show proof -- tangible, statistically valid evidence -- that what they are doing is working, that students are learning faster and better. Learn lessons from four districts that take different approaches to using data to inform key decisions. See also "Providing Data to Your Board" and "Using Data to Think Differently," which includes six lessons for giving the public a better way to size up student performance. http://www.aasa.org/publications/sa/2002_12/LaFee.htm I have not made a final judgment if I like this or not...what do you all think? LEGISLATION WON’T MAKE CHILDREN LEARN "Educators know the truth but are afraid to say it: All children cannot learn," writes David Finley. As an educator, he believes that all children can learn but all children cannot learn as much as all other children. And all children cannot learn to some preset state or federal standard, as is currently mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act and Arizona Learns legislation. He is the principal of a school Arizona has labeled "under performing." Does this embarrass him? Not in the least. To him, the label is a misnomer. Schools are simply brick and mortar. They do not perform, over or under. The label really means that the school's instructional staff is under performing. Since he knows that the teachers at his school are effective, dedicated professionals who are actually "over performing," he is not the least bit embarrassed by being mislabeled. He believes labeling schools is nothing more than name-calling, something most of us learned not to do in kindergarten. To Finley, labeling schools will not improve them and actually runs counter to the intended purpose. http://www.arizonarepublic.com/opinions/articles/1210finley10.html I like this philosophy! CURRICULUM CONTENT: FAVORING DEPTH OVER BREDTH According to Ron Wolk, it seems obvious that any serious restructuring of a school in need of improvement has to begin with substantial restructuring of the curriculum. The curriculum profoundly influences the way schools are organized and run by determining how time is allocated, how space is used, and how students and teachers are grouped. Any curriculum should favor depth over breadth; it should help students make connections between ideas and concepts; it should help them see the relationships between knowledge within and across disciplines. And students should have the opportunity to apply what they learn in school to their daily lives. If that were to occur, perhaps more of them would know how to go on learning for a lifetime. http://www.teachermagazine.org/tmstory.cfm?slug=04persp.h14 CHANGES IN EARLY EDUCATION URGED Children who start kindergarten without basic skills fall far behind and never catch up, says a new report about early education. Targeting those skills, which range from using the restroom independently to sitting attentively while listening to a story, could reduce dropout rates and boost the skills of the future workforce. But to get there states must revamp the way they finance and manage child care and pre-kindergarten programs and streamline duplicate services from state organizations that help kids. http://arizonarepublic.com/arizona/articles/1210earlyed10.html Hooray! PARENT INVOLVEMENT POLICIES AND THE LAW: WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW With the authorization of the No Child Left Behind Act each school in the United States receiving Title I funds is required to have a written policy that will actively involve parents in the education process of children. This provision for parent involvement may be confusing for some, but here to help is a new online resource from the National PTA. The resource answers questions about what parents can do to help schools comply with the new law. http://www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/helpchild/hc_piandlaw.asp SIX KEY LEVERAGE POINTS FOR PARENTS & COMMUNITY LEADERS A new report from Parent Leadership Associates and the National Coalition of Parents in Education (NCPIE) identifies six key leverage points for parents to use in advocating for quality education for all children. At each point, schools and districts must respond to parents’ priorities and concerns. Knowing where these are and how to use them will be critical to building strong parent involvement and a more effective Title I program. http://www.ncpie.org/ Have a great day! Jon Lee Training Specialist NIFL-Family list moderator National Center for Family Literacy 325 West Main St, Suite 300 Louisville, KY 40202-4237 Phone: 502.584.1133 x175 Fax: 502.584.0172 jlee@famlit.org http://www.famlit.org
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