Wanna Rap? by Gerry Stefhon

Posted by cloetz on Feb 25, 2008

Ok…so on the heels of http://www.youtube.com (of which I’m secretly a fan…) I’ve been introduced to youtube’s smarter sister http://www.teachertube.com!

Recently, at ERDI, we were finishing a very invigorating panel discussion when one of the participants, Mark Edwards, Superintendent in Mooresville, NC, commented on a funny video on teachertube.com.  Being an internet junkie and spending way too much time in airports, I thought I’d take a look.  What did I find – whoa! the mother lode!

For fun, I did a search on “Response to Intervention” and the first thing I see is a discussion about RtI with Alexa Posny, the Kansas Education Commissioner.  I was fortunate to hear Dr. Posny give one of the key note addresses at CASE this winter in Long Beach.  It was nice to see teachertube had this caliber of materials posted. 

So, as I continued my journey….I searched the website using the tabs at top.  It’s pretty easy to navigate and pretty typical, i.e. ‘Home, New Videos, Channels, Groups, Blogs….” and of course you can expect the familiar favorites of “Most viewed and Most Recent.” Hey – it’s not just anywhere that you can see Ms. Burk do the “Perimeter Rap.” I’m inspired!

In all seriousness, what a great medium to reach educators.  I would encourage anyone reading this blog to visit this site.  I’m going to make a personal commitment to contribute to this site at some point!  When I do – you can rest assured that it will be on this blog.

So I leave you with this…in a time where we have to “think before we post” see the video…

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=97eeae6788aa3348e553&page=2&viewtype=&category=

It is refreshing to find a site focused on education and learning.  Bravo!

Preparing of Education Leaders by Dr. Sally Earnest

Posted by cloetz on Feb 25, 2008

As an educator who got into campus administration by the “back door” and then began working toward an administrator’s certificate, it is extremely refreshing to see the emphasis now being placed on leadership training for principals. Many assistant principals and principals are teachers one day and administrators the next day without the benefit of training other than watching how other principals led and managed our campuses. For some, the modeling was top-notch. For others, it wasn’t.  Preparation programs include courses in various areas of campus management and educational issues, but many have been using the same curricula for years. As research in both education and business focus on the importance of leadership and as accountability is driving our educational area, it is timely that leadership programs & academies for principals raise their standards so that the principals are taught skills utilizing current research and trends in school leadership, organizational management, instructional focus, data analysis, strategic planning, effective communication, best practices, and building collaborative processes.

With more districts removing or changing principals when schools don’t meet state standards, why not first ensure that principals have been given strong preparation before giving them positions.

Georgia is one state that is taking action in requiring higher standards for principal ship training (EdWeek,December 19, 2007) Additionally, Arkansas has a long-standing Principals’ Academy. At the recent National Council of State Legislators, a roundtable was devoted to principal preparation and leadership.

The Wallace Foundation as an executive summary, “How leadership influences student learning.” The authors (Leithwood, Louis, Anderson & Wahlstrom) report that “leadership not only maters: it is second only to teaching among school related factors in its impact on student learning.” Congratulations to states and organizations that are moving from just talking about “instructional leadership” to taking action on providing our current and future educational leaders with the tools they need.

Great Special Education Resource Site by Wanda Duff

Posted by cloetz on Feb 21, 2008

Are you searching for information on Learning Disabilities?

If so, you will likely find the National Center for Learning Disabilities website a valuable resource that offers a wealth of information for parents, educators, and individuals diagnosed as LD.  Well organized and easy to navigate, this site offers timely, pertinent articles on a wide-range of topics related to Learning Disabilities.
Of particular interest to those involved in today’s special education community is RTI or the Response to Intervention initiative that is a focus for many school districts today.

By following the “LD InfoZone” link on the home page, the user can select RTI as one of the current Hot Topics and choose from a variety of links on the subject including research, parent guide, and the opportunity to subscribe to the RTI e-newsletter. Details of the spring launch of their RTI website will be forthcoming, so check it out. http://www.ncld.org

NCLB on the Campaign Trail by Robert Finnegan

Posted by cloetz on Feb 19, 2008

So much of our focus in education over the better half of the last decade has come from the No Child Left Behind act adopted under George W. Bush’s administration. 2008 stands to be a decisive year for education changes not only because this controversial federal mandate is now up for re-authorization but because it is a year that will mark the election of a brand new presidential administration. 

More than just adding AYP and API to our already overflowing alphabet soup of IEPs, BIPs, RTIs and SSTs, NCLB has sparked passionate debate among politicians, parents, and educators. Some have praised it for raising accountability and setting high standards. Some scorn it for being a federal intrusion in state authority, blaming it for unfairly mandating results without providing adequate funding and resources to meet its goals. Some believe that it has further stunted often marginalized populations such as students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, English language learners, and students in special education. Thankfully, this growing public concern has provided a forum for candidates to address the educational needs of the country. But just where do the candidates vying for their party’s presidential nominations stand on the controversial plan? Most have taken some stand but few have taken a concrete one. On the Democratic side, both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama agree (what a surprise) that in order for NCLB to work, changes must be made to recognize progress school districts make rather than punishing them for not reaching one-size-fits-all standards. They also agree that the federal government should be doing more to provide resources to assist states in reaching the mandate. On the Republican side, John McCain (whose wife is a former special education teacher) acknowledges that NCLB has not reaped intended results but believes it has been a positive step toward raising accountability in school systems. Mike Huckabee has focused some attention on NCLB making the point that overemphasizing math and reading proficiency has perhaps derailed other important areas of education including the arts.

As educators, I think we can all agree that while it is positive that candidates include education somewhere on their priority list, it is time to step up the conversation. When talk of hopeful futures and better tomorrows dribble from their lips, they must make sure to keep in mind who will be making those better tomorrows: the students in today’s classrooms. If they believe that NCLB can work with some changes, exactly what are those changes and how will they be implemented? If they believe that NCLB was a half-baked solution to a complex problem then I hope they plan to spend some time in the kitchen to…well, bake. Districts deserve this. Parents deserve this. Educators deserve this. Most importantly, our students deserve this.

For more information about where candidates stand on NCLB see their individual websites. Also see The National Center for Fair & Open Testing | FairTest.

New Special Education Initiative by Beth Dubose

Posted by cloetz on Feb 15, 2008

New Special Education Initiative: Six states to participate in rolling out new national technical assistance education center

Next month the US Department of Ed will announce the six states that will be participating in a new initiative that will develop a national education center focused on improving student achievement, especially for students with disabilities. The selection process included awarding a $1 million dollar multi-year grant to a University to spear-head the project. They recently announced that the University of South Florida won the grant and will begin facilitating the project this spring. The new Center on State Implementation and Scaling-up of Evidence-Based Practices (SISEP) will work with the selected states to look at proven, well-researched special education strategies, which they will then share nationwide through a Web site, conferences and publications.

I came across this initiative for the first time while I was reading the February 2008 issue of District Administration. There was a small blurb about it in the News Update section. It peaked my interest so I did some research and found out a little more. The best article I could find was at Ed.gov, http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/11/11022007.html, which includes a link to the document that the school districts had to submit to possibly be chosen for this initiative. I plan to continue to monitor this initiative and provide updates via this blog.

Article Review by Maggie Masimore

Posted by cloetz on Feb 04, 2008

"Developing Standards-Based Individualized Education Program Objectives for Students with Significant Needs," Teaching Exceptional Children, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 36-39; Sharon Lynch and Paula Adams.

With the focus in IDEA 2004 on standards-based goals and objectives, as well as the focus of NCLB on high standards for all students, many are struggling with the balance between providing access to the general curriculum standards while still addressing the individualized needs of students with disabilities. This article provides guidance on this challenge, and includes concrete examples of standards-based goals and objectives for students at varying levels of needs, from students with significant cognitive disabilities to those with academic skills that are greatly below grade level.