March 19, 2015 | Sign up to receive THE TEACHERS EDITION.
 This video, played at the Teaching and Learning opening plenary session, features teachers describing the work of Teach to Lead and the impact it has had on them.
TEACHING & LEARNING
"If There is No Seat at the Table, Make your Own Table"
When Secretary Arne Duncan introduced the Teach to Lead initiative at last year's Teaching and Learning Conference, he asked educators to hold him accountable for making progress. This blog by Nebraska teacher Maddie Fennell details what teacher leaders have accomplished through Teach to Lead, and she provides highlights of Duncan's report-out at this year's conference. In his remarks, Duncan encouraged teachers,"If there is no seat at the table, make your own table."
Duncan also participated in a panel discussion with teachers who have attended the Teach to Lead Summits, including Lesley Hagelgans, Jennifer Aponte, Chris Todd, and Geneviève DeBose.
“I was hopeful [about teacher leadership] last year," he told the crowd of 3,500+ attendees. "I am convinced we are onto something really important and special now. Change has to come from teachers who own it and lead it.”
THE MAINE EVENT
Atwell Captures Global Teaching Prize
It was a high-stakes contest, but ultimately Nancie Atwell, a writing teacher from Edgecomb, Maine, took home the $1
million Varkey
Foundation Global Teacher Prize, considered the Nobel Prize for teaching. Atwell was one of ten finalists, along with two other Americans, Naomi Volain (Springfield, Mass.) and Stephen Ritz (New York, N.Y.).
One of the judges said Atwell’s teaching "transcends
buzzwords and trends, it is very thoughtfully grounded, prioritizing the work
learners need to do in order to become autonomous critical thinkers. What's
even more impressive is that she's created an institution and framework through
which to share it with other teachers."
But Atwell maintains her humble beginnings. "Don’t introduce me
by talking about all the books I wrote," she has said. "Just tell [teachers] I was in the
classroom yesterday, like they were.”
Read more
about Atwell who started teaching in 1973, authored nine books and founded the Center for Teaching and Learning, an independent
demonstration school to experiment with teaching methods for students in
kindergarten through eighth grade (Toppo, USA Today).
 RIGHT DIRECTION
Teachers Walk Through the PARCC
Most teachers see PARCC as an improvement over previous tests, according to a report from Teach
Plus, 1,000 Teachers Examine PARCC:
Perspectives on the Quality of New Assessments and authors Mark Teoh, Susan Volbrecht and Michael
Savoy.
The organization surveyed more than 1,000 teachers after a day of professional development about the PARCC
tests. Five interesting findings emerged:
FINDING #1:
Teachers believe that PARCC is a better assessment than their prior state
tests.
FINDING #2:
Teachers find clear alignment between PARCC and what they are teaching.
FINDING #3:
While the majority believe PARCC measures skills needed to be college- and career-ready,
teachers are mixed on whether the test is grade-appropriate or too
challenging.
FINDING #4:
Teachers find the English Language Arts assessment strongly aligns to
the key instructional shifts of the CCSS but may require knowledge students don’t
yet have.
FINDING #5:
Teachers find the math questions cognitively demanding and balanced among
concepts, procedures and application, though they want to see additional questions
that increase the assessment's rigor.
|
 In his new video, Weird Al Yankovic reminds viewers that when they use single letters to represent the "be, see, are" and "you," they are guilty of serious word crimes.
WEIRD AL'S "WORD CRIMES" VIDEO
Quirky Inspiration for Grammar Geeks
(and their Students)
In this wonderful video for teachers and students, Weird Al Yankovic and his band spin art and visuals to remind us "It's a good time to learn some grammar." Watch this when you or your students need a stretch break or a reason to set the test prep aside.
Not only do his examples provide great ways to ease into a review of English language usage rules, truly hardcore teachers can use the video to examine the filmmaker's purpose.
 A Leader of Leaders
Check out this profile of Corona-Norco, Calif., Superintendent Michael Lin, who has been recognized as a leader who develops leaders. Education reporter Stephen Sawchuk says that this former engineer turns the tired old phrase "building leadership capacity" into a meaningful practice. Teachers and principals say Lin understands the importance of teacher leadership, that he "gets it" (EdWeek).
|
 Editor's note: The following is part of a series reporting on excellent
African American educators. Educators were selected by the White House Initiative on Educational
Excellence for African Americans.
JAMES RAEFORD
Celebrating African American Educators
James Raeford is a retired Army Sergeant who
teaches JROTC at William A. Hough High School in Cornelius, N.C.
Why and how did you decide
upon a career in education?
I decided to pursue a career in education after retiring
from the Army. I had served several years as an Army
Instructor and thought I could use my experience as a teacher for the Army to
help shape America’s most precious commodity, young high school students.
What is the one thing you
most celebrate about your students?
I really celebrate the fact that my students
are eager to learn and the willingness to serve others in their school and in
their community.
In what ways do you
encourage parents, family members, and other caring adults to support the
learning and development of African American
students?
In my community, at church or at the golf course, no matter where I am, I
talk up education and share some of my experiences and needs of our African
American students. I also try to model the need of parent involvement by
sharing how I’m actively involved in my
grandchildrens' education.
|
 VIDEO WORTH WATCHING
Floored by Students
Want to see educators who are truly inspired by their
students? Watch this two minute video
from America Achieves with Upstate
New York principal Francine Leggett and New York City teacher Amber Peterson telling stories about the independent thinking their students bring to the classroom.
Their students are gaining critical thinking skills because of the teachers' and schools' higher standards.
|
UNDERSTANDING ESEA
"Comparability" Loophole Revealed
Secretary Duncan has been working to raise awareness about the
"Title I comparability loophole" that results in large spending
gaps between rich and poor schools. Duncan said that as Congress rewrites ESEA,
he wants them to close a federal loophole that permits wealthier schools to
receive more funding than needier schools. Read more (Klein, EdWeek).
The
Title I provision intended to provide extra resources for high-poverty
schools has this loophole, which allows districts to mask spending disparities
between schools. Instead of comparing actual school-level expenditures, districts
may calculate adjusted per-pupil expenditure figures for each school based on
average teacher salaries rather than using actual salary expenditures in each
school. This results in inequitable resource distribution within school
districts. Put simply, it makes it easier for schools to use
funds earmarked for poor students in schools where there is less need.
According to a report,
Comparable but Unequal: School Funding
Disparities, from the Center for American Progress, “Federal
law explicitly prohibits districts from calculating comparability using actual
expenditures. Instead, it chooses to treat teachers as interchangeable widgets”
(Hanna, Marchitello and Brown).
 Yes!!
Twenty states strengthened their state proficiency standards since 2011, while just 8 loosened them.
(From the sixth in a series of reports that grade state proficiency standards on the traditional A-to-F scale used to evaluate students from Education Next.)
|
 Principal Chat
GROWING GREAT LEADERS. In this National Association of Independent
Schools interview, Michael Brosnan taps organizational expert and author Jim Collins about the qualities needed to be a strong school leader. Collins explains, "If I were to pick the most compelling of the social sectors, it would be education. I happen to believe that the single most important investment we can make as a society is to get as many kids as possible to a strong starting point for adult life by the end of high school."
RECIPROCAL LEARNING. Overcoming her fears, Principal Melissa Fink blogs about her visit to ED and the opportunity to learn from others around her. Fink is featured in ED's video about her school, The View from Jones Elementary School (Springdale, Ark.).
|
 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Colorado teachers can breathe a sigh of relief as initial apprehension gives way to understanding the new PARCC English language arts and math tests, and align instruction and learning for PARCC 2016. Read more (Sutton, Denver Post Opinion).
READ ME. The Bat Boy and His Violin, One Crazy Summer, My Man Blue
and more. Authors Fenice Boyd, Lauren Causey and Lee Glada offer teachers great suggestions
for culturally diverse literature that addresses Common Core standards in this Reading
Teacher article.
DON'T FIGHT. DON'T SWITCH. Instead of fighting about Common Core standards and blaming them for a variety of problems, this editorial argues that teachers and parents should do their homework and focus on helping students meet and exceed those standards (Seattle Times).
WHEN DIVERSITY IS PAIN
"The pain associated
with diversity can be thought of as the pain of exercise. You have to push
yourself to grow your muscles. The pain, as the old saw goes, produces the
gain. In the same way, we need diversity – in teams, organizations, and society
as a whole – if we are to change, grow, and innovate… This is how diversity
works: by promoting hard work and creativity; by encouraging the consideration
of alternatives even before any interpersonal interaction takes place."
(Katherine Phillips in “How Diversity Makes Us Smarter” (Scientific American).
THE NEW MATH
Data Worth Braggin' On
New grad rate data from the National Center for Education Statistics show that the gap between minority and white students is closing. These are positive signs toward the goals of ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed and closing the gap between minority and white students.
Graduation rates for black and Hispanic students
increased by nearly four percentage points from 2011 to 2013, outpacing the growth
for all students in the nation. Between 2010-11 and 2012-13, the graduation rates for American Indian, black, and Hispanic students increased by nearly four percentage points over two years, outpacing the growth for all students. Learn more. Check out the data.
 Tools for Students
#COLLEGEOPPORTUNITY. Too many students are graduating from college feeling burdened
by their student loan debt. That’s why President Obama has proposed this new Student
Aid Bill of Rights that outlines actions the Administration
will take to make paying for higher education easier and fairer. Read
more. Take the pledge for a
Student and Borrower Bill of Rights because "higher education is the door to a future of your own making. No American – regardless of their background or station in life – should be priced out of the education they want and need."
|
 KAREEN BORDERS (2011 Classroom Fellow and 2012 Regional Fellow): In her new role as Director of
Assessment and Professional Learning at Olympic Educational Service District
114, Borders is the principal investigator on a recently awarded Math and Science Partnership grant,
Olympic STEM Pathways Partnership. The partnership brings together researchers,
non-profits, business, K12 and more. The three-year program will engage
teachers from the most western point on the contiguous United States and
include tribal schools, military communities and rural populations in an
effort to support STEM Teacher leadership and a partnership with the University
of Washington.
|
 REFORM & ADVOCATE
Teacher Leadership Opportunity
A
Hope Street fellowship is the chance for outstanding teachers from across the country
to elevate their voices and have a meaningful impact on education policy. Hope Street Group (HSG) National
Teacher Fellows collaborate with local and state leaders, as well as their
colleagues, to develop strategic, practical solutions that address public
policy challenges in education.
Teacher
Fellows stay in their classrooms full-time and work with HSG 15-20 hours each
month. They receive a $5,000 stipend for the twelve-month fellowship. Find the
application and more information here. Applications
are due by Friday, April 3.
|
ENGLISH LEARNERS
Cross-Cultural Communication
MINNESOTA HMONG US. It's been 40 years since the Hmong people first began
arriving in Minnesota. Today, the state boasts the second-largest Hmong
population in the nation. Learn more about a new exhibit at the Minnesota History Center that fills you in on ten things about Hmong culture, food, and language you
probably didn't know.
GET SMART. Interested
in some Fast Facts about the Asian/Pacific
Islander community? Check out this free
fact sheet from ED’s Office of English Language Acquisition. It highlights
information on the languages spoken by English Learners from the Asian/Pacific
Islander community.
 Teachers' Notes
• WIRED OR NOT. In
this View from the Chalkboard essay,
fifth grade teacher Ryan J. Schaefer
reflects on reading in the electronic age. He confronts his emotional response
to getting tablets in his classroom.
• GETTING GOOD JOBS. School
districts and partner organizations from communities in the Midwest met in Chicago to discuss current
innovations and practices for college access and completion. Led by Greg Darnieder, senior advisor for college
access to Secretary Duncan at the “On Track to College
Completion” forum, the blog by David Carson and Janice Hawkins explains ways they shared ideas and made
connections.
• CALL FOR NOMINATIONS.
The UNESCO-Hamdan bin Rashid
Al-Maktoum Prize for Outstanding Practice and Performance in Enhancing the
Effectiveness of Teachers recognizes
initiatives that contribute to improving educational practices around the
world, with priority given to developing countries and to marginalized and
disadvantaged communities. The $300,000 prize will be equally divided between three winners whose projects
aim at improving worldwide the performance and effectiveness of teachers. To
submit a nomination, download the guide, the application and nomination form and submit by
Oct. 31.
• WATCH FOR GOOD WEATHER. From weather patterns and food chains, to human
society's daily electricity and heating needs, energy drives everything. See
these processes come to life in a new video series that highlights the seven Energy Literacy Principles. Videos will soon be available in Spanish on YouTube.
• WEBINAR TODAY. A free webinar
from Library of Congress and Teaching Tolerance that helps teachers identify bias
and perspective when teaching about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is taking
place today, March 19 at 4 p.m. EDT. Register for the third hour-long webinar now.
• FIRST IN STEM CLASS. STEMJobs
released a new professional development classroom training series to help teachers learn to create a classroom environment in which
students feel comfortable studying STEM topics. Check out the videos and free lesson plans
and teacher guidebook teachers can get when they sign up.
|
MUST-SEE TV
Accessible Television Portal
for Children with Unique
Learning Needs
The digital age has made it possible for children with
visual or hearing disabilities to be able to watch shows like Ocean Mysteries, Magic School Bus, Bill Nye
the Science Guy, and more. Thanks to the Department of Education's Accessible
Television Portal project, teachers and school personnel, parents, and
other professionals working with qualified students can visit www.dcmp.org and
apply for access to the portal. Learn more.
 WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
Female Power
Women have always played an important role in the progress of our nation. From fighting for civil rights to advancing the field of science, the contributions of women are recognized every March during Women’s History Month. The Teachers Edition will feature teaching resources to support this year's Women’s History Month throughout March.
SING ON. Women
musicians and songwriters have succeeded in the music business on their own terms, often in genres
traditionally dominated by men. Learn more about Women
Breaking Musical Barriers in this Smithsonian
Folkways article.
STAY HOME, GIRLS. Some folks said, "There would be nothing like this happen if you would stay at home." But the women suffragists marched at the Capital Parade in 1913. Learn more.
|
 Top 5 Quotes
Wisdom from educators heard by ED
5. "It's time to start moving schools forward and stop worrying about the past." (Teacher, Iowa)
4. “The power of teacher leadership is truly important. It’s spreading like wild-fire. It was amazing to see that power.” (Teacher, Arizona)
3. "We need to be involved in leading because you are either at the table or you are on the menu." (Teacher, Wisconsin)
2. "Lack of passion is fatal." (Teacher, New York)
1. "Students learn when teachers lead." (Teacher, Boston, Mass.)
|
|
