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May 2, 2007

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News for the Education Profession

Eye on Curriculum

Study: Harry Potter casts lasting spell on young readers
As young fans prepare for the last Harry Potter book to be released July 21, a new Scholastic survey of 500 children and their parents found that more than half hadn't read books for fun before becoming hooked on Potter, but 65% say they are doing better in school since they started reading the series. Books that engage reluctant readers are rare, said Jennifer Groff, an elementary school library media specialist. The Christian Science Monitor (5/2)

Foreign languages languish in U.S.; Wales requires bilingualism
As schools in Maine struggle to keep popular Latin programs staffed and North Carolina drops a plan to require foreign language, Wales has for 18 years put bilingual education at the heart of its curriculum. The Boston Globe/Associated Press (free registration) (4/30), The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) (5/2), The Guardian (London) (5/1)

Other News

Oregon graduation projects motivate students
The Oregonian (Portland)/Associated Press (5/1)

"The best single book on the first days of school — The First Six Weeks of School. I give copies to my K-6 teachers now to jump start the new year." Concrete strategies for turning intention into practice. Guidelines, daily lesson plans, sample activities. Click here for details.

Professional Leadership

New Orleans super resigns; outgoing Philly chief expected to take over
New Orleans' state-appointed superintendent Robin Jarvis is stepping down, opening the door for Paul Vallas, who has been rumored to be a top candidate for the position since announcing his plan to resign as Philadelphia's schools chief. Although far smaller than Philadelphia, New Orleans schools offer tremendous challenge: In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the already struggling district faces teacher shortages, looming union issues and pressure to reopen hurricane-damaged schools. The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)/Associated Press (5/1), The Philadelphia Inquirer (5/2), The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)/Associated Press (5/1)

Texas principal demoted over "Bachelor" controversy
Texas elementary school principal Tammie Carpenter, who approved fourth-grade teacher Amber Alchalabi's 22 class days off -- including 10 unpaid -- to tape the reality-television show "The Bachelor," will be demoted and reassigned to another school; no action has been taken against Alchalabi. Two parents expressed displeasure that Alchalabi was missing class, while other parents said they backed Carpenter and her decision. Houston Chronicle (5/2)

Poll: Michigan teacher candidates expect to leave state to work
As Las Vegas and New Orleans struggle to hire enough teachers, most Michigan education students expect to leave their state for the Chicago are or the West Coast to find jobs, according to a new poll. The Lansing State Journal (Mich.) (5/1)

"It isn't often that a book reviewer finds a book so compelling that he or she would pay for it...Deeper Reading is one of those rare gems" (Education Book Reviews). Help your secondary students conquer challenging texts with this collection of classroom-tested comprehension strategies. Click here to read Chapter 1: Why Reading Is Like Baseball.

Technology Solutions

Teleconferencing allows students more access to psychiatrists
Two Illinois schools are making it possible for more students to address mental health issues, by providing high-tech teleconferencing allowing students to meet face-to-face with off-site psychiatrists. The move comes amid findings by experts that more screening of children for mental-health problems can alleviate poor school performance, bullying, depression and other disorders. Quad-City Times (Davenport, Iowa) (4/30), Education Week (5/1)

School administrator blogs draw a crowd
Although few educators have established blogs, principals and superintendents across the country are finding their online journals are great ways to spark community interest and debates on student cell phone use, controversial books, teacher recruitment and cheating. Public comments sometimes get out of hand, frequent updates are required to keep readers interested and blogs must be free of jargon to draw the public in, but educators who blog say the benefits outweigh the risks. Education Week (premium article access compliments of EdWeek.org) (5/1)

More states weigh requiring computer technicians to report child abuse
Connecticut and California are considering bills that may add computer technicians to the list of professionals, including teachers and doctors, who must report signs of child abuse. The measure, already in place in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and South Dakota, would require technicians to report child pornography. The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)/Associated Press (5/1)

...AND NOW IT'S HERE—a tool that helps your teachers reach their below basic and far below basic students. Now those students can make adequate yearly progress, too. Click here to learn more.

Policy Watch

Budget battles heat up across the country
State, county and district budget battles are heating up as educators and their supporters fight to increase or maintain funding. Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm warned that some public schools may have to close early if legislators don't act soon to meet a $200 million shortfall in the state's schools budget. In Maryland, county administrators in Baltimore and Annapolis infuriated school leaders with increases that were smaller than requested. The Detroit News/Associated Press (4/30), The Sun (Baltimore) (5/2), The Washington Post (5/2)

Few Georgia schools offer new state-funded Bible classes
Only a few of Georgia's 180 school districts have so far adopted the state school board's new curriculum for teaching state-funded high school Bible classes, with some fearing costly lawsuits challenging the classes' constitutionality. That fear, however, hasn't slowed lawmakers across the south from offering bills funding similar classes in their own states. CNN/Associated Press (5/2)

U.S. presidential hopefuls eye education plans for developing world
Three U.S. Democratic presidential candidates are advancing initiatives to promote education in the developing world as a matter of national security and not just an anti-poverty goal. U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Tuesday proposed legislation that would spend $10 billion over five years to build classrooms, train teachers and help ensure millions of impoverished children get an education. The initiatives are expected to gain bipartisan support. NYTimes.com (5/2)

In the Field

West Virginia schools sneak nutrition into junk food
The doughnuts, pizza and foods-on-a-stick in West Virginia cafeteria lines may seem to meet students' junk food fantasies, but administrators say they are sneaking nutrition in to keep picky children eating. Cooks sneak soy into hamburgers, substitute applesauce for shortening and make pizza with low-fat cheese and whole grain crusts; nutritionists fear the fake junk food will establish poor eating habits. The Cincinnati Enquirer/Associated Press (5/2)

The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)

"Teachers consistently tell me that AIMS workshops are the best and most useful they have ever attended." (Margaret Johnson, Curriculum Coordinator, El Paso, TX) Custom designed to meet your specific needs and aligned to your state standards, AIMS math and science workshops provide engaging hands-on activities, proven teaching strategies, relevant content knowledge, and higher-order thinking strategies. Contact AIMS Education Foundation for more information.

Attend the McREL Summer 2007 Professional Development series! Choose from among nine sessions held at our training facilities in Denver. Learn how to apply insights from McREL's popular ASCD titles — including Classroom Instruction that Works, Dimensions of Learning, and School Leadership that Works — to design effective curricula, close achievement gaps, improve science instruction, and lead school improvement.

Exit Exam Preparation - Diagnostic Math Solution. Carnegie Learning Math Prep is a research-based course specifically developed to improve performance on high stakes exams. Math Prep incorporates content from multiple curricula and is available in several custom state editions and a National Edition. See how Math Prep can improve test performance.

One third of all new teachers leave the profession within the first three years. Fifty percent of all new teachers leave within their first five years. What are you doing to help your new teachers become highly qualified and fully satisfied with their choice of profession? Join the growing number of districts that have selected Why Didn't I Learn This in College? by Paula Rutherford to provide their new teachers with a strong instructional foundation. Learn More!

Interested in learning more about advertising in ASCD SmartBrief? Contact Joe Riddle at (202) 407-7857 or jriddle@smartbrief.com.

Association News

Call for Research Proposals for the ASCD 2008 Annual Conference
ASCD is now accepting proposals for research sessions for the 2008 Annual Conference & Exhibit Show in New Orleans, La. ASCD is seeking proposals concerning action research, education policy and impact evaluation studies, and research on educational leadership. The deadline for research proposals is June 15, 2007. Find out more.
- 2008 Annual Conference: Find out more.

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