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May 1, 2007

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News for the Education Profession

Eye on Curriculum

Shortage of Chinese teachers has some turning to Skype
Some educators are turning to Skype's Voice-over-Internet Protocol software to connect with tutors and language schools in China, as the demand for Mandarin classes far outpaces the number of language teachers. "For teaching daily conversation, Skype is very, very good," said Stephanie Xu, a tutor in Beijing who charges $10.35 for an hour-long Skype session. InfoWorld/IDG News Service (4/30)

Physical education seeks to revolutionize curriculum
The blood-pumping video game Dance Dance Revolution is expected to become part of the physical-education curriculum in more than 1,500 schools by the end of the decade, as P.E. instructors work to revitalize a dying curriculum. NYTimes.com (4/30)

Educator risked her life to teach Afghan girls, women
With as many as 99% of Afghans in some regions having never attended school, one determined woman risked her life to run underground classes during the Taliban administration and is now trying to find more U.S. support for the country's fledgling education system. San Francisco Chronicle (4/29)

High school students glimpse life of refugees: A Seattle-area classroom exercise was designed to simulate the experiences of recent refugees from Afghanistan, the Ukraine and Somalia. The Seattle Times (5/1)

Connect and collaborate at a website just for you!
Looking for ongoing support to advance your professional learning community? Your search ends here. Join fellow PLC practitioners online at www.allthingsplc.info, an interactive website where you can exchange ideas, post success stories, and locate schools and districts similar to your own. All information, no commerce. Visit today!

Professional Leadership

Editorial: L.A. teachers must be paid on time
Los Angeles teachers have gone too long without regular pay, after a new $95 million software system launched to manage payroll turned out to be rife with glitches, writes the Los Angeles Times editorial board. For 13 weeks, the 78,000 employees of the "famously dysfunctional district" have been receiving too little, too much or no check at all, the editorial says. Los Angeles Times (5/1)

Hayward teachers accept 11% raise over two years
Hayward teachers voted overwhelmingly to accept an 11% raise over two years, ending a 10-day strike that prompted thousands of students to boycott class. San Francisco Chronicle (4/27)

California teachers stick to contractual workday in protest: Protracted contract negotiations in San Diego-area Carlsbad schools have prompted teachers, beginning Monday, to stick to a 7.5-hour workday, no longer grading homework, preparing lessons or volunteering at school events outside their contractual workday, said Laura Bowen, president of the Carlsbad teachers union. San Diego Union-Tribune (4/28)

Tired of literacy conferences that feel like cattle calls? Treat yourself to a Choice Literacy summer workshop for K-6 coaches in a lovely locale. Topics include literacy coaching basics, ELL needs, the fourth-grade slump, and assessment. Print resources and DVDs for leading workshops back home provided. Space is limited. Click here for details.

Technology Solutions

Educators turn to technology to block cell phones
Thanks to a three-year-old Florida law specifically allowing students to bring cell phones to school, students are increasingly using them to interrupt class, cheat on tests, videotape fights and bully each other, school officials say. Some schools are looking to devices that scramble phone signals. The Ledger (Lakeland, Fla.)/New York Times Regional Media Group (4/29)

Teacher candidate whose MySpace page cost her degree sues
When Millersville University student Stacy Snyder added a picture of herself wearing a pirate hat and hoisting a cup at a Halloween party to her MySpace page, she never imagined it would end in a federal lawsuit. The dean of the School of Education accused Snyder of promoting underage drinking with the photo, captioned "Drunken Pirate," and on the eve of graduation said she would not be granted her education degree nor her teaching certificate, according to the lawsuit. CNN/Associated Press (4/29)

Other News

Google making education data more accessible in four states
The Sacramento Bee (Calif.) (free registration) (4/30)

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Policy Watch

New York school allegedly tampered with state exit exams
Long Island's Uniondale school district is under investigation for alleged test fraud, including tampering with exams required for graduation, state and local officials said. School officials expressed anguish about the situation; state officials said students would not be affected unless they were found culpable as well. Newsday (Long Island, N.Y.) (subscription required) (4/28)

Utah anti-voucher campaign sets record
Signatures of 124,218 opponents of Utah's new voucher law were verified, setting a record and marking the first successful referendum petition in 33 years. Utah's governor says he would set the election for Feb. 5, 2008, the day of Utah's presidential primary election. The Deseret News (Salt Lake City) (5/1)

Houston schools consider modeling successful charters
Houston schools are considering copying the model of charter schools with longer class days, parental contracts and optimistic teachers. It can be difficult for large districts to make big changes, but school officials are considering incremental changes, such as a longer school day. Houston Chronicle (4/29)

Other News

Former principal accused of theft will repay $30,000
San Diego Union-Tribune (4/29)

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In the Field

Data-driven models highlight individual progress, gaps
Detroit-area teachers piloting a program that uses individual student data to track and perhaps improve student achievement find the model a tantalizing way to compare results and spot curriculum weaknesses and strengths. But in Baltimore, where the model was introduced in 2001, some educators find the model disquieting: Despite years of attempted reform, the achievement gap remains between black and Hispanic students attending high-performing schools. The Washington Post (5/1), Detroit Free Press (4/29)

New criticisms of abstinence-only education arise
As Colorado's governor considers signing legislation that would require schools to teach "science-based" facts about sexually transmitted diseases and contraceptives, a Columbia University pediatrician detailed what he calls "misleading" and "scientifically inaccurate" information in federal abstinence-only curriculum. The ACLU and two nonprofits again asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to correct the errors regarding the effectiveness of condoms. The Seattle Times/The Washington Post (4/29), Fort Collins Coloradoan (Colo.) (4/30)

The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)

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The US Department of Education What Works Clearinghouse released its evaluation of national character education programs. Out of 70+ programs reviewed, only Positive Action was able to improve both academics and behavior. No other program showed "Positive effects" in even one of these categories. Discover more reasons to make this dynamic program part of your school.

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

Association News

A New Compact for Learning: The Time Is Now
Sadly, today's debate over education reform has divided children's learning along different axes rather than tightening the alignment and connections of its component parts. This month's "Is it Good for the Kids?" editorial spotlights ASCD's Whole Child Education initiative and report, The Learning Compact Redefined: A Call to Action, which calls for meeting the needs of the whole child through a balanced curriculum that links health needs with learning expectations to ensure fair and comprehensive assessments. Read more.
- Also Available: See the Whole Child Web site.

Learn more about ASCD ->


Chief Operations Officer	Houston Independent School District	Houston, TX
Curriculum Development Director	Human Kinetics	Champaign, IL
Asst./Assoc./Full Professor - Administration and Supervision	CUNY Hunter College	New York, NY
Director of Research and Accountability	Connections Academy	Baltimore, MD
Principal/School Director	Capistrano Connections Academy	San Clemente, CA
Director, Public Information	Tacoma Public Schools	Tacoma, WA
Executive Director, Technology Services	Tacoma Public Schools	Tacoma, WA
Director, Curriculum and Instruction	Tacoma Public Schools	Tacoma, WA
Assistant Superintendent, Program and Learning Support	Tacoma Public Schools	Tacoma, WA
Assistant Superintendent, K-12 Learning	Tacoma Public Schools	Tacoma, WA
Assistant Principal	Oregon Connections Academy	Scio, Oregon
Principal/School Director	Oregon Connections Academy	Scio, Oregon
Principal/School Director	Nevada Connections Academy	Reno, Nevada
Principal---Upcoming Career/Networking Event!	Chicago Public Schools	Chicago, IL
Content and Curriculum Specialist	AccuWeather, Inc.	Ft. Washington, PA

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--Linda Chandler,
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