“Practice and policy must work in concert; together we must make the whole child approach to education a national priority so that each child is ready for meaningful employment, continuing education, and active participation in our global society.” - ASCD Executive Director Gene R. Carter
Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA) recently introduced H. Res. 1093 to make March “National Whole Child Month”. This bill is the first step toward making the whole child approach to education a national priority and ensuring that all children are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged in our schools. Congress is expected to vote on H. Res. 1093 within the next few weeks, and it’s up to us to get involved and help speed its passage!
Take a second to make a difference. In a country where a student drops out of school every 9 seconds and where every 7 seconds a child is bullied on the playground, your simple act of support and solidarity can make a huge difference:
If you believe in whole child education, now’s the time to take action. Visit the Whole Child’s website for more information and resources.
The final rules for the i3 Innovation Fund were released today. Pick up the details and application package here. Registration is now open for pre-application workshops and webinars. As per the i3 registration site, be sure to only register for one of the workshops OR a webinar. (If you’re not in Baltimore, Denver or Atlanta, be sure to secure your spot now at one of the webinars today — capacity is 200 applications.)
Investing in Innovation (i3) Pre-Application Workshops:
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March 19, 2010 - Baltimore, MD |
10:00 am - 2:00 pm |
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March 24, 2010 - Denver, CO |
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
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March 30, 2010 - Atlanta, GA |
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
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Investing in Innovation (i3) Pre-Application Webinars (capacity is 200):
Time March 19, 2010 10:00 am - 2:00 pm webinar
March 24, 2010
10:00 am - 2:00 pm webinar
March 30, 2010
10:00 am - 2:00 pm webinar
Session Date
(Eastern )
Registration
National Middle School Association is recognizing educators at the middle school level who make a difference. Know a dedicated educator who has made a significant difference in the lives of young children? Recognize an individual or team for the following awards:
Distinguished Educator Award
Deadline for nominations: March 15, 2010
Sponsored by the NMSA Foundation, this award recognizes outstanding practitioners in middle level education—those who have made a significant impact on the lives of young adolescents through leadership, vision, and advocacy.
Teams That Make a Difference
Deadline for nominations: April 30, 2010
Sponsored by Pearson and National Middle School Association, this annual program recognizes outstanding teams that work to improve the education and well-being of young adolescents. Teams can be comprised of teachers, administrators, parents, community members, or any combination of these individuals.
Click here for more opportunities to recognize the achievements of educators and students who make a difference.
Another week has gone by, ushering in the month of March! We at CSEE are busy with exciting new projects, such as ongoing professional development, school climate assessment projects, and the planning of our 13th Annual Summer Institute. Here are some interesting links we’ve been passing around the office:
As before, I encourage you to share your knowledge and wisdom — leave a comment, start a dialogue, and ask questions. If you are so inclined, you might want to join CSEE’s Facebook Pages and Twitter feeds. Until next week!
The national statistics about teacher retention are still troubling: one-third of all new teachers leave after three years, while 46% are gone within five years. Attrition has grown by 50% over the past 15 years.
What will keep teachers in our schools? The question is not new. Research and insight from experts in the field have long offered a variety of explanations for teacher to-and-fro, such as: salaries and compensation models; level of education, training and mentoring; NCLB mandates; low funding; perceived level of success in the classroom; and working conditions and support, etc. CSEE’s own work with schools nationwide underscores that social support, professional relationships, and leadership are all integral to whether educators stay or go (as well as, more generally, to perceptions of school success).
This week marked a bevy of fresh insight from the frontlines. On Wednesday, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Scholastic introduced Primary Sources: America’s Teachers on America’s Schools, a report containing findings from more than 40,000 public school teachers across the country. According to the report, supportive leadership is the factor that’s most likely to keep apt educators in the classroom—and it’s more integral to retention than higher salaries or performance pay. While 45% of teachers said that higher salaries are absolutely essential for retaining good teachers, 68% said that it’s absolutely essential to have supportive leadership and 54% said it’s essential to have time to collaborate.
In addition to reflections on the link between retention and leadership are more findings about the needs and effects of teacher climate:
