| News for the Education Profession |  |
- Fewer struggling students graduate under new Mich. standards
Since Michigan adopted a new merit curriculum in 2006, graduation rates among the state's lowest-achieving students has dropped from 49% to 44.5%, according to an analysis released Monday. However, the tougher standards, which focus on math and science, resulted in improved performance on standardized tests for high-achieving students. In some cases, the new standards caused some students in high school to stay beyond four years, according to the Michigan Consortium for Educational Research study. The Detroit News
(10/23)      
- Colo. students are picking Mandarin for a second language
More than 60 Colorado schools are embracing Mandarin as the foreign language of choice for students who say the language will be important in the future. The trend toward Mandarin, the most widely spoken language in the world, represents a departure from when Spanish was the dominant foreign language taught in the schools. "Chinese gives these students a larger horizon in their future lives," said Kuo Li, who teaches Mandarin and Chinese culture to 144 students at Battle Mountain High School in Edwards, Colo. The Denver Post
(10/22)
 | FREE Election Lessons from Mimio
To help make teaching about the upcoming U.S. elections easy for you and fun for your students, Mimio has created a guide with standards-aligned lesson plans and downloadable interactive lessons for K-12 social studies classes. Download your free guide!
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- What is the meaning of true teacher leadership?
 Are teacher-leaders mouthpieces or token voices that are ignored, teacher Anthony Cody wonders in this blog post. Cody writes that teachers asked to "have a seat at the table," should consider why they are being asked and what there is to gain. True teacher leadership, he writes, comes from teachers' ability to organize from the ground up and form relationships with each other. Education Week Teacher/Living in Dialogue blog
(10/20)
 | Free Reading Curriculum Trial for Struggling Readers
Read Live is a comprehensive reading intervention program that focuses on fluency and supports vocabulary and comprehension. Brought to you by Read Naturally, the research-based strategy has over 20-years of proven effectiveness. Try Read Live with your students with a free 60-day trial. |
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| Technology in the Classroom |  |  |
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- Will schools opt for new, smaller iPads?
Apple is expected to unveil a smaller, less-expensive version of its iPad on Tuesday, which could be a boon to cash-strapped school districts. Districts already trending toward tablet computers over more expensive laptops have been told the smaller version of the iPad will cost $249, rather than $499 to $829 for current models. Also, at its unveiling event Tuesday, the company is expected to highlight the device's educational benefits. Bloomberg Businessweek
(10/22)
| The Whole Child | | |
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- Study: Dating-violence prevention should begin in middle school
As early as the seventh grade, 1 in 6 students have reported physical abuse from a partner, according to a study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for Blue Shield of California. The article cites experts in San Bernardino County, Calif., about the problems of teen dating violence and advocates for the introduction of dating education from parents and teachers as early as middle school. "I'm asked many times who's at risk for dating violence, and I tell them everyone. There is no typical victim," said Sheri Dorn, an Upland High School teacher, who includes teaching students about dating violence in her curriculum. San Jose Mercury News (Calif.) (free registration)
(10/21)
| Policy Watch | | |
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- Education enters foreign-policy presidential debate
In the third and final debate between President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney, both presidential candidates on Monday tied the issue of foreign policy to American education, reporter Alyson Klein writes in this blog post. Obama criticized Romney's proposal to cut funding for education in Massachusetts and his assertions that federal funds should not be used to hire teachers. Romney, however, said that role should be left to states and local governments, and touted a successful record of student achievement in Massachusetts. Education Week/Politics K-12 blog
(10/22)
- Fla. governor to announce new vision for education
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is expected to unveil a new plan for education in the state at Thursday's Market Watch Education Summit. The plan, "Colleges and Careers 1st," includes maintaining current levels of funding for education and postponing any changes to standardized testing not related to the adoption of the Common Core State Standards. Scott also is expected to propose offering additional flexibility to students and schools. The News-Press (Fort Myers, Fla.)
(10/23)
| Faculty Lounge | | |
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- Author who was bullied says bullying prevention hinges on listening
Bullying prevention means listening, not just talking, writes author Christopher Lehman, a speaker and senior staff developer at the Teachers College Reading & Writing Project at Columbia University. Lehman writes about his own childhood experiences with bullies and offers some ideas for preventing it. One suggestion, he writes, is to promote the inclusion of personal writing and reading in lessons and to take time to hear what students are saying. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Education
(10/22)
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| The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
STEM focused and brand new from Crystal Springs Books: Engineer Through the Year (Gr. 3-5). Discover a simple 5-step design process and 20 projects that not only challenge your young students to think like engineers, but also fold into your curriculum and tie to your themes and calendar. Available November, 2012. Pre-order by 11/8 to SAVE 10%. 800-321-0401.
Get a rich collection of daily warm-up exercises for grades K-3. Number Sense Routines helps all students build number sense. Dozens of classroom examples illustrate step-by-step how the routines work, how children's number sense develops, and how the routines can easily be incorporated into your current practice. Click here now to preview Chapter 1!
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| ASCD News | | |
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First, discover their strengths
"Despite our best intentions, we've created a system of special education based on deficits," writes Thomas Armstrong, veteran educator and author of the upcoming ASCD book, "Neurodiversity in the Classroom." In his October Educational Leadership article, Armstrong explains and models how the strengths-based neurodiversity perspective can help educators develop differentiated learning environments that enable students with special needs -- be they linked to ADHD, bipolar disorder, dyslexia, autism, Down syndrome -- to flourish. Read on.
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Strengthen your PD program with an ASCD institutional membership
ASCD institutional membership is available to any school or district interested in creating or strengthening its professional-development program. The institutional membership offers educators group access to professional learning tools, publications, online research archives and more. Learn about the specific member benefits associated with this type of ASCD membership and find out how you can use it to grow your professional learning community.
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | Too often man handles life as he does the bad weather. He whiles away the time as he waits for it to stop."
--Alfred Polgar,
Austrian journalist
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| | Recent ASCD SmartBrief Issues:
- Monday, October 22, 2012
- Friday, October 19, 2012
- Thursday, October 18, 2012
- Wednesday, October 17, 2012
- Tuesday, October 16, 2012
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