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Greetings!
Welcome to the end of summer and the start of school. Just as students are getting comfortable with new teachers and classrooms, we are getting to know new comprehensive partner schools (Truesdell Educational Center and Turner at Green Elementary School) and new staff (Catalina Talero - Manager of Foundations and Grants and Renae Ramble - Instruction and Leadership Coach).
This promises to be an exciting year.
We're hearing the word "change" a lot lately, from the presidential candidates who promise a new era in American politics to the city leaders who are working to improve DC schools. So it should come as no surprise that this year there are going to be changes in the Inspired Teaching community as well:
- Starting this month, thirty-eight Inspired Teachers will spend the year doing action research on changes they're making to their practice.
- Four Comprehensive Inspired Teaching Partner Schools are working towards changes in student achievement as they strengthen their instruction and build community.
- Thirty-two teachers will reflect on ways they can change their role in the classroom between now and June thanks to feedback and coaching from our mentors. (Almost double the number of participants since last year!)
- A change in venue for Chocolate Inspiration! (the Embassy of Switzerland) promises even more delicious dessert and plenty of Inspired celebration for hundreds of supporters on February 26, 2009.
And finally, we started off the school year on August 18 with our third annual Inspired Teaching Alumni Conference. Over seventy educators joined us for a day of reflection and rejuvenation around the conference title: "Metamorphosis: Inspired Change."
The Monthly Inspirer will bring you plenty of news about all these "inspired changes" as the school year rolls on.
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In Our Opinion
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Inspired Teaching's Open Letter to the Presidential Candidates In July Inspired Teaching sent a letter to Senators McCain and Obama - urging them to make education a top issue in the campaign and in their presidential agendas. The letter recommended a focus on the following: 1. If our nation is to remain strong and healthy, it is time to establish a higher, and more meaningful, standard for student success.
It is not enough for young Americans to do well on standardized tests
that assess a narrow set of basic skills. Rather, the graduates of our
K-12 system must be prepared to engage fully in civic life. All of our
children deserve a rich, relevant, and rigorous school experience that
prepares them to think critically, demonstrate understanding, solve
complex problems, and apply their learning to the challenges facing our
communities. 2. A higher goal for students requires a new role for teachers.
It is time to redefine the role of the teacher in the United States
from deliverer of facts to developer of future citizens in our
democracy. Redefining the role of the teacher will require rethinking
our policies and practices in the areas of teacher recruitment,
preparation, and evaluation. The effectiveness of an excellent teacher
cannot and should not be measured by credentials or test scores alone.
Rather, teacher quality policies for a strong democracy will encourage
fresh approaches to evaluating what matters: the quality of actual
classroom instruction, and impact of that instruction on students'
abilities to be active, productive citizens. Click here to read the full letter.
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ITEMS OF NOTE
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 Inspired Teaching Alumni Conference
On August 18, over
70 Inspired Teachers gathered to celebrate "Metamorphosis: Inspired
Change" at the 2008 Inspired Teaching Alumni Conference. They came
together to be rejuvenated before the start of the school year and to
identify the changes they will make in their classrooms. We have created a resource page based on the ideas and activities generated during the conference. Check it out!
Inspired Teaching Featured in Math Magazine
Dr. Julie Sweetland (Senior Research Associate) and Meghann Fogarty (Research Assistant) co-authored an article about the way Inspired Teaching engages teachers in an exploration of math instruction. "Prove it!: Engaging Teachers as Learners to Enhance Conceptual Understanding" is the cover article in the September Issue of Teaching Children Mathematics. Click here for a version of the text.
 Save the Date: February 26, 2009
Chocolate Inspiration!
The date is set for our next celebration of all things Inspired and covered in chocolate. Mark your calendars and start dreaming about the Embassy of Switzerland and an evening of delectable desserts.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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Inspired Teaching Institute  Fall Practicum Sessions
When:4:30-7:30pm Sept. 16, Oct. 7, Oct. 21
Where:Thurgood Marshall Center 1816 12th St., NW, Washington, DC, 20009
Who: If you took the Inspired Teaching Institute this summer the course continues throughout the year. We look forward to seeing you at these practicum sessions where we'll continue the good work we started in June and July!
Register Today for our Upcoming Courses
Call Kaneia Mayo 202.462.1956 (online registration available soon)
Each seminar costs $125 but we are now offering group discounts. Seminars are held at Inspired Teaching. See our website for details.
Teachers as Researchers: Action Research in your Classroom
4:30pm - 7:30pm · Mondays: Oct. 6, 20, 27 Nov. 3, 17, Dec. 1, 15, 2008 Jan. 12, 26, Feb. 9, 2009
Pre-requisite:
Inspired Teaching Institute (or permission of instructor) With the
guidance of Inspired Teaching's educators and other Inspired Teachers,
take your instruction to the next level by engaging in an in-depth
study and analysis of your classroom. Over the course of several
months, choose a particular subject in your classroom on which to focus
(i.e. discipline system, centers, a specific student, assessment) and
using action research, determine what is working and what isn't - then
develop a plan to improve your effectiveness.
Differentiating Language Arts Instruction
4:30pm - 7:30pm · Tuesdays and Thursdays: Oct. 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30, Nov. 4, 6, 2008
Learn
to challenge each of your students with meaningful, relevant and
interesting language arts activities. Practice modifying your content,
teaching process, and assessment products to meet students' interests,
readiness, and learning styles. Throughout this course you will work
with other teachers to create a fully differentiated unit that can be
implemented immediately in your classroom.
Making Math Developmentally Appropriate
4:30pm - 7:30pm · Wednesdays: Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26, Dec. 3, 2008
In
schools children are sometimes expected to think like adults when they
are developmentally incapable of doing so. Explore the child
development theories of Piaget and Vygotsky and how children construct
knowledge - with a particular focus on mathematical concepts. Using
current math standards, develop practical and developmentally
appropriate methods for providing math instruction which use
manipulatives and real-life experiences to develop math knowledge and
skill at any grade level.
Teacher Advisory Board Meeting
When: Wednesday, Sept. 24 from 5-7pm
Where: Center for Inspired Teaching, 1436 U St. NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20009
What: Spend a few hours with fellow Inspired Teachers eating dinner, giving the organization feedback, and listening to guest speakers talk about ways to make everyday instruction relevant to the lives of our students.
RSVP by September 23 to Griffin or Jenna 202.462.1956
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Center for Inspired Teaching is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that exists to ensure schools make the most of children's innate desire to learn. We do this by investing in teachers. Please visit our website to learn more about our philosophy, programs, and results.
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