CHALK TALK

                                                                               MAY 2011

IN THIS ISSUE 

New Video: "CLASS Project: Introduction to the Teacher Incentive Fund grant"    


Cradle to Career


Legislative Push


BPI Parent Symposium


Our Voices, Our Schools







 

 

Oregonian Op-Ed

 

 

Chalkboard, Stand for Children and the Oregon Business Association call for Oregon legislators to take action on meaningful education reforms.

 

"Upgrading Oregon's schools: Class isn't dismissed, legislators, so finish your work" 

We are all grappling with the reality that the budget for the next biennium adds up to tough times for Oregon schools. But there are measures languishing in the Capitol that could be the beginning of better things to come despite economic restraints -- if they could ever see the light of day. Read More

 

  

ChalkBloggers Highlights

 

 

Check out some of the blog posts from this month. 

 

 "The Upside of Teaching at a Low SES School" 

Jennifer Singleton  

My seven-year teaching career has taken me to five different schools in the Portland metro area. Most of them, including my current school, have had low socio-economic status (SES)...I choose to teach in  a difficult school beause for me, the rewards outweigh the challenges. Read More

 


"From High Tech Exec to Unemployed Teacher: Suggestions to Make Teaching a Feasible Second Career in Oregon" 

Merry Ann Moore

At age 49, my husband Rob Corrigan just completed his dual Master's degree and Oregon teacher certification program...But Rob is unlikely to get a public school job anytime soon, having gained certification at the time of greatest economic distress since the Depression, a period of historic budget cutbacks in statehouses everywhere. Read More 

 

  

 "The Invisible Elephant in the Room: Student Ability and Achievement" 

Ruth Wallin

Children vary in cognitive ability. This is readily apparent in schools. Yet the impact of cognitive differences on learning outcomes is rarely, if ever, taken into account by education reformers. 

Read More 

 

 

"Five Years in the Making: Is This the Pivotal Moment When Real Education Reform Happens in Oregon?" 

Todd Jones

As an educator I've heard a lot of talk over the years about change and improving outcomes for our students, but it feels different this year. Real change may actually be in the air, and there are new coalitions of stakeholders in the field of education that seem to be making it real. Here's what I am seeing..."  Read More 

 

 

"Moving Out of Gridlock" 

Doug Wells

With much of the education and political news grim, with gridlock and pettiness the norm-how are we to move forward? How do we move past the wringing of hands and gain or re-gain our belief that we can do this? I have two suggestions. Read More 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings!


The school year is winding down and spring looks like it might be here to stay. There are certainly challenges ahead of us as school districts struggle with financial realities, but there are also opportunities and hope. The CLASS Project school districts are creating innovative, dynamic plans to support effective instruction and raise student achievement. If you are looking for inspiration, check out the video below.

New Video: "CLASS Project: Introduction to the Teacher Incentive Fund grant"

"It is an absolute given that if a teacher is improving their practice, students will do better in school..." -Kim Fandi�o, Lebanon School District

Watch the video, learn more about CLASS and the TIF grant, be inspired...

CLASS video
Cradle to Career

After the first meeting of the Cradle to Career Council in April, the program will soon begin implementing many of its goals and strategies to support the achievement of Oregon children from birth through adulthood. Based on the Strive Partnership of more than 300 organizations in and around Cincinnati, the Portland program brings together the mayor and representatives from government, higher education, all eight Multnomah County School Districts, and community organizations (including Chalkboard) to work toward five benchmarks of growth and success through childhood: be prepared for school, be supported inside and outside school, succeed academically, enroll in postsecondary education or training, and graduate and enter a career.

 

We are excited to see the work progress, and hope to see educator effectiveness prioritized as a key strategy for strengthening schools in Portland and helping our students succeed in academics and in life.

 

For more details about the Cradle to Career framework, see the full 2010 Report to the Community.

Legislative Push

As we near the end of the school year, we also near the end of the legislative session. Chalkboard's priority bills to improve teaching and learning in Oregon are still sitting in the Ways and Means Committee. Both SB 252 and SB 290 received public hearings, but we need your help to ensure they make it out of committee. 


Write to your legislators and let them know that Oregon can do more to provide educators with the support and tools they need to do their best work for every student. 
BPI Parent Symposium

The Black Parent Initiative is hosting its 2nd annual Parent Symposium on Saturday, June 18, this year focusing on "Breaking the Cycle - Releasing the Dream." It's a great opportunity for parents to be empowered to support their children's academic success, and this year adds a special track for teachers and district staff. Dr. Phillip Jackson of the Black Star Project will present on strategies for educators to better support parental engagement and increase student achievement. The day will also feature keynote speaker Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu, free brunch, refreshments and childcare, and community art and vendors. 

 

Save the date with the BPI event flyer.

Our Voices, Our Schools 
After dedicating much of her teaching and research career to exploring and supporting the language, literacy and education of culturally diverse children and families, Dr. Esperanza De La Vega is the new coordinator of the Bilingual Teacher Pathway (BTP) program at Portland State's Graduate School of Education. We asked her to tell us about the unique role the program serves for local schools. 

What is the primary mission of the Bilingual Teacher Pathway program?  
The Bilingual Teacher Pathway (BTP) program is a career ladder teacher preparation program designed to fill critical shortages of bilingual/bicultural teachers in the greater Portland area by recruiting bilingual paraprofessionals from the local school districts. With two distinct pathways (undergraduate and graduate), the BTP program is aligned with Portland State University's vision to engage the community and with the Graduate School of Education's vision for preparing professionals to meet our diverse communities' life-long educational needs.  

The partnership with school districts in the region is uniquely focused on preparing bilingual teachers, who can return to their district to teach in their own community. Teacher candidates graduating from the BTP program often have strong relationships with the broader community in their school or district. This link is particularly beneficial when a district is working to meet the needs of their culturally and linguistically diverse students through strong school/family/community outreach programs.

Who qualifies for the BTP program, and how are participants recruited? 
All applicants must be bilingual paraprofessionals employed and supported by a partner school district and are recruited through liasons from those districts. Candidates must have a minimum of 90 college credits, must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States, and must meet university admission requirements. 

As bilingual paraprofessionals, BTP teacher candidates have a strong understanding about the educational processes that second language learners go through and often serve as "role models" and mentors to children and youth. One of the BTP program's unique features is that it builds upon the teacher candidates bilingual/bicultural background and incorporates coursework into the program, so that they not only obtain their initial teaching license, but also their ESL/Bilingual Endorsement upon graduation.

What do you find to be the most valuable aspect of the program?
As the new BTP program coordinator at PSU, this first year I have discovered many wonderful aspects of the program! For example, there are over 230 BTP graduates who are now working as bilingual teachers and educational leaders in the region. Having been in existence for over 12 years, the BTP program has an excellent reputation for preparing strong, qualified bilingual teachers and a history of working collaboratively with school districts to meet their need for bilingual teachers. 

I was pleased to find that the teacher candidates in the BTP program are as culturally and linguistically diverse as the students they serve. For example, out of the 30 currently enrolled, two are native Chinese speakers, one is a native Japanese speaker, one is a Napali speaker, one is a native Bulgarian speaker who also speaks Russian, three are native Russian speakers, and 14 are native Spanish speakers, while the remaining 8 acquired Spanish as their second language.  

I have been deeply moved by the BTP teacher candidates' advocacy and commitment to serving English learners in their schools. We often speak of promoting social justice and equity in our educational system, but with the BTP students, I see it is already a part of their core beliefs and life experiences. They are a great treasure and a rich resource for Oregon's educational system.