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Iowa ASCD Web Site - Digging Deeper into Great Resources
Be sure to check out Iowa ASCD's newest website. Chris Welch, Iowa ASCD Director of Technology, reminds us to "touch the green" and you have access to the great resources.
We all want to advocate for students and their learning. Check out the Advocacy/Influence Rubric to determine the level of your advocacy skills and then join us in learning new skills with our Advocacy Team.
You are the experts! Share with us the web sites that are important to your content area. Check out math resources as you implement the Iowa Core in your district. Approaches to Learning
All of us have different and often multiple roles in supporting the learning of Iowa students. Check out the resources especially for high school principals, including the National High School Center. 
In addition to these resources, here are a few other "connections" for you: - Blogs: Share your comments on the blogs provided. If interested in being a guest blogger, contact Chris Welch or Lou Howell.
- Calendar of Events: Do you have conferences that need to be added to our calendar. Just let Chris or Lou know.
- Past Editions of The Source Looking for your back issues of The Source or a summary of the Governor's Summit. They are all here.
And you can even renew your membership with Iowa ASCD online. Enjoy! And let us know "your take" with the new web site. |
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"The Challenge of Challenging Text"
 In this important Educational Leadership article, Timothy Shanahan, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey share that when teachers understand what makes texts complex, they can better support their students in reading them.
These authors identify the following factors that affect readers' ability to understand text.
- Vocabulary
- Sentence Structure
- Coherence
- Organization
- Background Knowledge
So what can teachers do about text complexity? Read this article and learn how to . . .
- Build Skills
- Establish Purpose
- Foster Motivation and Persistence
"Gone are the days when text was judged as difficult solely on the basis of sentence length and word count. We now know that many factors affect text complexity." And we no longer have to "rely on intuition to figure out which books our students can handle. Instead, teachers can select texts worthy of instruction and align their instructional efforts to ensure that all their students read complex, interesting, and important texts.
Take a good look at "The Challenge of Challenging Text."
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What Makes Good Teachers Good? A Cross-Case Analysis of the Connection Between Teacher Effectiveness and Student Achievement
James H. Strong, Thomas J. Ward, and Leslie W. Grant shared in What Makes Good Teachers Good? the measurable impact that individual teachers have on student achievement. The purposes of this study were, first, to examine the impact that teachers had on student learning and, then, to examine the instructional practices and behaviors of effective teachers. Dimensions of Teacher Effectiveness that make a difference include the following: - Instructional Delivery
- Instructional differentiation
- Instructional focus on learning
- Instructional clarity
- Instructional complexity
- Expectations for student learning
- Use of technology
- Questioning
- Student Assessment
- Assessment for understanding
- Feedback
- Learning Environment -
- Classroom management
- Classroom organization
- Behavioral expectations
- Personal Qualities
- Caring, positive relationships with students
- Fairness and respect
- Encouragement of responsibilities
- Enthusiasm
Check out the full version at http://jte.sagepub.com/content/62/4/339 |
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About Iowa ASCD . . . The Source for Educational Leadership
Iowa ASCD is the source for developing instructional leadership. Serving more than 750 educators - teachers, principals, superintendents, directors of curriculum, technology specialists, college professors, AEA staff - Iowa ASCD strives to develop the collaborative capacity to impact the learning of each and every student in Iowa.
Iowa ASCD - "translating information into daily practice"
- Has a membership of more than 790 members.
- Publishes The Source the first and third Friday of each month with special editions based on interests and needs of the membership. See special editions on serving the gifted, writing, RtI, parent engagement, and the role of the curriculum director.
- Works with state and national legislators, the Iowa Department of Education, and education partners and committees to inform and influence state and national education policy.
- Sponsors throughout the year conferences, institutes, and other professional development opportunities that share best practices.
- Provides the Iowa ASCD Curriculum Leadership Academy, developing the capacity of systems to increase student learning.
- Features both summer and fall institutes to keep educators responsible for curriculum, instruction, and assessment "on the cutting edge."
- Includes opportunities for members' participation on numerous Iowa ASCD committees.
 Iowa ASCD
Our agenda is education. Our nonprofit organization represents all aspects of public and nonpublic education from the classroom to the boardroom, from early childhood education through the university levels. While some organizations represent specific or singular interests in education, Iowa ASCD's membership is broader and more encompassing. We are at the forefront of learning and teaching.
We know what works.
We know how children learn based on more than 60 years of evidence from educators in all job roles. Our professional association prides itself on our in-depth knowledge of best educational practices. We care about what is good for kids, and when it comes to education, we can provide insight and knowledge to help improve education for all learners.
We want to help.
Iowa ASCD is a state affiliate of ASCD, one of the largest education associations worldwide. We share research and evidence-based information and perspectives. Contact us to discuss education issues and policy or to get trusted information on education. We are Iowa's educators, we know what works and we want to help.
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Must Read! "The Effective Principal: Five Pivotal Practices that Shape Instructional Leadership" The Wallace Foundation released in April its latest report, focused on effective principals - those who "know what good and effective instruction looks like so they can provide feedback to guide teachers."
The five pivotal practices identified are the following:
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Shaping a vision of academic success for all students,
one based on high standards;
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Creating a climate hospitable to education in order
that safety, a cooperative spirit, and other foundations
of fruitful interaction prevail;
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Cultivating leadership in others so that teachers and
other adults assume their part in realizing the school
vision;
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Improving instruction to enable teachers to teach at
their best and students to learn at their utmost; and
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Managing people, data and processes to foster school
improvement.
"When principals put each of these elements in place - and in harmony - principals stand a fighting chance of making a real difference for students."
Check it out!
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"The Myth of the Culture of Poverty"
Paul Gorski shares in this ASCD article that "there is no such thing as a culture of poverty. Differences in values and behaviors among poor people are just as great as those between poor and wealthy people."
He addresses the following myths and "the reality" in his article:
- Myth: Poor people are unmotivated and have weak worth ethics.
- Myth: Poor people are linguistically deficient.
- Myth: Poor people tend to abuse drugs and alcohol.
 "The myth of a 'culture of poverty' distracts us from a dangerous culture that does exist - the culture of classism. This culture continues to harden in our schools today. It leads the most well intentioned of us . . . into low expectations for low-income students. It makes teachers fear their most powerless pupils. And, worst of all, it diverts attention from what people in poverty do have in common: inequitable access to basic human rights."
Read "The Myth of the Culture of Poverty" to learn how to deal with this deficit theory.
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Iowa ASCD - Twitter!
Stay current with learning! Follow Iowa ASCD on Twitter! http://twitter.com/#!/IowaASCD |
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Iowa ASCD is the source for developing instructional leadership. Serving more than 790 educators - teachers, principals, superintendents, directors of curriculum, technology specialists, college professors, AEA staff - Iowa ASCD strives to develop the collaborative capacity to impact the learning of each and every student in Iowa.
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Iowa ASCD Contacts President Leslie Moore President-Elect Jason Ellingson Past President Julie Davies Membership Information Bridget Arrasmith Secretary Marcia Tweeten Treasurer Julie Davies Members-at-Large Julie Grotewold Bart Mason Cindy Swanson Kevin Vidergar DE Liaison Eric Neessen Higher Education Jan Beatty-Westerman Elaine Smith-Bright Communications Editor This position is now open. Leadership Council (ASCD) Pam Armstrong-Vogel Susan Pecinovsky Curriculum Leadership Academy Sue Wood Fall Institute Kelly Adams Summer Institutes & Planning Chair Cindy Swanson Technology Chris Welch Membership Relations and E-Learning Amy Wichman Executive Director Lou Howell |
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