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Betty Atwood - Oldest & Charter Member of Iowa ASCD - Celebrates Her 90th Birthday
Happy Birthday to Betty Atwood! She is the oldest living  member of Iowa ASCD and is a charter member of the organization when it was formed in 1948. If you would like to send her a special greeting, please write to ...
Betty Atwood
4516 62nd Street
Urbandale, IA 50322
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Handle with Care: A Conversation with Maya Angelou
In the latest edition of Educational Leadership, Amy M. Azzam interviewed Maya Angelou about resilience - how do we develop it and how can we instill it in others?
Angelou shares that she is "not sure if resilience is ever achieved alone." While we learn from experience and examples, it is easier to grow resilience when someone loves us - "I don't mean who indulges us, but who loves us enough to be on our side." We are better able to grow belief in self, to grow self-esteem. Angelou reminds us that "It's self-esteem that allows a person to stand up."
 Dignity is key and intertwined with resilience. Angelou defines dignity, not as being stiff and composed, but having "a belief in oneself, that one is worthy of the best. Dignity really means that I deserve the best treatment I can receive. And that I have the responsibility to give the best treatment to other people."
She forces us to dig deep in our own beliefs and actions when she says, "If children are given the chance to believe they're worth something - if they truly believe that, they will insist upon it." Resilience, she says if more than "bouncing back"; it is also "bouncing forward, going beyond what the naysayers say."Her challenge to all educators is that we enter and stay in this profession because "It's your calling. Your responsibility is to care about what they're getting from what you're saying. If you care about the child and care about the information, you'll handle both with care, and maybe with prayer."
You can access an audio excerpt of the interview as well as a summary on the ASCD website.
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Leadership Tip: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing
Several years ago in
School Team Innovator, the National Staff Development Council - now, Learning Forward - reminded us that as we are establishing new teams, task forces, committees, (and, yes, PLCs), there will be predictable stages of development as they move forward to achieve their goals and actions.
We know these stages and even interventions we might use to facilitate each team's movement through the stages as the teams "form, storm, norm, and ultimately perform."
Stage 1: Forming - When groups are organized a number of needs and questions occur. Group members at this stage have high expectations and anxieties about where they fit individually as well as within organizational parameters. Some interventions/supports you might consider as you work with each team include the following:
- Plan icebreakers/opening activities for group gatherings to allow individuals to get to know each other and the work itself. A simple one might be, "Share your name and role in our district and one thing you hope this team accomplishes this year."
- Clarify expectations and desired group outcomes.
- Invite a "ranking official" to provide the "charge" to the team.
- Assign roles or procedures for designated chair, facilitator, recorder, and process observer.
Stage 2: Storming - In this stage, group members "rebel" against each other and often against authority. This is a stage where individual agendas represented are more important than the agenda of the whole team. Members may express disappointment with the lack of progress. They can feel angry about goals, tasks, and action plans. Actions or interventions you might consider include the following:
- Consider a "retreat" to address the feelings and concerns in the group, even if only a couple of hours in length.
- Implement selective abandonment to refocus the group.
- Clarify expectations of behavior among group members in and out of meetings.
- Provide training on consensual building and conflict resolution.
Stage 3: Norming - If groups successfully resolve the storming issues, they arrive at this stage. This is the stage where the whole team's agenda is now more important than the individual agendas represented. Dissatisfaction is replaced by harmony, trust, support, and respect. Group members are more open and willing to provide feedback. Actions to achieve this stage include the following:
- Invite a critical friend to work with the group.
- Monitor and regularly update group norms.
- Plan appropriate celebrations for work accomplished.
- Provide additional training on meeting and group effectiveness.
Stage 4: Performing - This stage describes a highly productive group. Group members work collaboratively and interdependently, show confidence in accomplishing tasks, share leadership responsibilities, and perform substantive work. Actions to assure the "performing" continues include these: 
- Ensure the group continues to learn together.
- Share leadership and task responsibilities.
- Consider strategies for increasing time efficiency.
- Find ways to recognize and promote risk taking.
- Take time to "celebrate" together the work of the team.
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Register Now for the Fall Institute - October 8 - with Nell Duke
Fall Institute - October 8, 2013 - Dr. Nell Duke - "Getting to the Core of K-8 Literacy"
Mark your calendars now for a great day on October 8 with Dr. Nell Duke at Olmsted on the Drake University Campus.
 "Getting to the Core of K-8 Literacy
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Learn how to: - increase student motivation in literacy
- help K-8 students meet the Iowa Core literacy standards
- organize reading and writing around real purposes for kids
When: October 8, 2013 Time: 9:00-3:30 Mark your calendars now! October 8, 2013! Register for the Conference on the Iowa ASCD web site. The fee i  s $120 for members and $165 for non-members. All participants receive the book, Reading and Writing Genre with Purpose in K-8 Classrooms. You can read the first chapter of her book. It will convince you this is a MUST learning opportunity for you to impact your students and their learning. Opportunities for registering include the following: - Register on line at the Iowa ASCD events website.
- Mail a check/purchase order with date/name of conference and names of participants to Bridget A. Arrasmith, Drake University School of Education, 3206 University, Des Moines, IA 50311.
- E-mail a purchase order with name/date of conference and names of participants to Bridget A. Arrasmith at bridget.arrasmith@drake.edu.
- FAX purchase order with name/date of conference and names of participants to Bridget A. Arrasmith at 515.271.2233.
"Nell Duke - a favorite of the State Wide Reading Team!! She shares both practical information on best practices and the  literacy research behind them. You'll come away from the institute with real-world solutions and a deeper understanding of what's needed to bring the Iowa Core standards in reading, writing, and language to life in your classroom." Rita Martens, Iowa Department of Education
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Doctoral Study Focuses on Including Student Voice in Educational Decisions
Iowa curriculum and school leaders might be interested in an Iowa State University Educational Leadership graduate's dissertation spotlighting the need for educators to include the student voice in educational decisions. The interview subjects might surprise you!
Lisa Hill (lisa.hill@ankenyschools.org), currently associate principal at Ankeny High School, interviewed 25 incarcerated  individuals who resided in an Iowa Correctional Facility. Interviewees were selected to represent people known and unknown to the researcher. Hill's study gives a voice to incarcerated individuals for the purpose of understanding their past educational experiences in the areas of academics, personal/social, and career exploration. Each interviewee answered questions focused on each individual's perceptions of his/her K-12 education in regard to academics, personal/social behaviors, and career education experience. The findings identified the importance of including the student voice in the design and implementation of academics, personal/social behavior, and career education to ensure that K-12 students receive the necessary supports, thus possibly reducing their risk of future incarceration.
The study's examination of academics, personal/social behaviors, and career education and the inclusion of the student voice showed that listening to the K-12 student voice in regard to the three components of education can better connect students to their learning. The result is better academic achievement, appropriate personal/social behaviors, and a realization of possible future careers, as well as how students relate to school in general. Ways in which this model can be modified to direct better service of students overall are included in the paper.
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AEA 267 to Host PLC Webinars - Register Now!
 AEA 267 is pleased to announce the upcoming PLC Webinar Series for 2013-14. The outcomes will focus on support for leading PLCs, implementing the Iowa Core within a PLC framework, and how PLCs and the RtI process are connected. These interactive webinars will be facilitated by a team of national experts, local school districts, and AEA staff. National and University presenters include Daniel Venables, executive director of the Center for Authentic PLCs; Douglas Fisher, well known author and professor of educational leadership at San Diego University; and Brian Townsend, Associate Professor of Mathematics at UNI.
- Tuesday, September 24, 3:30 - 4:30: Joe Kramer with "Connecting RtI and PLCs"
- Monday, October 7, 3:30 - 4:30: Daniel Venables with "Essential Tasks of Authentic PLCs - Part 1"
- Monday, October 21, 3:30 - 4:30: Daniel Venables with "Essential tasks of Authentic PLCs - Part 2"
- Thursday, November 7, 3:30 - 4:30: Daniel Venables with "Coaching Authentic PLCs"
- Monday, November 18, 3:30 - 4:30: Joe Kramer with "Digging Deeper into the Iowa Core"
- Tuesday, December 3, 3:30 - 4:30: Doug Fisher with "Using the PLC Structure to Support the Understanding of Iowa Core English Language Arts Shifts"
- Tuesday, January 7, 3:30 - 4:30: Doug Fisher with "Using the PLC Structure to Support the Understanding of Text Dependent Questioning"
- Monday, January 27, 3:30 - 4:30: Doug Fisher with "Using the PLC Structure to Implement the Iowa Core Standards for Writing"
- Tuesday, February 11, 3:30 - 4:30: AEA 267 English Language Arts Team with "Using the PLC Structure to Better Understand Text Dependent Questioning at the Preschool and Intermediate Levels"
- Tuesday, February 25, 3:30 - 4:30: AEA 267 English Language Arts Team with "Using the PLC Structure to Better Understand Writing at the Preschool and Intermediate Levels"
- Tuesday, March 11, 3:30 - 4:30: Brian Townsend with "Using the PLC Structure to Better Understand How to Investigate the Iowa Core in Math"
- Tuesday, April 8, 3:30 - 4:30: Brian Townsend with "Beyond Iowa Core: What Happens in a PLC Math Environment?"
- Monday, April 21, 3:30 - 4:30: Cris Quisley with "Using PLCs to Further the Math Learning of Teachers and Students"
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Iowa ASCD Would Like to Follow You on Twitter
I owa ASCD would like to follow you on Twitter. If you are willing to share your "Twitter Handle" with us, please leave your information on this site or e-mail Lou Howell at L1313@mchsi.com. And, of course, we would welcome your following Iowa ASCD @IowaASCD. We have 1000+ followers and would like to have you join our Twitter Team!
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I owa ASCD seeks to keep you informed about webinars for your  learning and the learning of those with whom you work. Check out the following; many of these support the work in your collaborative time and definitely help with implementation of The Core!
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- Presenter: Mark Barnes, Susan Brookhart, Alex Gonzalez, and Thomas Hoerr
- Provider ASCD
- Date: September 18, 2013; 2:00 - 3:00 P.M.
- Register Free
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Title: Connecting RtI and PLCs
- Presenter: Joe Kramer, AEA 267 Assessment Coordinator
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2013; 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
- Title: Essential Tasks of Authentic PLCs (Part 1)
- Presenter: Daniel Venables, Executive Director of the Center for Authentic PLCs
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Monday, October 7, 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
- Title: Essential Tasks of Authentic PLCs (Part 2)
- Presenter: Daniel Venables, Executive Director of the Center for Authentic PLCs
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Monday, October 21, 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
- Title: Coaching Authentic PLCs
- Presenter: Daniel Venables, Executive Director of the Center for Authentic PLCs
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Thursday, November 7, 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
- Title: Digging Deeper into the Iowa Core
- Presenter: Joe Kramer, AEA 267 Assessment Coordinator
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Monday, November 18, 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
- Title: Using the PLC Structure to Support the Understanding of Iowa Core English Language Arts Shifts
- Presenter: Doug Fisher, Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Tuesday, December 3, 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
- Title: Using the PLC Structure to Support the Understanding of Text Dependent Questioning
- Presenter: Doug Fisher, Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Tuesday, January 7, 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
- Title: Using the PLC Structure to Implement the Iowa Core Standards for Writing
- Presenter: Doug Fisher, Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Monday, January 27, 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
- Title: Using the PLC Structure to Better Understand Text Dependent Questioning at the Preschool and Intermediate Level
- Presenter: AEA 267 English Language Arts Team
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Tuesday, February 11, 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
- Title: Using the PLC Structure to Better Understand Writing at the Preschool and Intermediate Levels
- Presenter: AEA 267 English Language Arts Team
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Tuesday, February 25, 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
- Title: Using the PLC Structure to Better Understand How to Investigate the Iowa Core in Math
- Presenter: Brian Townsend, University of Northern Iowa
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Tuesday, March 11, 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
- Title: Beyond Iowa Core: What Happens in a PLC Math Environment?
- Presenter: Brian Townsend, University of Northern Iowa
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Tuesday, April 8, 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
- Title: Using PLCs to Further the Math Learning of Teachers and Students
- Presenter: Chris Quisley, AEA 267 Math Consultant
- Provider: AEA 267
- Date: Monday, April 21, 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.
- Register Here
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Interested in a Position on the ASCD Board of Directors?
 ASCD's 2013-2014 Nominations Committee will be seeking qualified individuals interested in running for a position on the Board of Directors in 2014. The application process opens on September 1 and closes November 30. Beginning September 1, you can visit www.ascd.org/nominations t |
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Iowa ASCD - Twitter!
Stay current with learning! Follow Iowa ASCD on Twitter! http://twitter.com/#!/IowaASCD |
 Iowa ASCD is the source for developing instructional leadership and translating research into daily practice. Serving more than 900 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 Allan Eckelman Past-President Jason Ellingson President-Elect Kevin Vidergar Membership Information Bridget Arrasmith Secretary Leslie Moore Treasurer (Interim) Lou Howell Members-at-Large Ottie Maxey Becky Martin Sara Oswald Amy Whittington DE Liaison Rita Martens Higher Education Jan Beatty-Westerman Elaine Smith-Bright Advocacy and Influence Pam Armstrong-Vogel Susan Pecinovsky Curriculum Leadership Academy Sue Wood Pam Zeigler Fall Institute Veta Thode Summer Institutes and Grade-Level Conferences Kym Stein Planning Chair Cindy Swanson Technology Chris Welch Membership Relations and E-Learning Amy Wichman Executive Director Lou Howell |
- October 8, 2013
- Iowa ASCD Fall Institute
- "Getting to the Core of K-8 Literacy"
- Presenter: Dr. Nell Duke, Professor - University of Michigan
- Location: Drake University, Olmsted Center
- 9:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.
- Learn how to . . .
- increase student motivation in literacy
- help K-8 students meet the Iowa Core literacy standards
- organize reading and writing around real purposes for kids.
- December 3 and 4, 2013
- Grades 4 and 5 Conferences
- Prairie Meadows in Altoona, IA
- "For and By Teachers"
- February 12, 2014
- Workshop for Advocacy and Influence
- Learn! Plan! Do! - Advocate for Learning with workshop in the morning and "visits on the hill" in the afternoon
- April 9-10, 2014
- Iowa ASCD Curriculum Leadership Academy
- Hilton Garden Inn - Iowa Interstate Exit 129 in Johnston/ Urbandale
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June, 2014
- CBE Conference
- Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, IA
- Get The Source the first and third Friday of each month.
- Join us on Twitter @IowaASCD
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