JUNE 2003 MIDDLE GRADES NEWSLETTER
1. Cultural Challenge
2. Technology and Middle School Social Studies
3. "NCLB: Conspiracy, Compliance, Or Creativity?"
4. Prayer Policy in Public Schools
5. Supporting Successful Middle Schools
6. Standards and Assessment Updates
7. CAHSEE Evaluation
8. Youth and Technology Readiness
9. Technology Toolkit
10. Computer Use and Ergonomics
11. "Beyond Islands of Excellence"
12. "Peter Senge on Organizational Learning"
13. New Report on Public Attitude Toward Schools
14. Communities Organize to Help Reform Schools
15. Strategies to Attract and Retain High Quality Teachers
16. "A Community Action Guide to Teacher Quality"
17. Quality Out-Of-School Time Activities
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1. CULTURAL CHALLENGE
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Writer Steven Knipp discusses the 2003 Black Saga Competition for
middle grades students in his article "Cultural Challenge" (Teacher
Magazine, May 2003). For six months, teams of middle school
students from 50 schools studied more than 800 questions about
the African American experience from the 1500s through the present
day. Topics ranged from geography, economics, and politics to art,
sports and music. The final round of this academic quiz was
sponsored by University of Maryland Professor Charles M. Christian
and was held this spring at the university. The article also shares
ways for schools to become involved in the 2004 competition.
http://www.teachermagazine.org/tmstory.cfm?slug=07challenge.h14
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2. TECHNOLOGY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES
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Meridian, the middle school computer technologies journal, highlights
the "Usage of Instructional Technology in Teaching Middle School
Social Studies" in its Winter 2003 issue. New standards for the
application of technology in instruction have been developed by
The International Society of Technology in Education and the National
Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. Finding that 73%
of all social studies classrooms use at least one form of computer-
based instruction strategy, the study gathers data from teachers and
students about their insights.
http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2003/instruct_tech/
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3. NCLB: CONSPIRACY, COMPLIANCE, OR CREATIVITY?
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Distinguished Senior Fellow of the National Staff Development
Council, Hayes Mizell, spoke to educators at a spring staff
development conference about the "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB)
legislation. In his address, "NCLB: Conspiracy, Compliance, or
Creativity?" (April 25, 2003), Mizell warns administrators not to
become "de facto compliance officers and forfeit their roles as
education leaders." His suggestion is to "view NCLB from 30,000
feet . . . from that distance [educators] can see the outline of
excellence and equity otherwise obscured by the law's details."
Mizell also suggests that educators use NCLB to creatively hold
their school districts and state departments of education to
standards of performance that exceeds legal requirements.
http://www.middleweb.com/HMnclb.html
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4. PRAYER POLICY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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School districts are being threatened with the loss of federal monies
if they can't prove that they have implemented policies that allow
students to pray in school. CNN.com (May 13, 2003) reports "For the
first time, federal law requires school districts to prove that they
have no policy stifling court-protected prayer by students or
teachers." California is one of the many states that have reported
school districts out of compliance.
http://fyi.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/05/13/school.prayer.ap/index.html
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5. SUPPORTING SUCCESSFUL MIDDLE SCHOOLS
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The National Middle School Association recommends that middle level
schools address seven basic concepts in order to develop young
adolescents who have strong academic skills as well as personal
qualities needed to be successful adults. These recommendations
(May 2003) include: Engaging every middle level student in
meaningful and challenging curriculum; providing teachers and
administrators who are specifically prepared and committed to working
with young adolescents; offering on-going professional development
for all middle level faculty and staff; using strategies that promote
quality student learning; making decisions based on data that goes
beyond single test results; emphasizing the key role of parents and
families; and building connections with the community to expand and
enhance educational opportunities.
http://www.nmsa.org/services/msen/articles/article5.htm
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6. STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENT UPDATES
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The Standards and Assessment Division of the California Department of
Education regularly posts the latest information about each state
assessment program. This includes updates on all of the STAR
assessments - California Standards Tests (CSTs), CAT6,
SABE2, and the California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA) -
as well as CAHSEE, CELDT, GSE, NAEP, Physical Fitness, CHSPE, and
GED.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/misc/updates.html
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7. CAHSEE EVALUATION
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Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO), the independent
evaluator contracted by the State Superintendent of Public
Instruction, released a report focusing on the requirement of passing
the CAHSEE as a condition for graduation. This report includes, but
is not limited to, the following three findings: 1) The development
of the CAHSEE meets all of the professional testing standards for use
as a graduation test. 2) The CAHSEE has led to increased coverage of
the California Content Standards at the high school and middle school
levels. 3) Many initial and remedial courses only have limited
effectiveness in helping students master required standards. Based
on the information in this study, the State Board of Education may
defer the CAHSEE graduation requirement. By law this decision must
be made on or before August 1, 2003.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/cahsee/eval/AB1609/index.html
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8. YOUTH AND TECHNOLOGY READINESS
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The Children’s Partnership has published a fact sheet entitled "21st
Century Literacy in the United States: Youth and Technology
Readiness." The report notes that "digital technology is reshaping
how young people learn, communicate and prepare for their work
and civic future." It notes that not every student is prepared to
use this technology effectively. The fact sheet highlights the
condition of the nation as well as each of the states.
http://www.childrenspartnership.org/youngamericans/factsheet.html
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9. TECHNOLOGY TOOLKIT
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The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA)
has developed an online "National Leadership Toolkit: Helping States
to Implement No Child Left Behind" that brings together research and
best practice regarding technology literacy. Included in this
toolkit are criteria for assessing both technology literacy and the
quality of the technology program. Key strands of the Toolkit
include: Scientifically Based Research, Technology Literacy
Assessment, Common Data Elements, Evaluating Effective Teaching
and the National Education Technology Plan. While this toolkit is
designed with states in mind, there are excellent resources for both
districts and schools to consider.
http://www.setda.org/nli2002/CD/index.htm
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10. COMPUTER USE AND ERGONOMICS
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"Make Johnny Sit Up Straight" by author Katie Dean (Wired News,
May 14, 2003) notes that children are spending more time in front of
computers. Experts have warned of the health risks of poor seating
and poor posture as well as repetitive motion while using computers,
and Dean reports on some of the studies that are beginning to focus
on the impact of computers and student health.
http://www.wired.com/news/school/0,1383,58826,00.html
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11. “BEYOND ISLANDS OF EXCELLENCE”
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The Learning First Alliance has published "Beyond Islands of
Excellence: What Districts Can Do to Improve Instruction and
Achievement in All Schools." The report includes case studies of
five high poverty school districts and how they used district wide
practices to improve student achievement.
http://www.learningfirst.org/bie/bie.html
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12. “PETER SENGE ON ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING”
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In an interview with organizational learning expert, Peter Senge,
author Amelia Newcomb highlights Senge’s opinions about how well
schools and districts exemplify organization learning. "Peter Senge
on Organizational Learning" (School Administrator, May 2003)
highlights a major key point, "Kids learn in schools that learn."
Changes in organizational learning begin with groups of educators
who come together with some basic principles on which they agree,
and use processes to create new meaning from the school environment
and the needs of the students.
http://www.aasa.org/publications/sa/2003_05/SengeQ&A.htm
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13. NEW REPORT ON PUBLIC ATTITUDE TOWARD SCHOOLS
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"Where We are Now: 12 Things You Need to Know About Public Opinion
and Public School" is a report on surveys of public and educator
opinions about public schools by the Public Agenda. There are a
number of highlights from the report. While public support for high
academic standards and school accountability remain high there is
growing discontent within the educational community about the
pressures on school employees. While both parents and educators
agree that standardized tests are useful, some say that they are
overemphasized. Employers and college professors have a very
different view of high school graduates than do parents and teachers.
Few parents, educators, or students "see high schools as places of
respect and civility."
http://www.publicagenda.org/pdfstore/PDFs/where_we_are_now.pdf
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14. COMMUNITIES ORGANIZE TO HELP REFORM SCHOOLS
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The Institute for Education and Social Policy has published a study
by K. Medirrata, N. Fruchter and A. Lewis entitled "Organizing for
School Reform: How Communities are Finding Their Voices and
Reclaiming Their Public Schools (New York University 2002)."
The study reports on the efforts of "66 community groups that are
organizing to improve public educational in low-performing schools
and districts…. Their aim is to build political power and challenge
public schools that serve children poorly."
http://www.nyu.edu/iesp/publications/cip/sum_orgschref.htm
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15. STRATEGIES TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS
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The National Council on Teaching and America’s Future report on
attracting, preparing and retaining high quality teachers. "No Dream
Denied: A Pledge to America’s Children" offers three strategies for
retaining high quality teachers in U.S. schools.
http://www.nctaf.org/dream/dream.html
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16. "A COMMUNITY ACTION GUIDE TO TEACHER QUALITY"
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The Public Education Network notes that, while much can be done to
impact teacher quality inside the educational ranks, the larger
community must also be come active and involved in understanding
the issues involved in teaching and must take action to guarantee
quality teachers in every classroom. Their report, "A Community
Action Guide to Teacher Quality,”" is designed to help communities
impact the quality of teachers in its schools. The guide is based
upon the activities of seven community-based advocacy organizations
in high poverty areas that have had a significant impact on schools.
http://www.publiceducation.org/tqguide.asp
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17. QUALITY OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME ACTIVITIES
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Author Sandra Simkins reports on findings from research and program
evaluation to provide a summary of the relationship between
participating in out-of-school time activities and positive youth
outcomes in the "Does Youth Participation in Out-Of-School Time
Activities Make a Difference?" (Evaluation Exchange, Spring 2003)
a publication of the Harvard Family Research Project. There is
growing evidence that well structured, high quality out-of-school
time activities can promote and support youth development because
they provide a safe environment, allow students to learn to
collaborate with peers, and teach specific values and belief systems.
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/eval/issue21/theory.html
This electronic newsletter is sponsored by the Region 8 California Professional Development Consortium (CPDC) administered by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from this newsletter, or to subscribe to our other our free electronic Newsletters for High School or Professional Development, email call or fax Christina Doyle: email - cdoyle@kern.org, phone (661) 636-4331 or fax (661) 636-4135.
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