A Call for Candidates
Do you know a forward-thinking ASCD member with a passion to make a difference? ASCD seeks candidates from diverse backgrounds for governance positions. In 2008, the General Membership election will fill positions for President-elect (one position); Board of Directors (two positions); and Leadership Council (six positions). Elected leaders are responsible for ensuring that programs, products, and services focus on the success of all learners and that ASCD resources promote ASCD values. Encourage potential candidates to submit nomination forms, which are available at www.ascd.org/nominations. For a print version of the form, contact Becky DeRigge at bderigge@ascd.org. Application deadline is January 31, 2008.
The 2007 General Membership Election
Look for your 2007 ballot in the September issue of Education Update. You must sign and date your ballot for compliance with Virginia code. Unsigned ballots are not valid. Mail your completed ballot, in the postage-paid envelope provided, by November 15, 2007. Or vote online by going to https://my.ascd.org. To assist voters in making a more informed decision, video and audio clips from ASCD's Meet the President-Elect Candidates Forum are available at www.ascd.org/candidatesforum.
ASCD's On-Site Training in Capacity Building
To promote teacher leadership and help schools develop local expertise, ASCD conducts on-site professional development in capacity building. Currently, schools in 32 states are involved with this training, which focuses on three major areas: What Works in Schools, differentiated instruction, and Understanding by Design.
ASCD's capacity-building training provides workshops on content, model lessons, curriculum unit development support, school-based coaching of teacher leaders, and demonstration classrooms for teachers to observe. In addition, the training model offers workshops for school-based and district-level administrators. Administrators not only learn what the teachers are learning, but also master instructional leadership practices and policies that will support implementation at the school and district levels.
For example, ASCD is helping teacher leaders at Monroe Middle School in Omaha, Nebraska, learn about and implement differentiated instruction. Because the implementation focuses on building leaders from within, teacher leaders have been well accepted by their peers. One participant called this “teacher power.”
The North Shore school district in Illinois began implementing differentiated instruction with the help of two ASCD faculty members who worked with teacher leaders at the elementary and secondary levels. As teacher leaders have become more proficient in using differentiated instruction strategies, students have become more motivated to learn. Having noticed the best practices occurring in these classrooms, many parents are now requesting that their children be placed with teachers who implement differentiated instruction.
For additional information about ASCD's on-site capacity building professional development, contact Jean Pride, Sales and Program Development, at 703-575-5634 orjpride@ascd.org.
