Have a Question?
What does research say about teaching twins in the same classroom? Where can I compare state curriculum standards? What has been written on student-led conferences? In an era of information overload and packed schedules, finding the answers to questions like these can be a challenge.
ASCD's Education Search Service can help. Complimentary to members, the service taps into a variety of print and online resources to deliver the latest and best information—including articles, reports, and Web links—to answer your questions. To make a request, or for more information on the service, contact ASCD Reference Librarian David Snyder; (703) 575-5745 or (800) 933-2723, extension 5745;library@ascd.org.
ASCD International Products and Services
ASCD's Global Education Network provides resources for global educators, including the bimonthly Global TeachNet Newsletter and quarterly WorldView magazine, and helps members share information about models and best practices, challenges, and solutions. For more information, contact Global TeachNet; (202) 293-7728;anne@rpcv.org. ASCD also offers a professional development online course on Global Education; seewww.ascd.org.
ASCD conferences also explore global issues. An audiotape from ASCD's 2001 Annual Conference features a discussion among Carolee Matsumoto, David McDonald, and Paula Mirk on “How Can We Become a Global Citizen and Maintain our National Identity?” (Stock no. 201211; $11.95 for ASCD members; $14.95 for nonmembers). Sign up for the “Pacific Rim Forum: Educational Innovations in an Era of Globalization and Turbulence” session at ASCD's upcoming 2003 Annual Conference (March 8–10 in San Francisco), which will feature panelists from Hong Kong, Singapore, and New Zealand discussing education innovations in their countries and issues related to technology and educating global citizens.
ASCD International
The challenges and commitment to education are universal, from New York to Halifax to Hong Kong. Knowing that solutions in one locale are often adaptable to entirely different regions, ASCD has formed rewarding partnerships with international organizations, resulting in exchanges of content, resources, and experts for workshop and conference presentations. Examples include co-publishing (with Australia's Curriculum Corporation); introduction to the United States of an innovative curriculum that originated in New Zealand (Beginning School Mathematics); exchanges of resources through Web links (such as the Asia Education Foundation's AccessAsia); and sponsorship of presenters overseas (such as ASCD's partnership with the Australian Council of Educational Leaders to bring author Pat Wolfe to Australia for a recent professional development institute in April). Information and links to AccessAsia and a list of ASCD's translated resources are available at ASCD Around the World (www.ascd.org/aboutascd/internationalwebsite/index.html).
Want to Talk Shop?
For questions or new ideas that you are eager to share with others in your field, ASCD now has two online discussion areas in the Professional Development section of its Web site, www.ascd.org. Join the conversations at Practitioners' Perspectives and Idea Exchange.
Practitioners' Perspectives offers administrators and teachers opportunities to share wisdom, ideas, solutions, and questions about their practice. Moderators Julie Dermody, a teacher from North Carolina, and Teresa Lane, an administrator from Illinois, feature a new topic of interest each month and prompt visitors to post comments on the Web board for a lively discussion of timely concerns.
Idea Exchange (www.ascd.org/idea.html) is designed for professional development directors and staff development leaders to share strategies for improving their craft. Staff development consultant Robby Champion posts short articles and invites discussion on such topics as conducting real-world training, understanding resistance to change, making the best use of workshop time, and designing follow-up.
This Year's Best Article on Professional Development
The National Staff Development Council chose Thomas R. Guskey's (March 2002) Educational Leadership article, “Does It Make a Difference? Evaluating Professional Development,” as the 2002 Article of the Year. A professor of education policy studies and evaluation at the University of Kentucky, Guskey outlined five levels of evaluation for improving a school's professional development program.
Diversity at ASCD
In keeping with its longstanding commitment to diversity, ASCD has recently completed a multiyear plan to further increase the diversity of its membership, governance, and affiliates. The plan's goal is to increase the participation of emerging leaders, urban and rural educators, and culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse education professionals.
In addition to working with an advisory group from other organizations and with ASCD's membership, ASCD's diversity team conducted surveys, conference sessions, face-to-face meetings, and phone interviews with such groups as the African American Critical Issues Network, the Hispanic Critical Issues Network, the National Alliance of Black School Educators, the National Rural Education Association, and the National Council of La Raza.
Your Turn
Small acts of kindness often have a great impact. For our March issue on “Creating Caring Schools,” we would like to hear about something you to do in your classroom or school to show that you care about each student as an individual. How did this simple action encourage your students to be more caring?
Send your 250-word response to el@ascd.orgwith “Your Turn” in the subject line. Or mail or fax your response to Educational Leadership, ASCD, 1703 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311; fax: (703) 575-5891. Please include your name, job title, school or school district, address, daytime phone number, and e-mail address. Selected responses received before November 15 will be excerpted in the March 2003 issue of Educational Leadership.
