>From: "Public Education Network" <PEN@PublicEducation.org>
Message-Id: <LISTMANAGER-74576-89-2002.10.10-20.05.50--mcole#weber.ucsd.edu@lyris.publiceducation.org>
Public Education Network Weekly NewsBlast
"America’s Favorite Free Newsletter on Improving Public Education"
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NEW AGE OF SCHOOL & BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS
>From advertising in the classroom to support academic programs, to
after-school activities that depend on student-led sales of candy and
other products, to company-sponsored efforts to shape classroom lessons,
negotiating the "right" mix of corporate involvement forces many educators
and business leaders to push hot-button issues that often ignite the
passions of parents and communities alike. Business people seeking to
effect changes in schools have been thwarted by their lack of awareness of
the challenges faced by schools. Likewise, educators have not always
understood the expectations of business for meeting set objectives and
goals. A new report, "Guiding Principles for School and Business
Partnerships," sets out four key elements of strong partnerships. The
report’s findings are summarized in this commentary by two former U.S.
Secretaries of Education, Lamar Alexander and Richard Riley.
http://www.edweek.com/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=06lamar.h22
PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOOK BEYOND THE BAKE SALE
As state education financing is frozen and in many cases wanes, school
systems across the country say they have been forced to turn to private
donors willing to foot some of the bill. That situation was dramatically
underlined last week when Joel I. Klein, New York City's new schools
chancellor, appointed Caroline Kennedy as chief fund-raiser for the city
schools. While her appointment surely raises the profile of an often
thankless yet indispensable job, it also begs the question of where public
responsibility for education ends and the burden of the private sector
begins. Many cities have found that the balancing act is far from an easy
one.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/06/weekinreview/06WINT.html
BUILDING HIGH-QUALITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Public Education Network’s 2002 annual conference, "Standards-Based
Reform: A Civic Imperative," November 10-12 in Washington, DC, features
Harvard professor and author Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot speaking on "Building
Respect & Reverence for Public Education"; Award-winning author Taylor
Branch discussing, "Connecting School Reform and Social Justice"; Boston
schools chief Tom Payzant; and Maryland state school superintendent, Nancy
Grasmick. For detailed session and registration information, visit:
http://www.publiceducation.org/events/conference/index.htm
RAISE STANDARDS, NOT MONEY
Jay Greene takes a critical view of the recent appointment of Caroline
Kennedy as fundraiser-in-chief of the New York City public schools. In his
view, "…the never-ending call for more money is a pillar of the public
school myth: public school performance has been lacking because classrooms
are overcrowded, facilities are in disrepair, staff is underpaid. The only
problem is that additional resources have already been lavished on public
schools to lower class sizes, repair facilities and pay staff more, yet
student performance continues to stagnate." He concludes that private
efforts to supplement public expenditures have had little effect and that
pouring private donations into public schools makes little difference
unless the incentives that govern public-school behavior are altered.
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/0,,SB1033959277836546633,00.html?mod=opinion
RUNNING SCHOOLS LIKE BUSINESS
"Now that Enron, WorldCom and Adelphia have become fodder for late-night
comics, few are suggesting we operate like these folks, " writes Paul
Houston in the latest issue of "The School Administrator." Schools and
business have always had a complex relationship. Schools supply the future
workforce and customer base. However, schools often have been used as the
designated whipping boy for some business folk to cover their failures.
According to Mr. Houston, "It is hard to listen to business leaders decry
the quality of their workforce with one breath and then complain about
higher taxes with the next breath as if there is no connection between the
two things. And of course after hearing for years that ‘money doesn't
matter’ and that schools should do more with less and then seeing the
obscene amounts of money that many of these same people have made boggles
the mind and upsets the stomach. Further, as we struggle to teach children
values, we must offset the example of incredible greed and dishonesty
demonstrated by some of these same leaders."
http://www.aasa.org/publications/sa/2002_10/execper.htm
INTEGRAL LIFE: INTEGRAL TEACHER
In public education, one of the things that’s not working is the fact that
education is blamed for numerous of other frustrations. We can blame on
the schools and ultimately on the teachers all the problems that we don't
know how to solve in any other arena: family, government, civic
associations, church and so forth. That’s an example of an external
pressure that makes the teacher’s work difficult. But there are internal
pressures within the profession itself. These include the tendency in
education to try to reduce every problem that teachers face to a matter of
technique or curriculum reform -- or anything but the basic questions of
the teacher’s inner life and the lack of a community of teachers that can
help them sustain each other in difficult times.
http://www.futurenet.org/8Education/heartandsoul.htm
ERASING THE EDUCATION GAP
You don't have to be an "A" student to understand that the huge
achievement gap between African American and Hispanic students and their
white counterparts does not bode well for our nation. Yet, too many
Americans are turning their backs on this crisis or advocating simple
fixes for a complex problem. Bernice Powell Jackson outlines four reasons
for the achievement gap and concludes that communities and churches will
need to build coalitions and recover their "educational zeal" if we are to
ensure excellent public education.
http://www.ucc.org/justice/witness/wfj062402.htm
ACTION KITS FOR IMPROVING PUBLIC EDUCATION
The National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education & Families
helps municipal leaders take action on behalf of children, youth, and
families in their communities. NLC launched the Institute to recognize
the unique and influential roles that mayors, city council members, and
other local leaders can play in strengthening families and improving
outcomes for children & youth. They have recently released five action
kits on: Expanding Afterschool Opportunities; Promoting Youth
Participation; Improving Public Schools; Helping Working Families; and
Protecting Children & Youth. Download a copy, or request that one be
mailed by calling 202/626-3014 or by e-mailing: reid who-is-at nlc.org. Single
copies are free.
http://www.nlc.org/nlc_org/site/programs/institute_for_youth_education_and_families/index.cfm
BUILDING A MORE UNITED AMERICA
A new report from American Assembly asks, "Can American community in
pursuit of enduring values be created not by crisis but by design?" The
report was created to help create a national dialogue on the quality of
modern life, strategies for overcoming our overreliance on governments and
markets in solving problems, deepening our mutual recognition of the value
of pluralism, and renewing our concern for justice. This report and the
companion guide, "Conducting Your Community Dialogue," can be viewed and
downloaded at:
http://www.unitingamerica.org/uniting/ndreport.htm
RESPONSIVE CLASSROOMS: TEACHING CHILDREN TO CARE
Approaching issues of classroom management and discipline is much more
than what teachers do when children break rules and misbehave. Rather than
simply reacting to problems, we need to establish an ongoing social
curriculum, we need to encourage children to participate in community, we
need to teach self-control, and most importantly, we need to accept the
potential of children to learn these things and the potential of teachers
to teach them.
http://teachers.net/gazette/OCT02/gimbert.html
MANAGING ANXIETY IN TIMES OF CRISIS
The recent sniper attacks in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and
Virginia not only are terrible tragedies for the victims and their loved
ones, but the randomness and inexplicability of the shootings can generate
anxiety among all of us as we go about doing our daily tasks including
taking our children to school. In response, the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration has created a website to help schools,
communities, parents, and children manage the anxieties and traumas that
often follow such frightening events. Visitors will find tips for
communicating with children, locating local and national crisis and mental
health resources, links to related websites, and relevant publications
available for download.
http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs/ChildrenAnxiety/
COMPLAINING ABOUT SCHOOLS
Complaints and schools go together. Everyone does it or wants to. It's
natural, like breathing. Schools need to hear from parents but not be
besieged. Schools have an unwritten hierarchy of appeal. According to
Dorothy Rich, always start with the classroom teacher. Classroom teachers
have cause for anger when you bypass them and go directly to the principal
without giving them a chance to brief you and work out the situation.
Principals have a right to be angry when if you come to them before trying
to fix things at the classroom level. If both teacher and the principal
are unable to work things out or balk at your concern, you may want to
advocate for resolution at a higher level.
http://www.adultmegaskills.org/complaining_about_schools.htm
INSECT DELI CAPTIVATES KIDS
The insect deli has long been one of the Penn State University Great
Insect Fair’s most popular attractions. Visitors this year could sample
black-bean-and-cream-cheese roll-ups with wax moth larvae and corn chips
topped with a sweet red-pepper-and-mealworm dip. Although both are very
Westernized foods, deli supervisor Dorothy Blair, an assistant professor
of nutrition, said the idea is to let people know that for much of the
world insects are a viable -- and plentiful -- source of food, packed with
protein, fat and minerals. And then there's the chocolate, either with
mealworms or "Chocolate Chirpies" with bits of cricket mixed in. "Last
year, we ran out of the 'Chocolate Chirpies,"' Blair said. "We had to make
about 6,000 of them this year, and we're hoping to make those last through
the day." One might not even notice the mealworms in the chocolate, but
crickets give the treats a definite crunch. "It's sort of like M&Ms, only
inside out," with the chocolate on the outside and the crunchy candy
inside, said 7-year-old Emily Paulsen.
http://www.cnn.com/virtual/editions/europe/2000/roof/change.pop/frameset.exclude.html
SUCCESS WHERE LEARNING IS MORE THRILL THAN DRILL
Imagine a classroom where the teacher never lectures. Imagine a school
where students don't watch videos or work from textbooks in class, but
instead experiment to solve problems. Imagine administrators who ask
parents what kind of learner their child is, then assign them to teachers
with the same style. Those strategies have made North Carolina’s East
Clayton Elementary School a top performer on the state's school
accountability test and a model for hands-on, creative instruction.
http://newsobserver.com/news/triangle/story/1780846p-1788687c.html
PATHWAYS TO PARENT LEADERSHIP / SENDEROS A UN LIDERAZGO DE PADRES
A new bilingual report produced by Action Alliance for Children profiles
nine successful programs in California that are training parents to be
leaders -- in their children's lives, in schools and communities, and in
the political process. The report details how these programs listen to
parents, support the "whole parent," foster ongoing connections, and build
partnerships with schools. Includes information about the training
curricula, participants, outcomes, and key factors in each program's
success, as well as annotated resources.
http://www.4children.org
WHAT ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DOCUMENTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY?
President Bush has announced an initiative to involve teachers and
students in 100 significant documents from America's history. This
"Insight" article profiles Cathy Gorn and the involvement of National
History Day in the White House initiative to reform the way history is
taught and learned.
http://www.insightmag.com/news/286427.html
INSIDE FULL SERVICE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
Read a new step-by-step practitioner's guide to integrating health, family
support, youth development and other community services to support student
learning. As an expert on the development of full-service community
school models across the country, researcher-advocate Joy Dryfoos joins
with school principal Sue Maguire, the creator of a model full-service
community school at the Molly Stark School in Vermont, to create this
highly practical guide to successful transformation. Topics include: 1)
Getting started; 2) Building a range of services; 3) Staffing: what works
and what doesn't; 4) Collaborating with the government and private sector;
5) Involving parents; 6) Funding; and 7) Working in rural and urban
settings. Review an online chapter of the book (Requires Adobe Acrobat
Reader to view).
http://www.communityschools.org/dryfooschap11.pdf
|---------------GRANT AND FUNDING INFORMATION--------------|
"AXA Foundation"
AXA Foundation in association with "U.S. News and World Report" will
select high school seniors from each state, the District of Columbia and
Puerto Rico for its Achievement Scholarship Program. The 52 achievers will
receive $10,000 scholarships for undergraduate education. From the state
recipients, 10 students will receive additional awards of $15,000.
Applicants must describe their achievements in a nonacademic activity or
project. An appraisal by an adult professional not related to the
applicant is required. Application deadline: December 15, 2002.
http://www.axaonline.com/axafoundation/
"NEA Fine Arts Grant Program"
Sponsored by the National Education Association Foundation, the NEA Fine
Arts grants are awarded, through local NEA affiliates, to enable fine arts
teachers to create and implement fine arts programs that promote learning
among students at risk of school failure. Programs must address the arts
(e.g., painting, sculpture, photography, music, theater, dance, design,
media, or folk arts). Ten grants will be awarded in the amount of $2,000.
Grant funds may be used for resource materials, supplies, equipment,
transportation, software, and/or professional fees. Application deadline:
February 3, 2003.
http://www.nfie.org/programs/finearts.htm
"Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program"
The Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program provides opportunities for
educators and administrators with responsibilities for curriculum
development in fields related to humanities, languages, and area studies.
All seminars are in Non-Western European countries and are designed to
provide a broad and introductory cultural orientation to a particular
country. The program is geared towards those educators with little or no
experience in the host country. There are ten seminars every summer with
16 positions per seminar, subject to the availability of funds. Seminars
take place from late June to mid-August and last four to six weeks. Terms
of the award include: round-trip economy airfare, room and board, tuition
and fees program-related travel within the host country. Please note:
participants will be responsible for the expenses of the pre-departure
orientation, usually $350.00. Updated application forms are available in
August of each year. Summer 2003 application deadline: November 4, 2002.
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/HEP/iegps/sap.html
"FastWEB"
FastWEB is the largest online scholarship search available, with 600,000
scholarships representing over one billion in scholarship dollars. It
provides students with accurate, regularly updated information on
scholarships, grants, and fellowships suited to their goals and
qualifications, all at no cost to the student. Students should be advised
that FastWEB collects and sells student information (such as name,
address, e-mail address, date of birth, gender, and country of
citizenship) collected through their site.
http://www.fastweb.com/
"Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)"
More than 30 Federal agencies formed a working group in 1997 to make
hundreds of federally supported teaching and learning resources easier to
find. The result of that work is the FREE website.
http://www.ed.gov/free/
"Fundsnet Online Services"
A comprehensive website dedicated to providing nonprofit organizations,
colleges, and Universities with information on financial resources
available on the Internet.
http://www.fundsnetservices.com/
"Department of Education Forecast of Funding"
This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which
the Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications
for new awards for FY 2002 and provides actual or estimated deadline dates
for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in
the form of charts -- organized according to the Department's principal
program offices -- and include programs and competitions the Department
has previously announced, as well as those it plans to announce at a later
date. Note: This document is advisory only and is not an official
application notice of the Department of Education.
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCFO/grants/forecast.html
"eSchool News School Funding Center"
Information on up-to-the-minute grant programs, funding sources, and
technology funding.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/funding/
"Philanthropy News Digest-K-12 Funding Opportunities"
K-12 Funding opportunities with links to grantseeking for teachers,
learning technology, and more.
http://fdncenter.org/funders/
"School Grants"
A collection of resources and tips to help K-12 educators apply for and
obtain special grants for a variety of projects.
http://www.schoolgrants.org
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"There are few things sadder to a teacher or parent than being faced with
capable children who, as a result of previous demoralizing experiences, or
even self-imposed mind-sets, have come to believe that they cannot learn,
when all objective indicators show that they can. Often, much time and
patience are required to break the mental habits of perceived incompetence
that have come to imprison young minds."
-Frank Pajares (author/educator), "Schooling in America"
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