Educational Leadership articles from March 1995

Educational Leadership archives from March 1995

Where in the world are world-class standards? (public education standards)
March 1, 1995... Countries known for their outstanding students have several practices in common; clear, consistent, demanding public education standards head the list. A current television ad portrays a neatly dressed young girl walking into a middle school...

On using the standards: a conversation with Ramsay Selden. (interview with Council of Chief State School Officers State Assessment Center Director Ramsay Selden) (Interview)
March 1, 1995... National standards in the various subject areas are now available. How are they likely to be used? Ramsay Selden of the Council of Chief State School Officers offers his perspective. A decade ago, the idea of national standards in the various...

Not all standards are created equal. (public education standards)
March 1, 1995... An emphasis on academic content is one of ten criteria that the American Federation of Teachers considers essential to high-quality standards for student achievement. For more than a decade, the education community has taken a hard look at...

Wrong problem, wrong solution. (public education standards)
March 1, 1995... Better academic standards are a minuscule element of effective reform. John Dewey advised us to avoid the trap of "either-or" thinking, and I take this advice very seriously. Although I am certainly no fan of the standards movement, its...

Exam-based reform stifles student writing in the U.K.
March 1, 1995... As many Americans look to high-stakes exams as the road to school reform, the British experience shows that that road may lead away from, rather than toward, our destination. In British secondary schools, high-stakes national examinations,...

Rethinking "algebra for all."
March 1, 1995... Let X equal mandated algebra instruction and Y equal serious curriculum reform. Is there an equation for combining them - and does it add up to competence for all students? Algebra is sometimes called a gatekeeper to educational opportunity,...

Moving up before moving on. (standards-based assessment in Weld County School District 6)
March 1, 1995... When children work toward standards-based assessments at every stage of their schooling, no one is left behind, and all students exceed their expectations. Weld County School District 6 serves the cities of Greeley and Evans, Colorado, some...

The McREL database: a tool for constructing local standards.
March 1, 1995... McREL's compilation of data from the national reports will be a valuable resource for schools and districts as they develop local content-area standards. As standards take on a central role in school reform, American educators at the state...

How Alverno shapes teachers: a conversation with Mary Diez. (interview with Alverno College School of Education Dean Mary E. Diez) (Interview)
March 1, 1995... For 20 years Alverno College has been perfecting its "assessment as learning" system for all students, especially those who aspire to be teachers. For the benefit of readers unfamiliar with Alverno College, please give us a capsule...

The NBPTS sets standards for accomplished teaching. (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards)
March 1, 1995... Issued for the first time in January 1995, National Board Certification distills the experience and the ideals of excellent teaching practice. Everyone knows the old myths about teaching - for instance, that a few pedagogical tricks plus the...

One teacher's experience with National Board assessment. (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards)
March 1, 1995... National Board Certification doesn't come easy, but the rigorous experience may be the most powerful professional development of a teacher's career. In October 1990, I joined a group of teachers and education leaders to create a set of...

Assessing new science teachers. (Connecticut's Science Educator Support and Assessment Program)
March 1, 1995... Connecticut's assessment of science teachers, based on standards and portfolios, certifies beginning teachers, provides them with feedback, and furthers their professional growth. It is late afternoon in Connecticut, and three beginning...

How Praxis III supports beginning teachers. (performance assessment for licensing beginning teachers)
March 1, 1995... Developed for teacher licensing, Praxis III is a system of assessment, feedback, and support for teachers, especially those who are at the beginning of their careers. Knots in the stomach, late nights preparing lessons, learning how to use...

Texas adopts new standards for educator preparation.
March 1, 1995... New proficiencies for Texas teachers and administrators are the cornerstone of a comprehensive system that will link all facets of the profession. As Socrates stated long ago, "The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what...

Growth is the name of the game.
March 1, 1995... A Virginia school district's decision to replace its conventional teacher evaluation system with one that encourages real professional growth is already showing signs of success. Do traditional checklist evaluations enhance teacher...

Stedman's myths miss the mark. (Larry Stedman)(includes related article)
March 1, 1995... The jury is still out on whether American schools have failed, but conflicting evidence and cause for optimism are not complacency. For some mysterious reason, Larry Stedman, like most people, sees complacency as the only current response to...

A portrait of John Goodlad. (educator)
March 1, 1995... From his early days as a teacher in rural Canada to his eminent status today, John Goodlad has been crafting an agenda for constructive school renewal. The acknowledged leader of educational renewal, John Goodlad has been at the vortex of...

Hopes, Dreams, and Promises.(Brief Article)
March 1, 1995... While interviewing students and their teachers and parents to find out why the students thought they failed a grade, researchers were struck by one middle school student's comments. "I didn't try hard enough," lamented Estephan Guerra. "I guess...

Moral Classrooms, Moral Children: Creating a Constructivist Atmosphere in Early Education.(Brief Article)
March 1, 1995... Here is a welcome antidote to the view that moral education consists of "a program of indoctrination such as lessons on character or the 'value of the week.'" DeVries, a protege of Piaget, and Zan offer a comprehensive prescription for helping...

Professional Development Schools.(Brief Article)
March 1, 1995... When public educators collaborate with university colleagues to design and implement a better way of preparing future teachers, everyone learns. Within these pages, educators in a variety of settings who have established professional...

Classroom Lessons: Integrating Cognitive Theory and Classroom Practices.(Brief Article)
March 1, 1995... Most of my colleagues in our school district do not discuss university research very much. We're too busy attending to classrooms, parents, and the community to read about studies that often seem unconnected to our "real worlds." In...

Chartering Urban School Reform.(Brief Article)
March 1, 1995... Reflections, insights, and ideologies of teachers, professors, and consultants involved in the Philadelphia Schools Collaborative are compiled in this book. The Collaborative is made up of people who envision substantive change in secondary...