Keene State College / MCST Transition Resources

"U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan told a group of state schools superintendents Friday that he found it "fascinating" that some of the opposition to the Common Core State Standards has come from "white suburban moms who - all of a sudden - their child isn't as brilliant as they thought they were, and their school isn't quite as good as they thought they were.""

"One day, in front 36 riotous sophomores, I clutched my chest and dropped to my knees like Sergeant Elias at the end of Platoon. Instantly, dead silence and open mouths replaced classroom Armageddon. Standing up like nothing had happened, I said, "Thanks for your attention -- let's talk about love poems.""

"The OLC Institute offers hundreds of workshops designed to help educators worldwide strengthen teaching strategies, delivery methods and learning activities. They are expert led and designed to improve quality in every facet of online education. Visit www.onlinelearning-c.org/learn for full program schedule."

Great article, and nice links to resources on universal design.

"For families of youth with disabilities, the transition from high school to employment, postsecondary education, and life in the community presents a variety of significant challenges. PACER's National Parent Center on Transition and Employment website offers innovative tools, reliable research, and interactive training to help address the needs of families across the country."

"The most recent issue of the NY Review of Books has an extensive essay by Andrew Hacker on "The frenzy about high-tech talent." It's behind a paywall, alas,  but I'll try to provide some cognate links that are accessible to all.  Here's his main argument: "A recurring complaint is that not enough of our young people and adults have the kinds of competence the coming century will require, largely because not nearly enough are choosing careers that require the skills of STEM…[Michael Teitelbaum's 2014 book]  Falling Behind? makes a convincing case that even now the US has all the high-tech brains and bodies it needs, or at least that the economy can absorb."

"oin the growing national and regional conversation about proficiency- and competency-based learning, the school and district reform that departs from traditional Carnegie unit and seat-time requirements for students. REL Northeast & Islands researchers will present a new study on definitions and policies related to competency-based learning and implementation across the region, and a representative from the New Hampshire Department of Education will discuss the implementation of a competency-based program in several pilot districts."

"Many states in the Northeast & Islands Region have increasingly begun to view proficiency- or competency-based learning (P/CBL) as a way to boost graduation rates and prepare students for success after high school. In P/CBL approaches, students demonstrate mastery of a defined set of proficiencies or competencies in their courses in lieu of completing credit requirements based on time spent in class. Although many states in the region are adopting P/CBL policies, full implementation of this reform is still in progress, and more information is needed to help states define P/CBL, inform their policymaking, and effectively confront barriers to and leverage facilitators of implementation."

"Computational Thinking (CT) is a problem solving process that includes a number of characteristics and dispositions. CT is essential to the development of computer applications, but it can also be used to support problem solving across all disciplines, including the humanities, math, and science. Students who learn CT across the curriculum can begin to see a relationship between academic subjects, as well as between life inside and outside of the classroom."

"There are places in the world where kids go to school not in classrooms, but in the woods. The Forest Schools movement became popular in Scandinavia in the 1950s. Forest schools can take many forms - from just one day a week in the woods to schools where there are no buildings: all day, every day is outdoors. These schools serve mostly younger children - 4- to 7-year-olds - but there are some forest school programs that serve older students, too."

"Now, almost two decades later, I wish I'd known a few things about myself, about teaching, and about my students. Some of what I wish I'd known could have been shared with me -- some I just had to live and learn from. So I offer this reflection both for new teachers as well as for those who support them. And so if you work with a new teacher, I'm hoping you might stop by their room in the next few days and share some insights from your own experience. And if you are a new teacher, then I'm hoping these reflections might help you feel validated, hopeful, and resourceful."

"Created by the Great Schools Partnership, the GLOSSARY OF EDUCATION REFORM is a comprehensive online resource that describes widely used school-improvement terms, concepts, and strategies for journalists, parents, and community members."

"The Great Schools Partnership is pleased to offer a series of free webinars on critical school-improvement topics for educational leaders and teachers."