WRITING PROJECT EMERGENCY ALERT-CALL YOUR SENATORS IMMEDIATELY!!
On Monday November 29, the Senate will vote on an amendment to ban all earmarks for 2011, 2012, 2013. This amendment will ELIMINATE FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL WRITING PROJECT, even though we are a national program which is authorized and accountable to the federal government (i.e. not a traditional earmark).
Even Senators who traditionally support the writing project are under pressure to vote for this amendment!!
We need you to call your Senators' offices this MONDAY November 22nd or Tuesday November 23rd and tell them to OPPOSE Senator Coburn's amendment to ban all earmarks because it will defund the National Writing Project.
Spread the word on tweets, blogs, facebook and other social media. Get your colleagues, friends and administrators to show their support of the NWP by calling their Senators as well. Offices are tallying CALLS, so it is important to make calls instead of writing letters. Time is of the essence. Calls MUST be made this Monday.
Go to www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm to find the phone number of your senators' offices.
Let your voice be heard NOW.
For More Detailed information, see below:
Dear All,
We need all teachers and site leaders to call their two Senators on Monday and Tuesday, November 22 and 23, to ask that they vote NO on the amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK). The Coburn amendment would eliminate all funding for the NWP beginning with the FY11 budget through a moratorium on earmarks. NWP is considered an earmark even though we are an authorized program in ESEA.
Please forward this email to your TCs and other supporters of your site, including principals, colleagues, and community members, and urge them to also make calls. The timing is crucial. The vote on the Coburn Amendment is scheduled for Monday, November 29.
We need as many calls as possible. Other national programs, including Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), Very Special Arts, Teach for America, and the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, are all in the same situation.
Please contact publicaffairs@nwp.org if you have any questions. We will be posting additional information to the NWP Works Ning and we will respond to all emails as quickly as possible. Please also let us know about any responses to your calls!
It was American Education Week last week, I would like to recognize the hardwork of my colleagues in DCPS for encouraging, motivating, and inspiring our students to do their best to be successful in life. I also thank the WTU for spotlighting the importance of providing every child in America with a quality public education and the need for everyone to do his or her part in making public schools great.
With three other DC Public Schools educators: Beth Prince (Hearst ES), Christopher Bergfalk (HD Cooke ES) and Jeffrey McCauley (Shaw at Garnet Patterson MS), I was featured in the WTU Newsletter, "Salute to Educators", that was mailed to 4,000 members last week.
Here's what I shared:
1. Why did you decide to become active in the union?
I spent my college years at the University of the Philippines, the premiere state university in my country, where freedom of thought and expression was exercised which provided me with a complete armory for activism. My professors gave me the wisdom and the skills to learn the Socratic way, and the passion to stand up for what is right became an integral part of my words, thoughts and actions. The prospects are both exciting and frightening where I am now. Keeping body and soul together can be as formidable as any journey especially when the train where we are all in seems to be moving towards the wrong direction. There’s a battle being waged right now, It’s not about unions standing up for teachers; it’s about teachers standing up for themselves through their unions. There are so much things happening right now on the local and national level which lead to frustration, anger, and all that is harmful not only to the teachers but also to the children whose lives we continue to influence daily. After going through a long and meaningful introspection, I realized that working with the people who have the same mission has taught me to fully understand my role as a teacher leader. As I said earlier, "I realized that when I empower, support, encourage and inspire the teachers to do their best for the kids, I am impacting the lives of more than just the students in my classroom." While many people (mostly are not educators) attack the teachers unions, I strongly profess that I have become a better teacher and a stronger leader because of my teachers union, the WTU.
2. What do you see as the role of the union in education reform?
I see that our union is pushing for a real teacher evaluation system, and for the establishment of a due process system aligned to it. Times have changed (a lot) and I believe that public education has evolved since then. It is very timely that we have a new (and very controversial) teachers contract. I see that some of the current practices and norms in 21st century teaching and learning are embodied in the new WTU-DCPS teachers contract. I see that we are now thinking about how we should change our traditional practices to better reflect the tasks assigned to our schools, teachers and students today. I see that our union is pushing for the right tools, time and trust from our administrators that will allow the teachers to succeed which will help truly transform the public education system. And with trust we mean, collaboration, teachers treated as partners in reform, with a real voice. It is only when we can work together that we can create a stronger public education system.
3. What do you see as the most pressing problem facing teachers today?
The most pressing problem that I see facing DCPS teachers right now is the lack of involvement with our union. We need to understand that our union is only as good as its members. I do believe that we need to set higher expectations and higher standards for ourselves so we can inspire our students and encourage them to do what it takes to be successful in life. But we also need to make a strong decision to take control of our actions and not just to sit by and let others define effective teaching for us. I strongly believe that it is time for us to take action. We are the key players in the education arena and not just mere instruments in this education reform. We need to make our voice heard and let everyone know what matters most to our students that we, classroom teachers, better understand.
4. What 3 things do you think DCPS should focus on that would improve education in DCPS?
I firmly believe that the three R’s is integral in education. And by this I mean resources, reasonable class sizes, and respect.
First is resources; teachers need 21st century classroom resources to meet the needs of our 21st century learners.
Second is reasonable class sizes; research on student-teacher achievement ratio supports the significant educational value of lower class sizes.
Third and the most important is respect; teachers who work hard and go above and beyond the call of duty should be treated with respect and trust and is essential in attracting and retaining our talented educators.
5. When is one instance where you knew that you had the biggest impact on student achievement?
I am an accidental Special Educator, because it wasn’t my plan to be in this field. My childhood dream was to become a doctor. I was in medicine proper, in full scholarship, when I realized I was called for another profession. M exposure to Special Education at the Center for Developmental Intervention Foundation at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center has left me deeply encouraged to be with special children who are in need of time and affection. I realized that if a regular child yearns for attention from people, more so with special children. Unfortunately, most of them have been fed with a diet of leftovers- leftover love, patience, laughter, stories, kindness, energy and additional support. As a special education teacher I don’t look after people’s physical health but the child's mental health. I don’t dissect people’s brain but I open my students' minds in wonder. I don’t cut people’s hearts, rather, I touch their hearts. As a special education teacher I am able to save lives in a different way.
Please take 30 seconds to watch this video from a student asking you to vote in this WTU election.
We encourage you to vote in this important election. You will decide whether we go forward with Parker or backward with Saunders. The Parker slate brings the experience, relationships, and knowledge necessary to get your concerns addressed. They will constructively engage with the new Mayor and Chancellor and continue to move our schools forward in ways that are fair for teachers.
Saunders will take us back to an era of confrontation and gridlock. In 5 years as Senior Vice President, he hasn’t delivered any results. In fact, after taking half a million dollars of union dues as salary, his pay was suspended because he rarely came to work and couldn’t account for his time.
Our kids can’t afford this set-back for our schools.
Please vote for the Parker slate and return your ballot today!!
"A friend wrote an eloquent note on Pacman's last bout that earned him his 8th world championship title. He is now unequivocally the best fighter in the world. Raul began with the same question I would pose for I share the same sentiment, "Why do we seem to take delight in seeing a contest that require ...two men to beat each other to a bloody pulp with their bare hands? Do we savor such savagery? I must admit, I used to look at boxing with disgust & distaste.
I saw it as a throwback to those dark days when arguments were settled with a blunt instrument or a sword, and when murdering hundreds of thousands in the name of God and country no longer entailed accountability because no court in the world was capable of trying a crime of such magnitude. Boxing was an ode to bloodlust, a remnant of an ancient vice in a civilized world.
Then, with Manny came an epiphany. In an interview after his match with the Mexican Antonio Margarito, he recounted how, in the 11th round, he was pleading for the referee to stop the fight.... There was no point in letting him fight on. He no longer had any chance of winning, and any more punishment from Manny would’ve likely knocked his right eye off its socket. So, on the last round, Manny took mercy. He punched rarely, and allowed his foe to finish on his feet. Recounting the 11th later, he said: “I told the referee, ‘Look at his eyes, look at his cuts’. I did not want to damage him permanently. That’s not what boxing is about."
Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao is a quintessentially rare, 21st century world-class hero in this egocentric world of politicians and athletes. He embodies the A+ traits of a champion defined by his traits of action, speech, thought & character. He consistently acts like a true winner and champion, inside and outside of the boxing ring: he commands power & respect yet reticent, fun & humble, deeply faithful, prayerful & wise yet patriotic & a laudable civil servant/congressman, & circumspect, coherent speaker and creative singer but seldom cinematic, benevolent & caring yet emphatic, an autodidact yet witty, and the smartest boxer, focused & courageous centered and with a well managed ego.
He is a well-evolved sample of a man who has had very humble yet stalwart roots and foundation and a deeply principled mother.
He embodies everything that is good in every Filipino at home, & the Filipino Diaspora around the globe for decades migrated that nearly left our country brain drained due to years of systematic plunder by avaricious & deeply corrupt leaders. Many nouveau riche still treat the poor like chattels that the country remains one of the oldest Feudal societies.
His actions are deeply rooted down to his faith that for every powerful punch that he releases, it is almost a living metaphor for God’s divine power and mercy.
His humility and commanding power & strength give us so much pride to the poor brown man in Asia empowered by God's love & grace. Pacman makes me so proud to be Filipina diaspora, and a true patriot to the core, a true child of God in words and in action. Do not underestimate the Power of One with God in his midst. Mabuhay ka (Long Live) Manny Pacquaio!"
Can't wait for Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao bout...
I got lucky this year because there are some parents in my classroom who are responsible and are cooperating with me to help their child. I am keeping documentations of how my students are improving academically and behaviorally, and data show that those who have parents that I can count on are the ones who are showing good steady progress.
This sounds really very familiar to me, I've had conversations with parents very similar to this...
-Start the year with a "parent-only" meeting before the first day of school. Parents often come to the classroom with preconceived ideas and fears. This is your opportunity to interact with parents without child interruptions and develop the parent-teacher relationship. Parents are able to focus on your words and interact with you and the other parents in the class. This meeting also allows you to set the expectations and tone for the year, relieve parent concerns, and establish a positive parent climate in your room. The underlying theme for this first meeting: that both educators and parents are the child's teachers.
-Invite resource staff, so parents can experience the teamwork that is needed for student success.
-Schedule "Parent-only" meetings through the year to build and maintain parent relationships, align teacher with parent, and maintain parent education.
Create a Partnership between Teachers and Parents
-We can't expect academic assistance from parents if they don't understand the skills being taught. Understand that you are teacher to both student and parent.
-Provide weekly parent education tips that explain the concepts being taught and provide support materials that allow parents to help at home.
-Work with resource teachers to provide ability-based homework that reinforces the concepts of the general education and resource room.
-Bridge the gap between home and school through thematic home projects.
-Provide parent homework and a method of weekly communication between parent and teacher.
-Record the efforts of parent involvement on each child's report card, so parents can see the importance of their work and the value you place on it.
Harness the Talents and Energies of Your Students' Parents
-Ask parents to chair and plan family events and class fundraisers. Empower them to make this their child's best year of learning. Their involvement establishes "buy-in" and a sense of ownership in the classroom.
Offer Parenting/Teacher Education Classes
-Set up school-wide parenting and teacher education classes.
-Parenting with Love and Logic along with its companion course, The Nine Essentials of Learning with Love and Logic, provides effective parenting and teacher education. Both courses establish a common framework and language for behavior expectations at home and school.
-At evening Love and Logic parenting classes, provide child-care at the school, so parents are able to share issues and concerns with other parents and relieve feelings of isolation.
-Love and Logic helps teachers, parents, and students realize that children are responsible for their behaviors and able to make good behavior choices. Parents and educators alike have commented that Love and Logic has facilitated better relationships between parent, teacher and student, so students and adults can concentrate on learning rather than behavior issues.
Use Your Data to Establish Future Goals for Both School and Home
-Clearly communicate assessment goals and dates.
-Share the results of assessment with parents.
-Use a variety of assessment data to establish future goals for both home and school. Provide parents with the materials and education they need to assist their child.
-Collaborate with all specialists who work with your students, so all adults and parents work toward student success.
-Help parents set up graphic organizers and data collection sheets that indicate work completed and methods used at home. These graphic organizers provide indispensable parent documentation and will become a valuable tool for conferences when establishing resource needs as well as for future IEP and 504 meetings when new goals are established.
Encouragement vs. Praise
-Telling your students and parents that they are doing a great job is "hollow" praise. Offer encouragement rather than praise by giving specific examples of a job well done.
-Send home regular communication to all parents that details specific examples of parent-initiated creative teaching strategies and methods. Follow up with phone calls of encouragement and support. This motivates involved parents to continue working with their children and encourages less involved parents to become active members of the education process.
-Never give up... some parents take longer to become a member of your learning community. Celebrate Student Learning
-Celebrate -- provide regular events that showcase your students' learning and invite parents to participate.
-Use each event as an opportunity for parent education and encouragement while developing a community.
-End the year with a celebration of both student and parent successes, and solicit the parents' commitment to continue supporting their children throughout their academic careers.
Teachers Affect Eternity -- One Can Never Tell Where Their Influence Stops
-The common thread that is woven throughout a student's academic career is the parent, so inspire a life-long parent commitment. Together, parents, students, and teachers can create a synergy that raises academic achievement. Give your students an intrinsic love of learning. Allow your parents to experience the success of their academic involvement, so they are motivated to continue nurturing their child until adulthood.
Jeffrey Thompson is the Disney 2004 Outstanding Elementary Teacher and Teacher of the Year. He teaches kindergarten at Evergreen Elementary School on the Fort Lewis Army Post in Washington. He also teaches Parenting with Love and Logic and The 9 Essentials of Learning with Love and Logic to parents and educators. Thompson is a member of the Washington CEC.
Lauren Potter and Robin Trocki, two actresses with Down syndrome who regularly appear on the television series "Glee," are receiving The Arc's first Inclusion and Image Award today. "We wanted to commend the actresses and the show in particular for providing positive portrayals of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities," a spokeswoman for The Arc said. Disability Scoop
Dear colleagues, did you receive the WTU message about the IEP Service Decleration Form? If not, here it is...
IEP SERVICE DECLARATION FORM
The Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) has reached an agreement with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and DC Public Schools (DCPS) that will now allow service providers to sign the IEP Service Declaration Form. Both OSSE and DCPS have agreed to the removal of the Penalty of Jury language from the form as requested by the WTU. A copy of the revised form has been forwarded to your WTU email account. The WTU now recommends that our Service Providers complete and sign the IEP Service Declaration Form. Thank you for your patience while the WTU worked to resolve this issue in a manner that protects the rights and interests of our members.
Here's the referenced IEP Decleration Form:
DECLARATION OF FULL NAME
Full Name, hereby declares that the following statements are true and correct:
1. I am fully familiar with the facts stated in this Declaration.
2. I am the Title at School Name, a public school in District of Columbia.
3. I have been employed at School Name for approximately Number years or months (please circle).
4. As the Title at School Name, I coordinate and/or attend annual IEP meetings for students enrolled at School Name.
5. I am familiar with Student's Name (hereinafter “Student”).
6. An IEP meeting for the Student was held on Date or is scheduled to be held on Date (please circle).
7. As of October 5, 2010, I had provided Number minutes/hours (please circle) of specific special education service or related service to the Student as prescribed in the Student’s IEP since the beginning of the school year. That is, I provided Number hours of specific special education service or related service per week to the Student.
8. Since October 5, 2010, I have continued providing Number minutes/hours (please circle) of specific special education service or related service to the Student on a weekly basis.
This list contains reviews of movies that I have viewed that profile autism or disabilities in general. Please let me know what I missed. Happy browsing!
The following is the opinion of the writer and is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual. Any view or opinion represented in the blog comments are personal and is accredited to the respective commentor / visitor to this blog. This blogger reserves the right to moderate comment suitability in support of respecting racial, religious and political sensitivities, and in order to protect the rights of each commentor where available.
