non-profit,education: National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE)

Instructional leadership is about quality time, not quantity
Principals set the tone for academic excellence in their schools, but researchers and policymakers are only just beginning to understand how their leadership affects student achievement. And for harried, time-crunched leaders nationwide, the results might be heartening: It's not quantity, but the quality of time spent on instructional leadership that makes the difference [read more]
10 keys to a successful school iPad program
It seems that every school is considering purchasing iPads these days, and Apple has reported that iPad sales to schools are currently outpacing MacBook sales by a very large margin. However, the rush to purchase iPads often precedes the careful planning and preparation that are so crucial to their success as educational tools. It's important for educators to understand that technology alone - no matter how full of potential it may be - is not the answer. Instead, iPads need to be integrated into the 21st-century classroom using a holistic approach. Teachers and administrators should identify the skills and abilities young people will need to succeed in our rapidly changing world and use technology to help students acquire them. [read more]
Science standards are true to NRC framework, reviewers conclude
A panel of reviewers convened by the National Research Council has concluded that the final Next Generation Science Standards issued are consistent with an NRC framework document that sought to guide their development. This "fidelity check" had long been planned to provide some assurance that the 26 lead states and their partners who set out to write the standards did not stray from the vision for science education articulated in the framework, according to Heidi Schweingruber, the deputy director of the congressionally chartered NRC's Board on Science Education. [read more]
Rethinking difficult parents
View difficult parents as misguided advocates. Keep in mind that even an angry parent is better than an absent parent. While they can be very unpleasant, their anger often conveys advocacy. Virtually all parents, including most whose actions border on irrational, will cooperate if they really believe you care about their child, have their child's interests at heart and respect them. [read more]
A reminder about what is really important...
Jonathan VanderEls, a contributor for Connected Principals, writes: "It is incredibly easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day responsibilities we have as principals. Although each day presents different challenges, a recurring theme emerges: an incredible amount of work to do, and not nearly enough time in the day to do it. I had the opportunity recently to stop and remind myself why we do what we do, to share an incredible bond with like-minded educators, and to be reminded that what we do as educators each and every day is not only important, it is imperative in keeping our society moving forward." [read more]
Study confirms link between school climate and violence
A meta-analysis of independent studies reporting a relationship between school climate and school violence showed a moderate negative relationship between students' perception of school climate and violence. The results of this analysis, published in the April edition of the journal Aggression and Violent Behavior, show that there is a relationship between school climate and violence. The analysis concludes that changes in the school environment could probably reduce the appearance of violent behavior. [read more]
FEATURED ARTICLE: Instructional leadership is about quality time, not quantity Principals set the tone for academic excellence in their schools, but researchers and policymakers are only just beginning to understand how their leadership affects student achievement. [read more]
TRENDING ATICLE: 20 must-use education technology tools Educators may feel sometimes like they're on an island with little help in sight. But as technology teaching resources go, it may encourage you to learn that there are a number of online solutions available to help promote education from teaching reading basics to organizing classroom activities and encouraging civic involvement. [read more]
MOST POPULAR ARTICLE: Fear not the principal's office: That's where school success begins School principals do a lot more than strike dread in the hearts of misbehaving kids, even if that's how many people remember them. [read more]
A conversation on 'Cage-Busting Leadership' Recalling the myth of Sisyphus repeatedly pushing the same boulder up a mountain in his new book, author and educator Frederick M. Hess explains how the K12 education leadership is faltering, and how it can rise above. "Cage-Busting Leadership" (Harvard Education Press, February 2013) is a new book and consequently, a small, growing movement for educators trying to take a machete to administrative red tape and contracts that tend to paralyze district leaders from doing what's best and right for the students. [read more]
Play-based interventions Mental health services for children are frequently provided by schools, especially when families are unable or unwilling to engage with often limited resources in their own communities. Therefore, if educators do not address the social-emotional health of their students, the difficulties will likely continue or increase, and school success and even completion may be jeopardized. [read more]
Choosing the right battles Education researchers play an invaluable role in formulating policy, from preschool to grad school, Secretary Arne Duncan told the attendees of the American Educational Research Association annual meeting in San Francisco where he laid out a vision for where assessment is going, and engaged researchers on the role they play in improving education. "You are the experts. You are the independent truth-tellers," he said. Duncan's speech to AERA examined the major issues facing students, educators, policymakers and other stakeholders in today's education environment [read more]
School discipline survey finds challenges in making changes Many school districts are changing their codes of conduct in a way that limits the use of out-of-school suspension and expulsion and defines the role of law enforcement in school, a recent survey by the American Association of School Administrators found. But the resources - human and financial - needed to make those changes don't always match what districts can muster. [read more]
Most parents support mobile learning devices A majority of parents overwhelmingly think that mobile apps, mobile content and technology in the classroom promote positive learning habits and yield benefits, according to a new survey released on May 2. "Living and Learning with Mobile Devices: What Parents Think About Mobile Devices for Early Childhood and K-12 Learning," from Grunwald Associates, the Learning First Alliance, and underwritten by AT&T, surveyed 2,392 parents who have 4,164 children between the ages of 3-18. [read more]
Poll: Many teachers say they need training in Common Core standards Most public school teachers feel unprepared to teach math and reading to the Common Core standards that are rolling out in 45 states and the District, according to a poll of 800 teachers released by the American Federation of Teachers. The new standards, written by a group of states and embraced by the Obama administration, set common goals for reading, writing and math skills that students should develop from kindergarten through high school graduation. Curriculum is left to the states. The standards emphasize critical thinking and problem solving and are supposed to encourage students to think deeply about fewer topics [read more]