One of my favorite authors, Dan Pink sends out a bi-monthly e-mail recommending several articles, blogs, etc... to read. In his latest up-date he suggested several articles, but three of them gained my attention. Those three article were:
"Why are there still so few Women in Science?" Written by Eileen Pollack for the New York Times.
No matter your gender, if you have a daughter, sister, wife, you will find this article extremely compelling.
"Don't say, I can't, if you say, I don't". Written by Oliver Burkeman for the Guardian.
Oliver Burkeman describes research that shows that we resist temptation better through consistency than through restraint. Specifically, avoid saying, "I can't go to the gym today." Instead say, "I don't skip going to the gym."
"Why Women Prefer Working Together & Why Men Prefer Working Alone". Written by Derek Thompson for the Atlantic
Based upon research Derek Thompson postulates that the central reason is that "Men demonstrate over-confidence in their own abilities and distrust their colleagues' aptitude except under certain circumstances."
I thought some folks might find these articles very interesting. Happy reading!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
Budget Up-date
Now that we are in the thick of FY 13-14, we are beginning to focus our attention on next year's budget (FY 14-15). Over the past three years, we have reduced our deficit spending from over 2 million a year to under $400, 000 this year. We are hopeful that we will be able to provide a balanced budget next year without making any drastic "cuts".
With this in mind, the Board of Education has created a new Budget Committee to begin analyzing where the District can save money or make reductions in the future. This Budget Committee will begin meeting in the next couple of weeks. We are hopeful that this committee will bring recommendations back to the whole Board which can be implemented for next year.
Feel free to send your budget recommendations to me via e-mail, phone or snail mail. Thanks.
With this in mind, the Board of Education has created a new Budget Committee to begin analyzing where the District can save money or make reductions in the future. This Budget Committee will begin meeting in the next couple of weeks. We are hopeful that this committee will bring recommendations back to the whole Board which can be implemented for next year.
Feel free to send your budget recommendations to me via e-mail, phone or snail mail. Thanks.
Friday, February 1, 2013
New 5 Essentials Survey
Illinois 5 Essentials Survey
Over the next two
months, certified staff and students in grades 6-12 across Illinois' public
schools will be taking the newly required "Illinois 5Essentials Survey." This survey is a research-based
instrument that provides statistically valid information for school districts
and the Illinois State Board of Education to use for a variety of purposes.
This online survey provides detailed information and reports on each of the "5 Essentials", which are...
1. Effective Leaders
2. Collaborative Teachers
3. Supportive Environment
4. Involved Families
5. Ambitious Instruction
The resulting information provided can, and will, be used for a variety of purposes at both the State and the local levels. For example, the ISBE will use the results for both school improvement initiatives and to provide a picture of school performance that goes beyond simply looking at standardized test scores. At the local level, the survey results can be used as a part of administrator evaluations, school improvement planning, determining professional development needs, and community outreach efforts, just to name a few.
This survey is required by all public schools in Illinois for the following three reasons:
This online survey provides detailed information and reports on each of the "5 Essentials", which are...
1. Effective Leaders
2. Collaborative Teachers
3. Supportive Environment
4. Involved Families
5. Ambitious Instruction
The resulting information provided can, and will, be used for a variety of purposes at both the State and the local levels. For example, the ISBE will use the results for both school improvement initiatives and to provide a picture of school performance that goes beyond simply looking at standardized test scores. At the local level, the survey results can be used as a part of administrator evaluations, school improvement planning, determining professional development needs, and community outreach efforts, just to name a few.
This survey is required by all public schools in Illinois for the following three reasons:
- PERA requires one or more instruments to provide principals
with feedback on the instructional environment within a school.
- Senate Bill 7 requires an instrument to provide feedback from, at a
minimum, students in grades 6-12 and teachers, on the instructional
environment within a school.
- Revised report card statute
requires two or more indicators from any school climate survey developed
by the State.
The
survey itself takes about 20 minutes to complete online, and includes about 120
questions. All results are kept completely anonymous at the State level as
school districts only receive the resulting aggregate reports.
Although certified staff and students are the only two groups being surveyed by the State this year, there is a parental survey that could become mandatory in 2014. In the meantime, our District is investigating the possibility of using the parental component of the "5 Essentials Survey" this year on an optional basis in order to gather another data point for our continuous improvement efforts.
If you are a certified staff member in our school district, your building principal will be discussing the implementation of this survey in the next couple of days. If you are a student or parent/guardian of a District #2 student in grades 6-12, you will also be hearing more in the next few weeks. In the meantime, if you want any further information, you can visit the "Illinois 5 Essentials Survey" website.
Although certified staff and students are the only two groups being surveyed by the State this year, there is a parental survey that could become mandatory in 2014. In the meantime, our District is investigating the possibility of using the parental component of the "5 Essentials Survey" this year on an optional basis in order to gather another data point for our continuous improvement efforts.
If you are a certified staff member in our school district, your building principal will be discussing the implementation of this survey in the next couple of days. If you are a student or parent/guardian of a District #2 student in grades 6-12, you will also be hearing more in the next few weeks. In the meantime, if you want any further information, you can visit the "Illinois 5 Essentials Survey" website.
Dr.
Richard S. Decman, Ed.D.
Superintendent
of Schools
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Latest Thoughts
Recently, I read an article about how school districts should be preparing students for the 21st century. The article highlighed four important concepts called the "Four Cs" that each school district should focus upon. After reflecting upon the article for a couple of days, I believe these four "Cs" have a alot of merit. In today;s blog I want to focus on the first one -- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving.
Clearly, the concept of Critical Thinking is one that every student should learn to do and learn to do effectively. Critical thinking contributes to success in careers, but also in success in our students' personal lives. Citizens in today's world must be active critical thinkers if they are going to make sensible and important decisions that will affect the future.
So, how do we teach critical thinking and problem solving in today's K-12 classroom?
One example could include the interpretation of what music or art means to you at the K-4 level. Does the Music or Art make you happy, sad and why? What could the musician or artist do differently to elicit a different response? The student could then create their own music and art to try and elicit a reaction from their classmates.
A second example could have students at the junior high level research how physical and chemical properties of different natural and human-designed materials affect their decomposition under various conditions. The students could set-up their own experiments to determine the level of decomposition and actually see their results. Students could also compare their results with one another and discuss how changes would affect the various stages of decomposition.
A third example of critical thinking and problem solving skills could involve a high school english or social studies class in creating a technology plan for the school. The students could create surveys, establish student advisory teams, evaluate costs, determine the value of technology, etc... The lessons learned from this type of assignment would be real and meaningful.
In my next blog, I will discuss the second of the four "Cs", Communication.
Clearly, the concept of Critical Thinking is one that every student should learn to do and learn to do effectively. Critical thinking contributes to success in careers, but also in success in our students' personal lives. Citizens in today's world must be active critical thinkers if they are going to make sensible and important decisions that will affect the future.
So, how do we teach critical thinking and problem solving in today's K-12 classroom?
One example could include the interpretation of what music or art means to you at the K-4 level. Does the Music or Art make you happy, sad and why? What could the musician or artist do differently to elicit a different response? The student could then create their own music and art to try and elicit a reaction from their classmates.
A second example could have students at the junior high level research how physical and chemical properties of different natural and human-designed materials affect their decomposition under various conditions. The students could set-up their own experiments to determine the level of decomposition and actually see their results. Students could also compare their results with one another and discuss how changes would affect the various stages of decomposition.
A third example of critical thinking and problem solving skills could involve a high school english or social studies class in creating a technology plan for the school. The students could create surveys, establish student advisory teams, evaluate costs, determine the value of technology, etc... The lessons learned from this type of assignment would be real and meaningful.
In my next blog, I will discuss the second of the four "Cs", Communication.
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