IEA Newsletter for Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Welcome to the Institute for Education and the Arts’ weekly newsletter for June 27, 2007. The newsletter is published each Wednesday morning to its listserv and is archived here on the IEA blog.

Due to the Fourth of July holiday, there will be no IEA newsletter next week.

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HOW HAS THE IEA NEWSLETTER HELPED YOU?
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Have you received a grant, gotten a job, changed your organization, or bettered your practice as a result of something you have seen in the IEA newsletter? Email the listserv editor at font [at] umich [dot] edu to share your story in an upcoming newsletter.

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JOB OPENINGS
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Research Associate, full-time
Program Associate, full-time
Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE)
“CAPE would like to announce a search for 2 full-time staff members: Research Associate and Program Associate. The Research Associate will primarily be responsible for data collection in our network of schools on student learning, teacher development and artist development. S/he will also work closely with CAPE's network of researchers nationally to implement research plans. A research background is a plus, but not necessary. The Program Associate will be responsible for supporting CAPE's network of Chicago Public Schools. S/he will travel frequently to schools across the city to work with teachers & artists to document and troubleshoot partnerships. In addition the Program Associate will assist with setting up professional development opportunities for teachers. Experience working with schools is a plus, but not necessary. Experience as a teaching artist or teacher is also welcome.”
Learn more>>

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MOTIVATION AND CREATIVITY IN THE CLASSROOM
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THE NEUROSCIENCE OF JOYFUL EDUCATION
Judy Willis, Educational Leadership Online, Summer 2007
“Most children can't wait to start kindergarten and approach the beginning of school with awe and anticipation. Kindergartners and 1st graders often talk passionately about what they learn and do in school. Unfortunately, the current emphasis on standardized testing and rote learning encroaches upon many students' joy. In their zeal to raise test scores, too many policymakers wrongly assume that students who are laughing, interacting in groups, or being creative with art, music, or dance are not doing real academic work. The result is that some teachers feel pressure to preside over more sedate classrooms with students on the same page in the same book, sitting in straight rows, facing straight ahead. The truth is that when we scrub joy and comfort from the classroom, we distance our students from effective information processing and long-term memory storage. Instead of taking pleasure from learning, students become bored, anxious, and anything but engaged. They ultimately learn to feel bad about school and lose the joy they once felt.”
Read more>>

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COMMUNITY ARTS EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOLS
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CONFERENCE FOR COMMUNITY ARTS EDUCATION
National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts
Los Angeles, CA, 11/7 – 11/10/07
“Learn more about our exciting line-up of keynote speakers, workshops, roundtables and more. This year’s conference will be held at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles from November 7 -10. Guided by the conviction that participation in the arts is vital to individual fulfillment and community life, the Conference for Community Arts Education provides essential networking and professional development opportunities for executive directors, program directors, development directors, teaching artists and trustees of community-based arts education organizations. As a conference delegate, you will gain practical skills and insights into growing trends from nationally renowned experts in the field of advocacy, arts integration, student assessment, board development, evaluation, marketing, fundraising, and partnerships. Join us in LA to share ideas and build relationships with a dynamic network of community arts education professionals! The early registration deadline is July 31 – see the site for details on special discounts for new members and early registration.”
Learn more>>

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EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
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COMMUNITY SCHOOLS NATIONAL AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE
Coalition for Community Schools, 6/14/07
“To highlight the expansion and effectiveness of community schools, the Coalition for Community Schools annually awards schools and communities that demonstrate excellence. This year’s awards are being given to three individual schools and three community-wide initiatives.

SCHOOLS:
- Carlin Springs Elementary School, Arlington, VA
- Fair Street Elementary School, Gainesville, GA
- Sayre High School, Philadelphia, PA

COMMUNITIES:
- Independence, MO
- Multnomah County, OR
- Tukwila, WA

“These schools and communities have demonstrated excellence in their efforts to develop well-integrated, purposeful partnerships, to involve community and families in the life of the school and to build deep and lasting connections with the community. The school and community receiving this award has demonstrated that they also are moving toward results – academic, attendance, social emotional, health, family involvement and civic – that it has set for itself. Although each of these schools and communities has different assets, they share a common vision and are working to create the conditions for learning.”
Learn more>>

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THE COST OF TEACHER TURNOVER
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THE COST OF TEACHER TURNOVER STUDY AND COST CALCULATOR
National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF), 6/20/07
“In 2007, NCTAF completed an 18-month study of the costs of teacher turnover in five school districts – Chicago Public Schools (Chicago, Illinois), Milwaukee Public Schools (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), Granville County Schools (Granville, North Carolina), Jemez Valley Public Schools (New Mexico), and Santa Rosa Public Schools (New Mexico). The selected school districts varied in size, location, and demographics enabling us to explore how these variations affected costs. We examined the costs of recruiting, hiring, processing, and training teachers at both the school and district levels. Our findings indicate that the cost of turnover does vary from district to district, largely dependant upon the size of the district and the types of induction programs the district implements -- but in all cases, the cost of teacher turnover is substantial.” The report estimates the national cost for teacher turnover at $7.3 billion annually.
Read the study>>

Use the Teacher Turnover Cost Calculator>>

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CENSORSHIP AND CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
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JOHN MERROW PODCAST #74: AN INTERVIEW WITH PHYLLIS REYNOLDS NAYLOR
On Sunday night, author Susan Patron accepted the Newbery Medal for her book The Higher Power of Lucky, which drew criticism from some for the inclusion of a particular vocabulary word, a story that ultimately reached the front page of the New York Times. In this podcast, educational journalist John Merrow revisits an interview from the year 2000 with Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, a fellow Newbery Award winner whose books have been targeted for censorship.
Listen>>

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GRANTS, FUNDING, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS
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RECOGNIZING YOUNG ROLE MODELS
Deadline: 4/12/08
The BR!CK Award celebrates young people making our world better. BR!CK Award winners aren't just the leaders of tomorrow. They are the leaders of today. The BR!CK Award accepts applications from citizens and permanent residents of the Unites States and Canada. All BR!CK Award winners have a shot at $25,000, international recognition, televised glory, and pro bono legal services. By celebrating and spotlighting young stars of social change, the BR!CK Award creates a whole new breed of role models who aren't famous for what they wear (or don't) or who they date.Think you have what it takes to be a BR!CK Award winner? Know someone who does? The 2008 Application is up now.”
Learn more>>

EDUCATIONAL GRANTS
US Airways Education Foundation
Deadline: 8/1/08
“The US Airways Education Foundation places a high value on educational programs that respond to social issues, especially those that directly or indirectly strive to improve education or increase skills for its participants. To this end, the US Airways Education Foundation, Inc., will consider providing grants up to $5,000.00 to non-profit organizations that submit grant applications describing educational programs that include any of the following criteria:

- Educational programs that respond to the special needs of disadvantaged or disabled individuals
- Educational programs that teach or enhance social responsibility
- Educational programs that facilitate parental and/or community involvement
- Educational programs that enhance academic achievement.”

Learn more>>

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