Welcome to Iowa ASCD!
Thank you for visiting the Iowa ASCD (
www.iowaascd.org) web site; we hope you will make it one of your favorite bookmark sites!
Watch for the September newsletter, introducing a discussion around the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy and see several articles posted for your convenience.
Mark your calendar for September 23 Webinar (4:00 - 5:00 P.M.) with Margaret Heritage - Continuing the Conversation around Formative Assessment and Instruction. Details will be released soon.
Please join us at the Fall Institute on October 28. The flyer for the Fall Institute is now on the web site under "downloads." All members will also receive a flyer in the mail. We hope you will join us! Doug Fisher of San Diego State University and ASCD author will deepen our understanding of moving responsibility from teacher to student through differentiated instruction, collaborative learning, and independent practice.
Fisher's instructional framework includes focus lessons designed to establish purpose and model skills, guided instruction differentiated for groups of students based on their needs, collaborative learning designed to allow students to interact with one another as they apply what they have learned in unique learning situations, and independent practice to ensure that students use what they have learned.
The workshop will explain how it all works and provide participants interactive time to discuss how this could be applied in your schools. The strategies modeled will address the core instruction of the Iowa Core as it helps students deepen their understanding of learning and develops their 21st century skills. Doug will share examples of lessons from both elementary and secondary levels as well as various content areas.
Our Summer Institutes were held June 14-15 at Arrowhead Resort in Okoboji and June 24-25 at Grand River Center in Dubuque. Margaret Heritage of UCLA/CRESST worked with district/building leadership teams from across the state on "Assessment for Learning: Formative Assessment and Instruction for the Iowa Core." Participants learned what formative assessments are and where they fit into the big assessment picture. They practiced identifying formative assessment practices, gained an understanding of the research supporting formative assessment, and learned how formative assessment fits into their instruction. The teams developed learning goals, success criteria, and formative assessment strategies and learned how to plan for formative assessments. Support for this workshop will be provided throughout the year - watch for opportunities with Margaret Heritage via Webinar as well as practitioners from across the state.
The Iowa ASCD Curriculum Leadership Academy will be held April 13 and 14, 2011, at the Hilton Garden Hill, located in Urbandale/Johnston, Iowa. This conference is for central office staff, principals, and teacher leaders as they address the functions of their work to assure the success of all students in their buildings and districts.
We encourage each of you to join us in our learning and to get involved in Iowa ASCD. Please contact us of your interest.
In our 61st year, Iowa ASCD assists leaders of curriculum and instruction in serving our children, Iowa's future. Working, thinking, and learning together as professionals, we will continue to make a real difference in our state!
Julie Davies
President
