Event Rewinds
Regional Meeting on Building Statewide Systems of Support
NECC and The Education Alliance at Brown University co-hosted a regional meeting for state and district leaders on building statewide systems of support to improve teaching and learning. Featuring Tom Payzant, former superintendent of Boston Public Schools and now professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education as a critical reflector, the regional meeting was held at the Sheraton Hotel in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Events began with dinner on April 16th, followed by a two-day meeting on April 17th and 18th.
This regional meeting helps state and district leaders throughout New England to learn from and with each other about key issues in designing and implementing state systems of support. It builds on NECC's Statewide Systems of Support 2007 regional meeting and the Alliance's 2007 national symposium on "The State Role in Catalyzing District Reform".
The meeting engaged leaders in roundtable dialogue and problem solving around six key questions:
- How can states and districts identify the strengths and needs of districts to impact districtwide improvement?
- How can SEAs and LEAs be organized to best support district and school improvement?
- How can SEAs develop statewide learning communities and networks of educational agents to help districts and schools meet their identified challenges?
- How can the use of professional learning communities advance state and district efforts to improve student achievement?
- How can a response to intervention approach serve as a viable process for meeting the needs of diverse learners?
- How can SEAs build systems to promote and support effective teaching and learning practices for under-served students?
Related Initiative: Statewide Systems of Support
Webinar on Math Education for Educators
NECC hosted a webinar on mathematics education on April 4, 2008. Featuring distinguished mathematics educator and researcher Deborah Lowenberg Ball, the webinar offers participants opportunities to deepen their knowledge of current research on math content knowledge for teachers and to consider implications of the research on education policy and teacher preparation.
Download the flyerWebinar: Colorado's Experience with Infusing Reading Research into Teacher Preparation Programs
This March 20, 2008 webinar builds on work begun in NECC's first year to support efforts to strengthen the teaching of literacy. One aspect of this work has been to explore ways that the research on reading instruction can inform teacher education policy and practice. Representatives of the Colorado Literacy Council, which advises the Colorado Department of Education on literacy initiatives, will discuss their work in infusing reading research into teacher preparation programs.
Webinar: Response to Intervention, Lessons from the Field
A November 13, 2007 webinar on implementing Response to Intervention (RTI) featured two elementary school principals, Tom Komp and Merri Greenia, who are using RTI to improve teaching and learning.
Tom Komp, Principal, Boulevard Elementary School, Gloversville, N.Y.
Through shared leadership and data-driven decision-making, Boulevard has established an effective tiered instructional program. Tom will describe how the school culture changed to use an RTI approach to improvement.
Merri Greenia, Principal, Wolcott Elementary School, Wolcott, V.T.
Merri is implementing RTI in literacy and mathematics. She will focus on the importance of ensuring fidelity in implementing high quality core instruction and supports in an RTI approach.
Promoting Student Literacy Through Comprehension: Enhancing Teacher Preparation and Professional Development
Educators and policy-makers confered on literacy comprehension at this June 11–12, 2007 symposium
Comprehension is the whole purpose and joy of reading. What do beginning teachers need to know and be able to do to teach it effectively?
This and related questions animated educational leaders from higher education, technical assistance, and state and local education departments at a symposium on "Enhancing Teacher Preparation and Professional Development." Featuring literacy experts Michael Kamil and Nell Duke, the two-day symposium brought educators from New York and New England together to discuss scientifically based research in literacy, teacher preparation, state standards, and collaborations to strengthen teaching quality. It was held June 11–12 in Albany, New York.
Co-hosted by NECC and NYCC, the event built on 2006 symposia on "Enhancing Teacher Effectiveness," featuring Catherine Snow. "Promoting Student Literacy Through Comprehension" occasioned expanded, deeper conversations and collaboration among a larger number of participants. It also kicked off TQ Online, an online space for teacher educators, professional developers, and policymakers in New York and New England to share ideas and resources, brainstorm solutions, and build networks.
Read full story, listen and download presentations >
Related Initiative: Advancing Student Literacy and Numeracy
Webinar: Response to Intervention
A May 18, 2007 webinar on Response to Intervention (RTI) featured Dr. Greg Roberts, Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts at the University of Texas at Austin and director of the Center on Instruction's Special Education Strand; Joe Sassone, Senior Program Associate at WestEd and former Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, Assessment, and Professional Development for the Vail Unified District in Arizona; John Carruth, Assistant Superintendent, Vail Unified School District, Vail, AZ; and Merri Greenia, Principal of Wolcott Elementary School, Wolcott, VT.
Download and play recording of presentation >
Related Initiative: Statewide Systems of Support
January Regional Meeting: Statewide Systems of Support
The first forum on Statewide Systems of Support was held January 24, 2007 at the Sheraton, Framingham, MA. Paul Reville, president of the Rennie Center, delivered the keynote speech. Other speakers were Alyssa Alston of the Council of Chief State School Officers; Keith Speers, Director of the Office of Field Relations, Ohio Department of Education; and Lauren Morando-Rhim of the national Center on Innovation and Improvement.
Read full story, listen and download presentations >
Related Initiative: Statewide Systems of Support
Connecticut Statewide Forum on School, Family, and Community Partnerships
The Center supported planning efforts and assisted in facilitating workshops for a statewide forum on School, Family, and Community Partnerships. The keynote speaker was Dr. Joyce L. Epstein, Research Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University.
Listen to excerpts from Epstein's talk >
Related Initiative: Connecticut
Symposium Rewind
On June 5 and 6, 2006, NECC sponsored a regional dialogue on teaching reading, drawing more than 80 representatives from higher education, state departments of education, local school districts, and educational philanthropies. Coverage of this event includes descriptions of and audio clips from presentations by Catherine Snow of Harvard University, Michael Coyne of the University of Connecticut, Betty Lou Whitford of the University of Southern Maine, Marty Hougen of the Texas Higher Education Collaborative, and Amy Jackson of the National Comprehensive Center on Teacher Quality.
Read and listen to presentations>
Related Initiative: Advancing Student Literacy and Numeracy
Join our email list to receive information on news, events and other announcements. Subscribe now >