New York State Urban Forum

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New York State Urban Forum

• March 31, 2008

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I have never let schooling interfere with my
educationMark Twain
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Definition Of An Ineffective School

• A series of self-employed individuals connected
  by a common hallway and a shared parking lot.
• Lawrence W. Lezotte

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The Definition of Insanity in Education in 2008

• Applying industrial age thinking and practices
  in a knowledge economy
• Edwards, 2008

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Paradigm Shift The Fundamental Organizational
Unit of Education

• Tom Bentley (2005), Learning Beyond the
  Classroom Education for a Changing World

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What Makes Middle Schools Work?

• Five core elements
• Trusting and respectful relationships
• Trust
• Students social and emotional well-being
• Network
• Teamwork
• 5 Dysfunctions of a Team
• Evidence based decision making
• Data at all levels
• Shared vision of mission and goals
• Purposeful action
• Source University of Albany Study 2007

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What you dont address, you acceptEdwards
2007
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Redefining the Three Rs
Rigor
Relevance
Relationships
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Rigor

• What is it? What does it look like?
• How do you know it when you see it?
• How is it defined at your school?
• What does it mean for the classroom teacher?
• What about for the student?

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Relevance

• What is relevant to a middle school student?
• Does your staff know?
• What do your students say (have we asked them)?
• How can we better link into their world?

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Relationships

• What are the elements of effective relationships?
• What do the adult-to-adult relationships look
  like at your school?
• These are essential if we are to forge
  relationships with the students
• How big is trust?

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Transitions
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Manage Student Transitions

• Class to class, grade to grade and level to level
• Be proactive (overlap)
• Look at the needs of children at multiple levels
• Look through the students lens

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Skills and ContentWhat we teach
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21st Century Learning Skills

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Leadership
• Creativity
• Problem Solving
• Technological fluency
• Thornburg

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Consistency and RedundancyMake your bed
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Sustainability are we sustaining the right
things? Ask why and for what purpose
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The Knowing-Doing Gap
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(No Transcript)
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Accountability
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We must not hold children accountable for the
failings of their parents and othersUN youth up
to 25
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Children succeed when great minds dont think
alikeEdwards 2007
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Success is

• Doing the right things
• Doing the right things well
• Doing the right things over and over again
• Edwards 2004

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The Principals Role in Dropout Prevention 7
Key Principles
For information, visit www.realityedservices.com
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Advance the ball
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Contact Information

• Steven W. Edwards, Ph.D.
• Phone [phone]
• Website www.realityedservices.com
• Email steve_at_realityedservices.com