Education for the 21st Century: Leadership and Academic Innovation

Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County, describes challenges in modern education and discusses how we might better meet the needs of all students. Through this engaging “storytelling-style" presentation, Dr. Hrabowski questions our educational priorities, emphasizing the need for a balance between STEM education and that of the humanities. He also calls upon teachers to require their students to practice critical thinking in order to maximize their educational experience and future opportunities.

This presentation was taped at the 2015 AASCD summer conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support: Making What Matters Happen!

A teacher's goal is to prepare all students to succeed in school and in life. Having effective Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and Response to Intervention (RTI) is vital to this goal. The terms RTI and MTSS are sometimes used interchangeably, but RTI refers specifically to the three-tiered system of intervention many teachers are familiar with, while MTSS is an umbrella under which many forms of leveled support fall. Dr. Judy Elliott, former Chief Academic Officer for the Los Angeles Unified School District, clarifies the common understanding and language of effective MTSS and RTI. She uses her experience to describe when MTSS are most useful, as well as the cultural shifts that often need to occur in order to use MTSS well.  

This presentation was taped at the 2015 AASCD summer conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Grab Your Students By Their Brains with Humor and Passion

In this course, LouAnne Johnson discusses reaching seemingly unreachable students. Ms. Johnson is the author of the New York Times bestseller Dangerous Minds, which was turned into a movie by the same name. The book and movie recount the difficult time she had at the beginning of her teaching career. Ms. Johnson now uses those experiences to teach others how to "grab" their own students "by their brains" using humor and passion, just as she did.

This presentation was taped at the 2015 AASCD summer conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Closing the Attitude Gap

Mr. Baruti Kafele, Principal presents advice to help educators transform student attitudes. He emphasizes the importance of teacher self-reflection, overwhelmingly positive environments, and the students' will to strive. He also explains how students who live goal-oriented lives are more likely to achieve success. By focusing on closing the “attitude gap,” teachers enable students to soar with purpose in their own lives.

This presentation was taped at the 2015 AASCD summer conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Shifts in Science Education: Standards, Curriculum, and Instruction

Many significant shifts have occurred with the adoption of the new Arkansas K-4 and 5-8 Science Standards. This course demonstrates the application of these changes using a model learning investigation. In addition to exploring the major instructional shifts, the presenters provide background information on the development of the standards, recommendations for curriculum planning and development, and resources helpful for implementing the three dimensions of science education.

This course was recorded at the AETN studios in Conway on April 30, 2015.

Breaking the Status Quo for Dyslexic Students: The Creation of the GRASP Academy in Duval County Public Schools

Educators around the world are working to find the most effective ways to help dyslexic students learn. Superintendent Nikolai Vitti, Ed.D., describes his Florida school district's unique and award-winning strategy for meeting the needs of dyslexic, dysgraphic, or dyscalculic students: the establishment of the GRASP Academy. Speaking as an administrator, Dr. Vitti describes the challenges, successes, and future considerations for the academy, detailing its impact on lives and policy district-wide.

This course was recorded at the Arkansas Dyslexia Conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas on March 7, 2016.

Making Teaming Work in the Middle Grades

Dr. Tomlin discusses interdisciplinary teams that work in middle-level schools. He presents the traits of an effective team. He also describes the "life" of a team, beginning with its formation, describing in detail what interdisciplinary teams can do to maximize their service to the school and the community.

This course was recorded at the Arkansas Association for Middle Level Education Conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas on April 4, 2016.

Building for Middle Level Success: Advisory and Advocacy Programs

Effective advisory and advocacy programs allow schools to meet both the academic and non-academic needs of students. In this course, Dr. Dru Tomlin describes the features of an effective advisory program and how it can fit into an existing curriculum and schedule. He also discusses challenges to good advisory practice and how these challenges might be met. 

Success Favors Well-Prepared Adults: Unpacking Your Personality Package

Effective teaching requires successful relationships with students, parents, and coworkers. Cultivating and maintaining so many relationships can be a challenge for many educators. Todd Parker, CEO of Parker Education and Development, is working with his COO Dr. Candice Dowd Barnes and consultant Dr. Patricia Koehler-Evans to teach educators how to develop and reflect on their own Personality Package. In this course, the team guides their audience through the steps of developing a Personality Package. They encourage introspection and thinking about one's own personality traits and how they affect behavior and relationships.

This course was taped on July 11, 2016 at the annual Arkansas Association of Alternative Educators (AAAE) Conference.

Student-Centered Coaching: Introduction

In this course, Diane Sweeney introduces student-centered coaching and explains the theory and practices behind this coaching model. She compares the different models of coaching, setting goals for coaching and the steps for launching student-centered coaching. Ms. Sweeney also covers the partnership with the school leader and distinguishes the roles between the principal and coach.

This student-centered coaching course with Diane Sweeney was created in cooperation with Western Arkansas Educational Service Cooperative and was recorded on September 12, 2013 at Western Arkansas Educational Service Cooperative.