|
June 11, 2008 |
Engaging Community as Partners in
Education Description Ms. Evelyn Joseph, of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, reminds us that NCLB urges increased parental/stakeholder participation in education. Ms. Sebastian Morris elaborates on a response that begins with the question, What do we know about schools that excel? Inevitably, they have strong leadership, both within the school and from the community. The capacity of schools to excel is directly linked to capacity building initiatives with parents, the general public, and political leaders at all levels. Our communities are under-utilized assets whose interest in their children's education can be enlivened. Involving them in ways that honor local culture, traditions, and values will increase their participation and ultimately benefit the education of their children. Ms. Joseph draws on her field-based experiences to describe a system of support that has resulted in effective, values-based parent/teacher partnerships and a strong collaborative school/community leadership that utilizes local cultural practices to empower change. Communal ways of making agreements-the coming together, taking on issues as a group, and making agreements on what to do collectively and collaboratively-is making a difference with parental involvement in schools. Their presentation offers examples of contextualized practices that work.
PowerPoint Presentation |
|
June 5, 2008 |
Accountability and Reality: Who Should Do What and Who
Should Be Accountable? Description Dr. Rechebei critically offers, "issues of sustainability, relevance, and the notion of accountability come into play when an external policy decision tied to national priorities that may not reflect island priorities is applied to remote island schools. NCLB-like initiatives need to be contextualized to reflect the realities, needs, priorities, and values of indigenous peoples, while taking into account the changing dynamics of the global community. A buy-in on the importance of accountability and appropriate and fair assessment of student achievement, and all its accompanying requirements by our leaders and the whole community, is critical." Her presentation addresses the questions, Who should do what? and Who should be accountable?.
|
|
May 27, 2008 |
The Challenge of Educational Leadership Development for Principals in the Pacific Masa-Aki Emesioichl Description Mr. Emesiochl invites further discussion on "issues of context and how to contextualize best practices related to school leadership development," exploring ways to make leadership more relevant and culturally appropriate in the Pacific. The challenging issue is how effective school leadership can be defined in the context of contemporary Pacific island society with the influx of diversity of values and beliefs that are impacting the traditional core values and beliefs of school and community leaders. It is critical to identify promising practices that support principals in their roles as managers and instructional leaders for teachers of Pacific island students still struggling to succeed in school within the context where learning takes place. He shares a new leadership program for principals in Palau.
|
|
May 21, 2008 |
The NCLB Act: A Dire Need for a Pacific Perspective-What Do We Do Now? Dr. Salu Hunkin-Finau Description Dr. Hunkin-Finau speaks of a dire need for an indigenous perspective in Pacific education and claims that, "compliance issues repeat an old tradition of English-only teaching and learning…[that] neglects to build the bilingual bridge needed for our students to succeed." Further, she states that "from leadership training, the training of teachers, the curriculum, and even the instructional strategies, all must align closely with not only with the best practices from western research, but equally important, the practices which Pacific island people have effectively used for centuries." To provide effective education for Pacific island children, NCLB policies and practices must be responsive to indigenous needs, values, and practices. It must be contextualized to local educational needs. Further, to impose NCLB practices "as is" invalidates the sound belief that meaningful education starts where the child is and values and recognizes him or her as an important person in the local and global community. Her presentation addresses the question, What do we do
now?. |
|
December 11, 2007 |
NCLB in the Pacific: Issues of Accountability,
Relevance, and Sustainability Description The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) purports to
mandate high-quality, equity, and accountability with the benefits
aimed at disadvantaged students. Issues of sustainability,
relevance, and the notion of accountability come into play when
NCLB and similar initiatives are applied to island schools. |
|
November 28, 2007
|
Capacity Building and Community Education Description The NCLB legislation focuses on greater accountability for results. Among the areas emphasized, besides student achievement, are increased involvement of and options for parents. This webinar stimulates discussion on Pacific means of engaging parents and broader community involvement in local education systems. PowerPoint Presentation |
|
November 21, 2007
|
The Challenge of Contextualizing, Integrating, and
Sustaining Globally Research-Based Practices on Educational
Leadership Development for School Principals in the Pacific
Region Contextualizing and sustaining best educational practices as
defined by NCLB can be challenging in some Pacific school settings.
Taking into account the values, attitudes, ways of learning, and
the context where learning takes place, requires careful planning,
development, integration, and sustainable support. This
presentation discusses the issues of context and contextualizing
best practices in school leadership. |
|
November 14, 2007
|
The Cluster Model: Engaging Parents as Partners in
Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI)
Schools This webinar focuses on the Cluster Model, which was developed
in response to the need to implement successful, respectful, and
appropriate parental involvement. The model builds on
contextualized educational and cultural beliefs that can help
Pacific educators and parents interact and work as partners in the
education of children. |
|
October 3, 2007
|
A Dire Need for an Indigenous Perspective To provide effective education for Pacific island children, NCLB
policies and practices must be responsive to the indigenous needs,
values, and practices of Pacific island communities. |
|
June 14, 2007
|
Transformative Approaches in Math and Science Education:
A Conversation on Strategies and Collaboration Description This webinar focuses collaborative approaches that integrate local context and academic content. Explore strategies for building and implementing culturally relevant curriculum and assessment practices. Engage in dialogue about how community and schools may work together in transformative ways to educate our most treasured resource, our children. Archived Playback Link: PowerPoint Presentation
|
|
June 14, 2007
|
NCLB in the Pacific: Accounting-The Voyage on
Accountability A voyage via NCLB in a Pacific island setting, the compass set
on accountability as the basis of determining educational progress
and achievement-students learning and teachers
teaching-necessitated a process of review and alignment of existing
policies and practices along the journey. A seamless accountability
system eliciting stakeholder involvement at all levels of the
educational organization and the larger community will be shared
and discussed. |
|
February 13, 2007 |
Identifying Individuals With Disabilities: What Schools
Need To Do To Get Ready This presentation was framed around Response to Intervention
(RtI) procedures to identify students for special education. A
number of key variables in successful RtI models will be presented.
The research base, and practical applications of the research base,
will be highlighted. |
|
February 6, 2007 |
Strategies for Improving Teacher Quality This workshop is a follow-up to the NCLB Panel Presentation.
Participants from the NLCB Forum are invited to continue the
discussion on NCLB mandated strategies for improving teacher
quality. |
|
January 8, 2007 |
Developing Instructional Leadership of Teachers and
Administrators This session will focus on strategies for developing
instructional leadership for teachers and administrators to promote
teaching for student mastery and using data to improve instruction.
Activities will use a cycle of inquiry tool and a model for teacher
observation and supervision to promote conversations among teachers
and administrators for advancing student achievement. |
|
October 24, 2006
|
What Does It
Mean To Be a Highly Qualified Teacher of Pacific Island Children:
The Ideal and the Reality This session will focus on what teachers should know, be able to
do, and care about. We will also consider local activities and
resources to help impact teacher quality. Participants will be
encouraged to share their school and community efforts to support
teacher quality. It is our hope that from the shared experiences we
can all come to see new ways to influence teacher quality in our
own communities. |
|
October 17, 2006 |
Culturally Responsive Instruction Leaves No Child
Behind NCLB emphasizes the need to close the achievement gap between
high- and low-performing children. Closing the gap, however,
requires more than just addressing cognitive challenges. Bringing
students of diverse backgrounds to high levels of literacy also
requires the use of culturally responsive instruction, such as the
use of retelling as a culturally responsive literacy strategy for
Pacific island students. |