Help a teacher run 155 miles for her students!

Hi Team, 

A friend of mine wanted to ask for your help in spreading the word about a large scale fundraiser she is doing for her students: www.runforlaptops.org 

Her story:

In short: I'm a middle school special ed. teacher at progressive Boston Public School. I'm going to run 155 miles in the Sahara in a race called the Marathon de Sables. I'm doing this to raise $50,000 in order to purchase computers for the school. Regular access to working technology is something my students do not have and 92% of them live at or below the poverty line. 

If you feel compelled, please spread the word about www.runforlaptops.org (the website where you can read more about the school, race, and donate).

Thanks! 

Liz Byron

Great opportunity this Wed. in DC!

I wish I was available for this!

Please join us for a panel discussion at the Aspen Institute
 

Wednesday, October 17, 2012 10:00 AM to 12 Noon

Coffee and breakfast pastries are available at 9:30am; panel will begin promptly at 10:00am.

The Futures of School Reform

How might we re-envision our school system to make it more just, equitable, and higher performing? Most approaches to school reform today tinker with the existing system, but what if it is the system itself that is the problem? At this special event, the nationally known authors of the recently published The Futures of School Reform will argue that reformers across the spectrum are not thinking big enough, and instead outline six pathways for remaking American schooling. Join us for a provocative and highly interactive discussion about the future of our schools!

"The Futures of School Reform" is available for purchase on site for $20 - cash or check only.

Featured Authors:

• Richard Elmore, Gregory R. Anrig Professor of Educational Leadership and Director, Doctor of Education Leadership Program, Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Frederick Hess, Resident Scholar and Director of Education Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute
• Helen Janc Malone, Advanced Doctoral Student, Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Jal Mehta, Assistant Professor of Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Terry Moe, William Bennett Munro Professor of Political Science, Stanford University and Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution
• Robert Schwartz, Francis Keppel Professor of Practice of Educational Policy and Administration, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Discussants:

• Heather Harding, Vice President of Research, Teach for America
• Andrew Rotherham, Co-Founder and Partner, Bellwether Education

Moderator:

• Ross Wiener, VP and Executive Director, Education & Society Program, The Aspen Institute

RSVP required, Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.

Location:
The Aspen Institute, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC
            Nearest Metro: Red Line to Dupont Circle - North Exit

For more information, call 202-736-5857 or email katrin.thomas@aspeninstitute.org.

The event will be streamed at http://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/live

Registration link to copy and paste:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFpCNmEwTS03cFg2SEFYUjMtaE8yeEE6MQ

We love poetry!

Below is a link to an article in The Atlantic which prominently cites "The Having of Wonderful Ideas" in its discussion of poetry. This book was written by my graduate school advisor, Eleanor Duckworth, who has been a huge mentor in my life. It is worth the read!

What Poetry Teaches Us About the Power of Persuasion - Atlantic Mobile
http://m.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/10/what-poetry-teaches-us-about-the-power-of-persuasion/263551/

Oh, those preschoolers!

An article I think you might find of interest:

OBSERVATORY

Scientific Inquiry Among the Preschool Set

Chris Gash

By SINDYA N. BHANOO

Published: October 1, 2012

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When engaged in what looks like child’s play, preschoolers are actually behaving like scientists, according to a new report in the journal Science: forming hypotheses, running experiments, calculating probabilities and deciphering causal relationships about the world.

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The report’s author, Alison Gopnik, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley, says she based it on more than 10 years’ worth of research and studies, including some of her own.

In one study, for example, an experimenter performed five different sequences of three actions each, as a 4-year-old looked on. The sequences would either activate a toy or fail to activate it.

When the children were given the toy, they often performed only the actions required to activate it. They were able to eliminate the unnecessary actions by observation.

Other studies have found that when children are simply taught, they don’t explore and test multiple hypotheses, Dr. Gopnik said, adding:

“There’s a lot of pressure from parents and policy makers to make preschools more and more like schools. This research suggests the opposite.”

In another study, an experimenter held a toy that had four tubes. Each tube did something different — for instance, one lit up and one made a squeaking sound.

In one case, the experimenter accidentally made the toy squeak by bumping into it and then left the room. The children experimented with the toy and figured out the three other features.

But when the experimenter made the toy squeak on purpose and then handed it to a child, he or she simply repeated what the experimenter did and never explored the toy’s other features.

“If we want to have great scientists, letting preschoolers explore, play and do pretend play exercises the capacities for doing science,” Dr. Gopnik said. “Not so much the flash cards and the Baby Einstein videos.”

Mean Girls Screening.....

....is coming to Baltimore on November 5th. Definitely check it out!

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Developmental Resources Presents a One-Day Seminar On
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	Early Registration Closing on 10/5!  Don't Miss This Popular Seminar in Baltimore! (Earn up to 6 Contact Hours) Girls are now more likely than boys, according to recent research, to report being bullied in schools. Other studies have shown that girls are often more adept than boys in using other forms of destructive relational aggression — including exclusion, isolation, rumoring, gossiping, sarcasm, pitting friends against one another, and revealing or altering personal secrets. Texting, Facebook, Twitter and other forms of social networking can further enable and boost these kinds of emotional violence between young people. Aggressors need insightful interventions that will teach them more appropriate ways to become empowered. Without help, girls who are targets often suffer lasting effects — including academic withdrawal, social withdrawal, depression, substance abuse, risky sexual behavior, delinquency, crime, dysfunctional relationships and even suicide. Unfortunately the target herself all too often becomes a bully. Newly updated for the 2012-2013 school year, this one-day seminar offers fresh perspectives and practical strategies for helping relationally aggressive girls and their targets, while also enabling bystanders to become interveners and defenders. Registration Early Advance On-site Individual $139 $149 $159 Group Discount $114 $124 $134 Locations Baltimore, MD Four Points BWI November 5, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 10/5/2012    Miami, FL Ramada Plaza Marco Polo Resort November 7, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 10/8/2012 Salt Lake City, UT Sheraton Salt Lake City November 9, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 10/9/2012 San Francisco, CA Holiday Inn Golden Gateway November 13, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 10/12/2012 Honolulu, HI Hilton Waikiki Beach November 16, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 10/16/2012  Chicago, IL Hilton Lisle/Naperville November 27, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 10/26/2012 Providence, RI Sheraton Providence Airport November 27, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 10/26/2012 Springfield, MA Sheraton Springfield Monarch November 28, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 10/29/2012 Omaha, NE Hilton Garden Inn Omaha East November 28, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 10/29/2012 Long Island, NY Islandia Marriott Long Island November 30, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 10/30/2012 Kansas City, MO Marriott Kansas City Airport November 30, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 10/30/2012 Calgary, AB Radisson Calgary Airport December 3, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 11/2/2012 Atlantic City, NJ Trump Taj Mahal December 3, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 11/2/2012 Toronto, ON Four Points Toronto Airport December 5, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 11/5/2012 Houston, TX Crowne Plaza NW Brookhollow December 5, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 11/5/2012 Detroit, MI Detroit Marriott Southfield December 6, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 11/5/2012 Birmingham, AL Doubletree Hotel Birmingham December 7, 2012 Early Registration Deadline: 11/7/2012 About the Presenters Kaye Randall, LISW-CP In addition to providing clinical services to youth, Kaye Randall has conducted numerous professional seminars throughout North America on the topics of relational aggression and self-mutilation. Kaye was named Social Worker of the Year by the Council On Adoptable Children and is the co-author of See My Pain: Creative Strategies & Activities for Helping Young People Who Self-Injure (featured in USA Today), 102 Creative Strategies for Working With Depressed Children and Adolescents and Mean Girls: 101½ Creative Strategies & Activities for Working with Relational Aggression. Chamarlyn Fairley, Ph.D. Chamarlyn is a Licensed Clinical Pychologist who serves as Sexual Trauma Coordinator with the Veterans Administration. Prior to accepting her current position, she served at a juvenile corrections facility, where she interacted with youth in a variety of ways including pre-dispositional evaluations, pre-waiver evaluations and sex offender treatment. Chamarlyn formerly served as a therapist for children who have been sexually, physically and emotionally abused and has addressed conferences and led seminars throughout North America on the topic of bullying. Stephanie Jensen, MS Steph has held positions as classroom teacher, team leader, administrator, trainer, education consultant and national speaker. She also holds a master’s degree in clinical counseling focusing her efforts on adolescent and family issues. In recent years Steph has applied her passion for adolescents to focus on the dynamics of relational aggression, cyberbullying and sexualized bullying. She has spoken at national conferences and school districts across the country -- combining research, practical strategies, prevention planning, parent education, crisis intervention, and curriculum implementation in her presentations. Continuing Education CERTIFICATES:  Certificates of Completion for this workshop, which indicate 6 contact hours of continuing education, will be available at the end of the workshop.  In many cases, depending on your profession and jurisdiction, this Certificate of Completion is sufficient for tracking your continuing education and professional development efforts.  We suggest that you contact your local board or governing agency to see exactly what steps are necessary for approval in your particular discipline.  Please note that Developmental Resources is also an approved Provider for the following national and regional accrediting agencies: ASWB (#1053): Developmental Resources Inc.　is approved as a provider for social work continuing education in participating states by the Association of Social Work Boards through the Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Developmental Resources Inc. maintains responsibility for this program. NBCC (#5602): Developmental Resources Inc. is recognized by the NBCC to offer contact hours for continuing education/recertification use by National Certified Counselors. We adhere to NBCC Continuing Education Guidelines. California Board of Behavioral Science Examiners (#PCE 2800) Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#260) Texas Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors (#1294) Cancellation Policy All cancellations incur a $20 administrative fee and must be received in writing or electronically seven days prior to seminar.  No refunds will be issued on cancellations received after that date.  Substitutions are welcome at any time.  Developmental Resources, Inc. reserves the right to cancel any seminar in the event of insufficient registration, in which case a full refund will be returned.  If we are forced to cancel a seminar for reasons beyond our control, it will be rescheduled for a later date.  If you cannot attend on the rescheduled date, you will receive a Seminar Voucher.  If for any reason the seminar is not held, Developmental Resources is limited to refund of the registration fee paid. Upcoming Symposium Upcoming Conferences Upcoming One-Day Seminars			Objectives In this one-day seminar, you will learn: Research-based insights into bullying and relational aggression among girls K-12 Cyber trends affecting today's girls The negative impact of the misuse of social networking on female relationships How to instill social/emotional connections and minimize destructive competitions Practical steps to empowering positive change with aggressors, their victims and bystanders Individual, small group and classroom lessons and activities Strategies for helping parents of bullies and their victims How to tailor-make your own action plan to address relational aggression and bullying Agenda Click to view agenda. Who Should Attend Classroom Teachers Principals Administrators School Counselors & Psychologists Social Workers (all levels) Special Education Personnel School Resource Officers Counselors & Therapists in Agencies & Private Practice At-Risk Program Coordinators Media Specialists What You Will Receive To augment the PowerPoint™ presentation and hands-on activities, each participant will receive a resource packet of ideas, reproducible forms, activities and other suggested resources. Suggested Resources Mean Girls: 101 1/2 Creative Strategies and Activities for Working with Relational Aggression By: Kaye Randall, LISW-CP & Allyson Bowen, LISW-CP Salvaging Sisterhood By: Julia V.Taylor, M.A. Bullying In The Girl's World By: Diane Senn, Ed.S., LPC Relational Aggression in Girls By: Jamie Kupkovits, Ed.S., NCSP 121 Strategies for Bully Proofing Your School By: Erika Karres, Ed.D. Girl Games By: Shannon Trice Black Operation: Breaking the Girl Code By: Poppy Moon, Ph.D. Stop Bullying Thumball The Drama Llama By: Susan Bowman The Bully, the Bullied and Beyond By:  Esther Williams. M.Ed., LPC Becoming Someone's Hero By: Sandy Ragona How Not to Be A Bully Target By: Terry Centrone Eliminating Bullying By: Sandy Ragona and Kerri Pentel 101 Do's and Don'ts and Double Don'ts on Texting By: Liz Hounshell RN and Erika Karres Ed.D. Kicky, the Mean Chick Learns Her Lesson By: Erika Shearin Karres Ed.D.
	Ple