District Administration - April 2008 - (Page 71)

of those who withdrew cited delays in hiring decisions as their reason for accepting employment elsewhere. (“Recruitment and Retention of Highly Qualiﬁed Teachers,” July 2007) Establish a strong learning culture within schools. A substantial body of literature indicates that schools that succeed despite adverse conditions share three characteristics: a strongly focused instructional program, an emphasis on student achievement, and a culture of collaboration among teaching staﬀ. (“Turning Around Low-Performing Schools,” May 2004) Teach grammar in context. One of the most widely ignored research ﬁndings is that the teaching of formal grammar, divorced from the process of writing, has little or no eﬀect on the writing ability of students. (“Writing: The Neglected R Returns,” January 2005) For children with dyslexia, delay or denial of intervention can have negative long-term consequences. Teach skills and strategies. When a comprehensive review of 30 years of learning disabilities intervention research was conducted in 1999, researchers found two categories of interventions that seemed to produce large gains in student achievement: direct instruction of speciﬁc skills and instruction in learning strategies. (“Understanding Learning Disabilities,” August 2005) Match instruction to students’ learning rates. Experimental studies suggest that ability grouping alone has no signiﬁcant eﬀect on learning. For gifted students, however, ability grouping can make a positive diﬀerence if accompanied by appropriate curricular changes. Generally, the strongest eﬀects on student achievement result from accelerated and enriched instruction that makes considerable adjustment for students’ learning rates. (“Ability Grouping and Acceleration in Gifted Education,” August 2007) Link parent involvement to student learning. When Anne Henderson and Karen Mapp reviewed the research on parent involvement in 2002, they found that involvement linked directly to student learning was more strongly associated with achievement than more general types of involvement. (“Schools, Families, and Student Achievement,” January 2007) DA Carla Thomas McClure is a staﬀ writer at Edvantia, a nonproﬁt education research and development organization (www.edvantia.org). Why Should You and Your AP Professionals Attend This Year’s AP Annual Conference? AP Annual Conference July 16–20, 2008 Seattle, WA Learn together about methods and policies for increasing educational access and equity. Identify resources that can support your school's AP program. Share best practices for AP teachers, Coordinators, administrators, and counselors. Register by May 1st and you can all save $180! To learn more about the 2008 AP Annual Conference and to register, visit www.collegeboard.com/apac/da www.DistrictAdministration.com April 2008 71 https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0707/index.php?startid=64 https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0707/index.php?startid=64 https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0807/index.php?startid=24 https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0807/index.php?startid=24 https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0107/index.php?startid=64 http://www.edvantia.org http://www.collegeboard.com/apac/da http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - April 2008

District Administration - April 2008
Contents
Editor’s Letter
Letters
News Update
Technology
Facilities & Construction
Curriculum
Inside the Law
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Profit and Loss in School-Business Partnerships
The Broad Way
Big Macs for Big Grades
Hometown Success
How Well Does This Web Site Work?
Speaking Out
Crisis Response
New Products
Problem/Solution
Computer Literature
Research Center
Calendar of Events
Products Showcase
Understanding the Times

District Administration - April 2008