The value of worth

My father and I had an interesting conversation the other day. We were discussing the value of worth and how this is relative. My dad had mentioned that back in the 1980's there was a market crash in Alberta and there were too many houses up for sale and not enough buyers, at one point money became valueless. He had stated, "a diamond has value, only because a bunch of people say it has value."

Dictionary.com defines the word value as: relative worth, merit or importance.

The word worth is defined as: good, or important enough to justify.

I recently read an article in the reader's digest of a story called, "The Wealthy Barber Returns." One of the subtitles was called, The Power of Perspective" and there was an interesting quote, "There is no more potent antidote for the disease of envy than a dose of perspective."

We are very fortunate in Canada with our big cars, big houses and money. We can have pretty much anything we desire at our immediate disposal. I was in a very affluent neighborhood with my colleague, a couple of months ago and I was commenting at how HUGE the homes were and Michael stated, "Jeannine, it is just a house. Made of wood and nails." As a society we have to be careful about how much we value, maybe for that family a large house is worthwhile, but when you start to envy that person, that house, that car, your thinking shifts gears and you start to see something, that had no value before, as precious.

The late Harold Coffin noted: "Envy is the art of counting the other fellow's blessings instead of your own." We have to value the important things, and most of the time they don't cost money. Family, friendship, love, happiness.

When we look at our prospects and our clients, how do we value them? Are they worthwhile? Or are they worthless? If they are worthwhile, how do we demonstrate that? If they are worthless, is that showing through? What do you value?

View the original article here

Knowing = excellence. Not knowing = path to excellence. Think you know = run for your life.

In business, it has been my experience that I love to deal with two types of people. Those who know; in terms of their craft or profession, and those who don't know. Dealing with people who really know their craft are people who I consider to be practitioners. They have a definable, authentic, and repeatable approach that above all else, demonstrate real results for their clients or co-workers.

Those who aren't afraid to admit they don't know, on the other hand, are also a joy to work with. They are open to new ideas, take the time to learn new information and are humble enough to recognize that everyone can learn something new. In fact, I consider myself a person who often 'doesn't know' but take the time to learn something new so that I eventually 'know.'

What is dangerous, however, are those in the business profession who think they know, but really don't. These individual's are found in every industry and in every market and they are growing by the second. The reason being is with the access to information at an all time high, we can pass ourselves as 'experts' in something without ever really having any credentials at all. Case in point, here is me pretending to know something about Astrophysics:

Have you ever heard of cataclysmic variable stars? No? - you're kidding me! Well, hear's the deal; they're binary systems where one of the stars is stealing material from the other star due to their close proximity. Easy enough right?! Okay, then you have to understand that this material forms a kind of pancake around the star called an accretion disk (remember that from the good 'ol days in high school science). Now, although we’ve actually never imaged one of these systems before, we now have a very, very good theoretical model of how they work. Let me walk you through it. - from http://www.slackerastronomy.org/wordpress/category/astrophysics/

I don't know about you, but if I didn't read the first part of my blog, I would have thought my little blurb on astrophysics actually sounded pretty credible - wouldn't you agree? Problem is, I don't have any idea what any of that meant; I simply looked it up on the internet and phrased it like I did.

So here's my point - if you want to deal with someone in business ask them what they have accomplished. What are their definable, authentic, and repeatable approaches to their craft that have demonstrated real results. Ask for the the proof because now more than ever, these people will have you believe they're experts. But their only expertise is how to sound like one - not actually being one.

I wish you all the success in the world, now go out and BE the difference!

View the original article here

What does it take to reach the C-suite?

One of my firm’s most popular offerings is our strategic outbound communications services. In a nutshell, what we do is connect our clients prospects by making outbound calls on their behalf and then setting up appointments for them. But, I’m not hear to sell you that service, I am hear to let you know what it takes to reach c-suite executives.

The long and short of it is – persistence. But, it’s not the same kind of persistence you might be thinking of, such as making a 1000 calls to reach them. That type of persistence is called telemarketing and it’s reserved for the peddlers of the world.

What is required is a razor sharp message, an ability to research relevant information, having proper pacing and tone when speaking and knowing when to “hold ‘em, knowing when to fold ‘em, knowing when to walk away and knowing when to run” and most of all – you must be STRATEGICALLY persistent.

Being strategically persistent is the absolute key, just as Herbert True, a marketing specialist at Notre Dame University, found:

- 44% of all sales people quit trying after the first call
- 24% quit after the second call
- 14% quit after the third call
- 12% quit trying to sell to their prospect after the fourth call

This means that 94% of all sales people quit after the fourth call. But 60% of all sales are made after the fourth call!

I wish you all the success in the world, now go out and BE the difference!

View the original article here

Entrepreneurship is like an ultra marathon – on a different planet!

A lot of folks have asked me what running one’s own small business is like. The best way I can describe it is that it’s like being in an ultra marathon, except it’s taking place on a different planet!

What I mean by that is with all the training you do, here on earth, you don’t know what the conditions will be like on this new planet you’ll be running in.

You have no idea what the elevation will be like, you don’t know how many mountains you need to climb, what the air will be like and whether or not the gravity will be less or more.

Last but not least, it really IS an ultra marathon in that endurance, mental fortitude and the will to live means more than anything else.

I have all the respect for those folks out there running in this very unique ultra marathon and as for myself, I wouldn’t change it for anything – I guess I’m a glutton for punishment!

I wish you all the success in the world; now go out and BE the difference!

View the original article here

New driving law

The following is a summary of the new traffic safety distracted driving legislation.

No individual shall drive or operate a vehicle on a highway while at the same time:

Holding, viewing or manipulating a cellular telephone, radio communication device or other communication device that is capable of receiving or transmitting telephone communication, electronic data, electronic mail or text messages;

Holding, viewing or manipulating a hand-held electronic device.

An individual may drive or operate a vehicle on a highway while using a cellular telephone or radio communication device in hands-free mode.

The prohibition doe not apply to the use of a 2-way radio required by an individual's employer when that person is acting within the scope of their employment

Driving with the display screen of a television,computer or other device visible to the driver is prohibited, except a gps that is programmed before operating the vehicle or used in a voice-activated matter, or a cell phone in hands free mode, or logistical or dispatch system, or an instrument or guauge giving information about the status of the vehicle.

Also prohiblted is reading or viewing printed material, writing, printing or sketching and engaging in personal grooming or hygiene.

All of the above are permitted in an emergency or if the vehicle is parked or not on a highway.

Under the new rules using any cellphone or MP3 player will be prohibited unless pre-programmed or hands free. Drinking, eating or talking to a passenger will not be prohibited.

The fine for a violation is $172.

View the original article here

Deliver the Whole Message

“The English language is built on polar terms, according to Richard Maybury of Peak Performance Group.  What are the midpoints when you try to place a term between good and bad, generous and stingy, polite and rude, success and failure?”

In my experience it seems that groups do tend to polarize around any given point of controversy, and though I hadn’t considered that our language might be contributing to that, I can surely see how it could. I know personally that whenever someone speaks in absolutes, I feel a natural desire to counteract that view to move perspectives back to center, and I notice others tend to do the same.

What Comprises a “Whole Message?

Burt Albert, in his book, Fat Free Meetings, tells us that a whole message consists of four types of statements, or parts, delivered in this sequence:

Observation (statements of fact)Thoughts (inferences/conclusions drawn)FeelingsNeeds

Burt goes on to suggest that if a sender omits any one of these four elements in delivering their message–especially one dealing with an interpersonal, potentially volatile topic–the receiver may become confused, unconvinced, irritated, or alienated. And in a frenetic business world, where shorthand is often spoken, the likelihood of omission is significant.

Four Questions to Communicate Completely

Here’s an example of a message fragment, commonly used in our business world delivered by Bill to Joe:

Well Joe, it looks like we’re not going to make that WInston Report deadline.

A more complete way of expressing that message using all four of the above elements might go something like this:

Joe, around 8:30 this morning I noticed two of the three people working on the WInston Report head off to assist another customer on the other side of town for what sounded like an all-morning affair. According to our schedule, we need a first draft of that report to the customer by this friday and yesterday, when you showed me the report, it was barely halfway done. (Observation) Based on our past performance with Winston, if he doesn’t get the report by this Friday, as promised (Thought/Inference), I’m afraid we’ll lose his follow on project which will amount to nearly $1M in annual revenue. (Feeling) I made a promise to him that we’d get this to him on time and with high quality, and you agreed to this schedule. I really want us to succeed on this project and earn his respect. (Need)

In this message, Joe is not attacked personally. Bill simply states what he saw, what he inferred, and how these inputs affect how he feels and what he needs. With this complete information, Joe is far more likely to accommodate Bill.

In your groups, you might want to post the following four questions for participants to consider whenever they have a difficult concern to convey to someone else in the room. Encourage them to use this approach in all their challenging communications in the workplace. Though it may take a little longer to communicate the “whole” message, it’s apt to save a lot of time in the way of hurt feelings, misunderstandings, and missed deadlines.

What facts do you know based on what you actually saw, heard, or read?What inferences or conclusions do you draw from the facts?How do the inferences or conclusions make you feel (without blaming or judging anyone)?What needs do you now have (without blaming or judging) because of the information you related above?

Action

Use the four questions above to deliver a difficult message to someone this week. And/or offer this approach to your clients or coworkers and encourage them to use it in their next meeting?Please click on the Add Your Comments and tell us about it.

View the original article here

Double Take

You must be an ASCD member or subscriber to view this content.

To view this article,

A question for you: What form of professional learning has the most abysmal track record for changing teachers' practice and student achievement? Clue: It's the kind that 90 percent of teachers normally engage in at school.

If you answered, "the workshop-style training session," you're right. Despite its ineffectiveness, it still soldiers on.

In light of the Common Core state standards, changing teachers' practice is crucial. Research shows that most classroom instruction is weak in teaching for critical thinking, a skill that the standards emphasize across the board. Cautions the author of a recent study from the Center for Public Education, "Teachers have to learn new ways to teach, ways to teach they likely never experienced themselves and that they rarely see their colleagues engage in. Creating this type of teacher development is one of the biggest challenges school districts face today" (p. 7).

Teaching the Teachers: Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability looks at the research and distills five principles of effective professional development:

The duration of professional development must be significant and ongoing to allow time for teachers to learn a new strategy and grapple with implementation problems. Teachers may need as many as 50 hours of practice before mastering a new teaching strategy.A teacher must receive support during implementation. When professional development describes a skill to teachers, only 10 percent can transfer it to their practice. However, when teachers are coached through the awkward phase of implementation, 95 percent can transfer the skill.Teachers' initial exposure to a concept should not be passive, but rather should engage teachers through such varied approaches as role-playing, live modeling, and classroom observations so they can actively make sense of the new practice.Modeling is highly effective. Teachers can best understand how and why to implement a new practice when they see an expert demonstrate it.Professional development is best delivered in the context of the teacher's subject area or grade level. Training on generic topics is unhelpful.

Authored by Allison Gulamhussein and published by the Center for Public Education, Teaching the Teachers: Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability.

In Sydney, Australia, at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic primary school, teams of three or four teachers are working together to teach classes three times the average size. The feedback the teachers provide one another, as well as their ongoing collaboration in the classroom, helps them learn as they teach and improve their practice. This approach to embedded professional development means that teachers no longer work alone behind closed doors, every teacher knows every student, and every child in the larger classroom has three teachers rather than one.

Are you trying to set up professional learning opportunities in your school that lead to true teacher growth? Check out Learning Forward's 21 free webinars on topics related to implementing great professional development—including establishing time for it in the school day, assessing your faculty's learning needs, and stretching professional learning dollars. Some webinars—such as one on professional learning through virtual communities—focus on how individual teachers can set their own learning goals and curate a personal network of colleagues and resources to fuel their professional growth.

Website visitors can also access issues of the newsletter, The Leading Teacher. Each issue includes articles on topics like coaching teachers individually, as well as downloadable tools—such as a "polarity map" protocol for facilitating difficult conversations within learning communities. And at the Learning Exchange area, you'll find blogs that offer interaction and ideas for increasing teacher learning.

Building a Better Teacher by Elizabeth Green (Norton, forthcoming July 2014)

"The common view of great teachers is that they are born that way," writes Elizabeth Green in Building a Better Teacher. This assumption has informed countless studies that have sought to explain good teachers through personality and character traits: Are great teachers empathetic? Extroverted? Emotionally sensitive? Humorous? Socially well-adjusted? Flexible?

If teaching is, indeed, a natural gift, then it makes sense to try to improve education by sorting out the worst teachers—an approach advocated by many of today's education reformers. But Green's historical study of efforts to define good teaching practice—by educators and reformers like Magdalene Lampert, David Cohen, Nate Gage, Deborah Loewenberg Ball, Judith Lanier, and Doug Lemov—leads her to conclude that great teaching is, instead, the result of specialized knowledge and skill honed through years of experience—and that, therefore, the way to improve education is through teacher professional learning.

"By misunderstanding how teaching works, we misunderstand what it will take to make it better—ensuring that, far too often, teaching doesn't work at all." (p. 9)

20 The percentage of students in U.S. teacher preparation programs who use Twitter to enhance their professional knowledge.

45 The percentage of students in U.S. teacher preparation programs who regularly look for podcasts and online videos to help them prepare for teaching.

Source: Project Tomorrow & Blackboard K–12. (2013). Learning in the 21st century: Digital experiences and expectations of tomorrow's teachers. Washington, DC: Author.

"Pause classroom"? Wouldn't that be a wonderful feature to have in a classroom where everything is going wrong?

—Lisa Dieker and colleagues

View the original article here

Is Charismatic Leadership Good for Groups?

Clearly we’re all drawn to charismatic leaders. Whether we’re talking about political leaders like JFK, public speakers like Zig Ziglar, or trainers like Anthony Robbins, how does the charisma or strength of a group leader impact a group, pro or con?

We’ve become increasingly conditioned to being entertained, via television dramas, commercials, movies, talk shows, youtube, etc. The primary focus of “news” shows now favors entertaining and stimulating over informing. The messages are getting shorter and more provocative in attempts to get our attention in the rising sea of information. A dead pan speaker, no matter how relevant and important the content of his message, is unlikely to be heard.

I’ve seen coaches and trainers who actually specialize in the “entertainment factor” to create more success in their workshops and events. After all, we’re competing with Hollywood at every turn with hundreds of cable and satellite TV stations, flashy Internet audio and video, etc.

Further, we’ve been conditioned to sit and listen to the “teacher,” “leader,” “speaker,” up in front of the room and view her as the expert, authority, guru, etc. If this is true, I can’t help but wonder, from the perspective of a facilitator, about the impact a charismatic group leader has on the empowerment of her group.

Will her charisma rub off on her group and connect them to their power? Or will her charisma inspire them to just sit, enthralled and entertained for the moment, having little impact on the work they, and they alone, came together to do?
This article was inspired by the following comment I received from Lynn Goldhammer, a fellow facilitator:

I’m wondering if [I can learn to] be a less obtrusive facilitator when I’m supposed to be facilitating… I just realize that people need to talk and have discussions, and that isn’t happening in this high tech world. So, I go in and start conversations, but am always up in front directing them. I’m wondering if that is always best? If maybe some situations will benefit from me sitting down, and facilitating from within the group even when I’m not part of the group or contributing my thoughts. Does that make sense? Less controlling of the flow, while still keeping folks rounded up and moving… (a cowgirl versus a dog (leash) walker?)

This comment got me thinking about the potential downsides of what we often consider to be strong or charismatic leadership on the health of group process. I did a little research on the Internet and found nothing regarding the downside, problems, or harm that might come as a result of strong, charismatic, even “forceful” leadership. It seems that according to most people, this is a commodity we can’t get enough of.

I’ve heard Charisma defined as a potent combination of inspiration and enthusiasm. To inspire means to exert an animating, enlivening, or exalting influence on others, and enthusiasm is a strong excitement of feeling. There’s no question that inspiration and enthusiasm serve the collective good of groups at one time or another. And perhaps that’s the key. Just as there’s a time and a place to “use” charismatic, strong, or forceful leadership, there may very well be times when it could also hinder your group’s purpose.

Use your charisma as a tool to empower others. If you’ve been able to help get a group to openly dialogue around an issue they’ve committed to work with, then you’ve done your job as group leader and it’s time to get the heck out of the way, at least for the moment. And it might well be that your charisma sparked the passion that got them started. Great job! Now turn it off and sit down!

View fading to the background as success . Though I prefer to be a bit of an introvert, I like to think that I can be a bit charismatic at times. (Though I’m ready to admit this could be a complete fantasy of mine.) Whatever the case, I actually don’t mind being in the background and know I’m being a successful facilitator when I’ve worked myself out of a job, at least momentarily, and my group’s cruising on its own.

Be Quiet. Silence is a much underestimated skill in this arena. And yes, sitting down and facilitating from within the group, literally, can work as well.

I’m sure there’s a lot more to be said on this subject (as he turns his charisma on low), but let’s hear some of your ideas.

Action

Are you a strong and charismatic group leader? Do you know when to turn it off? How can you better use this skill to empower your groups? We’d love to hear what you come up with. Click on Add Your Comments to share your questions, feedback, or experience on this topic.

View the original article here

EL Study Guide

You must be an ASCD member or subscriber to view this content.

To view this article,

The best teachers never stop learning. They know there's always room for improvement, and they're eager to find new ways to guide their students' learning. But the sit-and-get model of professional development in which teachers listen to an expert expound on best practice has not served all these teachers well. Today, teachers are finding new ways to learn together by observing one another in the classroom or discussing their practice in professional learning communities in person or online. This May 2014 issue of Educational Leadership looks at the ways educators are reimagining professional learning.

In "Planning Professional Learning," Thomas R. Guskey points out that education leaders too often plan learning activities without giving sufficient thought to the goals of those activities—they choose the route for the journey, before deciding on the destination. In such cases, the learning activities may be good ones, but their purpose is unclear. He encourages educators to decide on the student learning outcomes they want to achieve and then develop a learning plan with those goals in mind.

How does your school or district plan for professional learning? What are the ultimate goals of this learning? What do you do to ensure the learning experiences lead toward those goals?Have you experienced professional learning that falls into the "activity trap" that Guskey describes? What are some signs that learning is more focused on the journey than on the destination?Think of a student learning outcome you'd like to achieve. Now work through the backward-planning steps in Guskey's article to sketch out a plan for a professional learning experience that leads to this goal. (See "A Backward Planning Case Study.") Share the plan with your PLC for feedback on how well it would work in your school or district. If you're in a position to do so, consider presenting the plan to your school or district leaders.

Several authors in this issue discuss the value of having teachers take charge of their own learning by visiting one another's classrooms and discussing what they see. In "Rethinking Classroom Observation," Emily Dolci Grimm, Trent Kaufman, and Dave Doty describe a teacher-driven observation mold in which observed teachers seek help answering a specific question about their instruction. In "The Trouble with Top-Down," Rebecca Van Tassell shares how she and her colleagues created a club centered on visiting one another's classrooms and discussing what they observed.

What opportunities are available at your school for teachers to observe one another in their classrooms? How do you ensure that those observations are of value for the observers and the observed?The observation programs in both articles have a structure. The model that Grimm, Kaufman, and Doty describe uses a protocol and Van Tassel's colleagues used observation and discussion prompts to keep them focused. How important are such structures to an observation program? What kind of structure would work well in your school?When the observation program at Van Tassell's school became a schoolwide requirement, the learning faltered. How might a school that wants to implement an observation program avoid some of the difficulties her school encountered?

Education conferences are more than opportunities for educators to attend workshops led by big-name presenters. In fact, new models have cropped up that require educators to become active in planning and participating in the learning. Edcamps ("Edcamp: Teachers Take Back Professional Development" by Kristen Swanson) and the Crossroads model ("The Crossroads Model," by John Settlage and Adam Johnston) offer two new ways to conduct a professional conference.

What kinds of experiences do you most value at a professional conference? How would you change conferences to make them even more useful?Both Edcamp and Crossroads depend on the active participation of educators who attend. The attendees are themselves the experts, and they learn from one another. What do you see as the benefits and drawbacks of this participant-driven approach?Edcamp participants show up without a schedule or prepared presentation. The attendees plan out the day after they arrive. Crossroads participants prepare ahead of time by writing about a professional Vexation they'd like to discuss and submitting it to the hosts for consideration. Which approach appeals to you most? For what kinds of learning might each model be best suited?Many Edcamps incorporate technology, often through back-channel conversations that take place among session attendees and others who observe the discussions from afar. In contrast, Crossroads requires that participants put away their smartphones and other technology during sessions. How do you use social media and other interactive technology at conferences? Does it tend to detract from or enhance the experience for you?

Technology now makes it possible for teachers to learn at a time and place that fits their schedule. Teachers can take free online courses to build pedagogical knowledge ("Grab a MOOC by the Horns" by Anissa Lokey-Vega). Administrators can flip their professional development, asking teachers to use online resources to learn the material on their own and use face-to-face sessions to build on their independent study ("Flipping the Flip" by Patricia Gioffre Scott).

What kinds of learning have you done online? Share which experiences have been most beneficial and which needed improvement. How is online learning different from face-to-face learning? How can the two be combined to take advantage of the best aspects of each?Browse the list of education-related MOOCs at Coursera and the online MOOCs Directory. Which courses seem most relevant to your professional goals? How might you make that course part of your professional learning? Are there colleagues who might join you in working through and discussing the course materials?If you plan professional development for your school or district, think about a topic that you'd like teachers to learn more about and consider how you might "flip" that learning. What obstacles to flipping your PD do you think you might encounter, and how could you work around those obstacles? What would you have teachers do during your face-to-face sessions? Share your proposal with a few teachers to get their feedback on the approach.

View the original article here

Inservice Guest Blogger: Kelly Gallagher

Educational Leadership:Writing: A Core Skill:Inservice Guest Blogger: Kelly Gallagher Conference Countdown Dallas, Tex. June 27-29, 2014 homestore a#fogot { border-radius: 0; font-size: 11px; }a:hover#fogot { border-radius: 0; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: underline; } membershipmy account help We are here to help!

1703 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
Tel: 1-800-933-ASCD (2723)
Fax: 703-575-5400

8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday

Local to the D.C. area, 703-578-9600, press 2

Toll-free from U.S. and Canada, 1-800-933-ASCD (2723), press 2

All other countries (International Access Code) + 1-703-578-9600, press 2

Log In Forgot Password?

go

About ASCD AdvertiseAdvocacyAnnual ReportASCD CareersASCD Job RampCommunitiesGovernanceJoinNews & MediaSponsorshipMembership Join Us

ASCD membership offers more information and ideas about learning and teaching than any other single source.

Member Benefits

CommunityGet InvolvedASCD AffiliatesConnected CommunitiesProfessional Interest CommunitiesStudent Chapters
Get ConnectedASCD EDgeASCD on FacebookASCD on TwitterASCD on YouTubeASCD on PinterestASCD on Google+ASCD InserviceASCD NewsASCD Announces 2014 Conference on Teaching ExcellencesASCD and CDC Announce Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child ModelASCD Launches Digital 2013 Annual Report

More

Books & Publications Browse BooksMeet the AuthorsMember BooksNew BooksASCD AriasExamination and Desk CopiesNewslettersASCD Inservice BlogWrite for ASCDBooks in TranslationMember Books How Teachers Can Turn Data into Action

With easy-to-use templates and teacher-friendly protocols, this book provides a systematic process for translating data into classroom practice in cycles of two to nine weeks. More

ASCD iPad App

Easily access e-books purchased from the ASCD store on your iPad. More

Newsletters

Educational Leadership Current IssueArchived IssuesDigital ELSubscribe / PurchaseWrite for ELContact the EL TeamCurrent Issue Writing: A Core SkillApril 2014

Explore a variety of strategies to make writing meaningful for students.

Table of Contents

EL Resources
Study GuidesUpcoming Themes

Subscribe to the EL RSS Feed

Join the DiscussionShare your feedback with the editors. E-mail us.Write for Educational Leadership. Read our guidelines.Subscribe to EL

Subscribe to Educational Leadership and save more than 50% on the cover price or
renew your subscription.

Conferences Annual ConferenceConference on Teaching ExcellenceConference on Educational LeadershipL2LLeadership Institute for Legislative AdvocacyWhole Child SymposiumInstitutesExhibit With UsUpcoming Conference 2014 ASCD Conference on Teaching ExcellenceJune 27–29, 2014, Dallas, Tex.

Explore ways to make excellent teaching the reality in every classroom. More

69th ASCD Annual ConferenceLive Stream Archive
Watch through September 30, 2014

>> Learn more

Save the Date!Common Core State Standards Institutes

One- and two-day institutes are held across the United States.

One-day institutesTwo-day institutes
70th ASCD Annual Conference & Exhibit Show
March 21–23, 2015
Houston, Tex.

>> Learn more

Professional Development ASCD Professional Learning ServicesPD OnlinePD In FocusPD QuickKitSchool Improvement ToolEduCorePrincipal CompassConferencesInstitutesASCD Professional Learning Services

ASCD provides on-site, customized, and sustainable professional development solutions that build capacity at the school and system level for K–12 educators.

More | ASCD Sales Map

Online LearningNew Online CoursesUnderstanding the Common Core Writing Standards: Grades 6–12An Introduction to the Whole ChildLeading Professional Learning: Building Capacity Through Teacher Leaders

Browse Courses

PD In Focus

Give your entire school or district non stop professional development support with an annual subscription to ASCD's extensive library of videos. More

ResourcesEduCore™

A free digital tool for educators implementing the Common Core State Standards in mathematics and literacy.

ASCD WebinarsCommon Core Webinar SeriesASCD Whole Child Down Under Webinar SeriesUpcoming WebinarsArchived WebinarsMember-Only WebinarsPrograms Advocacy and PolicyEmerging LeadersLearning and HealthOYEAWhole ChildASCD School Improvement Tool

Designed for use in schools around the world, this online tool offers educators a comprehensive needs assessment for the school year.

Take the Survey

ASCD Student Chapters

Membership in an ASCD student chapter is a valuable opportunity for preservice educators.

Learn more

ASCD ProgramsAdvocacy

Get the latest education policy news and developments, and learn about opportunities to take action. More

Emerging Leaders

Preparing younger, diverse educators for potential influence and ASCD leadership. Learn More

Topics 21st Century SkillsCommon Core State StandardsDifferentiated InstructionEffective Teaching and LearningEnglish Language LearnersUnderstanding by DesignSee All TopicsFeatured Topic Common Core State Standards

Find a solution to help you implement the Common Core in your school or district.

More

iTunes University

Access ASCD podcasts, videos, and webinars on any Apple device, such as an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, or on a computer equipped with iTunes software.

Go to ASCD on iTunes University.

ASCD Publications

Browse the complete archives of ASCD publications, past and present.

Educational Leadership
(1943–Present)Education Update
(1993–Present)Policy Priorities
(2011–Present)

More

 

Share  2014 ASCD Conference on Teaching Excellence

June 27–29, 2014
Dallas, Tex.

Explore ways to make excellent teaching the reality in every classroom.

More

 

Tweets about "@ASCD" Permissions

ASCD respects intellectual property rights and adheres to the laws governing them. Learn more about our permissions policy and submit your request online.

Policies and Requests

Translations Rights

Books in Translation

Home Current Issue Archives Buy Contact Write for EU Buy this issueYou must be an ASCD member or subscriber to view this content.

To view this article,Log in.Become an ASCD member.Read AbstractApril 2014 | Volume 71 | Number 7
Writing: A Core Skill

Inservice Guest Blogger: Kelly Gallagher

Copyright © 2014 by ASCD

Requesting PermissionFor photocopy, electronic and online access, and republication requests, go to the Copyright Clearance Center. Enter the periodical title within the "Get Permission" search field. To translate this article, contact permissions@ascd.org


Loading Comments... #comment_content_container { width:580px; repeat-x #fff; } #comment_content_container { padding-left:0px; } #ka_c_container {width:580px; padding-left:10px;padding-right:10px; } #ka_noImageStartText ka_clearfix {padding-left:0px;} .ka_paginate {float:left !important;padding-top:5px;color:#666;font-family:normal,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10px;} #ka_commentCage {width:580;padding-right:5px; } #ka_tag {background:#EEEEEE;margin:10px 0;padding:0px;width:100%; } .ka_comment_odd {background-color:#fafaf2;} #ka_c_toolbar {padding-bottom:17px;width:580px; } #ka_orig_button {border-bottom:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-top:1px solid #CCCCCC;clear:both;color:#333333;font-size:11px;margin:0;padding:10px;} #ka_disclaimer {float:left;font-size:10px;line-height:10pt; margin: 5px 0 50px 0px; color: #999; } #ka_sortBar {margin:0px;padding:5px; width:100%; } .ka_noImageStartText {color:#333333 !important;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;padding-left:0px;padding-top:5px;} #ka_innerBottomNoImage{margin-left:0px ;padding-left:0px;} p.SmallText {width: auto; }#ka_container {padding-top:8px;background:transparent url(comment_bg.gif);width:580px;height:80px;} h3#commentsTitle {background-color:#888888;color:#FFFFFF;display:block;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px;font-weight:bold;margin:0px;padding:5px;text-transform:uppercase;width:100%; line-height:1;}.ka_tag_title {background: #89AE45; color:#FFFFFF;float:left;margin:0 10px 0 0;padding:2px 5px;line-height:1;}#ka_rate_count {margin-top:6px; }} Print This Page
Online StoreASCD's Top 5 Books The Core Six: Essential Strategies for Achieving Excellence with the Common CoreBetter Learning Through Structured TeachingEssential Questions: Opening Doors to Student UnderstandingThe Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality UnitsEngaging Students with Poverty in Mind: Practical

Video | Audio | Downloads

More

1703 North Beauregard St.
Alexandria, VA 22311-1714MISSION: ASCD is a global community dedicated to excellence in learning, teaching, and leading. ASCD’s innovative solutions promote the success of each child.© ASCD. All Rights Reserved. About ASCDContact UsHelpPressASCD Job RampPrivacy PolicyPermissionsTerms of UseAdvertise With UsSponsorshipsConnect With UsAffiliatesConnected CommunitiesStudent ChaptersProfessional Interest CommunitiesASCD EDgeASCD on TwitterASCD on FacebookASCD on YouTubeOnline StoreASCD Store HomeBooks & E-BooksVideosOnline LearningPeriodicalsConferencesJoin ASCDProgramsConferences and InstitutesLeadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy (LILA)Educator AdvocatesThe Whole ChildEmerging Leaders

 

View the original article here