As the conference-goers moved from session to session to exhibits and back, we asked them to respond to a few questions about the conference and education in general. Here's another installment of their responses. Read more here and here.
What Conference topic or resource have you found most useful?
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The two candidates to become ASCD's President-Elect shared their views on the Association and education at a Sunday forum. Valerie Truesdale and Bob Watson are vying for the leadership position.
Truesdale currently serves on ASCD's Board of Directors. Watson is President of Missouri ASCD. Answering questions posed by Past President Martha Bruckner and an audience of ASCD members, the two candidates offered their vision of what the Association can become.
"As I look around this Conference, I see that ASCD is like a classroom full of learners," said Truesdale." There are different levels of preparedness among our members, just as there are in our classrooms. We need to nurture, stretch, and develop all educators who look to ASCD for support."
"I want to be known as a great collaborator," Watson said. "Any decisions we make must be based on our future, which is our children. As leaders of ASCD, we need to keep our ears and eyes open, collaborating with everyone who can help improve the lives of our kids."
As the conference-goers moved from session to session to exhibits and back, we asked them to respond to a few questions about the conference and education in general. Here's another round of their responses. Read more here.
What is the biggest challenge educators face in addressing the achievement gap?
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What do you think is the biggest challenge facing educators when it comes to addressing the achievement gap? Chime in using the "Comments" link below.
As the conference-goers moved from session to session to exhibits and back, we asked them to respond to a few questions about the conference and education in general. Below are responses to the first question.
What is the main reason you are attending the ASCD Conference in Chicago?
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Did you attend the conference? If so, we'd love to know why you went and what you liked about it.
If you were unable to attend, tell us why and whether you found the blog a useful tool to keep up with the goings on.
Chicago-area school kids got to show off their musical talents as the opening acts for two of Saturday’s ASCD Conference events.
The grand opening of the Exhibit Hall – an occasion of festive ribbon and big scissors – was preceded by the precocious and talented members of the St. Ailbe Choir from St. Ailbe Catholic School in Chicago. Their gospel sound roused the early morning crowd and got the Conference off to an inspirational start.
St. Ailbe Choir at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Musical prelude to the opening General Session a half hour later was provided by a veritable Dream Team of Chicago’s best young musicians. The Chicago Public Schools All-City High School Band, comprising students from schools across the city, shared classical and jazz-inflected compositions, as well as the Star Spangled Banner.
Most of the band members did, that is. A couple of tardy woodwinds were asked to sit out the session by band director William Johnson, a man who clearly recognizes a teachable moment when it walks late into his class. “Let ’em watch,” Johnson said. “Maybe they will learn that musicians first of all must ‘make the call.’ This program isn’t about playing music, it’s about learning to be a musician.”
Band members will play plenty of notes today anyway, performing in their own schools’ ensembles. The Chicago Band Championships, featuring every high school band in the city, are being held across town this afternoon.
The Chicago Public Schools All-City High School Band warms up the General Session audience.
"I'm an instructional specialist in math, so I liked the session dealing with middle school math. I liked that (the presenter) was well versed in teaching math from a concrete point of view. She did a good job going from concrete to abstract when teaching fractions."
"I enjoyed Mel Levine's address because it was nice to believe that all children can learn. When you hear people say 'I don't know what to do about this student,' you can now take that motivation and use it to find their strengths so they can improve and be successful. 
"I enjoyed the people who spoke about intrinsic motivation—people's successes and what works. It is always a big challenge to motivate kids. I got to hear different perspectives and ideas to use in my classroom." 
"The biggest challenge is the unequal distribution of resources between wealthy districts and poor ones. In New York, there's a Supreme Court case over school funding. I'm attending a workshop here about reaching poverty stricken students."
"The biggest challenge is the child's home life. With both parents working, a lot of times kids come home to an empty house and are responsible for their siblings. They don't have any time to reflect on their school day."
"The biggest challenge is getting to know students as individuals. When you have a lot of different personalities and socioeconomic differences, the challenge is getting to know them and then learning how you can best meet their needs."
"The biggest challenge is aligning resources and getting students in the classroom so that we can address this gap with good teaching, instruction, and curriculum. Furthermore, we’ve got to get past test scores."
"We keep lowering the standards so everyone can meet them easier, which doesn't do anybody any good. That seems to be an easy trap to fall into. We need to keep standards high and bring everybody up to those standards."
"The biggest challenges are the financial resources that are available to schools and districts. The general rise in the population and the diversity across the nation are all factors that are starting to be addressed. We’re slowly getting to where we need to be."
"I want to be familiar with the current thoughts on education and the current trends. We need to share best practices to improve our situation. It's a matter of learning from others and being able to give suggestions from different perspectives."
"I am trying to pick up information related to curriculum development, solid effective instructional strategies, and professional development."
"I've just switched from being a part-time teacher and curriculum coordinator to a full-time curriculum coordinator. I know how to teach kids; I don’t know how to teach teachers. I am working on the supervisory and administrative role."
"I am here for professional growth. I work with teachers, administrators, and curriculum instructors, and I need innovative ways to communicate. I also need to know the principles of a good education."
"This (ASCD) Conference has a reputation around the world for being one of the best conferences for teachers. There are conferences like this in Australia but not this size and not with the world-renowned speakers."
"This is my first ASCD Conference, and I am here for professional development. I’m looking forward to hearing authors share their expertise, networking, and improving my teaching skills."
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