Sites:

ARCS kudos to the Mattituck-Cutchogue school district on Long Island, where Anne Smith is Assistant Superintendent.  This district has become a model for integration of the ARCS framework throughout all levels of the organization, from Board meetings to district and school goals and decisions, to exploring community and school culture, teacher and student goal setting and the development of student-centered portfolios, In addition, this district has embraced the leadership potential of its Communities for Learning Fellows, incorporating them into the distributed leadership of the district.  Anne Smith is completing her provisional certification as an ARCS facilitator.

ARCS kudos to PS 85, an elementary school in the Bronx, NY where the school has organized its learning inside four cross-role communities, each of which is focused on investigating areas defined and prioritized based on the school’s vision.  Fellows Ted Husted (principal) and Allison Krenn (curriculum coach) are supporting this work, with Allison, who is completing provisional certification as an ARCS facilitator, teaching and monitoring the application of the framework school wide.

Staff:

Giselle O. Martin-Kniep and Joanne Picone-Zocchia’s newest book, published by ASCD, Changing the Way You Teach, Improving the Way Students Learn, describes a framework for effective teaching that can be applied to any subject area and grade level. Their detailed review of the structures, processes, and content of effective teaching provides practical tips that can be used right away, and the stories that are woven throughout directly and explicitly relate theory to practice and results.  Areas of focus include addressing both the depth and the breadth of your curriculum, questions that engage and support student learning, specific scaffolding techniques, and tips for using student portfolios to both document and promote student learning.