Educator Effectiveness

Teachers' Top Three from ESE - June 16, 2016

1. FYI: Attend the Teacher Leadership Summit on August 10, 2016 at Bryant University in Rhode Island
   Led by the Total Teacher Project, the inaugural summit will connect leadership development experts to ambitious and talented teachers. The day will feature interactive presentations designed to build communication skills, recognize teachers' value as leaders, and celebrate a shared passion for teaching. The full schedule and presenter bios are available online.
   
   There is a $40 registration fee, and space is limited. Learn more and register.

2. Get Involved: Help Us Improve the State's Website , Mass.gov
   We know there are challenges navigating our website and we're looking to improve it! The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's website is part of the larger Mass.gov infrastructure. Over the last several years, parts of our website have transitioned to Mass.gov to follow a similar layout and structure in hopes of creating a more streamlined user experience. (The sections that have already transitioned are Educator Licensure and Accountability, Partnerships and Targeted Assistance.)
   
   Mass.gov, as the umbrella website, is looking to make updates to build a better overall website, and the state needs your help! Complete this short survey to share your feedback and what it would take to make a wicked good government website. Learn more about the project and the timeline for making improvements online.

3. What We're Reading: How Kids Learn Resilience
   An article in The Atlantic's June 2016 issue, "How Kids Learn Resilience," looks at a wide variety of educational studies and methods targeted at improving educational outcomes for low-income students. We've learned a lot about what does (and doesn't work) to improve the educational outcomes of low-income students, including strategies to address toxic stress, incentive programs for students to improve their grades, different approaches to discipline, and character development initiatives. With 2013 being the first year that a majority of students in public schools were classified as low-income, there's an even greater urgency to support all learners and instill academic and personal perseverance in them.