Newsletter of Phi Delta Kappa International, the Professional
Education Fraternity
VOLUME 39, NUMBER 4, SUMMER 1995 (ISSN 0028-923X)
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAYS This will be the last column I write for NN&Q. There will be another issue before my November retirement; however, under our rotating arrangement, it will be written by President Douglas Bedient. That being the case, you might expect something profound to be forthcoming. However, the best I can do is to share some thoughts about my service with PDK. The first thought deals with the passage of time. It seems only a short time since I came off the golf course, before I even had taken office in 1971, to talk to an anxious caller about how Phi Delta Kappa was going to respond to calls for the admission of women. It is difficult to believe that almost 25 years have passed since I took that call. And yet, the obvious changes in PDK, along with my gray hair, verify the passage of time. A second thought deals with how many friends you make when you are part of the leadership of Phi Delta Kappa. My only extended time outside of Indiana, before coming to PDK, had been two years spent in Georgia as part of a youthful stint in the U.S. Army. More than 24 years after coming to PDK, my wife, Mary, and I have good friends all over the United States, Canada, and the rest of the world. What a privilege! And finally, I think how much fun it has been. Kappans are great people to be around. Visiting a PDK chapter is like dropping in to visit good friends. Meetings of the Board of Directors, district conferences, and biennial councils, despite all the problems with which they have had to deal, have been great fun. PDK is unique in that. Other association executives I talk to cannot believe that the staff looks forward to the board coming to town. And the staff at PDK have been the kind of people one would choose to be around if given a choice. Perhaps it can best be summed up by saying that there has never been a day during my tenure with PDK when it has not been a pleasure to go to work. I fear that board members, had they known how much I enjoyed it, might not have been so generous in compensating my work. It would be pointless to speculate on what the future holds for Phi Delta Kappa. I really had no idea what it held when I came to the position of executive director in 1971. Looking back, I think it is fair to conclude that we have survived, have met the day-to-day challenges, and have kept an eye on the future. I am sure those who come after me will do likewise. I hope, in the process, that it is as satisfying for them as it has been for me. If it is, I have a hunch that PDK will prosper. Delegates from 669 chapters will meet in Detroit, Michigan, on October 27 to 29 for PDK's 45th Biennial Council. The delegates will elect a new president and three vice presidents, approve the 1996-97 budget, and conduct the business of the fraternity. In addition, delegates will meet in district conferences at the council to elect District Representatives. Council sessions and other activities will convene at the Cobo Convention Center and the Westin Hotel. Among the legislative business to be considered will be 10 proposed amendments to PDK's Constitution and Bylaws. One proposed amendment would provide for a category of international at-large membership available to those with a permanent address outside the current eight districts. Other proposed amendments concern student and associate memberships, the establishment of additional districts, and the required number of chapter meetings. A complete list of the proposed amendments has been sent to chapter officers. Among the speakers at the council will be Michael Fullan, dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Toronto, and Dean Berkley, former professor at Indiana University. Presiding over the general sessions will be PDK International President Douglas Bedient. At the conclusion of the council, he will turn over the presidential gavel to George M. Thomas, associate professor at Mississippi State University-Meridian. A variety of education topics will be featured in professional sessions during the council. In addition, a special series of Professional Development Institutes will be held during the two days before the council meets (see story on page 7). Other highlights of the council will be award presentations to chapters, coordinator areas, and the district with the best giving records to the PDK Educational Foundation. NEW CHAPTER INSTALLED IN PDK The Loudoun-Northern Virgina Chapter in Leesburg, Virginia, was installed on 22 March 1995 in Area 8E. That brings the number of active chapters in PDK to 669. As provided in PDK's Bylaws, new chapters are awarded conditional charters, subject to review by the Board of Directors after two years. At its winter meeting, the Board of Directors conferred permanent charters to the St. Vrain Valley Colorado and Whitewater Valley Indiana Chapters. Junior high can be a difficult time for boys. Peer pressure becomes increasingly important, and many boys begin to lose interest in school. But a program by the Alabama State University Chapter is providing the motivation and skills for boys to do well in school. Mary Bullard, the chapter's project director, explained that the chapter conducted a series of six workshops to teach both academic and social skills. Both Kappans and successful people from the community conducted the workshops. "In America, we have problems with our young people, especially boys," Bullard said. "We wanted to make a difference, to guide them away from at- risk behaviors." Counselors and administrators at three area junior high schools recommended 10 boys who could benefit from the program, and the chapter contacted the parents to explain the program and to encourage their support. "The parents were grateful to us for providing that kind of experience," Bullard said. She explained that several parents attended the workshops and were pleased with the activities. Each workshop included articles or presentations about a successful person and what it took for that person to become successful. In addition, each workshop focused on skills, values, or attitudes that would help the students to succeed. For example, one workshop included a session on proper manners; and the students practiced their table manners when refreshments were served at the end of the workshop. Other workshops included sessions on study and test-taking skills, communicating with others, dressing appropriately, and making good decisions. The chapter also took the boys to a play at the Blount Shakespeare Theater, and the boys and their parents attended a special chapter banquet. Each student received a videotape of "Where There's a Will, There's an A." In addition, the Peale Foundation donated copies of "The Power of Positive Thinking" to each of the boys. The chapter currently is planning activities to continue the relationship with these students, Bullard reported. "We definitely plan to keep in touch and continue to encourage them," she said. Robert R. Spillane, a member of the University of Connecticut Chapter, has been named the 1995 National Superintendent of the Year. Spillane, who is superintendent of the Fairfax (Virginia) Public Schools, received a gold medallion and a $2,000 U.S. Savings Bond. In addition, a $10,000 scholarship was awarded in his name to a student in Windham High School in Willimantic, Connecticut, the high school from which Spillane graduated. The National Superintendent of the Year Program is sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators and the ServiceMaster Company. A panel of representatives from education, business, and government selects the recipients of the award based on their leadership, communication skills, professionalism, and community involvement. In addition to the National Superintendent of the Year, 23 other Kappans were state finalists for superintendent of the year. These Kappans, their states, and chapters are: Alaska, Eli B. Sorenson, University of Utah; Arizona, Thomas L. McCraley, Yuma Area Arizona; Colorado, David L. Hartenbach, High Plains Colorado; Delaware, Wayne A. Barton, Delaware; Illinois, Joel W. Morris, University of Illinois; Iowa, David A. Haggard, at large; Kansas, Gary R. Price, Kansas Prairie; Kentucky, James F. Simpson, Union College Kentucky; Maine, Mark S. Eastman, University of Maine at Presque Isle; Maryland, Walter G. Amprey, Johns Hopkins University; Michigan, David L. Snead, University of Detroit; Minnesota, Donald F. Groth, Winona Minnesota; Mississippi, Dewey Lee Herring, Jackson Mississippi; Missouri, D. Kent King, Big Springs of the Ozarks. Nebraska, Martin P. Petersen, Western Nebraska; Nevada, Mary Nebgen, University of Nevada; New Jersey, Ronald F. Larkin, Rutgers University; Ohio, Dale Baughman, Miami University; Pennsylvania, Louis M. Laurento, Temple University; Rhode Island, Arthur B. Campbell, Boston University; Texas, Don W. Hooper, University of Houston-University Park; Wisconsin, Richard A. Swantz, La Crosse Wisconsin; Overseas, Leo A. Ruberto, Wayne State University. Kappans from the Northern Illinois University Chapter have been helping university honors students conduct research in education history. Chapter advisor Homer Sherman explained that the project started with honors students in his course on education as an agent of change. He explained that honors students are required to do extra work to get honors credit, and he decided to help the students conduct primary research and publish their papers. Sherman received the help of chapter members who are on the university faculty or retired to guide the students through Blackwell History of Education Foundation's large collection of primary sources. "We are very careful not to dominate the students' initiatives," Sherman said. "The Kappans help the students get focused and teach them to do basic research techniques. They guide them through the databases and help students find things." The students have done a variety of interesting research, Sherman reported. For example, one student examined the history of penmanship instruction. Another student looked at changes in report cards since the 1800s, and one examined seatwork. The students present their research at a special seminar, Sherman said. In addition, their papers will be published as a monograph by the History of Education Museums Association and distributed to education museums around the world. The personal relationship between the Kappans and the honors students has increased these students' interest in education, Shermen explained. It also has led these students to see the chapter as a resource for other projects. The chapter recently provided assistance when the honors students organized a scholastic bowl for high school students, and the chapter helped them organize a peer mentoring program with the Illinois Youth Center. Some at-risk students receive only a label, instead of the medical help they need. A project by the Broward County Florida Chapter is helping to provide that medical help for children with diabetes. Chapter president Robert Schmidlin explained that the project began when he noticed that some students were falling asleep or were excessively active just before or after lunch. Educators were labeling these children as lazy or troublemakers. However, the pattern of these students' problems alerted Schmidlin that they could be suffering from undiagnosed diabetes. Diabetes is not a rare problem in the schools, Schmidlin said. According to research by the U.S. government, almost 7 million Americans have diabetes but do not know it. In addition, certain ethnic groups, such as blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans, are at much higher risk of diabetes. Because of the large population of these ethnic groups in the county, the American Diabetes Association reports that 40% of the residents in Broward County are at high risk for diabetes. "We're not talking about a handful of kids," Schmidlin said. Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of death by disease in this country. It can cause heart failure, blindness, stroke, kidney failure, and other life-threatening problems. Children who are suffering from a low blood sugar emergency can be confused or irritable, drowsy or inattentive, hungry and weak, or behave in other abnormal ways. Children with high blood sugar may need to drink more water or use the bathroom more frequently than usually is allowed in schools. Every school person, from administrators to bus drivers, should be alert for such symptoms in children, Schmidlin said. The first step in the chapter's program has been to teach educators, parents, and students about the disease, including the warning signs and what to do in case of an emergency. To do that, the chapter worked with medically certified diabetes educators from the Diabetes Patient Education Program at the Broward General Medical Center. Last fall, registered nurses Dottie Young and Barb Pritchard spoke to principals and other educators in the community, and the chapter sent 8,000 informational flyers to the school. The response from that part of the program has been tremendous, Schmidlin reported. The first working day after the nurses made their initial presentations to the principals, they received calls from 10 schools requesting immediate assistance. The chapter has printed more than 24,000 flyers to meet requests from educators and others. The chapter recently purchased an answering machine and a fax machine for the diabetes center so that schools can immediately get their requests to the hospital, Schmidlin explained. "First we are looking for symptoms," Schmidlin said. "For those who show symptoms, we bring the parents and student to the diabetes center or the diabetes educators from the center come to the school. Then the student is referred to a doctor. If the student is diagnosed with diabetes, the student then meets with a registered dietitian and is enrolled in diabetes education classes so he will learn how to control the disease. All of these services are free." Since the program began, the two other hospitals in the county have joined the project. Medical personnel from all the hospitals have conducted inservice programs for principals, teachers, and guidance counselors; and they have made presentations at all the schools in the district. In addition, diabetes educators have provided special services and counseling for students in more than a dozen schools. For example, a group of diabetic students was worried before the holidays that they would not be able to stick to their regimen. Diabetes educators met with these students at the school to counsel them. In addition, the Broward County Medical Association heard about the success of the chapter's diabetes program and joined with the chapter to get information about another free medical program to the schools. The medical association provides free cardiovascular exams to students before they engage in athletics. That program has led to other collaborative activities by the chapter and the medical association. Students with diabetes can have full and active lives both in and out of school, but first they must know that they have the disease, Schmidlin said. Frequently, the teacher can avoid the "disruptive" or "inattentive" behaviors of the children simply by allowing them to have a snack. "This is a medical problem, not a mental problem," Schmidlin said. "If these students are not diagnosed, they truly are at risk." For many novices, surfing the Internet is as frightening as swimming in shark-infested waters. To help educators use the technology more comfortably, the Tennessee State University Chapter offered Internet training to educators and students. With the help of a District VIII project grant, the chapter hired a computer trainer and set up a computer classroom for two afternoon sessions. In addition, chapter volunteers who are knowledgeable about using electronic communications served as "guardian angels," helping the students during the class. Almost 50 people signed up for the Internet training. Chapter vice president Vera Owens reported that most of the trainees rated the class very highly. The classes originally were designed just to introduce the Internet to education graduate students, Owens explained. "Too often, educators are behind in innovative ideas. We wanted to help education graduate students to hook their classrooms to classrooms around the world." Owens said that the interest in the classes was wider than the chapter had expected. "We had professors, graduate students, and undergraduates, with the majority in education," Owens said. "The topics were expanded from the original proposal because of the interests of the students," Owens said. The variety of topics in the workshops included getting on the worldwide network, basic e-mail functions, file transfer protocols, "gopherspace," and Internet Realtime Chatter, among others. The students also learned how to connect with library computers to do research and how to develop an electronic journal for students in their classes. There was no charge for the classes. The students were required to have a university computer account; but Gary Schroeder, the class instructor and the university's assistant director of systems and database management, established temporary accounts for students who did not have one. One problem with the classes was that they did not provide enough time for the students to gain real expertise in electronic communications. However, Owens reported that the instructor developed a manual that would guide the students as they learned more sophisticated uses for the Internet. Perhaps the best indication of the success of the program is the willingness of the students to use the Internet on their own. Owens reported that a check of the university's computer accounts showed that many of the students were on the system the night after the classes and the next day, trying out their new Internet skills. Forty-seven high school seniors received the 1995 PDK Scholarship Grants for Prospective Educators. This program, sponsored by Phi Delta Kappa and the PDK Educational Foundation, encourages outstanding high school seniors to pursue careers in education. The PDK Scholarship Grants for Prospective Educators is a chapter-based project. Chapters are responsible for providing and screening applications and forwarding up to two applications to PDK Headquarters for consideration as International Scholarship winners. Applications forwarded by chapters are evaluated by a special committee appointed by the chairman of the PDK Educational Foundation and the president of PDK. Applicants are judged on their scholastic record, school and community services, letters of recommendation, and written expression. The student selected as having the best essay receives a $2,000 scholarship. The other finalists receive $1,000 scholarships. The students' essays will be presented to delegates at the 45th Biennial Council. Special scholarships were provided this year by the Association of State Advisory Councils, Metropolitan Printing Service, the Katherine Ann Swann Memorial Grant, the Vivian and Earl Rose Memorial Scholarship, the Dorothy Evelyn Nelson Smith Memorial Scholarship, and the Howard D. Hill Family Scholarship. In addition, scholarships were provided by five named funds established in the PDK Educational Foundation: the Meissner Family Scholarship Fund, the Sol and Mollie Liebowitz Scholarship Fund, the Wilmer Bugher Scholarship Fund, the Edna Wilhelmina Snell Nichols Scholarship Fund, and the Bessie Gabbard Scholarship Fund. Graduating this year from West High School, Robert Jason Reed from Bakersfield, California, received the $2,000 scholarship. Reed plans to major in mathematics at Stanford University. The other recipients are: Megan Louise Andrews, Prosser, Washington; Lydia Lorraine Bean, Corydon, Indiana (Meissner Family Scholarship); Michaela M. Benton, Danbury, Connecticut; Julie Marie Bliss, Del Mar, California (Edna Wilhelmina Snell Nichols Scholarship); Amber Ellen Boydstun, Boulder, Colorado; Erin Jo Brugos, LaPorte, Indiana (Vivian and Earl Rose Memorial Scholarship); Josh M. Camacho, Arroyo Grande, California; Amy Beth Cannistra, Sparta, New York; Diane Becky Cantonwine, Greencastle, Indiana (Wilmer Bugher Scholarship); Tarrah Amber Comeaux, Youngsville, Louisiana (Meissner Family Scholarship); Eric Daniel Goddard, Oneonta, New York (Sol and Mollie Liebowitz Scholarship); Nekia Shantel Hackworth, Atlanta, Georgia (Howard D. Hill Family Scholarship); Amy Rebekah Hamilton, Ecru, Mississippi; Angela Renee Harmon, Sugar Grove, North Carolina; Celeste Louise Harmon, Cameron, Texas; Jenelle Linda Hertz, Ventura, California; Hsiao (Amy) Hung Hsiao, El Sobrante, California (Meissner Family Scholarship); Sarah Louise Huso, Ray, North Dakota; Alisa Marie Hyer, Flagstaff, Arizona; Dirk Loren Johnson, Great Falls, Montana (Katherine Ann Swann Memorial Scholarship); Joanne Leah Kaip, Regina, Saskatchewan; Carmen Gallion Kennedy, Detroit, Michigan (Meissner Family Scholarship); Choua Lee, Sacramento, California; Leslie Leann Meyer, San Mateo, California; Swati Jashwant Modi, Allison Park, Pennsylvania (Meissner Family Scholarship). Amy Leigh Namiot, Fredericksburg, Virginia (Bessie Gabbard Scholarship): Julie Anne Ornelas, San Antonio, Texas; Sharilyn Marie Petkau, Kelowna, British Columbia (Meissner Family Scholarship); Andrew Christopher Pfeiffer, Holland, Michigan; Heather Jean Porterfield, Goodland, Kansas (Association of State Advisory Councils Scholarship); Stacy Lynn Roller, Anoka, Minnesota (Dorothy Evelyn Nelson Smith Memorial Scholarship); Kelle Marie Rose, Lawrence, Kansas; Julia Allison Ryan, Pass Christian, Mississippi; Oren Alexander Scherman, Norman, Oklahoma; Katharine Jean Schroeder, Klosterneuberg, Austria; Karen Mary Smyth, Arvada, Colorado; Sheryl Denise Stoeck, Houston, Texas; Erin Lynnette Taylor, Lee's Summit, Missouri (Edna Wilhelmina Snell Nichols Scholarship); Emily Erin Upton, Louisville, Kentucky; Zoua Vang, Pinedale, California; Kelly Dianne Waller, Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Angela Lynn West, Ooltewah, Tennessee; Sara Elizabeth White, Marion, Ohio (Bessie Gabbard Scholarship); Brenda Renee Wright, Fountain, Colorado; Kimberly Ann Yorgason, Boise, Idaho; and Jessica Rocio Zenker, El Paso, Texas. The 1995 Scholarship Grants Selection Committee met at PDK Headquarters from March 30 to April 2 to choose the finalists. The committee members and their chapters are: Martha Fritchley, Northeast Georgia; Romeo Munoz, Governors State University; Geraldine Rouse, Central Wyoming; Angeline Smith, Tennessee State University; and Bert Stark, University of Central Arkansas. Fifty Kappans have been awarded Gerald H. Read International Travel Seminar Scholarships for 1995. These scholarships, established in 1980 by an endowment from Gerald and Victoria C.T. Read, are a PDK Educational Foundation program that subsidizes travel and study. They may be used on any PDK-sponsored travel seminar within two years of the date they are awarded. The recipients and their chapters are: Sharon Adair (Fairfield University), Wanda Louise Bigbie (Riverside California), Rayalene Brizendine (Ohio State University), Mary Bugno (Northeastern Ohio), Robert Carter (University of Virginia), John Cleveland (LaCrosse Wisconsin), Chloe Coffman (Contra Costa County California), Erland Dettloff (San Luis Obispo California), Jeffrey Dimsdale (Trabuco California), Joan Dobis (Fordham University), Janice Ebersdorfer (University of South Dakota), Joan Francis (University of New Orleans), Charles Godwin (University of Nebraska/Lincoln), Ronald Joekel (University of Nebraska/Lincoln), Charles Jones (Texas Lone Star), Lillian Kennerley (Bradenton-Sarasota Florida), Doris Klimeric (Southern Connecticut State University), John Koetzner (Sonoma County California), Patricia Koetzner (Sonoma County California), Jerome Kopp (California State University/Stanislaus), Marian Latham (George Peabody College for Teachers of Vanderbilt University), Owen Lewis (Capital Area North Carolina), Gerard Lonsway (Toledo Ohio), Judith Marino (Rutgers University), Amelia Matthews (University of North Carolina). Douglas Norris (University of Maryland), Mary O'Leary (State University College/Buffalo), Mary Pelton (University of North Dakota), Robert Plummer (Texas Christian University), Joanne Raleigh (California University of Pennsylvania), Kar Lynn Roberts (Southeast Arkansas), Virgil Rude (Northwest North Dakota), Ellen Schlossberg (Fairfield University), Thomas Schmoyer (Kutztown Pennsylvania), Cindy Schnelle (High Plains Kansas), Beverly School (University of Pittsburgh-Three Rivers), N. Simmons (Charlotte North Carolina), Carol Smith (Western Michigan University), Kenneth Swenson (Red Cedar Area Wisconsin), Geoffrey Tagg (Red Deer Area Alberta), Karen Wagner (University of Akron), Laverne Warner (Sam Houston State University), Mary Wiley (Texas Lone Star), James Williams (South Texas), Barry Wilson (Utica New York), Michael Wilson (University of Southern California), Wayne Wodrich (Indiana Dunes), Genevieve Wooldridge (Northwest Indiana), Velven Wooldridge (Northwest Indiana), and Brenda Youngblood (St. Louis Missouri). Criteria for these travel seminar scholarships include how the applicants will use the travel experience in their professional work and recognition for outstanding service to Phi Delta Kappa. The members of the 1995 Gerald H. Read International Travel Seminar Scholarship Committee are: Anita Cools (Sacramento California), Marilyn McClellan (Spokane Area Washington), Dean Miller (Toledo Ohio), Ruby Nell Nicholson (Huntsville Alabama), and Barbara Jo vonRosenberg (Baylor University Texas). By 1 May 1995, 21,436 Kappans had contributed $280,304 to the 1994-95 Annual Fund campaign for the PDK Educational Foundation. In addition, more than 2,500 Kappans have pledged more than $31,600 to the Educational Foundation. The goal for this year is $350,000 with at least 250 chapters qualifying for membership in the 20/20 Club. The PDK Educational Foundation was established by Ohio educator George H. Reavis, who envisioned a foundation that would not only fund services and publications for Kappans but also increase the respect and understanding of education among the general public. The activities of the Foundation have grown as the Foundation has grown; and through the contributions of thousands of Kappans, the Foundation has grown rapidly. The Foundation now sponsors many of Phi Delta Kappa's programs and provides a wide variety of services to chapters. Many Kappans have benefited directly from Foundation programs. About 180 chapters each year take advantage of the Foundation Author Seminar/Lecture Series, which provides authors of fastbacks and PDK monographs for chapter meetings, community programs, and other activities. In addition, more than 30 chapters each year sponsor Leadership Skill Institutes, which are designed to help educators learn the skills and strategies for dealing with professional issues. Among the other programs sponsored by the PDK Educational Foundation are the Scholarships for Prospective Educators, the Summer Institutes for Prospective Educators, the Gabbard Institutes, the Gerald Read International Seminar Scholarships, and the Victoria C.T. Read Adopt-a-Scholar Program and Scholarships. As part of the Annual Fund campaign, chapters are recognized for their contributions to the Foundation. By April 1995, 160 chapters qualified for membership in the 1994-95 20/20 Club. To qualify for membership, either 20% of a chapter's members in good standing or 20 members, whichever is greater, must contribute at least $5 to the Annual Fund. The Board of Governors of the PDK Educational Foundation has a keen interest in expressing their appreciation and providing recognition to those chapters who consistently have qualified for the 20/20 Club. Chapters are recognized for the number of consecutive years they have qualified for the 20/20 Club. That number is in parentheses after the name of the chapter in the list below. 1994-95 20/20 Club Abilene Texas (1) Among the special scholarships awarded in this year's Prospective Educator Scholarship Grants is a gift from Jeanne Fitzgerald in memory of her mother, Dorothy Evelyn Nelson Smith. Fitzgerald stipulated that the winner of that special scholarship be a female committed to a career in teaching mathematics. The recipient of that scholarship, Stacy Lynn Roller, is included in the list of scholarship winners on Page 4. For many years, Kappans and others have used PDK's Scholarship Grants for Prospective Educators as a way to honor friends and loved ones. While a number of chapters and individuals have established funds in the Educational Foundation to provide continuing scholarships, others have made one-time gifts to honor a special person. Howard D. Hill, PDK's Director of Chapter Programs, has made a number of such gifts over the last several years. Two scholarships among the current awards were provided by Hill to honor his family and the parents of retiring PDK Executive Director Lowell Rose. Hill explained that providing a special scholarship is a rewarding way to honor someone. "These scholarships are not a temporary thing," Hill explained. "Each scholarship helps a student achieve his or her dream of becoming a teacher, and that teacher will inspire others. Each scholarship has an effect that lasts far into the future." Thirty-one chapters will sponsor 47 of the students attending the 1995 Summer Institute for Prospective Educators. These chapters provide a $130 scholarship for each student, which is the entire cost to the student for housing, meals, and transportation to and from the institute. Sponsored by Phi Delta Kappa and the PDK Educational Foundation, the Summer Institute for Prospective Educators is open to outstanding high school seniors. This year, 117 students were selected for the summer institute, which is held in July in Bloomington, Indiana. The students come from 36 states, six Canadian provinces, Germany, Japan, and Guam. The students were selected by a special committee appointed by PDK International President Douglas Bedient and Educational Foundation chairman Bessie Gabbard and were judged on the basis of their academic records, activities and honors, and a short response to why they are interested in a teaching career. The summer institute is designed to introduce students to the many career opportunities in education and to develop their leadership skills. Students work with outstanding educators from around the nation and can try out their teaching skills. In addition, participants learn study and time-management techniques. The summer institute experience is not intended to end when the students return home. Students who participate in the summer institute arrange for mentors in their high schools who will work with them throughout their senior year. Local chapters also are encouraged to support the students in their area. The Summer Institute for Prospective Educators is intended to serve as a model for other organizations interested in persuading outstanding students to pursue careers in education. Thus each institute includes training for those who plan to establish similar institutes. Observers at the institutes work with the students and learn about the logistics of running such a program. Institutes based on the PDK model already have been conducted in about a dozen states. For more information about learning to conduct institutes of this type, contact: Phi Delta Kappa P.O. Box 789 Bloomington, IN 47402-0789
Phi Delta Kappa's Center for Professional Development and Services has joined with the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the National Staff Development Council to co-sponsor four special series of Professional Development Institutes. These series will be offered throughout the 1995-96 year in selected cities across the U.S. Each series includes four or five institutes. Participants can register for individual institutes in a series or can attend all of the institutes in a series for a reduced price. The series are: Urban Administrators. The topics include Shared Decision Making, Parent and Community Involvement, Safe Schools, Creative Conflict Resolution, and Teacher Expectations and Student Achievement. Middle Schools. The topics include Service Learning, School Safety, Integrating Curriculum/Thematic Teaching, Multiple Intelligences/Multiple Assessment, and Learning Strategies for Middle Schools. Leadership Series-Administration. The topics include Creating High Performance Teams, Facilitation Skills, Presentation Skills, Adult Development, and Managing Change and Transitions. Leadership Series-Instruction. The topics include How the Brain Learns, Multiple Intelligences/Multiple Assessment, Cultural Diversity, and Teacher Expectations and Student Achievement (TESA). For more information about these institutes, contact: Phi Delta Kappa P.O. Box 789 Bloomington, IN 47402-0789
Six Kappans are among the eight winners of PDK's Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards. The dissertations were selected from 24 nominated by the 1994 District Conferences. Each recipient was given a certificate of recognition and $300. Also, abstracts of their dissertations will be distributed to delegates at the 45th Biennial Council. The Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards were established in 1984 as a way to strengthen PDK's commitment to education research by honoring the best among the new researchers. Each nomination must be made by a PDK chapter, but the nominee does not have to be a member of PDK. Winning dissertations are judged on their scholarship and the promise they hold for the improvement of education. The eight recipients, their nominating districts, and their chapter or sponsoring chapter are: District I, Silvia Voorhees, University of Washington; District II, Jennifer Whitlock Robles, Buenaventura California; District III Carol Stringer Cawyer, University of Oklahoma (sponsor); District IV, Donald E. Healy Jr., Quad City Iowa/Illinois; District V, Sook-Hi Kang, University of Illinois (sponsor); District VI, Edith Fisher Miller, Pocono; District VII, Jo Anne Welch, Northeast Louisiana University; and District VIII, Helen Elizabeth Jones, Northwest Tennessee University. The members of the 1995 Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards selection committee are: Lorna Earl, research director for the Scarborough (Canada) School Board of Education; Dan Wishnietsky, associate professor of mathematics at Winston-Salem State University; and Betty Stapp, grant specialist for the Dallas Independent School District. The experiences that parents and other caregivers provide while the child is young can shape the child's future. "Before the School Bell Rings," written by Carol B. Hillman, is designed to be read by those individuals who make a difference in the initial education of young children -- parents, step-parents, guardians, grandparents, childcare providers, friends, neighbors, and, of course, preschool teachers and other educators. "Before the School Bell Rings" will help all caregivers make the best decisions for and about young children in the early childhood years before the start of formal schooling. Hillman makes suggestions to help parents and caregivers provide the best educational experiences for children. Hillman also offers guidelines for choosing the best care for the child. She explains, "I have written this book for those who believe that it takes far-reaching, collaborative efforts to educate young children well." Carol Hillman also is the author of "Teaching Four-Year-Olds: A Personal Journey," published in 1988. The PDK member price of "Before the School Bell Rings" is $7.50. "Teaching Four-Year-Olds" also is available at the member price of $6.50. A processing charge is applied to all orders. To order or for further information, contact: P.O. Box 789 Bloomington, IN 47402-0789
Fifteen chapters are sponsoring PDK Leadership Skill Institutes next fall on the topic, "Empowering Students for Success." The Leadership Skill Institutes, a program of Phi Delta Kappa and the PDK Educational Foundation, are designed to help educators learn skills and strategies for dealing with professional issues. The institutes are planned and conducted by local chapters with cooperation and financial assistance from PDK. In this series, a consortium of four chapters in Area 3I, Kansas, is sponsoring an institute. Those chapters are Flint Hills Kansas, Topeka Kansas, The Greater Kansas City Missouri, and University of Kansas. The chapters, sites, and dates for these institutes are: Mohican Area Ohio Chapter Bermuda Chapter University of Texas Chapter Palm Beach County Florida Chapter Kansas Consortium San Juan Puerto Rico Chapter Concho Valley Texas Chapter United Kingdom Chapter University of Missouri Chapter New Mexico State University Chapter Northeastern Ohio Chapter University of Pennsylvania Chapter For more information about the above Leadership Skill Institutes, or for information about sponsoring a future institute, contact: Director of Chapter Programs Phi Delta Kappa P.O. Box 789 Bloomington, IN 47402-0789
Twelve special Professional Development Institutes are scheduled for the two days just before the 45th Biennial Council starts in Detroit. Delegates to PDK's Biennial Council can make that an even greater professional experience by attending one of these institutes. PDK's Center for Professional Development and Services is sponsoring four two-day institutes, six one-day institutes, and two half-day institutes on October 25 and 26. The institutes will meet at the Westin Hotel in the Renaissance Center in Detroit, where the council also will be held. The topics of the two-day institutes (October 25-26) are:
The topics of the one-day institutes (October 26) are:
The half-day workshops (October 26) are:
These institutes are not limited to delegates to the council; any educator may participate. However, a special reduced registration fee is available for delegates to the 45th Biennial Council. Information about these institutes will be sent to all council delegates. To register or for more information about these Professional Development Institutes, write to: Phi Delta Kappa P.O. Box 789 Bloomington, IN 47402-0789
PDK's Center for Professional Development and Services will present hundreds of Professional Development Institutes (PDI) on almost 50 topics during the 1995-96 year. These institutes are intensive workshops designed to provide low-cost, high-quality programs that can be tailored to the specific needs of a school or other organization. Five new programs have been added to the PDI series. These programs include: A World of Difference. This institute provides diversity education programming for educators, students, parents, and community leaders. It provides participants with techniques, materials, and strategies to combat prejudice and to create inclusive, non-biased environments where all children can succeed. The New MegaSkills Bond. MegaSkills are the qualities, skills, and attitudes needed for success in working with today's educational changes and challenges. This new institute focuses on the National Education Goals and gives participants an opportunity to develop plans for school improvement and school-community involvement. Dynamic Team Building. This is an experiential, high energy, hands-on institute designed for K-12 teachers. It will help teachers to implement techniques for creating a supportive environment and a team atmosphere. The Power of Participation: Managing Systemic Change and Improving Schools in a Democratic Society. This institute provides both educators and community participants with the practical knowledge needed for participatory governance within an existing bureaucracy. Learner-Centered Schools. This institute is based on the Learner-Centered Psychological Principles developed by the American Psychological Association and the Mid-Continent Regional Educational Laboratory. This interactive institute also provides opportunities to observe models and examples of learner-centered instructional strategies. Chapters can co-sponsor a PDI as a service for educators in their area. PDK's Center for Professional Development and Services will make all arrangements with the presenter, design and print the brochures, and handle registrations. The center also will provide a complete set of workshop materials and name tags and market the institute to educators within 100 miles of the institute site. For more information about the Professional Development Institutes, contact: Center for Professional Development and Services Phi Delta Kappa P.O. Box 789 Bloomington, IN 47402-0789
Collegial coaching encourages teachers to share ideas and to experiment without being judged by supervisors. Increasingly, it is being used as a self-initiated approach to professional development. A new book from PDK's Center for Evaluation, Development, and Research (CEDR) offers practical guidance for schools interested in implementing this technique. "Collegial Coaching: Inquiry into the Teaching Self" is the fourth title in CEDR's Research for the Practitioner series. Written by Marylou Dantonio, associate professor at the University of New Orleans, "Collegial Coaching" offers a refreshing approach to professional development that goes beyond traditional staff development. Borrowing ideas from the performing arts, Dantonio shows how teachers can use this systematic process of observation, reflection, and analysis. The Research for the Practitioner series presents research and successful practice in a form that is easy to read and practical. "Collegial Teaching" is the fourth title in this series. The PDK member price for "Collegial Coaching" is $10. A shipping and handling charge is added to all orders. To order or for more information, write or call: P.O. Box 789 Bloomington, IN 47402-0789
All learning begins with questions. They shape the quality and dynamics of classroom interactions. And the skillful use of questions can motivate students to become more actively involved in learning. "Improving Classroom Questions," by Kenneth R. Chuska, provides an authoritative and practical guide for improving teaching and learning. Chuska explains that questions are fundamental because they provide information, help students transfer that knowledge, and help students apply knowledge to various situations in their lives. Teachers ask questions every day; Chuska argues that these questions should be well planned. Chuska, who also wrote Fastback 244 "Teaching the Process of Thinking, K- 12," shows teachers how to plan questions that will lead students to do more higher-level thinking. He demonstrates that good questions can help both the teacher and the students focus on concepts, generalizations, laws, and principles, rather than on low-level objectives. "Improving Classroom Questions" is available in a softcover edition for the PDK member price of $6.75. To order, phone 1-800-766-1156 or (812) 339- 1156 or send your purchase order to: P.O. Box 789 Bloomington, IN 47402-0789
NN&Q Staff Donovan R. Walling, Editor |