Low-Level Classroom Noise Distracts, Experts Say
Education Week
Studies show that low-level, sustained, or intermittent classroom noise increases student stress and anxiety levels, distracts attention from learning, and interferes with student concentration and memory.
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Low-Income Students Now a Majority in the Nation's Public Schools
Southern Education Foundation
In a significant shift, 51 percent of U.S. public school students now come from low-income households, according to a new research bulletin from the Southern Education Foundation. Data collected in 2013 by the National Center for Education Statistics show that children eligible for free and reduced-priced lunches compose the majority in 21 states.
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Expanded Learning Time: A Summary of Findings from Case Studies in Four States
Center on Education Policy
This report looks at how low-performing schools have increased learning time in response to School Improvement Grant and Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waiver requirements. District and school leaders from 17 schools in four states reported using a combination of strategies, including adding time to the school day or year, restructuring time within the existing school schedule, and increasing time for teacher collaboration, planning, and professional development. Study participants noted that strengthening the quality of learning time is as important as improving the quantity of instruction, but doing so is not without challenges.
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Upcoming conference presentations
McREL will present sessions or exhibit at the following national, regional, and statewide conferences in January and February 2015:
Texas Association of School Administrators' Mid-Winter Conference, January 25-28, in Austin. Visit us in booth #847.
Nebraska Association of School Administrators (NASA)/Nebraska Association of School Boards (NASB) Education Forum, February 3-4, in Kearney. Visit us in the exhibit area.
2015 National Title I Conference, February 5-8, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Visit us in booth #1353.
Midwest Education Technology Community's (METC) Motivate, Engage, Transform, Connect Conference, February 9-11, in St. Charles, Missouri. McREL consultant Cheryl Abla will deliver a session titled "Social Media in the Elementary Classroom."
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McREL blog 2014 wrap-up
 Educators face many challenges each day--large and small--that, when addressed effectively, have the ability to inspire better teaching, leading, and learning. Our staff continually ask themselves the same question you might ask yourself: As educators, how can we make a bigger, better difference in student engagement and knowledge?
Our consultants (former teachers and leaders themselves), researchers, and evaluators address that question in our blog by combining professional experience with sound research to offer insight and practical ideas on topics such as building student resiliency, prioritizing improvement initiatives, increasing staff motivation, interpreting data, and cultivating a positive school climate. Our top ten (actually 11 because of a tie for 2nd) most popular blog posts for 2014 address many of these concerns. In case you missed any, here is the entire list.
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McREL's Summer of Learning 2015
Plan your 2015 summer professional development today! Held at our headquarters in Denver, Colorado, our workshops and institutes combine insightful research with best practices for educators at all levels to help improve students' odds of success. Discounts are available for early registration (by March 1, 2015) and group registration (for five or more people from the same district), which may be combined.
Professional Development for Leaders
Institute: Balanced Leadership for District-Level Leaders
June 24-26, 2015
Learn more and register here.
Facilitator training: Classroom Instruction That Works
July 13-17, 2015
Learn more and register here.
Institute: Balanced Leadership for School-Level Leaders
July 20-25, 2015
Learn more and register here.
Helping All Students Achieve with a Multi-Tiered System of Supports
July 29-30, 2015
Learn more and register here.
Professional Development for Teachers
The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching
June 22-23, 2015
Learn more and register here.
Classroom Instruction That Works
July 13-15, 2015
Learn more and register here.
Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners
July 27-28, 2015
Learn more and register here.
Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works
July 29-30, 2015
Learn more and register here.
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Arizona educators attend Classroom Instruction That Works Training
Sixty-five teachers, administrators, and instructional aides from the Mohave Accelerated Learning Center, a 6-12 charter school, and Topock Elementary School in Arizona attended a two-day workshop on Classroom Instruction That Works, as spotlighted in a January 13 Mohave Daily News article. Trina Demers, a high school English teacher, said, "The workshop was very hands-on. One afternoon we put all of our books away and learned in activities like our students would learn."
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McREL to evaluate effectiveness of student-produced news program in Hawai'i
McREL is working with PBS Hawaii to evaluate the long-term outcomes of HIKI NŌ Student News, a student-produced, statewide news program that airs on PBS Hawaii. McREL research director Wendy Kekahio and research specialist Fatima Frank appeared in a recent documentary on the HIKI NŌ program to describe the goals of the evaluation, which is funded by a grant from the Stupski Family Fund of the Hawai'i Community Foundation. The documentary, which aired January 15, focuses on the impact of the project on students, teachers, and communities from target schools, and the program goal of creating a standards-aligned curriculum that can be offered as an elective at public, private, and charter schools statewide. Watch the documentary here.
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The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching endorsed by Canadian education advocate
Canadian education advocate and Chignecto-Central Regional School Board member Ron Marks reviewed The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching, by McREL CEO Bryan Goodwin and Elizabeth Ross Hubbell, in a January 22 article in The News, a daily newspaper serving New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Marks writes, "I wonder if this book should be subject to review by all of our teams. At the very least it would start a healthy discussion about what matters most for great teaching to occur in our schools."
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Free webinar:
Building an Understanding of Family and Community Engagement: A Toolkit of Resources
Join us on January 27, 3:30-5:00 p.m. (MST), for a webinar by REL Pacific on family and community engagement. Learn about a framework for implementing family and community engagement strategies, and discover tools that can influence how you interact with students' families. Register here.
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McREL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose mission is to improve education through applied research, development, and service to teachers and leaders at schools, districts, networks and agencies, and higher education institutions.
Having the right people at McREL is important to our mission. Our employees are passionate about the work they do, not only because they are helping enhance lives, but also because they are surrounded by diverse, enthusiastic, and innovative thinkers.
We are seeking qualified candidates for the following roles:
Director of Client Solutions-Pacific Region
Honolulu
Education Consulting Director
Melbourne, Australia
Executive Director of Research, Evaluation, and Expertise
Denver
REL Deputy Director
Honolulu
Follow our @McRELJobs Twitter feed and never miss an opportunity to join our staff.
Learn more about our work culture and employment listings at our Careers at McREL site.
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