WATCH IT HERE AT LINKS BELOW Editing of video done - below links to online
version of FALL CONFERENCE 2014: COMMON CORE:
WHAT'S NEXT?
A video of the LWVCT Fall Conference
2014, “Common Core and Connecticut: What’s Next?,” can
be watched via the links provided below. The video is
presented in two formats. Windows Media Player format
(.wmv) is recommended for Windows users, and is best viewed
via Internet Explorer, which will automatically open Windows
Media Player and begin playback without waiting for the entire
file to download. MP4 format (.mp4) is recommended for
Apple users. Depending on the software that is being
used, playback may not begin until the entire file has
downloaded, which may take several minutes or more depending
on the speed of your Internet connection. It will be
possible to scroll to arbitrary points within the program once
the entire file has downloaded.
BRAVO TO JCC OF GREATER NEW HAVEN
LOUDSPEAKERS/SOUND SYSTEM! NO PROBLEMS WITH MICROPHONES!!! Excellent breakfast spread! Congrats, LWVCT Fall
Conference Committee!
It was a beautiful day in early fall, and LWVCT Fall Conference
was all about education this year! Specifically, "Common
Core" and the terms of its implementation, stakeholder buy-in and
public awareness of what this could mean in Connecticut.
Links on this page from an Internet search, not those links
provided in the excellent printed program for Fall Conference... The
answer to entry level students of the subject here...
2014 Topic LWVCT Fall
Conference always explores a subject of specific interest to
Leagues in Connecticut, and the roll-out of "Common Core" was
inspiration, during Q&A, for a suggestion that our state
consider a new way to pay for education - rather than having 169
ways of doing this task. PANEL:Moderator getting
unpacked, prior to being introduced, as Co-President opens the
event announcing location of rest rooms, warning about turning
off cell phones.
The State Department of Education
was represented ably by Stephen Armstrong, Curriculum Specialist (l). He was outnumbered but
gamely contributed and made a case for changes to Common Core
already made to accommodate districts and especially
interpretations of what would be demanded of teachers. He is
a former Social Studies teacher now employed by the S.D.A.
Who spoke up for "Common
Core?" The
Superintendent of East Hartford public schools Nathan Quesnel, who
Co-Chairs. the Educators' Common Core Implementation Task
Force. After decrying using education lingo, etc. he
proceeded to show a power point presentation, one slide below
illustrating where the most stressed school districts and schools
are - at least, those being helped by grants strengthening
alternative ways to organize school governance. How are
these changes in methods working? Stay tuned! Common
Core Task Force Superintendent
Quesnel was an excellent speaker, providing insight into the
difficulties of meeting the needs of students in districts where
educational success is not the norm at home. He is an
enthusiastic supporter of current efforts to make Common Core and
the task force recommendations succeed thru use of Federal funds
and programs (as we heard it). Had we mentioned that this
conference was about implementation of Common Core in CT? Who are
those engaged in trying to do this? There are
1)administrators, 2)teachers unions, 3)Boards of Education,
4)parents and 5)boards of finance in 169 towns...not to mention
kids. Right out of the starting gate, someone asked, during
question time, whether the problem was the property tax, since
everyone on the panel agreed that the issue is all about the gap
between poor cities and rich suburbs (our words)?
But we
digress...and something tells me the Property Tax might be a topic
for a future Fall Conference!
Not shown here, the modest Weston League sat
in the back, taking copious notes! And I'll bet the
first question may have came from their table, too!!!
A familiar face to Westonites (l)! And LWV of Weston had
5 members present - not bad for a small League on a nice
Saturday; Woodbridge (45 minute drive) near New
Haven. Dr. Tom Scarice, who was Assistant Superintendent in Weston
before moving up to his present position as Superintendent of the
excellent Madison CT schools, was brilliant in his critique of
Common Core.
Dr. Anne Dichele
Reality
A breath of fresh air, educator of teachers, Dr.
Anne Dichele of Quinnipiac University, remarked that the teaching profession was
losing half its graduates after 5 years on the job - one might ask
if this is "burn out" of those disillusioned by the
profession. And as a matter of fact, Connecticut does not,
or may not, treat its teachers with the respect they deserve - and
we could go on, but you'll have to wait for the video to catch all
of this!
MORE...
This event will be produced as a long video including Q&A.
with links from the LWVCT website. For use as a teaching
tool, DVDs will be produced which can be used to focus on specific
sections of the program.
Stephen Armstrong
Our final speaker, Stephen Armstrong, as we mentioned, was
outnumbered but game to the end! He gave me confidence that
we would work things out...and inquired if men could join the
League, because he wanted to join!
STAY TUNED FOR THE VIDEO!!! Note: link not
to official LWV of Weston website, but provides unofficial
background.
ENTRY LEVEL QUESTIONS
YOU MIGHT HAVE:
Can anyone
attend? Answer: YES.
First step:
Reserve the date on your calendar (Saturday, Oct. 25th all
morning)!
Who's was on the panel?
At least that was the way it was on Oct. 8th, when we
registered!
Wait!
What??? Change to panel
here; who else in not on the panel - outgoing
Commissioner of Education in CT - at least so far!
Will the LWV of
Weston be videotaping the event for later broadcast?
YES, indeed, with chapter points so that specific sections can
be used to illustrate specific points.
COMMON CORE
PANEL TAKES A CHANGE IN TONE...PERHAPS? BRING YOUR
EDUCATION LINGO DICTIONARY!!!
It was with some surprise
that we note the change in individual speakers and number of same
- but the newest panel member is none other than our well
thought-of former Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, who
spearheaded work with Columbia University Teachers' College and
the Weston Public Schools!!!.
Hartford Courant report in full: http://www.courant.com/hc-peter-j-lewandowskis-letter-in-response-to-vincent-loffredos-inquiry-20141124-story.html
The C.E.A. Building is across the
street from the Capitol...
