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Volume 10

Special Edition 

April 2014


Illinois

Creating Learner Centric Environments

The 21st century requires that students be technologically savvy and ready to embrace and adapt to innovations that may have been unthinkable just a few years before. Student-centered classrooms are built on autonomy and the limited use of traditional teaching practices. These innovative learning environments operate on collaboration, project-based learning, technology integration and plenty of conversation between students and teachers about learning.

The AdvancED Illinois 2014 Conference will offer a unique opportunity to help understand and commit to a vision in which the imagination is given free rein to picture what student-centric environments look like within and outside of the classroom, how these environments empower students to develop the skills they need and afford educators to more effectively assess and support student progress.

Join us in Champaign, September 18 – 19 to further the conversation and spur action to make our education systems more student-centered and more responsive to the demands of the 21st century.

Register Now!

Quick Links
David T. Conley Set to Open Conference
Dr. David Conley is set to provide the opening keynote session on Thursday, September 19 at the AdvancED Illinois Conference. Themed Creating Learner Centric Environments, Dr. Conley is slated to add value to the program as he plans to provide participants with the key components to ensure today’s students are prepared for college and careers and the steps practitioners can take to help facilitate their success.

Dr. Conley conducts research on issues related to college readiness, college and high school course content analysis, high school-college alignment and transition and large-scale diagnosis and assessment of college readiness. His findings have been published in numerous technical reports, conference papers, book chapters and journals, such as Education Week, Educational Administration Quarterly, Educational Policy and Educational Leadership.

Signed copies of his most recent publication, Getting Ready for College, Careers, and Common Core: What Every Educator Needs to Know (2013), will be available for purchase during the conference.
Learning and Leading Workshop Planned
Dr. Bena Kallick – educator, author, consultant and thought leader – is scheduled to facilitate a half-day workshop on September 19 at the conference. Her work, Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind: 16 Essential Characteristics for Success (2008), will guide the workshop’s discussion. During this session, she asks participants to explore crucial questions such as: While education prepares students for a life of tests, are educators preparing them for the tests of life? Many cite the need for critical and creative thinking, collaboration and communication, but do school professionals reflect the value of those skills in all that they do? 

Deep exploration and reflection will include: 1) Building a school culture in which the Habits of Mind serve as a significant part of the mission; 2) Getting started with the Habits, 3) Using the Habits as an integral part of supervising and coaching; and 4) Communicating and leading with the Habits to engage the wider school community.  This session will challenge and help re-frame mental maps to focus on 21st century education and help facilitate the development of learner centric learning environments.

Dr. Kallick received her doctorate in educational evaluation at Union Graduate School. Her areas of focus include group dynamics, creative and critical thinking, and alternative assessment strategies for the classroom. Some of her written work includes: Assessment in the Learning Organization (ASCD, 1998), the Habits of Mind series (ASCD, 2000), Strategies for Self-Directed Learning (Corwin Press, 2004), Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind (ASCD, 2008), Habits of Mind Across the Curriculum (ASCD, 2009). Her works have been translated into Dutch, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew and Arabic.
Call for Proposals
Fall conference organizers are seeking proposals to facilitate concurrent sessions. A comprehensive concurrent session schedule will be built to support educators in their ongoing transformation work to create learner centric environments. Sessions are 45 minutes, and materials will be offered electronically and in advance so attendees can determine which sessions their school teams will attend. All sessions will be delivered on Thursday, September 18. All proposals must be submitted by June 30. Successful proposals are afforded the opportunity for one presenter to receive complementary conference registration.  For further information and to submit your proposal, please visit the conference website now!
Recognition of Excellence
AdvancED Illinois leadership is scheduled to present this year’s Excellence In Education honor during a special awards ceremony at the fall conference.  The state-level award is presented to one individual who has demonstrated unparalleled leadership in promoting and advancing excellence in education. 

The AdvancED Illinois Council is pleased to announce the 2014 Excellence In Education award recipient is Mr. Dick Spohr. As an AdvancED Field Consultant, Systems Lead Evaluator and senior member of Illinois’ Leadership Team, he has been called upon on a number of occasions to provide intensive technical assistance to schools and school systems, guide improvement teams through the internal review process and lead Accreditation Readiness Reviews. He also has designed and delivered countless training sessions, workshops and webinars. Through these professional services and many more, Mr. Spohr has been a steward of improvement and delivery expert of the AdvancED brand of excellence. 
Commitment to Service
Nominations are currently being accepted for the Quality Award series. While many individuals are making outstanding contributions to our organization, three distinguished professionals will be recognized with a Quality Award. These state level awards are provided to individuals who participate in our External Review Teams for demonstrating dedication to quality and fostering commitment to service. Three categories are available in which to nominate your peers and colleagues: Leadership, Performance and Service. The awards recipients will receive complimentary registration to the conference and will be presented their awards during the awards and recognition program. Nominations are accepted through August 1 for consideration of the 2014 awards. To find out additional information and nominate qualified individuals, go to the AdvancED Illinois Web page.
 
AdvancED, the home of NCA CASI, NWAC and SACS CASI, is dedicated to
advancing excellence in education worldwide.


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