What Frances Faircloth Jones learned about children during the five years she taught kindergarten helped her develop the kinds of skills she now uses to work with adults. Children, Jones discovered, can be passionate and enthusiastic, as well as unyielding and proud; they can be agreeable one minute, and exacting the next. To manage such mercurial temperaments, Jones "learned great patience, how to work collaboratively, how to coach others, and how to create nurturing learning environments."
These skills, says Jones, have become invaluable to her in the myriad educational leadership positions she's held throughout her career, and she draws upon these skills daily in guiding the efforts of the 15 school districts, nine universities, eight community colleges, and numerous business CEOs of the Piedmont Triad Horizons Education Consortium at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. "It's my job to keep everybody working together, working in concert," Jones explains. As executive director, she "helps members of the consortium keep a focus on what is really important for young people."
Jones will now help ASCD keep a focus on what's important for educators, and, thus, for the students they teach. ASCD's new president is committed to ASCD's strategic plan. "I was part of the strategic planning commission and I think the goals ASCD has set are noble," Jones explains.
Specifically, Jones believes she can be most instrumental in broadening ASCD's international scope and in helping ASCD become more influential.
Jones' interest in international education issues is inspired, in part, by collaborations she has with schools in the Middle East and Europe. Through these partnerships, Jones has developed "a big-picture perspective of what the global issues are and how to move ahead with education on an international level."
Jones has also developed a deeper understanding of the educational needs and personal aspirations shared by children the world over. "All children," she explains, "have this innate hope that they will be successful in what they choose to do. All children, at young ages, are very creative and learn best in safe, nurturing environments." And all children, she believes, "make the greatest gains in learning through interactive teaching."
Explaining just what "interactive teaching" is and helping teachers shift to this more student-centered approach in the classroom is a major goal of the joint training sessions sponsored by the Consortium. When teachers and business leaders meet in a workshop setting, teachers better understand what business leaders expect from students, and business leaders better understand the innovative teaching strategies that have replaced traditional, teacher-directed classrooms. The joint training effort is one example of how educators in the Consortium build support for education reform. "We've become very influential with the state general assembly. We help shape the legislation that affects public schooling," Jones says of the Consortium.
Jones thinks ASCD can be equally as influential on a national level, and she would like to use her expertise in building support for the "good things in education" to position ASCD as a major player in setting the public policy agenda. "Our members look to us to help them do the cutting edge' things in their classrooms." Policymakers, therefore, need to be educated about those "cutting edge" practices, and an organization like ASCD is uniquely positioned to take on that challenge, says Jones. "ASCD is known throughout the world" as the leader in curriculum and supervision issues, she asserts. "We have nearly 200,000 members and that translates into influence."
Jones is an educator who has looked to ASCD throughout her career for professional development opportunities. She joined ASCD when she first became a principal because she wanted to learn more about curriculum design, and "no other organization anywhere" had the resources she needed. Jones was so impressed with ASCD that, in return, she became actively involved in both her state affiliate, NCASCD, and in ASCD International. (Jones has been honored for her commitment, receiving the ASCD Leadership Foundation Award in 1990.)
A self-described "workaholic," Jones is also eager to help others interested in a career in education. As one who "has never had a job I haven't embraced or loved," Jones thinks she can teach others to analyze their professional opportunities so they, too, can make wise choices. "You need to know your inner self," she says, before making career decisions. It's also helpful, she believes, to have a trusted advisor. "I had wonderful mentors throughout my career, and I am committed to serving as such a mentor to young women."
Jones is equally resolute when she talks about service to members, which she thinks is the most important aspect of her new role. "I see the presidency as a job of service to others." Such a commitment to service is mirrored by ASCD staff. "When I talk about service to membership, I see ASCD already doing many things in response to members' needs, such as adding a toll-free number," she says. ASCD, she concludes, can now build on that solid foundation, meeting members' needs to a greater degree.
You can read more about Frances Faircloth Jones by visiting ASCD's Web site at (http://www.ascd.org). Click on ASCD TODAY, then on People of ASCD. Jones' biography is found under the Executive Council heading.