Here are quick looks at a few of the many engaging sessions held during the Annual Conference. These brief snapshots are excerpted and adapted from blog posts on Inservice, the ASCD blog.
Here is a quick guide to public misconceptions about music education. Misconception #1: Academic subjects are associated with verbal and mathematical reasoning and, therefore, indispensable for daily life and essential for employment. Music is valued for recreation and cultural development and, therefore, not useful in a practical way. Misconception #2: Musical ability is a talent and special gift and, therefore, only for students that possess a special, mystical, innate talent.
—"Music's Role in Learning"
Reduced attention spans have created a group of students who are inclined to "mentally channel-surf" in class, missing critical content and skill development. "To set the stage, you need to do three things: immediately involve the students in an activity; use some sort of hook, gimmick, or attraction to get their attention; and develop a plan for how you're going to proceed so that you can keep their interest," explained presenter Michele Deck. "Use your imaginary remote control to either change something you're doing or something they're doing to bring them back to your channel."
—"Reaching and Teaching the iPod Generation"
The costs of high school dropouts to society are shocking—from higher Medicaid and Medicare costs to lost tax revenues to high incarceration rates. Even more shocking is the high dropout rate of students of diversity and the resulting poor health, poverty, and imprisonment rates. The good news, according to Henry Levin of Teachers College, Columbia University, is that when you invest in highly effective educational programs, the benefits to society far exceed the costs of such programs.
—"Build Schools, Not Prisons!"
Aspiring to "color blindness"—that is, professing to not see or acknowledge the racial differences among your students—is doing no one any favors. According to presenters Paula Martin and Elli Stern, teachers need to honestly confront student differences, especially when it comes to race and ethnicity.
—"I Won't Learn from You If You Don't Respect Me"