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National Congress on Teacher Education
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
October 13-15, 2006
 "Bad Hair Days" -- Self portrait by Michael Brown, Ricky Brown, Colton Love, and Haley Pruitt, 4th-6th grade students at Clinton Public Schools - Scotland Campus, Arkansas. Teacher: Penelope McMillion; Principal: Dale Stokes
Online registration now available -- Click here to go directly to the online registration site.
The Second National Congress on Teacher Education will be held October 13, 14 and 15, 2006, at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001.
The Association of Teacher Educators is pleased to announce the Second National Congress on Teacher Education. The purpose of this meeting is to examine what we know and need to know to ensure high-quality teaching and teacher education in the United States, and to develop an action plan to get where we need to go. This will be a roll-up-your-sleeves working meeting with most of the time spent in cross-roles discussion groups.
Invited individuals representing university/college and school-based educators; local, state, and federal level policymakers; parent, community, and business representatives; experts from related human services professions and foundation officials will meet in Washington D.C. on October 13, 14, and 15, 2006 at the Hyatt Regency Washington Hotel on Capitol Hill.
Preliminary Speakers, Panel Named
The following speakers will highlight the presentations at the National Congress:
Marilyn Cochran-Smith holds the John E. Cawthorne Millennium Chair in Teacher Education at Boston College's Lynch School of Education. Active in the national and international educational research communities, Cochran-Smith was President of AERA, 2004-2005, and editor of the Journal of Teacher Education, 2000-2006.
W. Robert Houston, Professor of Education at the University of Houston since 1970, is Associate Dean of Education (1973-1991) and Executive Director of the Texas Center for University School Partnerships and the Institute for Urban Education (1990-present). He was honored as a John and Rebecca Moores Professor in 1996 (1996-present). During 1985-1986, he was President of the national Association of Teacher Educators. He has received numerous honors, including being the first recipient of ATE’s Distinguished Teacher Educator of the year award in 1997 and the 2000 Edward C. Pomeroy Award for Distinguished Contributions to Teacher Education, presented by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the most prestigious awards from the two major teacher education organizations. He is the only recipient of both.
A special panel will look at No Child Left Behind from a variety of perspectives. Members of the panel include:
Boyce C. Williams, a dynamic public speaker who has made numerous professional presentations in areas such as cultural diversity and multicultural education; Dr. Jack D. Dale, superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools—the nation’s 12th largest school system; William R. Luton, Eagle Scout and AP student, is a 2006 Spring Woods High School graduate from Houston and was in the top 5 % of his class; Richard G. Allan, Ed.D., Vice President, Instructional Development for National Evaluation Systems, Inc. (NES); Kimberly Oliver, a kindergarten teacher at Broad Acres Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland, the 56th National Teacher of the Year; and Randy J. Dunn, Illinois State Superintendent of Education and former Chair of the Department of Educational Administration and Higher Education at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIU-C) since 2000. He joined the SIU-C faculty in 1995, after having served as a public school administrator and teacher in Illinois since 1980.
Tentative Agenda
Thursday, October 12
Hill Visits, coordinated by ATE Staff
Friday, October 13
9:00 - 11:30 Facilitator and Recorder Training
12:00 - 1:30 Lunch: Welcome & Introductions -- Leonard Kaplan
Keynote: Dr. Marilyn Cochran-Smith: NCLB and its implications for teaching and teacher education
Introduction by Ed Pultorak
Operating Procedures: Victoria Giordano
1:30 - 1:45 Coffee Break
1:50 - 4:30 Interactive Small Group Working Sessions
5:00 Reception
Saturday, October 14
8:30 - 9:00 Continental Breakfast
9:00 - 9:15 Research Committee re-cap of Friday findings
9:15 - 10:00 Keynote Speaker
Brooke Haycock: The passion needed to be proactive for American education Introduction by Jane McCarthy
10:00 - 10:30 Coffee Break
10:30 - 12:00 Interactive Small Group Working Sessions
12:00 - 12:45 Lunch provided
1:00 - 2:30 Panel: The impact of NCLB on various educational roles
Facilitator: Robert Houston
Introduction by Terry James
2:30 - 3:00 Coffee Break
3:00 - 5:00 Interactive Small Group Working Sessions Dinner on own
Sunday, October 15
8:30 - 9:00 Continental Breakfast
9:00 - 10:15 Interactive Small Group Working Sessions (Prepare final report)
10:30 - 11:15 Each Group Reports – Ed Pultorak Facilitator
11:15 - 11:40 Robert Houston: Proactive tips for effectively impacting public policy
Introduction by Leonard Kaplan
11:40 - 11:50 Summary: What took place, what we learned, and what we do next -- Leonard Kaplan
In the midst of an ever-changing environment the always perplexing, "What is the purpose of school?" has taken center stage. Essentialists claim that there is a definable body of knowledge that every student should have mastered prior to high school commencement. Every state in the union has in place some form of standardized test measuring academic achievement. Frequently the scores achieved throughout local school districts are published in newspapers thereby giving the general public some indicator of just how well or how poorly each district is doing as measured by these tests. Communities are pitted against one another as if they are in competition.
We are now able to view community-by-community, school-by-school progress or lack of progress, year-by-year. These test scores evaluate school administrators and teachers. Contracts are renewed or denied based on these results; National as well as state and local officials support funding for schools based upon these results ... Is it any wonder that these tests are labeled "high stakes"?
However, there are some that question whether or not these tests measure all that we value. Do they measure the "whole child?" Do these tests assess whether or not high achieving students see knowledge as a tool to do good not just to do well?
Many believe that knowledge must be used for the common good and that the school must take a leadership position demonstrating this position. Instilling positive affect in our diverse student population is not, nor should it be, incidental in the curriculum. However, this is easier said than done.
A second National Congress on Teacher Education will attempt to explore these and other issues being raised. The theme of this Event is,
"NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND: ARE WE ASSESSING THE RIGHT STUFF?"
Questions central to this discussion include the following:
- In light of the priorities established by the Leave No Child Behind Act, can a balanced curriculum be established for students that works to establish high academic goals as well as good character development? If so, how? If not, why not?
- What is it about the "Whole Child" that we are not studying from the perspective of various constituencies?
- What alternative or supplemental assessments help inform school programming and assessment of student learning? Do these assessments account for the diversity in our population?
- What kinds of assessment do individuals from various fields/ disciplines find most helpful in assessing the Whole Child?
- To what extent are teachers being prepared in our colleges and universities to respond to the priorities established by families, communities, and local, state, and federal agencies?
 The Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill is steps away from the U.S. Capitol building.
Speakers, as well as Congress participants, will be asked to address these as well as related topics. The ideas generated by these discussions will be tabulated and put forth in a working document distributed to all of interest. It is hoped that that this document will become an action statement for all who participate in the dialogue that establishes educational policy for our nations classrooms.
Place---Hyatt Regency Washington Hotel, Capitol Hill--Washington D,C,
Date---October 13, 14, 15, 2006.
Cost---$300.00
This includes: Registration
Two continental breakfasts
Two lunches
Cocktail party-reception
Special Hotel Rate: ATE has obtained a special rate for this conference at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill of $159 single/$184 double. Regency Club level is available for $50 more. Hotel registration information will be available soon. To get this special rate, call the hotel directly at (202) 737-1234 and identify yourself as a registrant for the Second National Congress on Teacher Education. (A link directly to the registration website should be available in a few days.)
Extra Event: ATE's headquarters will be coordinating visits to the Hill on Thursday, October 12, 2006. If you are interested in spending time on the Hill meeting representatives of Congress, this activity would take place the day before the official beginning of the Congress. There is no additional cost for this opportunity. Check the box on the online registration form.
Hotel Cutoff Date: Hotel reservations will be accepted until September 15, 2006. After that date, hotel rooms may not be available at the special rate. Refund policy: Requests for refunds of registration fees will be honored if received by September 15, less a $25 administrative charge. No refunds after that date.
Click here to go to ATE's Online Registration site.
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