Let teachers learn from best, principals urged

Area educators share their ideas at Dynetics seminar

In a tight financial year for Alabama schools, local principals were given a free tip Thursday to make their teachers better.

The idea was one of many shared by dozens of principals at Huntsville, Madison, and Madison County schools who gathered at Dynetics in Huntsville's Cummings Research Park. The Schools Foundation, a local school support group, put on the "Principally Speaking Network" class for school leaders in all three systems.

Mitzi Dennis, principal at Madison Cross Roads Elementary School, said the teacher improvement seminar was helpful. She noted that Alabama schools aren't getting money for professional development this year from the state due to a poor economy.

"It's not the money," she said of improving teachers. "It's all about the focus and how you improve yourself."

Principals were also urged to hire teachers that show strong interest in education.

The theme of teacher improvement fell in line with another common concern in American education: Competition. Principals watched a video reminding viewers of China and India, countries that are producing bright students at a fast rate. Those students are taking tough classes in math and science, which are needed for high-tech jobs.

The video's title, "Two Million Minutes," emphasized the approximate number of minutes during four years of high school and how to make the best academic use of them.

The video reported that 40 percent of American high school students don't take a science class more challenging than general biology. Also, more than half of students don't take a math course beyond two years of algebra and one year of geometry.

Read the article on al.com

It sounds obvious, but teachers in need of professional development can observe the best teachers in their school, watching how they motivate students and maintain classroom control.

Press Release:

The Schools Foundation Launches The Educators Institute with new program:

The Principally Speaking Network

(Huntsville, Ala.)  The Schools Foundation recently established The Educators Institute, a group of community leaders who will help develop, plan, and implement educational initiatives that support the three public school systems in Madison County, Alabama.  Community leaders serving on The Educators Institute collaborate on strategies that maximize resources and identify partnerships with local, state and national organizations in support of public education and its programs.  Six educational programs during the 2009-2010 school year are planned by the Educators Institute, according to Avis Williams, chair of the institute.

The Educators Institute begins by announcing the formation of an educational series for school administrators called the Principally Speaking Network, facilitated by Bill Kennedy, of the Chattanooga Public Education Partnership.  

Developed in collaboration with the Alabama Best Practices Center, the Principally Speaking Network will assist school administrators in Madison County, Madison City and Huntsville City Schools in meeting the new standards for instructional leaders in Alabama. The Principally Speaking Network will also give school administrators time with colleagues to explore and resolve critical issues in school leadership

“Once the superintendents and their instructional leaders identified this need as a top priority for professional development, we got to work,” said Scott McLain, The Schools Foundation President. “There is nothing more important for the Schools Foundation to do than to ensure that our school leaders have the tools and resources they need to be effective.”

Funding for the Principally Speaking Network came from Toyota- Title Sponsor; Dynetics- Silver Sponsor; North Alabama Educators Credit Union; and The Wachovia Foundation.

Principals, click here to register now!