From literacy and project-based learning to teacher leadership initiatives, 120 educators in Northeast Tennessee learned from one another at the Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teaching and Teachers (ECET²) convening. Six different school districts were represented at the event organized by Sullivan County Schools held on September 29-30, 2017 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The active collaboration…
During my teaching experience, I attended countless professional learning opportunities, and many contributed to my growth. However, I walked away from just as many feeling like they were disconnected from my classroom and did not elevate my position as a professional educator. Furthermore, I rarely had the opportunity to share my learning with colleagues and…
Research shows that teachers matter more for student achievement than any other in-school factor. Thus, how we prepare teachers is an essential component of improved student achievement. The 2015-16 State of Education in Tennessee priority of empowering Tennessee’s teachers includes a call to continue improvements to educator preparation. Responding to this call, SCORE convened a…
A report on formative assessment practice in classrooms recently released by Education First focuses on three different urban districts—Austin Independent School District (AISD), Denver Public Schools (DPS), and Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS). Several important findings in the report have implications for Tennessee, particularly related to the 2015-16 State of Education in Tennessee recommendations to…
Last August, I began my professional studies in education policy at Vanderbilt with two primary purposes: to increase inclusion of teachers in the policymaking conversation and to elevate the teaching profession across Tennessee. Quickly, I learned that there are myriad opinions, outlets, and limitations for accomplishing these goals. One approach to elevating the teaching profession…