What Successful Teachers Do: A Dozen Things to Ensure Student Learning

Mary C. Clement

Dr. Clement is a “key woman educator” in DKG.

Pro’s
This book affirms teachers—we need that at all stages of our career.
• The format of the book provides for guidance in an “easy read.”
• Many highlights of each chapter provide a summary and a “quick read.”
• The author acknowledges the pleasure and the challenges of being a teacher.
• Information in this book applies across national/international boundaries—addresses needs of learners and teachers generally.
• Teachers in training are not aware of what they need; student teachers are just overwhelmed; newly-minted teachers follow the paths and sage suggestions of their mentor teachers. After about 5-9 years in the classroom, teachers begin to recall “something” they read once—heard once, but they have difficulties recalling the details. This book guides them back to the theories and affirms their practices as well as providing new ideas for activities or new variations on “tried and true” activities. Teachers are refreshed; teachers are reborn; teachers are reassured that what they have been doing is effective for student learning.
• The book synthesizes research and applies it to the classroom for teachers who do not have the time to do in-depth reading and research on their own because their focus is on their own learners.
• The focus is on learning, not teaching.

Con’s
• Some may contend that the book is only a recapitulation of education classes for teaching majors and students should have retained that information. Life does not always reflect “what should be.”
• Includes Common Core, which is no longer a federal mandate, but it may be still called that in the author’s state. It is not a state program and may yet reflect much of CC.

This could be great as a gift when teachers earn tenure—affirmation of their achievements and a guide for the next stage.

Scholarship vs Grant-in-aid

Many members ask what the difference is between a scholarship and a grant-in-aid.  For reporting purposes scholarships are awarded to Delta Kappa Gamma members and grants-in-aid are awarded to non-members.  Chapters and state organizations can call them whatever they choose, keeping in mind how it is reported each year.

Grants-in-aid and scholarships are awarded at all levels of the Society. At the international level the Scholarship Committee awards $10,000 to qualifying members pursuing a PhD and $6,000 to qualifying members pursuing an advanced degree. At the international level, grants-in-aid are awarded by the World Fellowship Committee to non-members attending a college or university in the United States or an approved university in Canada. State organizations give scholarships to qualifying members working on degrees, receiving special training, professional development or grants-in-aid to non-members in either high school or college. Many chapters give scholarships to qualifying members furthering their education and grants-in-aid to non-members in high school or college.

At the international convention in Austin in 2018, the convention attendees voted to amend the governing documents of the Society so that scholarship fees paid annually by members go to the state organization and to the chapter, if the chapter has a scholarship fund.  A portion of the scholarship fee is no longer part of the revenue for the DKG International Scholarship Fund. Funding for international scholarships comes from contributions, bequests, and income from investments.

International, state organizations and chapters advertise their grants-in-aid and scholarships through their newsletters, websites, social media, and personal contacts. Members and state organizations are encouraged to give donations and bequests to the DKG International Scholarship Fund. Most importantly both grants-in-aid and scholarships support the vision of DKG, “Leading Women Educators Impacting Education Worldwide”.

Educating for Empathy

Educating for Empathy by Nicole Mirra is another book that was reviewed by the Educators Book Award Committee. While it did not receive an award or honorable mention, the committee felt is could be a valuable resource.  This book explores the political charged climate teachers and students are living in both nationally and globally and seeks to instill a sense of empathy within the K-12 curriculum.  

            According to Mirra the deliberate teaching of empathy in education can prepare students to tackle the challenges of the 21^st century and beyond with compassion and commitment toward equity and justice.  Using the English Language Arts Curriculum literature becomes the vehicle through which empathy can be taught to students K-12. In Mirra’s book each chapter includes practical tools and discussion questions to promote empathy.

            Educating for Empathy provides ideas for teachers struggling with bullying and hate talk in schools and society. In Nicole Mirra’s words, “The development of empathy in students (and teachers) should be considered a primary goal of education because it offers an organizing principle for our field grounded in hope, love, and a commitment to a more equitable society.”

Strengthening Your Chapter

Are you looking for ways to strengthen your chapter? Look no further than the international website under Resources tab then Chapter Tools and then Chapter Strengthening. Here you will find several documents to gauge the health of your chapter and ways you can utilize to strengthen your chapter. The document entitled, “Chapter Checkup”, is a self-assessment tool to determine key areas that could be warning signs that your chapter isn’t as strong as you thought and then gives you suggestions on how to remedy the “ailment(s)”. Another document gives some sample questions you can use in a survey to poll your members to determine what they would like your chapter meetings to look like. Finally, the document, “Strategies for a Positive Chapter Environment” provides approaches you can take to make sure that your chapter is vibrant, enthusiastic and growing chapter.

Selling School: The Marketing of Public Education

 

The Educators Book Award Committee evaluates all books, which meet the criteria of the award; however only one receives the award. With that in mind, the committee will share information through a blog format about books that were in the top five considered for the 2019 award. One of those books is Selling School: The Marketing of Public Education by Catherine DiMartino and Sarah Butler Jessen. This book addresses a timely topic that is changing the landscape of education in the United States. The book covers the history of the school for profit movement and its effects on the free, public education system in the country, as well as how students and teachers alike are being educated. It is a topic of interest for all educators, parents, and policymakers.

One online reader review stated “[The authors] discussed every aspect of the branding and selling of public charter schools and schools of choice to stakeholders that include families and future teachers. The authors detail the marketing work done…of the organizations who are running ….institutions of learning. …The book should be required reading for any college grad being recruited by Teach for America, as without emotion the authors' research and dissect that organization’s marketing to, and training of, recently college grads, and compare that to the reality that teachers encounter in their assignment schools. Their final chapter includes recommendations for policy, practice, and research that students and families deserve to have implemented. It is evident the authors hold great respect for teachers and the educational system.”