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Instigator of Thought
May 2013

In This Issue

From the Blog
Letter from Our Executive Director
Philanthropy Spotlight
Inspired Teaching in Action
Demonstration School
Real-Time Resources

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From the Blog

Have you been reading our blog [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFroXqCz9w0n5kfSPACqJZm6KKS2d7xwGx9EHyPebNV9FFE6xhcMDa1hkunIeOLcsCEGBHgrkfaEOXVW6E0nc5tq0Ak2wkJvfTA3wh0bf4kIYw_u4z74vAbvp09JxB5skb1I=]?
Our goal is to create a go-to space for examples of and discussions about what constitutes
good teaching and learning.
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Center for Inspired Teaching is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to
building a better school experience for children by transforming the role of the
teacher from information provider to
Instigator of Thought.
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Letter from Aleta Margolis, Executive Director

April marked the 30th anniversary of the national education report, A Nation at
Risk [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrqJWb7c3HN0AeNIJx1Kzp1oD8JRYN6ccN-faPyn1rG6iG5ZM0-uNfoUPM6G_qwtDcQhuQgBV5orSzBNyClZRUXPwt6PNxRXH-pvdOKkrashOvRZYqzCOOkTVQBfHEnRUF_boOWpzcVAKQ==].
Not surprisingly, the anniversary spurred an uptick in news coverage, policy convenings,
and commentaries measuring the nation's process toward improving its education outcomes
and discussing what we need to be doing differently.

Just last week I commented [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrqWgDTuTxpl9ok-8k8VGNXE1HjEM7CWvUC6J6eyjd-j8Ww_xFrQ0sz1nCRR5N3T7MDfVaWsklyzvaFFwv_NAf_MYGqoYWVFZmV2axlYaxt6RUd5etdmjg_c_wHNfnbQplVVG2yxGyVk33XWOnxMTX8sX0fk9wqaMaDxGPayXMVjSVPPrd5xrcNM]
on what Inspired Teaching is doing differently to ensure that effective teachers
enter the profession well prepared and ready to commit for the long term. We're
focused on providing Fellows enrolled in our Inspired Teacher Certification Program
[http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrpbZAeuZZfnzp3WNsa_A7i3bBvmOIcJH32HflIa5nkWPZ2t57Yt_SUEjr3CX-jUfr4f-MmYXUH7s83S-jP-r6sKZH1VxPlrp2VFK3rcOgVx_nbQXt_RRwbRee8s6AOnvjtZs8yG58X9Fgj1g896Xix6VLBvfn2MzrdsMXmKuiwWoGJZHGslvKzv]
with a one-year residency. Participants spend a full year developing the skills
of engaging diverse students, managing classrooms, and planning effective lessons
while working alongside an experienced Lead Teacher who provides constructive feedback
and support. This intense level of mentoring provides these new teachers with tools
and lessons, but even more importantly, with the philosophy and mindset necessary
to support their long-term commitment to the profession.

We're also working to ensure that teachers have the ongoing support and resources
to implement effective teaching practices, including the necessary shifts in pedagogy
required with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrqgGNubYBUtJxgw83s8HEbahllLxNXTdvxKfQchFFASVbtwLbJwoDgCVl_kpYNCHy_Q9nmlNgzSE6l6SeeIpI1KoyTMdd4OMosO9eyPETxd_2X9RkbqMJoa]).
On May 11, we're excited to co-host the opening plenary session of Teach Plus's
CCSS-focused conference, Cutting to the Core [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFroVGis3Q63xdOET7Wpoyca0iTCxO2cDH3vOxL9PKOraGtfpVMTdU9PhQWoZeIfVuyv6EeGREDjn7T9aWyM-jwzYuYEpSVNgfBHK8dLF_1vDCWVdhjaHbXD7JYPT6NzWjob5U4DEDa0iwIw4G2ZBd4Ib].
Latisha Coleman, an Inspired Teacher Certification Program graduate and second grade
teacher at the Inspired Teaching Demonstration School [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFroaa9Q94tJIt3XlgYZufbtXMOhiLwkU9E1AGvJLzoj5xtgPtQIafDvtMIZjG0_RUqwPOfYCxwZ8j1pH-I3RKx6H7UwHa8lzWysriZhqxEKcsuBVR9oLW_maATDXuS2s1FQLAzqFsZO0g_1WVl7jIDsUrCYWGsFD0tiTIcS1Kdoh9w==],
will share her expertise on the preparation teachers need to make the necessary
instructional shifts to teach to the CCSS.

For more information on our work, be sure to read the "Inspired Teaching in Action"
section of the newsletter. We've also added a new section, "Real-Time Resources,"
which offers timely information for classroom educators.

This issue of our newsletter coincides with an important annual celebration of great
teaching and learning, Teacher Appreciation Week. From all of us at Inspired Teaching,
we say, "Thank you so much!" to all the Instigators of Thought for creating engaging,
joyful, and challenging classrooms where students achieve to their fullest.

All the best,
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Philanthropy Spotlight

Inspired Teaching is fortunate to receive support from philanthropic organizations
such as The PNC Foundation which, through its Grow Up Great program, emphasizes
the importance of the first five years of life by helping families, educators, and
community partners provide innovative opportunities that enhance learning and development
in a child's early years. Since the inception of Grow Up Great, approximately 1.75
million at-risk preschool children have been served through grants and innovative
programs emphasizing math, science, the arts, and financial education for young
children.

"Fundamental to the American experience is the belief that our children, regardless
of the circumstances of their birth, have the opportunity to reach whatever heights
they desire. The surest, most-effective way to provide children with the opportunity
to rise above their circumstances is to create a pathway to success through early
childhood education," said Michael N. Harreld, President of Greater Washington PNC
Bank.

"The work that Center for Inspired Teaching does is so important," said Stacey L.
Collins, PNC's Manager of Client and Community Relations. "I have seen the educators
in action and felt the positive energy they bring to their classrooms. To raise
the bar on quality, we need engaged, highly educated teachers who, like those selected
for Inspired Teaching's program, want to make a difference in a child's life."

For more information please visit http://www.pncgrowupgreat.com [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrqeMRyTPWCKdcVarfhz-Df12eeyUAPanZkdRxHhsVF3-GZ_3Uwypg7D8mfLQk2l5zx3Wxb5bTPY5IzTJy90Buel6B-1wgwhA3xFTwRuF1ppijz0laV9pdnw].

Learn more [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrpW_A-utGtjN4ptKEKVCaMdfiNlwVfDFK89we0tNWtHikp97pZ-KZyL94yi0pRjvE14pMfoyox5zIJIt-_qR7HjNmeC7FSY9UhS7Cez1ZNXlQ5TbicVnlhLwSao7z1AbPeMikIPQLr7Va10vpG5mgCZ]
about the institutional funders that support Inspired Teaching's work to improve
teaching and learning outcomes, especially for students in urban public schools.
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Inspired Teaching in Action

Meet the 2013 Inspired Teacher Certification Program Cohort

The Inspired Teacher Certification Program [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrpbZAeuZZfnzp3WNsa_A7i3bBvmOIcJH32HflIa5nkWPZ2t57Yt_SUEjr3CX-jUfr4f-MmYXUH7s83S-jP-r6sKZH1VxPlrp2VFK3rcOgVx_nbQXt_RRwbRee8s6AOnvjtZs8yG58X9Fgj1g896Xix6VLBvfn2MzrdsMXmKuiwWoGJZHGslvKzv]welcomes
28 passionate and dedicated new members to our 2013 cohort. This year's diverse
group includes Fellows who studied majors ranging from Biopsychology to Sustainable
Community Development to International Relations. Three have earned master's degrees,
and several have studied and worked in countries such as Spain, South Africa, and
Tanzania. They speak six different languages, and include a returning Peace Corps
volunteer, a former ballet dancer, a permaculture expert, a competitive show jumper,
and a YouTube sensation who earned over 2.2 million views in just three weeks.

We are thrilled to welcome this group to the Inspired Teaching community and cannot
wait to get started in July!

Inspired Teaching Supports One City Fund

Inspired Teaching recently lent its support to DC Mayor Vincent Gray's One City
Fund [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrpJm5raXXVDaYGGYdeZjBhc1GZa4PL_Z1CpXZN6sI4Qj4NgSvmSFTuqzQn_pjNf_vvh3pua4WghMKNpj0WH3Swl3Qk7-gY5J4aOOlU3tVFVoqXLHccrcX5DnjZdzK353icuevMTazODeDdh98rTCsKk4zEGNeNTiZ4mPVKAT656rme1T5yb4TU7EfLgxOj76K7_C0cKdIWjoSwPktY2yNUj2FaCp09yWbHQbbKjfjEU397PUbPu8dlPaC7KRTqHBtg=]
proposal, which would create a new nonprofit funding mechanism in the city's FY
2014 budget. Cosby Hunt, Inspired Teaching's Manager of Teaching and Learning, testified
[http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFro46_H_0r0GoGsNWPS6dxzsi1OFVi8ABxDpwxu3DQmz-uP729wHNasIp6xyepCS5Aq0v3iO3ma7qCfyveecoC6LafN0nf9chkdtFtN1zkJWwWEvfKU3WD-loyVBgb1Pet8Um3gD_brIl9zvvLPeEuiSEUW0xKJCDN4FAUEaxkoQ38TTxoJoiOumCE1hsPO90ofV6cedY3Jf7Q==]
at an April 18 DC Council hearing on how the fund would benefit DC public school
students.

Since 2011, Inspired Teaching has partnered with DCPS to support middle school social
studies teachers through our Building Literacy in the Social Studies (BLISS [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrpHZKUBKvgj4zMI9nDyYsoeh6MdStUuDL3UJ367DHb9NEYKr1egaxdbOO6bysuMiBtD0zzas8_Yg20ibz5cfq4CMg31xmSbuC1E9hYz9PVkSJcntdUCdZHBsT_YUAG4q8zvvpHsUgmOxhNSupKGkY6JtYrpCqGt6_f0dRvi6nGYow==])
partnership. This program engages DCPS teachers in incorporating the Common Core
standards for both reading and writing into their content instruction. By August
2013, the BLISS program will have produced a set of social studies instructional
modules for sixth-grade Geography, seventh-grade World History, and eighth-grade
Early American History. The program helps students become better readers and writers,
while also engaging them in exploring topics such as the partition of India, the
legitimacy of New York City's Stop-and-Frisk program, and the connections between
the abolitionists of yesterday and the reformers of today.

Hunt told the Council that the One City Fund would support expansion of the BLISS
program into DC high schools. "In a city whose residents are still struggling to
achieve the full meaning of American citizenship, school-age Washingtonians need
a firm understanding of the historical forces and present-day political decisions
that impact their lives; most importantly, they must envision their place in that
decision-making and in the unfurling of history," he said.
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Inspired Teaching Demonstration School

The Inspired Teaching Demonstration School [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFroaa9Q94tJIt3XlgYZufbtXMOhiLwkU9E1AGvJLzoj5xtgPtQIafDvtMIZjG0_RUqwPOfYCxwZ8j1pH-I3RKx6H7UwHa8lzWysriZhqxEKcsuBVR9oLW_maATDXuS2s1FQLAzqFsZO0g_1WVl7jIDsUrCYWGsFD0tiTIcS1Kdoh9w==]
was chosen for the May 3 First Fridays Tour [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrqn5STNzNM9ONlO5LjETVst9UcpqwYGLhP-Tlonq0FnxYLPaDEzZyJJroGB3uFXi7c4qVpPzpNN5_-swR1NoUWU9AjhVK7hrG3EGpjGUUgmnbNUfQdV838m].
Launched in 2011 by Charter Board Partners [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrp6ijyAcTRu0hSyrjUmYYFeZzsC8GvJUdl7CDfysLCeV299fk14EPv1w152tKZEVSBHGAkYKjr1ElnVaayyaMFqwtfjvbbpeGE7vYFWGuYAyQ==],
CityBridge Foundation [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrpQ0W08QUtHmUShl3bYsTpYfple9b2YdN9008_IskqhxbIEEEfr_JWiOXjmgsBrvHwJ80xmRmes_9oPXOJWydXHCKxpwR4CqElkw9nzY0OjgTpGtpimCYm8]
and Friends of Choice in Urban Schools [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrrwdJWLHdp92cNBj42U9EZAlL0EkqVP3zFmoIlvfm_h30RtnzhhkdbCwxaz1vkXKwgLGX6fYWeE8gFCp45FnKfHjTZSvaWCDA0=]
(FOCUS), First Fridays is a series of monthly tours that spotlight charter schools
across Washington, DC.

Members of the business, education, philanthropic, and nonprofit communities toured
the Inspired Teaching School to learn more about how our Instructional Model [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrpA3c6IxEGuJKLnvMKC1OisfKWTPN7zmXkWEDtFvIHzyL2vs9Tq9OynZiST1aohPG5vhoDHaGrxi34BeAf6l9GJPCucHX1J9Gj3bf356zZbinqex5UVVVRtvtnF5VgiXacvi4XtEVZ1gz71WLVDyhTzAWmm6ASWwdyn9j3G2y43oA==]
supports and builds students' Intellect, Inquiry, Imagination, and Integrity (the
4 I's). The school's role in hosting Inspired Teaching Fellows during their Residency
Year, as part of its partnership with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program,
was also a tour focus.
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Real-Time Resources

The Aspen Institute [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFrp8NMgW4ihyv6xHlp9je5lr9cMBcPbTC5iaeBVZqsGvxCkgOYHurlUKtgLvyyql14CxySZxby4nkjDANzqvT4GGdKU7-3SM1ktNKSU4F79orXhFG4I8NXTE]has
created a free resource to help make the new Common Core State Standards more accessible
to families and other stakeholders. This two-page flyer [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0016FmTx3-hFroE823SSs0hMdiRKaLnCP2YtKlnmqmpBv9YM888hEqx5LHBPKPwGXMjMBj_yWl3j8SthmvjXpgJrcwls94kLE3Tmi_pxeZeLFBlM1jigd3N9FJU0UgadrYCtV8cqaPSyO5BKDv7mxqFostQuz8hzlxuPcnJFWW3JbLY26qnNOvekJpldbS-XZ3a1ZQyOU-9bLrbnRmoG5Trr_XK0ADzY4FPj75CJwtTKyk=],
available for download in both English and Spanish, offers helpful explanations
for educators to answer questions such as what the standards are, how they differ
from current state standards, how they will affect teaching, and what parents can
do to help their children succeed.

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