WORKSHOPS.
Past and present: Eugenics, standardized tests, and politics of school reform: Hoosier connections and challenges with John Loflin
Due to NCLB, students as young as 8 years old must take high stakes standardized tests like ISTEP. How did this now common part of school come about? What’s the purpose of testing? Did you know we Hoosiers had a lot to do with it? What moral-political dilemma does ISTEP have for urban families and educators? Preview John’s workshop paper “Past and Present: Eugenics, Standardized Tests, and the Politics of School Reform” at
/www.schoolsmatter.info/2013/04/past-and-present-eugenics-standardized.html
Bio
Mr. Loflin is a graduate of IPS, Purdue and IU. He’s taught at the middle and high school, adult, and university levels. He’s presented during conferences on five continents and has been published on alternative and democratic education in Korea, Israel, Spain, Brazil, Turkey, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Canada, and the US. He has consulted on learning alternatives with public schools in Mumbai, India, Seattle, and Indianapolis.
Currently, he is Director of Urban Education Issue at the Black & Latino Policy Institute. His latest paper is titled “Rejecters, Resistors, and Ridas” covering why Black males don’t go into teaching in urban schools and what to do about it. www.inpathways.net/ipcnlibrary/ViewBiblio.aspx?aid=10835
Google “John Harris Loflin” for his on-line publications or view his website: www.vorcreatex.com. Contact:
john@bl-pi.org 317-788-6604
Special Education with IPS School Board Commissioner Gayle Cosby
In this session we will explore the intersection of special education and alternative education. We will attempt to address the issues surrounding over representations of black boys in both special education and in suspension rate. We will also look at the way in which students are identified as meeting special education or alternative education services.
Bio
A resident of the near-eastside of Indianapolis for over thirty years, Gayle Cosby has been connected with public education in different capacities her entire life. She attended IPS schools from kindergarten through graduation from Arsenal Technical High School (Learning Center/Day Adult Program). Gayle was the first in her family to graduate from college, obtaining two Bachelors degrees, in Sociology and Psychology, from Indiana University Purdue University - Indianapolis. After working in social services for several years, she began a teaching career with IPS in 2007, and earned a Master's Degree in Education from Marian University in 2009. She is married and a mother to three children.
To contact Gail email:
cosbyg@ips.k12.in.us
.
The Power of Community-Driven Texts with Josefa Beyer
Explore the joy and knowledge that is authentic community literacy. Community-driven texts include oral histories, poetry, fiction, newsletters, magazines, nonfiction and other literature created by, for and about communities. By creating and studying community-driven texts, community members, students and teachers can expand their world view, language skills and civic action; practice historical inquiry and critical thinking; and gain a new appreciation for communities and residents.
Bio
Josefa Beyer is an award-winning arts and education journalist who turned to oral history to promote student and parent voice in education. As she wraps up 200 interviews for the Families Talk Oral History of Indianapolis Public School Families, Beyer is editing selected stories into a community-driven book called Schooled in Indianapolis. She is also partnering with bilingual interviewers and with teachers and youth group leaders to bring more youth and immigrant perspectives to the history. Beyer has been an IPS parent for seven years and a charter parent for one.
http:/josefabeyer.wix.com/familiestalk
The Importance of Art…with Art with a Heart
Art with a Heart’s mission is to provide hands-on visual arts experiences that educate and inspire children. Our programs uniquely reinforce academics within the artistic experience and strive to instill confidence in our kids, benefiting them in both school and life, setting the standard for art instruction and education in urban neighborhoods throughout Indianapolis. Art with a Heart offers a variety of art programs for at-risk children throughout the school year in weekly after-school programs, Kindergarten classes and honors art classes for students who have exhibited a passion for art. During the summer months, Art with a Heart partners with area summer camps to engage their students with visual art. www.artwithaheart.us
Parents Across America...with Julie Woestehoff
PAA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan grassroots organization that connects parents and activists to share ideas and work together to improve America’s public schools. PAA supports the expansion of sensible, research-based reforms, such as pre-K programs, full-day Kindergarten, small classes, parent involvement, strong, experienced teachers, a well-rounded curriculum and evaluation systems that go beyond test scores. PAA allocating resources to proven methods and creating diverse, inclusive schools whenever possible. Parents must have a significant voice in policies at the school, district, state and national levels. We are not just “consumers”; we are knowledgeable, necessary partners in any effective reform effort.
Bio
Bio: Julie Woestehoff has been involved with Chicago's Parents United for Responsible Education (PURE) for 23 years, and has been its executive director since 1995. She is the parent of two Chicago Public School graduates and a veteran elected local school council member.
Julie is a frequent speaker on topics of parent involvement, site-based management of schools, and student testing, and is regularly interviewed
on national and local news for the parents' perspective on education issues. She has written three books; one about creating a powerful parent organization modeled on PURE, one about PURE's fight against high-stakes testing in Chicago, and a third, co-written with FairTest's
Monty Neill, called “Chicago School Reform: Lessons for the Nation.” She's also published essays in Education Week, Rethinking Schools, and Catalyst. Her chapter about parents pushing back against corporate
education reform appeared in the 2012 book “Educational Courage.” She was awarded the 2002 Tobey Prinz award for Community Organizing by
the Rogers Park (Chicago) Community Action Network. In 2003, along with the rest of the PURE staff, she won the Ford Foundation’s Leadership for a Changing World Award, which recognized powerful grass-roots
leadership. In 2004, she was named one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in Chicago by the Chicago Sun-Times, and was the only non-educator in their
Top Ten Powerful Women in Education. In 2010, Julie co-founded the national group, Parents Across America, and currently serves as the secretary of the PAA Board of Directors.
The Importance of Play...with PlayWorks
Play is children’s important work. The motivation to play is hardwired in the growing brain as an essential activity for developing skills that contribute directly to learning: adaptability, creativity, mastery and connecting with others. Scientists from a wide variety of fields are documenting the importance of play. Learn whmore about the play-learning connection and how you can help grow play spaces in our community schools. New to Indianapolis this year, PlayWorks is a growing national organization that supports play at hundreds of schools across the country, helping to transform recess into a tool to support learning. www.playworks.orgknow a little more about you.
