Addressing Education's New Era:

 

The process of education has, and continues to change.

Educators today face new and unparalleled challenges. Newspaper headlines and school's perfomance (or lack thereof) set the educational agenda and public policy. Changes in the classroom and the boardroom reflect an era of high-stakes testing fuelled by state and federal educational mandates and monitoring. The process, pedigogy, philosophies and the politic of education have forever changed. We live in a new era......

Set against a backdrop of greater economic costs, diminished economic resources, and highly focused deliverables, the nation's school districts struggle to develop and deliver essential curricula, design and implement effective schedules, balance teaching loads, and support professional development and achievement. The hallmark of today's educational setting may be summed up in a single phrase: "test scores." A new paradigm in education has begun.

The Challenge: Balance obligations of core content area education with standards testing performance; enhance education in the arts, physical sciences, sports and technology in a time package that is unchanged and against a backdrop of greater demands on student's time and attention. Also, balance this complex constellation of requirements against a framework of collective bargaining agreements, and ever constrained economic resources at the district, school and classroom levels.

How can more be done with less? With increasing frequency traditional models are proving ineffective, do not scale, or do not work at all. To satisfy today's market needs school districts face wholesale changes. Like never before, schools/districts face an immediate need for schedue designs and methodologies that are hand tailored to their students, curriculum, testing stanards, teaching resources, and economic constraints.

The Solution? The task is complex - and the solutions right at hand! . With over four decades of hands on experience and expertise, Merenbloom Seminars and Consulting is ready to help. Offering both custom solutions and seminar services, our expertise is your resource. Call, fax or e-mail us for additional information.

Introducing the 2006, Fall Seminar Series

Merenbloom Seminars, Inc. is now accepting registrations for the fall seminar series. The 2006 Series begins on October 18 in Hartford, CT and runs through December 14, 2006. Seminars will be held throughout many regions of the nation including New York, Virginia, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, Texas, and Colorado.

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Publications Coming to a bookstore and web-site near you.... The Un-Named Book by Elliot Merenbloom and Barbara Kalina Due for publication in 4Q, 2006, Corwin Press, Elliot Merenbloom and Barbara Kalina bring views, strategies and solutions from the front lines. The last several years has brought extraordinary presure and change to the world of education. NCLB and similar initiatives introduced new demands and constraints which impact teachers, administrators, curriculula developers, unions, parents and students. Under the working title, "Creative Structures, Creating Teaching: Using Time, the key to Learning" this state-of-the-art publication addresses the emphasis of change permeating the educational world today, strategic ways the school(s) may be scheduled; the process/focus and value of collaboration and small learning communities; and hands-on-actions and steps for instruction based on current and best practices, small learning communities, and the critical elements of complementary professional development. Click HERE if you would like to be added to the mailing list for book previews, publication and discussion.		Case Studies Driven by district objectives, state takeovers, standards based learning and the NCLB act issues facing educators creating and effectively deliverying public education remain complex. Amongst the key challenges facing schools and districts today is the requirement to balance traditinal teaching goals with the specific requirements of "standards of learning" requirements and other state / local mandates in and for education. LIke qualities of a fingerprint, each solution is unique - and yet shares characteristics common to others. From urban school settings in New York State to the challenges in the classrooms and central offices of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland or Nebraska - the demands thought to be "unique" to a school / district are ringing true across the nation. To schedule and appointment or introductory conference call with Mr. Merenbloom or one of his associates to learn more about the specific challenges now appearing in districts locally and nationally, please click HERE or call 410/486-6822, Mon-Fri, 8:30 - 6:00 Eastern Time. Standards Based Learning: Impacts & Issues Check back with this space for updates on issues and activites to help your school / district succesfully navigate the complex and often difficult waters of scheduling for testing performance. Hot Topics - Middle Grades. Emerging adolescence remains a hallmark of the middle-grade years. Introduction of new programs of study, magnet and advancement programming, and other student-responsive resources are increasingly commonplace - furthering the challenge administrators and schedule designers face to develop, create and implement schedules that are broad, dynamic, flexible and can faciliate the structure for effective (and successful) learning objectives to be reached. Check this space in coming weeks for discussion, contents, links and more related to this important area in education. Hot Topics - High School. The High School years have always been a time of discovery and diversity - demarking the point from which students are readied for college and beyond. Increasing populations, greater breadth in course offerings, sporting activities, the arts and unparalleled demands in core subject area learning and proficiency have fostered the most challenging environment(s) ever for teachers, administrators and specialists responsible to provide the scheduling framework to make it all possible. Check back here in coming weeks for discussions, links, and resources dedicated to this special area! Superintendent's Corner : School district superintendents and their central office staff members face a new and increasingly complex set of issues, demands and objectives. Caught between the demands and interest of teachers, students, administrators, legislators and the public interest -