Paul Asjes

Educator Evaluation Review Task Force was created to overhaul teacher evaluation in New Jersey Acting New Jersey Gov. Tahesha Way last Friday signed legislation that creates the New Jersey Educator Evaluation Review Task Force. The law also suspends the collection of new student growth objective (SGO) data for tenured teachers with existing SGOs for the 2024-25 school year. That legislation has been a top priority for NJEA members as they seek relief from the onerous requirements of the current evaluation system, including very time-consuming SGOs that most New Jersey teachers agree provide little or no helpful data. The task force created by this new law will examine the educator evaluation process, including the use of SGOs and other parts of the TEACHNJ Act. The task force is charged with recommending changes to the educator evaluation system by September 2024. NJEA’s officers, President Sean M. Spiller, Vice President Steve Beatty, and Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, released this statement about the bill: “We commend Gov. Murphy, Lt. Gov. Way, and legislative leaders for their support of this very important work. By halting the collection of SGO data for tenured teachers in the coming year, they have sent a message that they understand our current evaluation system needs drastic change. “New Jersey schools are facing a staffing crisis that is hurting our students. While many factors contribute to that crisis, we know that frustration with onerous bureaucratic paperwork is a leading cause of burnout. “New Jersey educators are among the best in the world at what we do, as evidenced by the fact that our schools are consistently ranked the best in the nation. However, the unreasonable and time-consuming paperwork requirements of our current evaluation system pull teachers away from more important and productive work. That doesn’t benefit anyone. “We call on members of the task force to look very closely at how much time teachers are spending trying to prove that they are doing their jobs instead of being able to do their jobs. New Jersey needs an evaluation system that respects the professional expertise of educators and that supports continued professional learning and growth. The current system, with its mountains of paperwork that do not contribute to more effective teaching and learning, is not just frustrating but is harmful. “We look forward to working with other stakeholders throughout this process to develop an evaluation system that supports teachers, benefits students, and nurtures a better working and learning environment for everyone.”

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An interesting blog post about the reality of summer reading (applicable to reading overall) and strategies to help your child develop and strengthen their patience, interest, and stamina.

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I will be chairing the 56th Annual Convention of the Northeast Modern Language Association (March 6-9, 2025 in Philadelphia, PA). It is an excellent opportunity for both teachers, researchers, scholars and grad students to present their research paper at the largest academic conference in the world. "(R)evolving Masculinities: Rethinking Representations in Global Literature" Abstract In recent years, the concept of masculinity has undergone significant (r)evolutionary changes, challenging traditional norms and representations. This panel seeks to explore these shifts through a comparative lens, focusing on Anglophone literature while also delving into non-European literary traditions. By bringing together doctoral scholars, this panel aims to showcase diverse perspectives on how masculinity is re-evaluated and represented in contemporary literary works. Topics of interest might include but are not limited to the following: · Challenges and Constructions of masculine identity · Deconstructing Masculinity in Anglophone/ European/English Literature · Masculinity and Power Dynamics in Postcolonial Literature · Power struggle of the intersex and transgender · Masculinity in Non-European Literary Traditions · Construction of queer identities and practices · Subversion and Resistance in LGBTQ+ Literature · Gender-fluidity, flexibility and spectrum in Films and or but not limited to literature. · Non-conformity to biological or psychological queer identities in south Asian literature. · Representations of Vulnerability and Trauma Through these presentations, the panel aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and critical engagement with the (r)evolution of masculinity in literature, highlighting the significance of comparative approaches in understanding global shifts in gender representation. Description This panel brings together scholars in Comparative Literature to present their research on that delves various aspects and literary portrayals of masculinity, exploring how it has evolved and been redefined in different cultural contexts. Through an interplay between tradition and modernity, power dynamics, and identity construction. Please remember that your proposal abstract must be no longer than 300 words. Click here to submit your abstract. For any inquires please feel free to reach me at sameerafzal@ymail.com (It’s ymail like gmail, not yahoo mail

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To truly personalize learning, K‒12 teachers need the right data and resources. Learn about how to best connect assessment data to personalized instruction here.

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Anchor Chat #7: Understanding Standards In this episode of Anchor Chats, Dr. Woods discusses how understanding and implementing standards can elevate the teaching and learning experience, and provides insights and strategies for educators. https://lnkd.in/ekbgP9zT #AnchorChat #PD #ProfessionalDevelopment #principals #teachers #educators #k12 #edupodcast #instructionalstandards #instruction

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Does your school work with children and youth that carry the "Emotional Regulation Impairment" label in NJ schools? In other states they continue to carry the label of - "Emotionally Disturbed". (What a tragic thing to call a child) I have been involved with these young people for over 40 years now. In my experience the vast majority of these young people have a history of living in environment's of toxic stress, adversity and trauma. Any program that is working with these kids needs to be highly trained in Trauma Responsive Care. They also need to be highly skill in crisis de-escalation. Life Space Crisis Intervention is an important piece of this response. I currently train schools in becoming Trauma Responsive and I also can train LSCI. Here is a video that will provide more information on LSCI. https://lnkd.in/emxcnFJR Contact me if you would like more information on becoming a school that is trauma responsive. Erin Lichtenwalner FYI

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Many School Leaders struggle to find effective strategies for increasing teacher retention. This article dives headfirst into the topic that’s vital to improving school culture and climate. https://lnkd.in/eSgJr8S4

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I had the wonderful opportunity to facilitate my workshop "Small Moves with Big Impact" for a team of NJ administrators yesterday. We focused on formative assessment practices and the small, tangible moves that teachers can take during a lesson to immediately improve outcomes for students. Here is some of the feedback I received: What did you like about this session? "I liked the way that you were vulnerable with us. It is so refreshing." "I liked the interaction with Emily. Even the entire presentation was modeling in a way where we were doing a lot of the talking, which is an expectation of our teachers. I liked the various scenarios and types of situations of good teaching." "Everything. The simplicity of breaking down formative assessments is extremely teacher-friendly." "Opportunities for collaboration, discussion and reflection. Relevant to our current educational environment. Grounded in research and data driven decision making." "Excellent refresher on best practices for instruction and teacher feedback." What follow-up PD would you want? "More Emily." "More-I can't wait for our next session." "More of the same for admin and extended to teachers or a plan for us to turn-key during faculty meetings would be great." What is one resonating thought you have from this work? "Connecting with kids daily is a professional responsibility-know what kids know and figure out how to reach them when you're not." "How making connections with our students truly does improve their learning...and I make this connections by using purposeful movement and questions." "Honest, clear feedback delivered in a non-threatening manner (with follow-up) is so important." If your team is looking for high-quality professional development, please reach out to me or to MOESC Social Media. MOESC and I can tailor PD sessions to your school needs. Take a look at the sample offerings in the document section of my LinkedIn account to see sample topics. Please note that I am not selling a product or a program. I am a career educator who is passionate about teaching, learning, and leadership. I love supporting the learning of other educators, and I design my sessions so they are tangible and interactive. One of the most important slides in my workshop is the slide below from Doug Lemov's work. The message is a reminder that true SEL stems from knowing our students IN the classroom, and conveying the message "I believe in you, and I will help you succeed."

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I added a new post to my author blog: Uh Oh - Foreshadowing that can be found at https://lnkd.in/en8RJzfy #writingcommunity #blackrosewriting #writingtips #writing #author #amwriting #amreading #blog #blogger #blogging

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“A related indicator is “working conditions,” which researchers Ingersoll and Tran4 describe as putting “the organization back into the analysis” of staffing issues referring to the “structure, management and leadership in school districts and schools.” Specific working conditions called out in the literature include:supportive administration/capable leadershiprelational trust and respect among staffmeaningful professional learningopportunities for collaboration as well as teacher autonomyopportunities for advancementhaving access to a mentor or coach5A growing number of recent studies indicate that these factors matter especially to teachers of color,6 providing clarity about steps we can take in our ongoing effort to increase diversity in the educator workforce and improve retention overall.”

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Finding Balance as an Educator is Critical

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