Join Your Peers Feb 27 and 28: Educational Leadership Preconference Luncheon and Learning Lab Session

By Jenay Scribner-Brown

We are a couple of weeks away from AACTE’s 72nd Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, and AACTE is just as excited as you are. Get ready to accomplish your educational leadership goals by attending the Preconference Luncheon sponsored by The Wallace Foundation, Food for Thought: How to Successfully Develop and Support School Leaders, February 27, 12:00-1:00 p.m.

AACTE welcomes all preconference participants to attend an interactive discussion while enjoying their meal. The luncheon is free to all registered preconference participants. Attendees will hear from educational leaders:

• Andy Cole will highlight important work being done in the school leadership space to enhance the school leadership pipeline.
• Hayward Jean will share his journey to school leadership and the role of mentorship along the way.

Luncheon attendees also are invited to participate in a networking discussion on how to start planting seeds early to grow effective school leaders.

January 2020 Federal Update Available

By Deborah Koolbeck

Did you miss the AACTE member exclusive January 2020 Federal Update Webinar? Not to worry. It is posted online on the AACTE Advocacy Center federal page, ready for you to watch from the comfort of your home or other convenient location. 

Please keep in mind that February’s update will be offered in person at the AACTE Annual Meeting in Atlanta (February 28-March 1). In fact, the update is offered twice to accommodate the busy schedules of attendees—Friday 10:30-11:30 a.m. and Saturday from 1:00-2:00 p.m.

Are you interested in augmenting your advocacy skills while at the Annual Meeting? Attend the AACTE Government Relations and Advocacy Committee’s Preconference: Your Levers of Civic Power: Moving the Gears of Democracy on Thursday, February 27 from 1:00 – 5:00 pm. Registration is required. Link to Preconfernces.  

I am looking forward to seeing you in Atlanta!

AACTE Committee on Innovation and Technology Updates on Upcoming Preconference and More

By Lara Luetkehans

The AACTE Committee on Innovation and Technology is charged with developing the Association’s classroom reform and technology agendas related to PK-12 and postsecondary education. This year the committee’s focus has been on promoting use and facilitating communication and interaction in learning and technology. To do so, committee members have been planning the third iteration of the Information and Technology Preconference Workshop to be offered at the Annual Meeting in Atlanta on Feb. 27.

The Preconference Workshop will highlight Exemplars and Partners in Integrating Technology in Teacher Preparation. This half-day session will provide attendees with an opportunity to engage with key stakeholders from universities and professional organizations who are committed to preparing future educators to effectively integrate technology for student learning. Panels and sessions on academic program and faculty development, partnerships, diversity, and social justice will showcase the work and outcomes of exemplary researchers, practitioners, and organization leaders. Participants will engage in thinking about how to build capacity at their own institutions. Please join us on February 27, 1:00-5:00 p.m. for a packed agenda. To learn more and register, visit aacte.org.

The Value of Participating in the 2020 AACTE Holmes Preconference

By Reena Patel-Viswanath

Annually, the AACTE Holmes Masters, Scholars, and Post-Doctoral Scholars participate in a preconference event dedicated to the scholarship of teaching and learning. The preconference allows students to network, expand research perspectives, engage in tangible writing labs, and learn from a diverse group of passionate people. The theme of this year’s AACTE Annual Meeting and Holmes Preconference is Disrupting Inequities: Educating for Change.

The Holmes preconference begins Thursday, February 27, in Atlanta, GA. We are incredibly honored to have Margarita Bianco as our keynote speaker. Bianco is an associate professor in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado Denver and Founder/ Executive Director of Pathways2Teaching. Her research interests include strategies to recruit and retain teachers of color and Grow Your Own (GYO) teacher programs for high school students of color in urban and rural communities.

Did You Know? More Fun Facts about Atlanta

By Linda Minor

If you are planning to attend the AACTE 72^nd Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, you already know there are great educational sessions being offered, fantastic restaurants to eat at while you are in the city, and fun attractions to see and do, but did you know … 

• The city got its current name from railroad engineer J. Edgar Thompson. It is thought to be a shortened version of “Atlantica-Pacifica.” Before being named Atlanta, the city was originally named Terminus and Marthasville (the latter for Governor Wilson Lumpkin’s daughter).
  
  
• Atlanta is one of two cities in the world to have housed two Nobel Peace Prize winners: Jimmy Carter and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. President Carter received his Nobel in 2002. Dr. King received his in 1964 and when he. won, Atlanta threw him a dinner party that was almost cancelled due to opposition. Coca-Cola’s CEO at that time threatened to move the company out of the city because he thought it was an embarrassment that the city’s people wouldn’t honor their Nobel Prize winner. 
  
  
• The city’s symbol is the mythological creature “phoenix.” During the Civil War, General William Sherman burned the city on his infamous “March to the Sea.” Following the city’s surrender to Sherman in 1864, only 400 structures remained standing. However, like the mythological phoenix, Atlanta rose from the ashes stronger and more beautiful, a scene depicted in Gone with the Wind. Atlanta resident Margaret Mitchell wrote Gone with the Wind because an ankle injury kept her from walking and she was really, really bored.
  
  
• The Varsity is the largest drive-in fast food restaurant in the world and serves more Coca-Cola by volume than anywhere else in the world. Housed on more than two acres in Downtown Atlanta, the Varsity has been an Atlanta institution for more than 75 years. The restaurant makes two miles of hot dogs, 2,500 pounds of potatoes, 5,000 fried pies and 300 gallons of chili from scratch each day. Be sure to stop by while you’re in town.

Stay Informed with January Federal Update Webinar

By Deborah Koolbeck

A new year brings with it the start of the Second Session of the 116th Congress. The 2019 holiday season brought its own gift:  On December 20 of last year, the president signed into law the appropriations bills that funded programs important to the profession—and many programs saw increases.

What can we expect as the Fiscal Year 2021 process begins to unfold? Will the increases remain, are cuts possible? What impact(s) can we expect, if any, from the Impeachment Trial in the U.S. Senate? How will the election affect both appropriations and legislation? In addition, the Census is starting; are you ready to help with the count on campus?  This member exclusive webinar opportunity will cover these questions and also answer your questions in a Q & A session after the presentation.

Please note: there will be no webinars in February. Get your federal update live at the AACTE Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA. Hurry! Registration closes on January 24.

Plan to attend the January 2020 Update

Tuesday, January 28                        5:00 – 6:00 pm               Register

Wednesday, January 29                 12:30 – 1:30 pm               Register

Practice ‘Moving the Gears of Democracy’ at Advocacy Preconference

By Allen Clarkson

Advocating in education policy can seem a daunting endeavor. From federal engagement to statehouse meetings to local councils and school boards, the field can look overwhelming and individual impact feel scattered.  At the heart, though, education and educator preparation are state issues.  Engaging at the state and local level is the best way to have a direct impact on behalf of students and the profession.

The Committee on Government Relations and Advocacy, one of AACTE’s standing committees, is offering a preconference at the AACTE Annual Meeting focused directly on helping you develop your advocacy skills for state and local engagement. Your Levers of Civic Power: Moving the Gears of Democracy is half-day interactive session designed to provide information and practice in three important areas of state and local advocacy: participating in town halls, speaking before a committee or commission, and engaging candidates during a debate.

Connect with Colleagues During the Annual Meeting

By Linda Minor

Are you looking for networking opportunities during the AACTE Annual Meeting?  Well, we have plenty to offer. First stop: the Conference Community Center on the Marquis Level to connect with colleagues, where you can grab a cup of coffee and a bite to eat.  A continental breakfast is available on Friday and Saturday mornings, a break is included on Saturday afternoon and the opening reception is open to all on Friday evening. The Marquis Level of the Marriott Marquis is also the place for you to visit with our sponsors and exhibitors. To find out more about our sponsors, exhibitors, and the layout of the Conference Community Center, visit our Annual Meeting Sponsors and Exhibitors page.

Next stop: the AACTE Gallery, which is located in Marquis Ballroom B, conveniently adjacent to the Conference Community Center. The Gallery offers attendees an opportunity to discover some new and exciting things this year. Stop by and see live interviews taking place at the AACTE Studio, meet the AACTE Membership team and play some fun games (and maybe win a prize or two), stroll through the AACTE Holmes Student and NACCTEP posters, and join in the Coffee and Conversations to discuss some hot topics. 

Elevate Educator Preparation with AACTE in Atlanta

By Jerrica Thurman

Join AACTE and your professional community in Atlanta as we advance the Association’s new vision to revolutionize education for all learners. During the 2020 Annual Meeting, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the recently approved AACTE Core Values in concurrent sessions highlighting key areas.

AACTE will leverage the collective knowledge and experience of leading experts on ways to progress the Association’s strategic direction in these robust sessions:

Countdown to January 24 Registration Deadline for #AACTE20

By Katrina Norfleet

AACTE kicks off its countdown today to the advance registration deadline for AACTE’s 72nd Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA. Only 10 days are left to take advantage of discounted rates. As the largest gathering of educator preparation professionals in the nation, AACTE’s Annual Meeting offers you access to essential tools to drive change at your institution, in your community, and for the profession.

Here are 10 reasons to attend #AACTE20:

1. Join the conversation and tackle important issues in education today with a diverse set of peers.
2. Get motivated by inspiring speakers and gain fresh perspectives.
3. Tailor your learning experience by choosing among hundreds of sessions that cover a broad variety of topics.
4. Discover new ideas that can make you more effective with your students, colleagues, and partners.
5. Engage with attendees, form new relationships and strengthen existing ones. Bring a colleague to share in the learning!
6. Build new alliances, business ventures, and partnerships to advance your work.
7. Take part in hands on demonstrations of new products, and discuss solutions to your specific needs with exhibitors and sponsors.
8. Step outside your comfort zone and open your mind to innovation.
9. Achieve greater focus on the problems of practice to help you take your programs to the next level.
10. Experience the energy of different perspectives uniting around common goals. Add your voice to the mix!

View the full lineup of the keynote speakers, schedule and preconference events on our website. To see the full list of sessions and create your personal schedule, log in to the Online Event Planner.

The January 24 advance registration deadline is quickly approaching! Act now to get the best rates.

Dive Deeper into Ed Prep at #AACTE20 in Atlanta

By Jerrica Thurman

Gain valuable ideas and resources to tackle problems of practice during AACTE’s Deeper Dive sessions at the 2020 Annual Meeting in Atlanta. Offered in three, stand-alone time blocks, AACTE’s six Deeper Dive forums provide interactive and timely learning experiences with leaders and innovators from the field.

Each day of the conference, you can choose to attend one of the Deeper Dives from the following pairs:

State of the State Webinar Focuses on Girls and STEM

By Ward Cummings

The subject of this month’s State of the States webinar is Girls and STEM. In 2009, four university researchers explored their suspicion that girls’ lagging behind boys in math achievement was substantially influenced by the math anxieties of their female elementary school teachers. The result of their research showed their suspicions to be correct and that some of the achievement gap was indeed a result of female teachers’ own apprehensions about math and their personal biases about the abilities of female students. The researchers found that female students can pick up on and even absorb negative thoughts from their teachers as early as kindergarten. Learn more.

Since that study was conducted, the achievement gap in math between boys and girls has narrowed, but still persists. The webinar will focus on what states are doing legislatively, with programs and with policy to eradicate the STEM achievement gap.

Register now for this members-only webinar:

State of the States: Girls and Stem
Wednesday, January 22
10:00 a.m. ET

Your Levers of Civic Power: Advocacy Preconference

By Trish Parrish

If you have been involved with AACTE for any length of time, you know how important it is to advocate on behalf of educator preparation. The Committee on Government Relations and Advocacy, one of AACTE’s standing committees, is offering a preconference at the AACTE 2020 Annual Meeting to help you improve your advocacy skills. Your Levers of Civic Power: Moving the Gears of Democracy is half-day interactive session designed to provide information and practice in three important areas of advocacy: participating in town halls, speaking before a committee or commission, and engaging candidates during a debate.

Town halls provide a forum to interact with your elected officials and candidates for office on a variety of topics that may or may not be announced in advance. Committees or commissions might also convene around your state or at the state capitol or legislative buildings. Debates, like town halls, can happen around the state, and give you an opportunity to engage with candidates on issues important to the profession.

Discover Atlanta at the AACTE Annual Meeting

By Linda Minor

AACTE’s 72nd Annual Meeting will take place at the iconic Atlanta Marriott Marquis, conveniently located downtown, with indoor MARTA access to Atlanta’s airport and local attractions. Within just a short walk from the hotel, you can enjoy the city’s shopping, dining, and entertainment centers while the conference is not in session. 

Here are a few Atlanta fun facts to help kick start your exploration of the city:  

Register Now for AACTE 2020 Preconference Workshops

By Jerrica Thurman

Registration is open for the AACTE 2020 preconference workshops taking place February 27 in Atlanta. AACTE offers five workshops plus the Holmes preconference prior to the start of its 2020 Annual Meeting, providing a deeper dive into complex education issues and equipping attendees with practical skills for advancing programs and institutions.

Get an early start on planning your learning experience at this year’s conference. Preconference workshops are interactive, and allow ample time to share ideas and engage with peers. Secure your spot today for one of these preconference workshops: