January 27th, 2012 Panel Discussion:

The many facets of classroom management—from the use of a set of melodious chimes as a “cool” quiet signal for gaining high school students’ attention to the recording of an elementary school classroom’s cooperative accomplishments through an ever-growing ceiling-to-floor paper clip chain—was the topic of discussion at the January 27th 2011-2012 Armstrong Teachers Panel Discussion. While a number of basic classroom management principles and useful strategies were elucidated, a common thread throughout the discussion was the importance of staying positive and of being sensitive to special needs that individual students might have. After the panel members had shared their experience-based insights, an attentive and appreciative audience responded with a number of mindful questions, including how best to facilitate student ownership and buy-in of rules and expectations and how schools and individual teachers can most effectively shape responsible use of technology connected with social media.

December 2nd, 2011 Panel Discussion:

The topic of the 2011-2012 cohort's second panel discussion was “Classroom Adventures: Dealing with the Unexpected as a First-Year Teacher,” with the Armstrong teachers sharing unique, vividly recounted personal experiences which not only had the audience’s rapt attention but also exemplified how necessary, but possible, it is to be prepared for just about anything, whether it be peppers that prove hotter than expected or parental concerns about heavy metal rock n’ roll. At times humorous, and always thought provoking, the panel's shared experiences showed how unwavering professionalism, common sense, and a boundless care for their students guide the best teachers in meeting all challenges.

Panel Discussion and Teacher Idea Session—September 9, 2011:

The topic of the 2011-2012 Armstrong cohort’s first panel discussion was "Creative Teaching in an Era of Testing and Accountability.” The panel included guest participant Deborah Meier, Senior Scholar at New York University and author of a number of books including In schools we trust: Creating communities of learning in an era of testing and standardization (2002) and Playing for keeps: Life and learning on a public school playground (with Brenda Engel & Beth Taylor, 2010). Panelists talked about a wide range of issues relating to accountability, including ways to teach that are not driven exclusively by state assessments. Audience members, including many IU preservice teachers, raised both philosophical and practical questions about the impact of state testing on teaching and learning. In addition to the 2011-2012 cohort, sixteen Armstrong teachers from previous cohorts came to Bloomington for the events on September 9 and joined the current cohort in the afternoon for an idea generating session on the topic “How Can Teachers Influence Education Public Policy?” Guests for the afternoon session, including Deborah Meier and Gerardo González, also shared ideas, feelings, and thoughtful questions. Ideas that came out of the discussion included (a) regular discussion sessions for Armstrong Teachers, perhaps organized by geography, (b) having Armstrong Teachers as a group join together with other organizations with similar goals, (c) finding legislators open to hearing ideas from Armstrong Teachers, and (d) collectively establishing virtual, exemplary teaching resources that could be accessed by both preservice and active teachers and by policy makers at various levels.

September 9^th ATEA Panel Discussion in IU-B School of Education Auditorium

Armstrong Chairs Honor Memory of William A. Cook

 For news and events from previous years click this link.