From: "The Association of Educational Publishers" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tue, 21 May 2002 17:47:28 -0400 Subject: AEP ONLINE/The Newsletter of Educational Publishing 5-21-02AEP ONLINE/The News
AEP ONLINE is a member service of THE ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHERS, supporting the growth of educational publishing and its positive impact on learning and teaching. We publish the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Due to the timing of AEP's Educational Publishing Summit 2002 and our Awards Banquet and Gala, the next full issue of AEP ONLINE will be published June 24. You may receive an abbreviated version as we post Summit roundups. ************************************************* We welcome your comments at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please send us the e-mail address of staff in your company or organization who should be added to our distribution list. To unsubscribe send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" and your name in the subject line. ************************************************* HELP PLAN AEP'S NEXT SUMMIT Join us for breakfast Friday, June 7 in DC to plan the Educational Publishing Summit 2003. We will discuss topics, speakers, themes, and more. For information, contact Joan Scavuzzo at [EMAIL PROTECTED] ************************************************* FRONT PAGE FOR May 21, 2002 -For 'Making Standards Matter,' Even Higher Stakes -More on Mel Levine NEWS IN BRIEF -From Headquarters ...Update Summit Schedule and Hotel Deadline ...AEP Member Discount for Booth at Frankfurt Book Fair ...Teachers Educated by Children's Magazine Month Presentation ...AEP Board Slate Approved ...Awards Certificate Information ...Member Renewal Packages Arriving in June -Education ...For 'Scientific' Basis, Various Sources -Legislative Watch ...U.S. Supreme Court Rules on Law Concerning Children and Pornography ...Academy of Education Sciences Bill Passed by House -Markets and Trends ...Sorting the Money -In the Industry ...Member Spotlight: JASON Foundation for Education ...Movin' On/Up: Appointments and Job Openings ...Announcements ...New Products DATES TO REMEMBER -Calendar IN CLOSING -Tips ...Overcoming Resistance to New Ideas ************************************************** FRONT PAGE: FOR 'MAKING STANDARDS MATTER,' EVEN HIGHER STAKES Given what the recent federal education bill requires of states -- yearly testing for grades 3 to 8 on the one hand and accountability in "failing" schools on the other -- the American Federation of Teachers' most recent "Making Standards Matter" report, its sixth, is perhaps its most timely. AEP will feature a discussion of the report at our June Educational Publishing Summit. For the first time, AFT chose to examine curriculum development -- which its researchers consider the third leg of support states must offer -- in its national snapshot of the standards movement. While some form of standards-based education reform is firmly in place in every state, none, points out AFT President Sandra Feldman, is coordinating standards, curriculum, tests and accountability measures. Only nine have developed 50 percent or more of a full curriculum in English, math, science and social studies. Why are we missing such a big piece of the puzzle, and what can publishers do to help? Here are some comments from AFT's Heidi Glidden, who oversaw the report and will deliver the conference session. (We feature a condensed version of our article here; the full version is posted on our Web site at http://www.edpress.org/infoarchives/current/aftstandards.htm.) - "There are huge debates over who should be developing the curriculum," Glidden says. "In many cases we hear it should be the classroom teacher; we're saying we don't think that's the case. We don't think it's fair to have every teacher -- especially a brand-new teacher-- redesign the wheel. We're not saying the state should mandate a curriculum; but it needs to play a role as a facilitator, a clearinghouse." -Done right, the cohesive system AFT envisions means a much bigger, overarching role for the states. Why is it only testing that gets attention from policymakers? Part of the reason, Glidden says, is that "tests have been around a lot longer than standards. Whether we like them or not, we're used to them and understand them. Assessments drive the system because there are so many more resources around them." - Publishers consistently chart their materials' alignment to standards. So where's the problem? The process, Glidden says, should be more transparent: "It's one thing to say material is aligned to standards; it's another to give proof of that." Publishers, she advises, should get teachers from within specific states to determine alignments for those states. Heidi Glidden will speak about "Making Standards Matter" during AEP's annual Washington, DC, Educational Publishing Summit, at 9 a.m. on Thursday, June 6. http://www.edpress.org/conf/index.htm To view AFT's full report, go to http://www.aft.org/edissues/standards/MSM2001/Index.htm. MORE ON MEL LEVINE With our annual Summit fast approaching, we'd like you learn more about our Elam lecturer, Mel Levine, whose presentation will be one of our hottest events. As we reported previously (see our 3-19-02 issue), Levine is a University of North Carolina professor of pediatrics whose model of how kids learn is attracting increasingly frequent, high profile attention. Read our newly posted, full-length interview with Levine at http://www.edpress.org/infoarchives/current/allkinds.htm to get more information on: -Levine's method, which analyzes children's learning problems in terms of eight constructs: attention, temporal-sequential ordering, spatial ordering, memory, language, neuromotor function, social cognition, and higher-order cognition. - His view of education research: "There's no such thing as a treatment that works for everybody," he says. When we report results, we should say which subgroups the approach is effective for, and which not. - Levine's call to publishers to make texts more interactive: "Kids have to think of reading and writing not just as ways of acquiring knowledge; they should think of them as ways of transforming knowledge," he says. NEWS IN BRIEF: ===From Headquarters=== ...UPDATED SUMMIT SCHEDULE AND HOTEL DEADLINE Visit the Educational Publishing Summit 2002: Strategies That Matter online at http://www.edpress.org/conf/2002/schedule.htm for course descriptions and links to speaker bios. (For interviews with our keynote speaker, Former U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes, esq., and Elam lecturer Dr. Mel Levine, go to http://www.edpress.org/infoarchives/current/articles.htm.) If you haven't signed up yet, there's still time. You can register on our Web site at http://www.edpress.org/conf/2002/register.htm or call us at (856)241-7772. The deadline for AEP's hotel discount has been extended. If you have difficulty reserving a room, call Headquarters, and we'll assist you. (Hurry! Wednesday night is filling quickly.) ...AEP MEMBER DISCOUNT FOR BOOTH AT FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR Want to exhibit at the Frankfurt Book Fair? Can't get the location you want? AEP and Combined Book Exhibit (CBE) have an exciting business opportunity for our members. CBE has a few booths left in its exhibit space in Hall 8, the American and U.K building, on the same aisle as such prestigious publishers as Random House, Simon & Schuster, BDD, and Baker and Taylor. The normal price for a booth is $3400, but AEP members will receive a 10% discount. Each stand comes with a header sign, carpeting, tables, chairs, 16 shelves, and two benches. Included services are a program listing in the official Frankfurt Directory, exhibitor badges, use of the Reception area, help with securing hotel rooms, and a promotional listing on CBE's Web site. The cost also includes the cost of shipping your materials to Frankfurt from CBE's Buchanan, NY, office and customs clearance. The deadline is June 14; space is limited. For more information contact Charlene Gaynor, AEP's executive director, at (856)241-7772. ...TEACHERS EDUCATED BY CHILDREN'S MAGAZINE MONTH PRESENTATION Children's Magazine Month, an initiative cosponsored by AEP and DEMCO, a library supply company, sets aside October as the time to celebrate the use of magazines in the classroom and the impact they make on children's literacy. One recent highlight was a panel AEP led at the International Reading Association convention, held April 28-May 2 in San Francisco, to share information and learning strategies with teachers. John Micklos, from the IRA, presented research on the impact of children's magazines on literacy levels, parent participation, and student enthusiasm; Nancy Gruver, from New Moon Publishing, spoke about focusing content on the needs and likes of a young audience. Concentrating on the teacher's perspective, AEP EdPress Fellow Barbara Winkfield shared classroom magazine tips, including activities to better integrate magazines into the curriculum. Teachers received sample publications and participated in a raffle for free subscriptions. For more information on how you can support Children's Magazine Month, contact Penni Starer, programs manager, at [EMAIL PROTECTED] ...AEP BOARD SLATE APPROVED The results are in for the 2002 AEP board of directors election; by a vote of 67-1, the slate was approved. Elected to AEP's 2002-03 board are Hugh Roome, president of Scholastic International, as board vice president; Richard Casabonne, president of the Education & Training Group at LeapFrog Enterprises Inc., as director-at-large; Joan Irwin, director of publications for the International Reading Association, as the director representing non-profits; Jo-Ann McDevitt, publisher of TECHNOLOGY & LEARNING, as the director representing school focus; and Marylyn Rosenblum, consultant, as the director representing freelancers/independents. Congratulations to all. ...AWARDS CERTIFICATE INFORMATION Due to the large number of requests for additional certificates, we will not be able to hand the certificates out at the Distinguished Marketer Luncheon or the Distinguished Achievement Awards Banquet. We will mail all certificates after the Summit. If you are a finalist in either the Distinguished Achievement Awards or the Distinguished Marketer Awards and you haven't sent us your requests for additional certificates yet, don't worry. You can still send us the forms. ...MEMBER RENEWAL PACKAGES ARRIVING IN JUNE In previous AEP ONLINE issues we've told you about the new member billing cycle that will put everyone on the same renewal schedule. Due to the timing of our Educational Publishing Summit, you will receive your membership package in June, not May. If you have any questions about the new billing cycle, please contact Ed Hamilton, member services manager, at [EMAIL PROTECTED] ===Education=== ...FOR 'SCIENTIFIC' BASIS, VARIOUS SOURCES In our March 5 issue, we reported that the International Reading Association had filed comments with the federal Department of Education regarding the Reading First program. The IRA had asked for specific examples of what constitutes a "scientifically based" early reading program. Now, the organization has followed up with a letter to Education Secretary Rod Paige expressing concern that state education agency teams crafting grant applications for Reading First have "gained the understanding that approval will be expedited" if they indicate a preference for particular commercial programs. The IRA, which supports educators' right to choose either commercially developed or locally developed evidence-based programs, has posted its letter to Paige at: http://www.reading.org/media/press/paige_letter.html ===Legislative Watch=== ...U.S. SUPREME COURT RULES ON LAW CONCERNING CHILDREN AND PORNOGRAPHY In the latest battle between protecting children on the Internet and free speech, the Supreme Court questioned the constitutionality of the 1998 Child Online Protection Act (COPA) and remanded the decision back to the appeals courts. (COPA -- not to be confused with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA -- was passed into law to replace the unconstitutional Communications Decency Act. COPA made it a crime to knowingly place material "considered harmful to minors" within easy reach of minors on the Internet.) The Supreme Court ruled only on the issue of using "community standards" to define harmful materials, which it said is not unconstitutional. However, other parts of the law may limit access to relevant but harmless sites, such as gynecological pages. The Court sent these issues back to the appeals courts, which have yet to rule on them. To read the full text of the Supreme Court rulings go to http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/01slipopinion.html and click on Ashcroft v. American Civil Liberties Union for the COPA opinion. ...ACADEMY OF EDUCATION SCIENCES BILL PASSED BY HOUSE We previously reported in AEP ONLINE (see our 4-2-02 issue) that a bill had been proposed in the House to eliminate the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, replacing it with the Academy of Education Sciences. Now, H.R. 3801 has won easy approval in the House, but could face challenges in the Senate. Concerned with some provisions of the House legislation -- including the fact that the Academy director, not the president, would appoint the commissioner of education statistics -- the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee plans to mark up its own bill. To download the text of the bill go to http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=107_cong_bills&doc id=f:h3801eh.txt.pdf. (Please be sure to copy this entire long URL into your browser.) ===Markets and Trends=== ...SORTING THE MONEY If you're looking for clarification on the education finance policies of various states -- and the myriad differences among them -- you'll want to check a new Web site offered by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Subjects addressed include local taxing methods, earmarked state revenues, and school finance litigation. "K-12 education is a $350 billion industry," NCSL education policy specialist Steve Smith told ESCHOOL NEWS recently. But not many people, he added, know how it works. http://www.ncsl.org/programs/educ/ed_finance/intro.htm ===In the Industry=== Be sure to e-mail your personal news, as well as professional -- new products, promotions, job openings, etc. -- to [EMAIL PROTECTED], so we can include the info in an upcoming issue. ...MEMBER SPOTLIGHT The place to learn about companies and colleagues in the educational publishing industry... JASON FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION Through the JASON Foundation's two education programs -- the JASON Project and the JASON Academy for Science Teaching and Learning -- more than five million students and teachers have traveled all over the world, via satellite and the Internet. Previous JASON expeditions have included the Galapagos Islands, Iceland, the Peruvian rainforest, and NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. With a new team of students, teachers and scientists setting off on a fresh adventure each year, JASON's field trips are training a new generation of educational explorers. The JASON Project offers students and teachers in grades four through nine a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach, enhancing teaching and learning through a yearlong curriculum; a gated-Web community; supplemental videos; and an annual, live, two-week interactive broadcast expedition. The goal of the JASON Academy is to enhance teachers' science background and to provide them with the tools to help students learn more effectively. Started in October 2001, the Academy provides professional development on the Internet, offering busy teachers the opportunity to participate in content-rich, continuing education courses at the time and place most convenient to them. Notable science educators, who also serve as online facilitators, have written the courses. For more information on upcoming JASON Academy classes, The JASON XIV National Educators' Conference (NEC), or the 2002-03 expedition JASON XIV: >From Shore to Sea, contact Jennifer Walsh, press office, at [EMAIL PROTECTED], or visit JASON's Web site at http://www.jason.org. ...MOVIN' ON/UP * Classroom Connect has named Pat Harrigan as its CEO and president, effective immediately. Harrigan comes to Classroom Connect directly from Harcourt Publishers where he has more than 15 years of sales experience, most recently serving as the regional sales manager for their Southeast territories. Harrigan succeeds Judith Hamilton, who was appointed to a six-year term at the National Parks Foundation. ...JOB BANK Help wanted: -Council for Exceptional Children, publications manager. Go to http://www.edpress.org/infoarchives/job-bank/ and click on Help Wanted or Position Wanted to see details on these and other positions. ...ANNOUNCEMENTS * QED is holding its Annual Education Marketers' Forum July 15-17, 2002, in Broomfield, Colorado. Exploring the challenges and rewards of the school market, this year's forum has been expanded to include four key subject areas -- sales, marketing, advertising, and database management. To download the invitation, go to http://www.edpress.org/sponsors/qed.htm. * C. Blohm & Associates welcomes Evan-Moor Educational Publishers, a producer of teacher resource materials for kindergarten through sixth grade teachers, to its client group. * The Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program finalists have been announced. Over 4,300 children competed in two grade categories - second through fifth and sixth through eighth - to invent a new tool or rethink an existing one. For more information go to http://www.nsta.org/programs/craftsman. * Curriculum Associates is offering free training for their key programs via CA101(tm) e-training on its Web site. The first available module is for the Student Behavior Intervention Planner. http://www.curriculumassociates.com/ca101. * MCH Education Data is providing its ESP (Enhanced Sales Potential) profile at no charge. The service compares a company's current lists against MCH's database. http://www.mailings.com * The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) has announced that the University of Maryland College of Life Sciences has joined the NSTA Institute to bring middle and high school science teachers a program with a concentration in biology and a planned concentration in chemistry via the Internet. http://ecommerce.nsta.org/institute/ * "Classroom Spaces That Work," published by Northeast Foundation for Children won an Independent Book Publisher Award 2002. http://www.responsiveclassroom.org * PLATO Learning Inc., a provider of computer-based and e-learning instruction, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire NetSchools Corporation, a provider of e-learning software and services solutions for the K-12 market. For more information go to http://www.plato.com/roadmap/0205/upclose.html. * Renaissance Learning(TM) Inc. and Harcourt School Publishers have entered an agreement to develop quizzes for Renaissance Learning's Accelerated Reader(R) software that will be designed to assess comprehension of reading assignments in Harcourt's elementary reading program Trophies. http://www.renlearn.com; http://www.harcourt.com * Scholastic Corporation has announced that Nelson B. Heller & Associates -- a business-to-business publisher of education market newsletters, market research, and producer of education industry conferences and online roundtables - will join the company under the Scholastic Marketing Partners umbrella. For more information go to http://www.scholastic.com/aboutscholastic/news/press02/press_05.08.02b.htm * Reviews of The 2002 Skipping Stones Honor Awards winners appear in the summer issue of SKIPPING STONES. The awards recognize outstanding books, teaching resources, and educational videos. http://www.efn.org/~skipping. * Texas Instruments has announced the findings of a research project, conducted by an independent team of educators, on the use and value of handheld graphing technology. Through a synthesis of peer-reviewed, published research, the researchers found that gains in student learning mathematics with handheld graphing technology are directly related to how the technology is used in the teaching process. Information is available at education.ti.com. ...NEW PRODUCTS * "ACK!-American Careers for Kids," a classroom career awareness program published by Career Communications Inc., has been revised and is now available to schools. For more information contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Crystal Productions has released Days of the Dead Art Prints, a new set in their series of Portfolio Prints. A Teacher's Guide includes additional cultural background information and suggestions. http://www.crystalproductions.com * Curriculum Associates has published three new series for struggling readers. In addition, the CARS, STARS, and TEST READY series are now available in Spanish. http://www.curriculumassociates.com * Evan-Moor Educational Publishers released several new titles this spring. For more information go to http://www.evan-moor.com. * Grey House Publishing has published the 2002 edition of "The Comparative Guide to American Elementary & Secondary Schools." http://www.greyhouse.com. * Interactive Educational Systems Design (IESD) has announced its product validation service - customized, independent validation of the effectiveness of educational software, Web sites, and print materials. For more information contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Internet Monitor has published "The Experts' Guide to the K-12 School Market," a reference resource featuring articles from more than 70 K-12 industry market leaders and experts. http://www.internet-monitor.com * Teacher Created Materials has announced the release of two new series: Practice Makes Perfect, helping parents and teachers reinforce basic skills with children, and Super Science Activities, a collection of investigations and experiments for grades two through five. http://www.teachercreated.com * Texas Instruments has announced the launch of Teachers Teaching with Technology, a web-based training program that allows teachers to take technology courses online at their convenience. For a demonstration go to www.education.ti.com/t3/onlinecourses/onlinecourses.html. * Thompson Publishing Group Inc. has published "The New Title I: Balancing flexibility with Accountability," written by education attorneys Leigh Manasevit and Kristen Tosh Cowan, partners at the Washington, DC law firm Brustein & Manasevit. http://www.thompson.com * The U.S. Department of Education has added two new early childhood publications to its Web site, one for parents of newborns and one for preschool teachers and child care providers. http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/earlychildhood/ * Wireless Generation has announced that Qualitative Reading Inventory-3 (QRI-3)is available for the first time in a mobile electronic format. http://www.wgen.net DATES TO REMEMBER: ===Calendar=== For the complete education industry calendar of conferences and events, see http://www.edpress.org/infoarchives/. IN CLOSING: ===Tips=== ...OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO NEW IDEAS Presenting a new idea to a boss or coworker, even casually, can be a daunting task, especially if that person's backing is crucial to your success. Don't automatically assume that you have a bad idea if you're dismissed at first pitch. According to change consultant Rick Maurer, there are three "faces of resistance." If you learn to recognize them, you will be able to keep the conversation going and perhaps turn resistance into support. 1. "I don't get it." Dazed eyes, a tipped head, and a furrowed brow send a clear message: I don't understand what you're saying. This level of resistance usually happens when you try to impart too much data -- e.g., statistics, technical jargon, or schematics -- verbally. Before approaching someone with your concept, think about how best to present it. A diagram, spreadsheet, or timeline can make the difference between acceptance and rejection. 2. "I don't like it." This message may be conveyed through body language or spoken outright. Instead of taking "no" as a final response, ask why the person doesn't want to pursue your idea -- you may find out that their answer is rooted in fear. For example, if you succeed, will your colleague look bad or lose status? Or, your boss may be concerned that failure will be attributed to the management, not you. Addressing such concerns can strengthen your project and your coworker's support. 3. "I don't like you." Since this type of resistance is about you personally, it's the most difficult to overcome. The person may distrust your position (in marketing versus product development, for instance), have heard negative comments about you, or previously had a difficult experience working with you. Try to see yourself as the other person does. You may need to work out your differences before you can proceed on a new venture together. Overall, the key to combating resistance is to be open-minded. Don't be defensive or sarcastic when someone expresses opposition; your listener may have genuine concerns about your idea. And when others approach you, avoid wearing your own "face of resistance." ===================== (c) 2002 The Association of Educational Publishers, all rights reserved. http://www.edpress.org, [EMAIL PROTECTED] ******************************************* For digest instead of individual postings, send the message: set k12newsletters digest to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe, click and send (no body or subject: required) mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] K12 Newsletters mailing list is a service of Classroom Connect - http://www.classroom.com Archives for K12 Newsletters can be found at: http://www.classroom.com/community/email/archives.jhtml?A0=K12NEWSLETTERS **********************************************************
