Author Archives: mwallaceonline

Being Inspired by other Leaders

Posted on April 15, 2013 by mwallaceonline | Permalink 0

Recently, I attended the Southside Virginia Regional Technology Consortium Annual Banquet.  The Keynote speaker was Dr. Pam Moran, Superintendent of Albemarle County Public Schools.  This was the second time that I heard Dr. Moran speak.  She is an inspiring leader who “practices what she preaches” in regard to teaching 21st Century Learning skills.  She shared […]
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Blogs

The year in review…learning the evaluation process

Posted on March 28, 2013 by mwallaceonline | Permalink 0

This year’s focus for class has been on completing our mock Capstone project.  This experience was beneficial in more ways than probably anticipated.  The project that my partner and I selected was based on the effectiveness of a phonics program being implemented at the Kindergarten level.  Not only did we learn about the process for […]
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Blogs

Project Based Learning–Is it what we need?

Posted on March 3, 2013 by mwallaceonline | Permalink 0

This school year our school division has been reading The Global Achievement Gap by Tony Wagner.  Administrative staff read the book last year and discussed it at our Administrative Retreat last summer.  The administrative team developed a year-long plan for a book discussion in each school.  During the course of the year, division staff members […]
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Blogs

Inspiring Professional Development

Posted on January 28, 2013 by mwallaceonline | Permalink 1

Last week, I attended the STEM Summit at Longwood University.  It has been a while since I have been inspired by anything in education…I mean, really, truly, inspired.  However, when I left the STEM Summit, I was inspired.  This year’s theme was “Nurturing Inventive Thinking.”  All of the speakers were engaging and spoke about how […]
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Blogs

Focusing on Focus Groups

Posted on October 15, 2012 by mwallaceonline | Permalink 0

The experience of using focus groups for research is a good way to glean information about almost any program being implemented in a school.  Focus groups can give insight to the researcher.   “Focus groups are effective when it is possible to get people together to discuss a topic or when individual interviews are not possible” […]
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Blogs

From Actor to Strong Leader–Is it related?

Posted on June 21, 2012 by mwallaceonline | Permalink 0

I have always admired Ronald Reagan.  He is the epitome of leadership presence.  Halpern and Lubar (2003) make the connection between being a leader and being an actor.  When you think about Reagan’s career history, the two are definitely related.  From actor to governor to president, Reagan had power in front of an audience. In […]
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Developing Advocacy Leadership

Reflecting on PLE 3 Task 11

Posted on June 21, 2012 by mwallaceonline | Permalink 0

The political map helps define for leaders where the strengths and powers lie for a particular issue.  I can see the benefit of using a chart like this in as a division leader trying to work out a problem.  It is good to recognize your allies as well as those groups who may be opposed […]
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Developing Advocacy Leadership

Policy Levers and Decision-Making Systems- Task 8

Posted on June 18, 2012 by mwallaceonline | Permalink 0

This brainstorming task helped me develop the memo for task 9 which I addressed to principals to make them aware of changes coming next year with increasing class sizes.  For us in Nottoway, this is a real issue.  We will have to be vigilent next year in monitoring class size and enrollment. Task 8- Policy […]
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Developing Advocacy Leadership

Getting to the Root of Higher Class Sizes- Task 5

Posted on June 17, 2012 by mwallaceonline | Permalink 0

This video examines the root of the issue of schools facing higher class sizes.   Michelle is a former high school Chemistry teacher.  She uses an explosive experiment to demonstrate what will happen as class sizes continue to increase and to uncover the root of the issue. The Root of Higher Class Sizes
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Developing Advocacy Leadership

The Context of Class Size…influences and policy Task 6

Posted on June 14, 2012 by mwallaceonline | Permalink 0

Impact of Class Size on Instruction News articles: http://articles.philly.com/2012-06-04/news/32007442_1_student-teacher-achievement-ratio-smaller-classes-class-size  (Mitt Romney) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10811120   Websites: http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/features/reading/class.shtml http://www.learningfirst.org/class-size-really-irrelevant   Policy: http://d64.e2services.net/class/impactclasssize.html http://www.equitycampaign.org/i/a/document/6863_Ready_Class_Size_Research_Review.pdf http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/other/class-size/index.html (USDOE)   Published articles: http://www.mnsu.edu/cetl/teachingresources/articles/classsize.html Wenglinsky, H. (1997). How Money Matters: The Effect of School District Spending on Academic Achievement. Sociology of Education, 70, 221-237. Stecher, B., Bohrnstedt, G., McRobbie, M., William, J. (2001). […]
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Developing Advocacy Leadership