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QTL News and Best Practices

 

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The Latest Headlines

QTL Partnership Enriches District's Partnership Development Efforts
QTL teams with Rutherford County Schools for an ambitious district-wide professional development initiative. Read about it in the Quality Teaching Blog.

Six Districts Win QTL Governor's Leadership Grants; More to Come
Six districts have been awarded QTL Governor's Leadership Grants. The first grants were announced March 31 at the 2011 NCASA Conference in Raleigh. The grants cover a one-day leadership seminar for district and school administrators. Winners are Alexander County Schools, Carteret County Public School System, Sampson County Schools, Transylvania County Schools and the Rowan-Salisbury School System.

Goldsboro Principal Wins Qwizdom Q7 Interactive Tablet
In partnership with interactive classroom leader Qwizdom, The Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning gave away a Q7 Interactive Tablet during the NCASA Conference in Raleigh. David Lewis of Rosewood Elementary in Goldsboro was the lucky winner. QTL is partnering with Qwizdom to provide classroom tools along with professional development that ensures teachers and students get maximum benefit from the technology.

Leaders Talk 'Challenging Times' at NCASA Conference
As district and school administrators from across North Carolina gathered in Raleigh, tough choices were at the forefront. QTL co-sponsored the annual conference, and CEO Dave Boliek addressed the opening session, telling the crowd that high quality teaching and effective supportive leadership are the two more important factors in student success. Read more.

QTL Staffers Talk Clickers and Comedy at NCTIES
What good is classroom technology if it sits on a shelf? That question was on the table at our presentation for the NCTIES Conference in Raleigh. The subject of "Dust Off Those Clickers..." was how student response systems can transform a learning environment - IF the teacher understands how to get maximum impact from the equipment. Find out what a 90s hit sitcom had to do with the answer.

Franklin Teacher Crafts News-Worthy Project
franklin studentsA Franklin County, NC teacher's "Famous North Carolinians" was intriguing enough to attract news coverage. A “Tar Heel Traveler” news crew from Raleigh's WRAL visited Louisburg to watch as fourth graders dressed as famous Tar Heels and used costumes and props to create oral reports that were a step above the usual. See the story here.

The teacher, Kim Leonard, says the project taught more than social studies – giving students a taste of public speaking, research skills and more. They incorporated technology through the use of video. Leonard participated in the Franklin County QTL program, and confirms that her QTL participation was one of the inspirations for the project. "After having QTL training, I'm always looking for new technology to engage my students,” she says.

NCTA Project Helps Teachers Engage Students; Proficiency Soars
Student understanding of content surged 40-50 percent in some areas after a federal grant brough additional technology to the classroom, along with professional development that has helped teachers use it wisely. Read about the project in Warren County or watch a video of the celebration at Northside Elementary.

Principal: QTL Helped School Raise Proficiency Dramatically
The principal of a North Carolina High School says QTL helped this teachers refine their classroom methods - and the result of their hard work was a dramatic increase in student learning. Read the details.

District Launches QTL Initiative with High Hopes
Rutherford County Schools launched one of the most ambitious QTL initiatives ever during 2010. Through partnership with The Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning,, the district has trained several instructors to lead the program, and every teacher in the county will go through QTL. Read about it on the Rutherford County Schools website.

Rural District Prepares New Crop of Teachers through NETI
The New and Emerging Teacher Institute is making a difference for teachers entering the classroom in Northampton County. Read more.

Examining Data Pays Off for Virginia Teachers and Their Students
Teachers in two Bedford County elementary schools began a QTL project by examining student data to identify specific needs. That led to collaborative projects, then a celebration of higher test scores. Read more or watch a video story about the project.

Latest NCTA Project Again Shows Power of Technology, PD
The latest in a series of federal technology demonstration projects confirms that tech tools - used effectively - can impact student achievement. Read about the results of the North Carolina Technology Association project at Taylorsville Elementary, and watch a video of the celebration that followed.

A Place Where 'Everyone Can Enjoy Learning'
When a district-wide initiative drew elementary, middle and high school teachers together for professional development and collaboration, the result in one Arkansas school system was a change in the learning atmosphere. Read more.

Wake County Principal Pushes 'Excellence for All'
Knightdale High School principal Carla Jernigan wants no exceptions and no excuses. It's a philosophy that she tries to apply every day. Read how that approach and a willingness to try new things has helped bring about higher achievement through the school.

khs You can also listen to what Jernigan had to say about arranging for a team of KHS teachers to participate in Foundations in QTL program in this WCPSS podcast.

Teachers Zero in on Data and PLCs During "Summer School"
Teachers in Edgecombe County are getting reinforcement to help them assess student needs and plan for targeted instruction. Read the story from The Daily Southerner.

NC Elementary School Celebrates Success "At All Levels"
A North Carolina principal has something to celebrate this summer after 2008-09 test results showed a real turnaround at her school. Read more.

Putting in a Good Wordle for Students
Instructional leaders in one district get a first-hand look at how Web 2.0 tools can have a real impact on student engagement. Find out how Wordle opened eyes to new possibilities.

District Honored for Raising Achievement of Target Group
A Virginia school district that was one of QTL's earliest district partners has been honored by the state once again, this time for raising achievement levels for economically disadvantaged students. Read about it in the Quality Teaching Blog.

Collaboration, Planning, Test Scores All Up at Creswell High
creswell scores Teachers at Creswell High in northeastern North Carolina have an extra spring in their step this summer. The schools's test scores showed dramatic improvement in many areas after a strong emphasis on collaboration and lesson planning during 2008-09.Gains were particularly strong in the seventh and eighth grades. That news followed a state report that lauded the school's Quality Teaching and Learning Initiative as one factor in improved teaching. Read more on our blog or read a local newspaper article on the effort.


NETI Featured in National Business Education Forum
The New & Emerging Teacher Institute was featured in the December issue of Business Education Forum, a publication of the National Business Education Association. The article focused on how NETI can help schools improve retention, especially among lateral entry teachers.

SummerSALT Brings Spice to Professional Development
summersaltSome 450 Wilson County teachers kicked off summer by going back to school - for the SummerSALT 09 Conference. A blend of sessions aimed to help them think creatively and plan effective lessons using technology and engaging strategies.

QTL participated in the conference, offering "21st Century Classroom Series" sessions that are designed to help teachers reach students with the content, while building 21st Century learning skills. Read more.

Grant Brings More Technology to Rural District
An instructional technology demonstration spearheaded by the North Carolina Technology Association is making a real difference in an Alexander County school. Read about the Taylorsville Elementary grant, and find out what teachers have to say about the impact of new technology and professional development. It's the latest in a series of NCTA-driven federal demonstration projects.

Top Tips on Using Classroom Technology
Technology is a great tool to engage students, but it all starts with the content. An instructional technology specialist from Charles City, VA illustrates how starting with the lesson plan and then integrating the use of techology tools is a recipe for success.

Sussex School Earns Virginia Board of Education Recognition
Congratulations are due to Jefferson Elementary is one of 276 schools honored with the 2009 Virginia Board of Education Competence to Excellence Award. Sussex County Schools has been a district paratner with QTL since the summer of 2007.

Partnership Shows Value of Sustained Professional Development
An ongoing partnership with The Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning can take teacher professional development to a whole new level. Hear a principal and teacher talk about what has made their district's QTL partnership beneficial. And read about the practical impact the ongoing partnership has had on one school that began the QTL Process three years ago.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Sends Teachers through NETI
teachersScores of teachers from several North Carolina districts benefitted from the New & Emerging Teacher Institute in its first year. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools are among the first to use the program as a way to help new teachers overcome "new teacher challenges."

Brunswick Students Launch Community Service Projects
The strategic use of instructional technology is a major focus for Brunswick County Schools in North Carolina. The district launched a 21st Century Learning initiative in 2006, and QTL has played a role in getting teachers ready. Read the State Port Post's article about it.

Last fall, QTL participants in Brunswick County took their collaborative projects one step farther, providing students with a lesson in the power of community involvement. Read about it.

Ed Tech Group Honors QTL Board Member Elsie Brumback
The State Educational Technology Direcors Association has established a scholarship fund to help students attend its annual meeting in Washington, DC. And they've elected to name the fund in honor of Elsie Brumback, the longtime North Carolina educational technology leader who is now a member of the QTL Board of Directors. Brumback was a founder SETDA, and "continues to benefit and prosper" from her leadership and vision.

Sussex Schools Singled Out at Conference
Administrators from one Virginia school district tell their peers how QTL contributed to a turnaround in student performance - one that continues to this day. Read about it.

Virginia Schools Honored for Achievement
Congratulations are in order for Lee and Botetourt County educators. Lee County is one of 13 school divisions honored by the Virginia Board of Education for raising the achievement of economically disadvantaged students. Three Lee County elementaries (Eli Knob, Ewing, and St. Charles) are among 118 schools statewide named as 'Title I Distinguished Schools.' Two Botetourt County schools - Breckinridge and Buchanan - are also on that list. QTL is proud to have worked with both districts during the 2006-07 school year, when data for these honors was collected. Read details at the Virginia DOE website.

School Official Explains QTL's Impact on System
Dr. Nancie Lightner tells an audience at the Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition that QTL helped Sussex County, Virginia schools meet their need for stronger instructional leadership and quality professional development for teachers. Read it in her own words.

QTL Staffer Appears on Podcast
QTL Senior Instructional Specialist Rachel Porter appears in the latest podcast from ConnectInc's Teach Central website. She discusses technology integration, new tech tools, and new teacher preparation with moderator Susan Everhart. Listen here or visit the Teach Central podcast page.

North Carolina District Continues Ongoing QTL Partnership
Franklin County Schools has sent scores of teachers through the QTL Core during the past two years. Now administrators are getting into the act, learning how to support teachers as they implement what they've learned. Read about this ongoing QTL partnership.

Next Step for District-Wide Partnership: QTLCS
botetourtAfter sending its teachers through QTL, a Virginia school district looked to the next step: fostering stronger lesson planning through QTLCS. Find out how it worked.

Teachers Collaborate, AR Student Wins National Competition
How important is teacher collaboration to student success? When a trio of Arkansas middle school teachers planned their QTL collaborative project around a national competition, they anticipated that using strategies like cooperative grouping, differentiated instruction and exploratory learning would help students learn more. But they couldn't know their efforts would help propel one student to first place in a nationwide writing competition. Read more.

'Focused Intervention' Pays Big Dividends for NC School, Students
After a year of hard work by staff and a combination of professional development for teachers and leadership coaching for administrators, student test scores rose dramatically at a Robeson County elementary. The results at Union Chapel Elementary have administrators taking notice.

Wake County High School Offers QTL to Teacher-Leaders
Knightdale High School principal Carla Jernigan has made teacher leadership a priority of her administration. One component of her plan: bringing key teacher leaders through QTL.
knighdale teachers
She spoke to WCPSS information officer Bill Poston about the program's impact, from inspiring learning projects to promoting the use of available tech tools to fostering growth of Professional Learning Communities. Listen to part of the WCPSS podcast.

Lee County Partnership in the Spotlight
A QTL Partnership that helped a Virginia school district move from "low performing" to "high achieving" in two years gets some time in the spotlight at the 2007 T+L Conference in Nashville. The three-year process is one of the school improvement initiatives chosen for the Excellence Fair.

lee county teachersNumerous factors contributed to Lee County Schools' eye-opening turnaround - including leadership, dedication, hard work, and a professional development process that fostered research-based teaching strategies and collaboration among the district's faculties.

Hundreds of Arkansas Teachers Experience QTL
Career & Technical Education administrators in Arkansas have an innovative approach to dealing with the changes in Perkins IV funding. They worked with The Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning to craft a plan that makes CTE teachers a driving force in school reform. Sixteen high schools have sent teams of teachers through the QTL core program as the first phase of a three-year plan. Find out why 98% say they've already learned valuable new perspectives, and read some coverage from the Jonesboro Sun.

Virginia ITRTs Learn Ways to Make the Most of Tech
Instructional Technology Resource Teachers from across Virginia attended two summer sessions of QTL in Roanoke. Found out why the session surprised one instructional technology leader, and read her full reflection on the QTL Teachers' Blog.

franklin countyParticipants Agree: Program Will Impact Students
Post-surveys after a recent QTL™ session were unanimous - teachers say their participation in the program will improve their teaching and benefit their students. Read their comments and see how QTL™ built upon the concepts teachers had already learned through participation in Murphy's Whole Faculty Study Groups®.

NCTA Demonstrations Clearly Link Tech, Teaching, Achievement
The North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA) has implemented several federal demonstration projects that show the tremendous impact classroom technology and teacher professional development can have in a school. Read about the demonstrations and their results.

EOG Scores Rocket at Arkansas QTL™ School
One year after the teaching staff at Taylor Elementary went through QTL™, test scores are up dramatically. Find out how teachers developed a goal and made it happen.

Evaluation Shows QTL's Impact on Students
QTL™
has had a tremendous impact on participating teachers and their students. A 2006 evaluation report shows that teachers increase their use of effective teaching strategies - and most see an immediate impact on students in the classroom. See the complete evaluation reports on the program.

QTL™ Staffers Present at National Conference
A QTL™ presentation on "Five Surefire Ways to Improve Student Performance" drew a crowd at the National School Board Association's Technology and Leadership Conference in Dallas. Presenter Theresa Bell kept them interested by keeping them moving.

Instructor Leads, Observes Process of Changing Teacher Practice
pam edwardsWhy is participation in intensive professional development a good investment of teachers' time and effort? Pam Edwards of The Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning doesn't have to wonder - she gets to see the results. Read her reflections on a typical QTL™ experience.

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