Advertisements
American curriculum
KDSL Global Releases Paper on Arts in MENA American Curriculum Schools
DUBAI, UAE, 28 January 2019 – KDSL Global today released a paper which examines the implementation of the National Core Arts Standards in the USA and in the MENA region. Published in 2014 as a result of a three-year nationwide collaborative effort, the goal of these standards is to assist teachers in developing PreK-12 curriculum that guides the enhancement of artistic literacy among learners. KDSL Global is a USA and UAE-based leading learning organization focused on empowering educators and education businesses globally.
Lana Hallmark, arts consultant and paper author stated, “The opportunity to participate in telling the story of the National Core Arts Standards came at a timely moment for me. As I look ahead to the revision of the fine arts academic standards in Arkansas in the coming summer, having this fresh review of the background and goals of the NCAS will be invaluable and will certainly impact this important work for the students in my state.” She co-wrote the paper with Kevin Simpson (KDSL Global Managing Director) and Joyce Huser (the President of the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education). Huser said, “The 2014 National Core Art Standards (NCAS) for the fine arts have provided a rich and in-depth guide for meeting the learning needs of students at the PreK – 12th grade levels in my state of Kansas as well as in many other states across the nation. They have also provided a resource for preparing pre-service teachers and guiding experienced educators in developing and providing a holistic arts education. With an emphasis on process-based learning, these standards have had a great impact on enhancing learning and applying real life application to learning. Students love this. While it is a challenge for teachers to transition from the old to the new standards, the professional development that has been provided across the nation has been invaluable in meeting the goals and intentions of these standards. I am pleased to have been a part of the writing process and continue to provide quality professional development in helping teachers understand these standards and how to implement them in their instruction.”
The paper features a list of arts resources, case studies, and results from surveys that would provide data regarding the implementation process in the USA. Questions educators and leaders responded to ranged from impression of the standards, timeline, professional development, and more.
The paper can be downloaded at: http://kdslglobal.com/Arts%20in%20MENA%20American%20Curriculum%20Schools.pdf
KDSL GLOBAL PRESS CONTACT
+971 52 542 7009
Kevin Simpson, kevin@kdslglobal.com
www.kdslglobal.com
World Stars Education
KDSL Global Founder Kevin Simpson served as a Teacher Consultant with World Stars Education in Guangzhou, China on a five week project during November-December 2018.
About World Stars Education
The mission of World Stars Education is to become a 100% focused college preparation academic management company for international students. Our goal is to provide a clear education planning with academic, life, culture and social integration supporting system for every student who studies in the United States. We help every international student to adapt to a new life in the United States with an integrated, innovative and unique plan. We provide a comprehensive system includes best-fit school match, customized educational plan, academic monitoring and independent life education. We offer the smoothest and seamless integration of academic and life-supporting management in the United States. We expect every student from World Stars Education to become a well-rounded student and get accepted by the world-acclaimed universities/colleges.
MENALearns Webinar
Join us on 10 October from 6:00-6:30pm UAE time for a free webinar to learn more about the MENALearns Portal. To stay up to date email menalearns@gmail.com.
MENALearns Portal
During 2018 the MENALearns Portal will be a new resource for educators at American curriculum schools. Our KDSL Global intern had a chance to chat with the team this past summer about what the portal is, how it is different and future plans.
What is MENALearns?
MENALearns will be an online portal for educators at American curriculum schools based in the Middle East and North Africa region. This is a collaborative effort with Xblended and KDSL Global. It is for educators with resources reviewed, created, and shared by educators. Tools and resources will be related to curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional learning, and more. Six educators from six countries reviewed the initial portal and provided feedback to the team. We call this group our first educators. During the summer of 2018 we collaborated with an educator from the region who served during the month of July with the purpose of reviewing and selecting additional resources for K-12 educators on a wide range of topics. The site will launch later in September 2018. A free introductory webinar will be held on 1 October at 6pm Dubai time. Users will have the option to become a member of the community as a MENALearns Teacher, MENALearns Leader, or a MENALearns School. Special rates for new members will run from October- December 2018.
There are many online platforms and resources nowadays. How is MENALearns different from these?
This is very true! We wanted to craft a resource that was specific to educators who are based in the MENA region. Often there are resources from the states with references and images that students and educators may not be able to connect with. Educators who we spoke to openly shared this information. We wanted to have a blended approach with materials from the states along with resources provided from educators in the region. This will grow over time as we encourage educators and leaders to share resources from their schools and classrooms. Also, we asked American curriculum educators in the region where they go to online to access resources to use in planning. A plethora of websites was listed. We then asked what if there was one place where they could access most of the sites they used. All were interested and first users talked about how organized, comprehensive, and easy to navigate the portal was.
What are the future plans for this portal?
We will see what the future holds. As we receive feedback we will make changes and update information as there is always something new to learn. Our short-term plans is to make as many American curriculum schools and educators aware of the portal as possible in the MENA region. In the future we hope all will be a MENALearns School.
To stay updated on MENALearns email menalearns@gmail.com. The portal will launch later in September 2018.
Jenessa Dsilva
KDSL Global Intern
Website: www.kdslglobal.com
Twitter: @KDSL07
Facebook: @KDSL Global
Professional Development Targets MENA’s American Curriculum Teachers and Administrators
On Friday, October 5, and Saturday, October 6, MENA region American curriculum teachers and school leadership teams will convene in Dubai as part of an initiative of the ASCD Connected Community in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Organized by KDSL Global, a UAE-based company, the Teacher Summit seeks to improve teaching and learning and connect education professionals throughout the MENA region to the resources provided by ASCD.
This regional event is a platform for teachers to engage and learn with renowned educators and scholars. Topics at the summit will address best practices in leadership, data, curriculum, English Language Arts, Math, and Science Standards implementation. The audience for this conference will include classroom teachers, heads of department, program coordinators, school administrators, and organizations active in the educational sector.
Victoria L. Bernhardt, Ph.D., has directed the Education for the Future Initiative since its inception in 1991. Victoria is known worldwide as a leading authority on data analysis for continuous school and district improvement. She is the author of 22 highly praised books on data analysis, school improvement, Response to Intervention, and more. Each of her books shows schools and school districts how to do the work themselves. Her workshops focus on building capacity to analyze and use data effectively. Victoria is known for her down-to-earth, roll up the sleeves, real work that leads to student achievement increases at all school levels. Victoria is a Research Professor (Emeritus) in the College of Communication and Education, at California State University, Chico. Victoria said, “The half day pre-conference on Measuring What We Do in Schools: How to Know if What We Are Doing Is Making a Difference will have leadership teams learn how to measure and understand if their school’s programs and processes are making the difference they want and need for all students.”
Summit partners include Smart Education, Alpha Publishing, the UAE Learning Network, Teach Middle East Magazine, Interactive Data Partners, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, McREL International, RYE Consulting, EDspired, The Global Sleepover, Teacher Leaders International, MidSchoolMath, Horizons Educational Consulting, GEG UAE, TechKnowledge, WIDA, MENALearns, XBlended, 2LearnArabic, The Gulf Point, Education for the Future, eyemaginED, D3 Consultants, Bennett Educational Consulting, ASCD Emerging Leaders, and Professional Minds.
Educators and school leaders from the MENA region American curriculum schools are encouraged to attend. Registration for the summit is now available. The agenda, sessions, and speakers are found at www.menateachersummit.com.
ABOUT KDSL Global
KDSL Global is a UAE-based leading learning organization focused on empowering educators and education businesses globally.
ABOUT GCC ASCD Connected Community
Our goal as the GCC Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Connected Community is to unite educators throughout the region, inspiring all of us to learn globally and teach locally.
Welcome back educators and leaders!
A student’s desire to learn and effectiveness in learning are enhanced when the learning is personalized, meaning that the student is given greater choice in selecting topics, greater control over the learning environment and learning strategies, greater access to learning resources, and frequent feedback about learning progress. (Sam Redding, S. (2014) Personal Competencies in Personalized Learning. [PDF file]. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University (Center on Innovations in Learning).
August 2018
Dear MENA American curriculum educators,
We are excited to welcome each of you back to your respective school. Our focus for this year will be…..personalized learning. We are constantly looking at how we can best support schools, teachers, and students. Here is a sample of what you can expect from us during 2018-2019:
MENA Teacher Summit: An initiative of the ASCD Connected Community in the GCC, the Teacher Summit seeks to improve teaching and learning and connect education professionals throughout the MENA region to the resources provided by ASCD. This regional event is a platform for teachers to engage and learn with renowned educators and scholars. Topics at the summit will address best practices in leadership, data, curriculum, and English Language Arts, Math and Science. Visit menateachersummit.com to learn more about this event based in Dubai.
Micro-credentials: Micro-credentials are a digital form of certification indicating that an educator has demonstrated their application of a specific competency. Educators must apply their learning in their practice and collect a portfolio of evidence, thereby demonstrating their competence. Micro-credentials are competency-based, research-backed, on-demand, personalized, and shareable (Bloomboard for Schools).
MENA Arts White Paper: How are the Core Arts Standards being implemented in the MENA region? This paper will explore questions and provide educators with resources.
MENALearns Portal: MENALearns will be an online learning platform for American curriculum educators. MLP will offer tools and resources connected to curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional learning, and more. This portal will launch in September 2018.
To a great year!
Kevin Simpson
MENALearns Portal
KDSL Global and the GCC ASCD Connected Community Convenes the MENA Teacher Summit
Professional Development Targets MENA’s American Curriculum
Teachers and Administrators
DUBAI, UAE, April 24, 2018 – On Friday, October 5, and Saturday, October 6, MENA region American curriculum teachers and school leadership teams will convene in Dubai as part of an initiative of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Connected Community in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Organized by KDSL Global, a UAE-based education company, the Teacher Summit seeks to improve teaching and learning and connect education professionals throughout the MENA region to the resources provided by ASCD.
This regional event is a platform for teachers to engage and learn with renowned educators and scholars. Topics at the summit will address best practices in leadership, data, curriculum, college readiness, English Language Arts, Math, and Science Standards implementation. The audience for this conference will include classroom teachers, heads of department, program coordinators, school administrators, and organizations active in the educational sector.
Victoria L. Bernhardt, Ph.D., has directed the Education for the Future Initiative since its inception in 1991. Victoria is known worldwide as a leading authority on data analysis for continuous school and district improvement. She is the author of 22 highly praised books on data analysis, school improvement, Response to Intervention, and more. Each of her books shows schools and school districts how to do the work themselves. Her workshops focus on building capacity to analyze and use data effectively. Victoria is known for her down-to-earth, roll up the sleeves, real work that leads to student achievement increases at all school levels. Victoria is a Research Professor (Emeritus) in the College of Communication and Education, at California State University, Chico.
Dr. Bernhardt’s latest ASCD book is Measuring What We Do in Schools: How to Know If What We Are Doing Is Making a Difference. In the book she details the crucial role program evaluation serves in school success and how to implement meaningful evaluations that make a difference. She provides a road map of how to conduct comprehensive, systemwide evaluations of programs and processes; the tools needed to obtain usable, pertinent information; and how to use these data to expand teachers’ and administrators’ data-informed decision-making focus.
Educators and school leaders from the MENA region American curriculum schools are encouraged to attend. Early bird registration for the summit is now available. The agenda and the first announced featured speakers are found at www.menateachersummit.com.
ABOUT KDSL Global
KDSL Global is a UAE-based leading learning organization focused on empowering educators and education businesses globally.
ABOUT GCC ASCD Connected Community
Our goal as the GCC Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Connected Community is to unite educators throughout the region, inspiring all of us to learn globally and teach locally.
PRESS CONTACT
Kevin Simpson, KDSL Global, menateachersummit@gmail.com, +971 55 344 9286
KDSL Global Releases Paper on Social Studies in MENA American Curriculum Schools
DUBAI, UAE, 12 April 2018 – KDSL Global today released a paper which examines the implementation of the College, Career, and Civic Life Framework for Social Studies State Standards, known as the C3 Framework in the USA and in the MENA region. The C3 Framework prepares young people for College, Careers, and Civic life. Formed by the core disciplines of civics, economics, geography, and history, it is composed of deep and enduring understandings, concepts, and skills from these disciplines with emphasis of skills and practices as preparation for democratic decision-making. American curriculum schools have been engaged with these standards for a few years. KDSL Global is a USA and UAE-based leading learning organization focused on empowering educators and education businesses globally.
Kevin Simpson, KDSL Global Managing Director stated, “Schools, leaders, and educators are working to implement the C3 Standards. KDSL Global felt it was time to spotlight implementation in both the states and the MENA region to create more awareness around these standards.” He co-wrote the paper with Kim O’Neil, who served as the 2015-2016 President of the National Council for the Social Studies. She sits on the Commissioner’s Content Advisory Panel for the New York State Social Studies Education Department. O’Neil is a National Board Certified Teacher having spent her teaching career at the elementary and middle school levels.
The paper features a list of C3 resources and results from a survey that would provide data regarding the implementation process in the USA. Questions educators and leaders responded to ranged from impression of the standards, timeline, professional development, and more. The findings are here: http://kdslglobal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/C3-Survey-Results.pdf
The paper can be downloaded at: http://kdslglobal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/C3-in-MENA-American-Curriculum-Schools-.pdf
KDSL GLOBAL PRESS CONTACT
+971 55 344 9286
Kevin Simpson, kevin@kdslglobal.com
