An Interview with ASCD Professional Development Institutes organizer Ann Cunningham-Morris

Hi, I'm Kathleen Burke, Director of ASCD's Annual Conference. Welcome to ASCD's Annual Conference Online 2003.

We are pleased to present a series of online programs that will preview topics and highlights of the 2003 Annual Conference. Joining us now is Ann Cunningham-Morris, who organizes ASCD’s Professional Development Institutes, the Teaching and Learning Conference, and the ASCD Summer Conference. Ann is also responsible for the ASCD Faculty Program.

Every year at Annual Conference, we have several pre-conference institutes that you and your team organize. Can you tell us about these sessions and what participants may expect?

Pre-conference sessions are one-, two-, or three-day institutes on particular topics that take place prior to Annual Conference. Actually this year we are offering 24 pre-conference institutes, so there is definitely something for everyone.

We have three-day institutes that begin on March 5th where our participants can advance their professional learning in Differentiating Instruction with Carol Ann Tomlinson, or they can begin to explore Understanding by Design with Jay McTighe. Or, if they are more interested in focusing on Mentoring, Collaborating, and Coaching for Professional Excellence, they can attend that institute with Laura Lipton and Bruce Wellman. Then our two-day institutes will help participants extend learning in Developing Grading and Reporting; Guiding School Improvement with Action Research; Leading Understanding by Design, which is little bit different from the beginning Understanding by Design; Curriculum Mapping with application to literacy K-12; Translating Brain Research into Classroom Practice; Integrating Cognitive Coaching with Teaching Standards; and our newest program, What Works In Schools.

Some of our ASCD faculty and consultants that will be presenting for this are Robert Marzano, Grant Wiggins, Tom Guskey, Pat Wolfe, Heidi Hayes-Jacobs, Bob Garmston, and Art Costa. Then, of course, we have a one-day preconference that includes sessions ranging from Approaches to Early Childhood Active Learning and Exemplary Middle School Practices, to Reading in the Content Area and Including English Language Learners in the Mainstream.

In addition to the Annual Conference, what else are you working on in 2003?

In addition to planning for the 2003 Teaching and Learning Conference, which will be held in Philadelphia, October 16-18, I’m also working on the 2003/2004 Professional Development Institute schedule, and I continue to work with schools and districts as a member of the ASCD Faculty. With the ASCD Faculty, I worked on Understanding by Design, and Instructional Leadership. I’ll also be working on Guide 2 and 3 of the Guide for Instructional Leaders Action Tool and continuing with my work with other ASCD initiatives and collaborations.

What are some of the institutes that people should just not pass up?

In February, we’ve got some exciting institutes in Philadelphia that include Understanding by Design with a focus on school culture, also Strategies for Enhancing the Environment of Diverse Learners.

Then, in April, we’ll be in Phoenix — Curriculum Mapping, and Designing Professional Development and Evaluation Institutes. In May our institutes are in Indianapolis and they will include Using Data for Student Learning and Strategies for Designing Standards-Based Units and Lessons. Of course, folks should also plan to attend in the summer the Differentiating Instruction Conference, the Understanding by Design Academies, and the Instructional Leadership Academy.

During Annual Conference, I see you working hard and attending a lot of the sessions. What are you looking for when you attend the Annual Conference?

Well, certainly, I’m looking to network with and learn from my education colleagues, as well as to continue to stay on top of cutting-edge research and focus on how it translates to supporting schools and districts throughout the world. In addition, I’m focused on extending my own professional learning to contribute to both my work here at ASCD and my personal commitment to continuous improvement.

Thanks Ann, and thanks to our Internet audience for tuning in to one of a series of online programs previewing the ASCD's 2003 Annual Conference in San Francisco.

Check back this time next week when we will post another interview with an Annual Conference invited speaker.

Before you leave this site, take a few minutes to visit the ASCD Annual Conference web page for the latest conference updates. I'm Kathleen Burke.