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Saturday, December 31, 2011

Calling all educational editors with APA formatting and bibliographic experience


I'm looking for a solid, competent and reliable editor with APA experience and experience working for educational markets who can check my manuscript for Pearson's Allyn & Bacon, teacher development. I'll need someone to iron and smooth out all APA inconsistencies regarding in-text citations and references. The ideal person will also be able to format my manuscript according Pearson's very strict guidelines.

Please send references including your rates and contact information to: Dorit Sasson, sassondorit@gmail.com

Thank you!
Dorit

Friday, December 30, 2011

News - Ways to Support This Blog

Wake Up
You wake up, grab a cup of coffee and head to the computer to check today's email.

Smile
You smile when you see there's one from Writing for the Education Market. It's one of your favorite resources for finding leads specifically for your niche. You've been a subscriber for a long time, maybe even since it's birth, January 6, 2008.

Friends
Laura, Beth, Karen, Michele. These are names you've grown to trust - friends who graciously tell you about leads, growing this community. How can you ever thank them?

Growth
They've even added a forum for education market writers to discuss leads, debate methods, sleuth suspicious activity and support each other.

Epiphany
At a suggestion from a company that hires a number of this blog's subscribers, Laura has finally added a Donation button. Finally, there's another way to show how important the Writing for the Education Market blog is to you.

Options
There are many ways to show appreciation for this blog.

  • You can post thank-you comments. 
  • You can spread the word to grow the readership. 
  • You can click on the advertisers on the blog page or the email feed (Hey, the blog makes money off of that?! I never knew.)
  • And now you can donate directly by clicking the Donate button at the top of the right column. It's a new and permanent feature, so it will be there if you ever need it in the future. 
Community
This blog was created to fill a need, not make a buck. Laura felt alone in her niche and wanted to reach out to other writers in the education market. She understood the value of reaching out to help others. And so Writing for the Education Market was born. We will continue to provide leads even if you don't donate, but we certainly love a kind word. 

Thank you for 3 years together. We look forward to several more.
The Writing for the Education Market Team

Education-Related Leads for Fri, Dec 30, 2011

Education



Business



Other

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Senior Director of Assessments and Standards (FT, Boston)

NOTE: Not our usual post, but you may know someone who might be interested in this posting. 


Laura


Organizational Overview:
Top performing low-income schools across the country are demonstrating that the achievement gap can be closed. One common practice in these schools is how they effectively use student achievement data to identify gaps in student learning and then relentlessly target their teaching to catch up students who are falling behind.  Founded in Boston in 2005, The Achievement Network (ANet), an entrepreneurial non-profit organization on the cutting edge of the education reform movement, is designed to help schools achieve excellence and dramatically improve student achievement.

Founded in 2005, ANet currently serves 252 charter and district schools educating over 60,000 students in Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, Newark, Chicago, Tennessee, and New York City. Schools that work with ANet have significantly increased the percentage of their students scoring advanced or proficient on state year-end summative tests – and more than two times better performance than average school performance in states.

ANet’s comprehensive solution builds partner schools’ capacity to use data effectively in their schools and increase student achievement. There are three major components that make up ANet’s partnership with schools.  First, we provide standards-aligned quarterly assessments and user-friendly data reports to determine which standards students are mastering and which standards students are struggling to comprehend. Second, ANet provides intensive coaching to help schools use the data effectively to action plan and re-teach concepts students have not yet mastered.  And third, ANet facilitates a peer network of leaders and teachers for best practice sharing and collaboration to accelerate improvement in schools across the network.

Position Overview:
We are seeking a Senior Director of Assessments and Standards to manage the Assessment Team and ensure the quality, accuracy, and deadline-driven development of our interim assessments.  This team is responsible for creating interim assessments in Math and ELA grades 2-8 that are customized for each network of schools that we serve.  Our assessments are aligned with both state standards as well as the Common Core state standards (CCSS).  The Assessment Team operates within the national Program Team and the Senior Director will work closely with our Network and logistics teams to ensure the delivery of assessments that meet schools’ needs to provide high quality instructional data to teachers. Additionally, the Director will manage the assessments analytics relationship between the assessments team and the research and evaluation team and will be the liaison with outside strategic assessment consultants engaged by the organization.   The ideal candidate is customer service and detail-oriented with a track record of managing a strong product-driven team, has a thorough understanding of standards-based instruction and assessment design and quality, and is highly motivated by having an impact on closing the achievement gap.   The Senior Director will oversee a staff of five full time team members and numerous part-time consultants and will report directly to the Vice President, Program.

This position offers the unique opportunity for an entrepreneurial, results-oriented individual to become a member of the ANet team in Boston.

Responsibilities:
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
·          Develop and manage a team of five, including assessment developers and managers, through promoting a culture of high performance, continuous improvement, and work/life balance
·          Manage the development process of over 500 individual ANet interim assessments annually with a zero error rate
·          Oversee and develop a rigorous item and assessment creation process that ensures high quality
·          Successfully work with external consultants on behalf of the organization
·          Lead strategic thinking around the development of new and expanded assessment initiatives, such as the implementation of CCSS integration and additional grades and subject areas
·          Establish strong partnerships with Network Team and other internal departments to ensure that the needs of the schools and network staff are met, including the pacing of assessments, level of rigor, and feedback process
·          Identify and systematize successful operational and project management methods across the assessment team
·          Recommend strategies and structures for how the department can improve processes and product features while working with external consultants
·          Drive the gathering and analysis of data and analytics for internal and external reporting
·          Develop strategies with staff to build the capacity of the assessment team and implement professional development opportunities to increase their skills
·          Manage relationships with external strategic assessment consultants
·          Manage the department’s budget including sizable philanthropic grants
·          Perform other related duties as assigned

Required Skills and Characteristics:
In order to be successful in this role, the ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:
·          Belief in The Achievement Network’s mission and strategy:  Embracing assessments and data as meaningful tools for raising student achievement, professional development as a critical lever in improving school achievement, and network collaboration as a powerful means of spreading best practices across schools
·          Proven capacity for managing and developing people with the ability to connect with staff and execute accountability
·          Proven ability to manage efficient systems, structures and processes to improve department performance
·          Working knowledge of ELA and Math curriculum standards
·          Strong knowledge of best practices of assessment design and use in grades 2-8
·          Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with a variety of people including school staff, network staff, team members, and external constituents in a variety of contexts, ranging from onsite trainings to online communication
·          Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
·          Strong sense of customer service orientation
·          Strong team player
·          Highly flexible with a desire to work in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced workplace
·          Technical proficiency with MS Office

Experience and Educational Background:
·          Bachelor’s degree required and master’s degree preferred
·          Minimum of 6 years of full time work experience, including management or supervisory experience
·          Experience in a customer service environment
·          Experience with standards-based education and data-driven instruction required
·          Graduate school work in relevant programs beneficial

Benefits and salary:
Salary for this position is competitive and depends on prior experience and qualifications.  We also offer a comprehensive benefits plan.

How to Apply:
The Achievement Network is soliciting applications for this position immediately.  To apply, please visit our website, http://www.achievementnetwork.org/careers/ and click the "Apply Now” button.  You can review our positions, create an application, and upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling and urgent basis. 

The Achievement Network is committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization.  We are an equal
opportunity employer and seek individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to apply to this position.

Director, Common Core Initiative (FT, Boston)

NOTE: Not our usual post, but perhaps you may know someone who might be interested in this posting.


Laura



Organizational Overview:
The Achievement Network (ANet) is a fast-growing non-profit organization dedicated to helping close the achievement gap between students from low-income communities and their more affluent peers.  We build the leadership capacity of schools in low-income communities and districts/CMOs by providing practical tools and trainings that set the academic bar high for students, embed data driven practices into daily actions, and facilitate interactions with like-minded schools that accelerate learning.   Focusing on grades three through eight, we provide interim assessments in English Language Arts and Math aligned to high standards, reports identifying school, class and student strengths and gaps, training and coaching to school leadership teams and teachers on how to address these gaps, and forums for sharing performance data and best practices across a Network of participating schools.  This comprehensive school partnership has produced measurable student achievement gains in our Network schools since our founding in 2005.

In the current 2011-2012 school year, we are working with nearly 260 schools in eight geographic networks: Boston, MA; Washington, DC; New Orleans, LA; Newark, NJ; Chicago, IL; Tennessee; New York City and Western Massachusetts.  Over the coming years, The Achievement Network will expand its successful existing Networks and open new Networks. 
 
Position Overview:
We are seeking a Director, Common Core Initiative to lead our strategic direction in supporting schools to make the transition to the Common Core State Standards, as part of ANet’s recent Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant award to integrate these standards into ANet’s program. This person will oversee the development of tools and trainings (both for internal team members and schools) for the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and new assessment system.  This person will also be charged with developing strong personal expert knowledge of and facility with specific assessment tools, namely those produced by the Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) and the Shell Centre.  Further, this person will be responsible for integrating these tools and trainings into standard ANet work.  The ideal candidate is motivated by having an impact on closing the achievement gap by creating strategies and tools that help others execute our program effectively.  This person will work closely with the Managing Director, Coaching Strategy and will collaborate regularly with ANet’s networks, assessment, scoring and reporting, and other departments to ensure strong integration of the all program elements.  This position will report to the Vice President, Program.


Responsibilities:
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
·         Developing content expertise on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) to provide strategic recommendations to ANet’s CEO, Network coaches, and Program and Assessment Departments
·         Developing and facilitating trainings for ANet coaching staff on the CCSS and the PARCC/SBAC assessment consortia that support them as experts in the field
·         Maintaining and appropriately disseminating up-to-date information on the progress of the PARCC/SBAC assessment consortia
·         Developing tools for ANet schools to use, in conjunction with ANet program, that will accelerate their transition to the Common Core State Standards
·         Developing and delivering trainings to select ANet schools that support them in transitioning to the CCSS and new assessment system including:  basic overviews, planning workshops, integration of performance tasks into instruction, and other relevant topics
·         Adapting and developing Common Core Assessment Tools training for implementation, including LDC and Shell Centre tools
·         Collaborating within ANet to integrate Common Core Assessment Tools trainings into standard ANet work; working with the Vice President of Assessments and Standards to integrate Common Core Assessment Tools as a measurement of student mastery of key skills and concepts as a complement to ANet’s current interim assessments; ensuring that these integrated assessments are aligned to the Common Core State Standards
·         Developing, refining, and reporting on execution milestones related to Common Core Assessment Tools to the Gates Foundation

Required Skills and Characteristics:
In order to be successful in this role, ideal candidates should demonstrate the following:
  • Belief in The Achievement Network’s mission and strategy:  Embracing assessments and data as meaningful tools for raising student achievement, professional development as a critical lever in improving school achievement, and network collaboration as a powerful means of spreading best practices across schools
  • Expert strategic-thinking skills, and a curiosity to solve complex problems and get to the best answers
  • Exemplary written and verbal communication skills (able to boil complex ideas into logical and simple articulations)
  • Significant experience developing and organizing professional development trainings
  • Working knowledge of the standards and best practices of assessment, as well as strong assessment expertise in both mathematics and literacy in grades 3 through 8
  • Successful experience in building strong, collaborative relationships
  • Alignment to ANet’s core values
  • Successful management of self, projects, and others
  • Be able to travel as required
Experience and Educational Background:
  • Minimum of 6 years of teaching experience required, including:
    • Expertise in mathematics in grades 3-8
    • Expertise in literacy in grades 3-8
    • A proven track record of high achievement results (two or more years preferred) required; teaching in low-income urban communities highly preferred
  • Experience with standards-based education and data-driven instruction required
  • Graduate school work in relevant programs beneficial

Benefits and salary:
Salary for this position is competitive and depends on prior experience and qualifications.  We also offer a comprehensive benefits plan.

How to Apply:
The Achievement Network is soliciting applications for this position immediately.  To apply, please email a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity (in Word format) to careers@achievementnetwork.org, subject line “Director of Common Core Initiative”  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling  and urgent basis.

The Achievement Network is committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization.  We are an equal opportunity employer and seek individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to apply to this position.

Monday, December 12, 2011

EFL Writers and Content Editors for Young Learners Needed


Compass Publishing (http://www.compasspub.com) is looking for writers and content editors for a 4-skills series of textbooks targeted at 4- to 6-year-olds. Successful applicants will have a kindergarten classroom background and experience with EFL/ESL materials or curriculum development. This is a short-term project, with the writing scheduled to be completed between March and June 2012 and the editing stage to be completed slightly later. Payment will be a flat rate, to be discussed later. Potential for further short-term opportunities. Compass Publishing is based in South Korea, but primary contact will be with an acquisitions editor based in the US. Please contact annetaylor@compasspub.com with resume and details of experience.