ASKING QUESTIONS, EXPLORING OPTIONS, CHANGING THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.

School House

Please speak! Advice for teachers of autistic students.

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Her stature is confident, and she speaks matter-of-factly. A room of at least one hundred people is watching her with attention and delight, eagerly absorbing her words as she explains a few common symptoms of autism; delayed speech, lack of eye contact, preference for solitary play, difficulties interacting with people. You could conclude that a person with autism would probably have great difficulty speaking to a room of people, maybe even difficulty speaking to people at all. The riveting speaker delivering this information is Dr. Temple Grandin, and her bombshell is; she has autism. Yes, you read right.

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Leadership

Are you free on Friday, 09/30/11, at 2:15pm?

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The Consulting Club and the Education Leadership Club are proud to announce a unique event set to take place at 2:15pm this Friday, September 30, 2011 at Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business: The Importance of Convergence in the Social Sector. The best part: the event is complimentary and open to the general public! We would like to share this great opportunity with all of you, REEP Blog readers, and invite you to attend.

Special guests from McKinsey & Company and Neighborhood Centers, Inc. will address the importance of convergence in the social sector and discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with this approach. This event will also be a great opportunity to hear about some of the awesome work that is taking place in the Houston community.

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Faculty Insights, Leadership

Patience, please…NOW!

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Have you ever had a parent “go off” on you?  This may be one of most disconcerting times in the life of an administrator, especially the first time it occurs.  We have all heard the advice that one should not take it personally.  What a joke!  Of course, it is personal!  The challenge for me as an administrator was to turn this extremely negative happening into a positive.  Since it is the time of year to have those required conferences, it seems timely to have some thoughts on the subject.

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Ed News

Pressing the Issue

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In basketball, the full court press is a thing of beauty.  The press is a defensive formation in which the team will apply man-to-man or zone coverage to either block the inbounds pass or to trap the offense in back or midcourt.  It takes determination on the part of the pressing team to initiate this strategy.  However, when it is done well, the press can lead to quick turnovers, putting the team far ahead of its opponent. 

Similarly, many parents of children with disabilities experience the educational version of a full court press when they attend their children’s ARD/IEP meeting.  (more…)

Innovation, Making a Difference

Cognitive Sprawl: A learning landscape of expansion without intention

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This is my maiden entry in the Rice blogosphere, but I have stalked the REEP Blog for a couple months now.  My name is Kap McWhorter and I have sojourned in education for the better part of the last decade.  I have held administration and teaching positions in both private and public schools.  I have been everything from the Campus Pastor/High School Religion teacher at a small private school to my current position with Humble ISD as Small Learning Communities Coordinator.  Smattered amidst these varied experiences are extended periods of work in the non-profit sector and global relief organizations.  These seemingly incongruous experiences have found harmony in my current work in directing Finding Heroes, a non-profit organization committed to providing meaningful learning experiences by connecting students and educators to the needs of their local and global communities. (more…)