The Training Wheels Are Off

Nancy Faust Sizer–author, educator, CES Executive Board Member, and wife and partner of CES founder Ted Sizer–concluded Fall Forum 2016 with these remarks, which we are honored to share with you. I came down here this weekend determined to be brave. I had my “talking points” all ready. First, I planned to note that Ted was an historian: he knew that reform movements don’t last forever, especially those, like ours, which are so dependent on philanthropy. Our ideas, while sensible and popular with many in high and low places, are not locked into law. They are expensive, as innovation always
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A Culture of Caring and Justice

Dave Lehman, who was for many years the principal of Alternative Community School in Ithaca, New York (renamed Lehman Alternative Community School in Dave’s honor when he and his wife Judy, the school’s secretary, retired), joined us at Fall Forum 2016 to share his thoughts about the CES Common Principles in action, concluding a three-part keynote that also included remarks from Emily Garlock, a student at Steller Secondary School and Benadette Manning, a teacher at Fenway High School. We’re honored to share Dave’s remarks here. It began on a fall day early in the 1986-87 school year when our English and drama
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The Truth about Teaching and Learning

Benadette Manning, a math teacher at Fenway High School in Boston, joined us at Fall Forum 2016 to share examples of the power of the Common Principles, joining a three-part keynote that also included remarks from Emily Garlock, a student at Steller Secondary School and Dave Lehman, the long-serving and now retired principal of Lehman Alternative Community School in Ithaca, New York. We’re honored to share Benadette’s remarks here. Good Morning, my name is Michelle Obama…just kidding—I just wanted to get your attention! Good morning, my real name is Benadette Manning. I have been a teacher at Fenway High School in Boston for 15 years. I
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School as Family

Emily Garlock, a senior at Steller Secondary School in Anchorage, Alaska, joined us at Fall Forum 2016 to share her thoughts about life and learning at her school, leading off a three-part keynote that also included remarks from Benadette Manning, a teacher at Fenway High School and Dave Lehman, the long-serving and now retired principal of Lehman Alternative Community School in Ithaca, New York. We’re honored to share Emily’s remarks here. I am a 17-year old student Anchorage, Alaska, which is pretty far, but I wanted to come and share my story with you and why being at a school like mine is
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Fall Forum Evaluations and Feedback

Please visit the Fall Forum 2016 evaluation form to share feedback, kudos, and suggestions for improvement with Fall Forum’s hardworking workshop and session facilitators. We designed this form for you to visit multiple times, after each workshop, session, or talk. We will share your feedback (anonymously) with facilitators and speakers. Thank you!
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Visit Youth Development Organizations!

Visit Providence’s Fabulous Youth Development Organizations! A Fall Forum Pre-Conference New Addition Thursday, December 1, 3:00 – 5:00 pm On the afternoon of Thursday, December 1, we invite Fall Forum guests to visit a few of Providence’s youth development organizations. Providence is known nationally for being home to forward-thinking community-based organizations that are partnering with our city’s young people as they pursue their passions. Please note: we are also talking with Community MusicWorks about a rehearsal open house. As soon as we have that information, we will share it. This is an open house event; feel free to drop by
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Fall Forum 2016: The List

Fall Forum 2016: The List (so far) Here the list–so far!–of the schools and organizations that will be represented at Fall Forum. Because many folks are coming in teams, this represents far more than 400 people. We can’t wait to see each and every one of you, and we appreciate your commitment to the CES network. We’re going to do amazing work together next week. Check this out to get a jump start on the connections that you’ll make–and we’ll update this as additional registrations come in.   360 High School Abeo School Change Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment ALA Academy
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Fall Forum 2016 Welcome Letter

A CES Big Idea by George Wood Per tradition, the chair of the CES Executive Board welcomes guests to Fall Forum. Here’s this year’s welcome, from CES Executive Board chair George Wood. On behalf of the CES Executive Board, I would like to welcome you to the CES Fall Forum. As CES founder Ted Sizer always called this, our gathering is again a conversation among friends. Throughout its history, CES has been the center of progressive, student-centered and teacher-directed innovation in education. Terms that today seem commonplace in the best schools, such as advisory, block scheduling, and performance-based assessment describe
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Fall Forum Voices from Our Schools

At the start of Fall Forum’s second day, Saturday, December 3, three people representing different stages in their lives as learners, teachers, and leaders will share their stories. We are honored to introduce you to these speakers today. Emily Garlock Emily Garlock is a senior at Steller Secondary School in Anchorage, Alaska. Emily loves to read, write, do puzzles, participate in sports, and travel. She hopes to have a job that takes her around the world.  Emily came to the CES Fall Forum in 2014 in San Francisco and was inspired to come back to share her experiences of the ways a CES
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“Let’s Talk” Sizer and CES Papers

“Let’s Talk”: Theodore Sizer and the Founding of the Coalition of Essential Schools       December 1, 2016, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm John Hay Library, 20 Prospect Street, Providence, RI Please join us at “Let’s Talk:” Theodore Sizer and the Founding of the Coalition of Essential Schools exhibit, December 1, 2016, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm, at the John Hay Library, 20 Prospect Street, Providence, RI. “Let’s Talk,” an exhibit at Brown University’s John Hay Library, highlights archival material from the collected papers of Theodore Sizer and the Coalition of Essential Schools from the creation of CES and
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