by Judy Robb

Another school year is rapidly drawing to a close and, as we complete one school year adventure, we are already looking forward to the next one. The BCASCD Executive is very excited to have planned a visit from Robert Sylwester in Castlegar on October 19 th. As well, Robert Aitken will be in Kamloops on that day.

Plans are also underway for our 4 th Annual Winter Dinner meeting. Details on that popular event will be available soon.

This is my last message as President of BCASCD. Leslie Andersson will be taking over in June; she is a strong leader and will be a great asset to the Association. I wish her well and thank all of you for your support of BCASCD and our activities over these past years.

Movement as the Central Concept in Cognition and Curriculum

Date: October 19th in Castlegar
Time: 9:00-noon, lunch, 1:00-3:00

Although movement in its various forms is our brain's defining function, key elements of the mastery of movement (such as in the arts) are unfortunately becoming less integral to educational policy and practice.  This presentation will explore the biological, cultural, and educational implications of movement, with a special focus on the dramatic discovery of the mirror neuron system that's central to learning complex movements (such as in speaking and writing), and so to education.

The Great Debate on school measurement

by Janet Amsden
Peter Cowley, director of School Performance Studies at the Fraser Institute and Dr. Paul Shaker, dean of education at Simon Fraser University argued on the topic of school measurement at the Newlands Golf Club in Langley on January 18. Organized by the BC Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the event was classic debate with each speaker giving timed statements and rebuttals.

BCASCD Annual Conference

by Carolynn Schmor
At this year's ASCD Annual conference in Anaheim, California the 2005 and 2006 ASCD Emerging Leaders met at the Emerging Leaders' Forum to re-connect and share our experiences as we pursue leadership paths in the ASCD community. Gail Clark Dickson, Director of Constituent Partnerships led us through ASCD updates including highlighting ASCD's Whole Child Initiative, The New Learning Compact. [more...]

Mirror Neurons

by Robert Sylwester (contributed by Leslie Andersson)
When parents conceive a child, their combined genetic information provides the developing embryo with the necessary boy building directions - such as gender identity, nose placement, and skin color. After the child is born, parents and other must provide cultural information about how to live in our complex social environment. They provide this mentoring principally through language and our brain's remarkable recently discovered mirror neuron system. [more...]

• President's Report
• Robert Sylwester
• The Great Debate
• BCASCD Annual Conference
• Mirror Neurons

The Great Debate Video

ASCD

Mirror Neurons