>The fly heard Dr. Arilotta and Bob Muller got their hair blown out yesterday.
It must have been that the New York Times was coming to visit Travell and Orchard school and interview the district about their fuzzy Math. Hmmmh, the NY Times, why didn’t Marty Brooks want to come and speak with the Times about how he implemented TERC in his last district?
Category: Ridgewood Schools
Welcome Reception for Marty Brooks Postponed
>Because of scheduling conflicts, the Board of Education is postponing the public welcome reception for Dr. Martin Brooks, the incoming Superintendent of Schools at the Ed Center, originally scheduled for Monday, June 11, 2007.
Meet Dr. Marty Brooks – June 11, 2007 @ 7:30pm Ed. Center
>The Board of Education is inviting the public to a welcome reception for Dr. Martin Brooks, the incoming Superintendent of Schools at the Ed Center, third floor, 49 Cottage Place, on Monday, June 11, 2007, from 7:30-8:30 PM. The informal occasion is the first opportunity for residents to meet Dr. Brooks who was appointed to the position at the May 14, 2007, Board meeting. He takes over the Ridgewood post on July 1, 2007.
New Schools Chief for Ridgewood
May 12,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Rkidgewood Nj, The Ridgewood school district has hired a longtime schools chief from Long Island as its new superintendent, capping a yearlong search by Bergen County’s largest school system.Martin Brooks, 59, who has been superintendent of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District for the past seven years, will be introduced to Ridgewood residents at a school board meeting Monday night.
Brooks, previously headed the Valley Stream Central High School District and Valley Stream Union Free School District 13, began his career as a teacher and guidance counselor in the South Bronx. He also has served in various administrative positions, including principal and assistant superintendent for curriculum.
Brooks co-authored the book “In Search of Understanding: The Case for Constructivist Classrooms,” with his wife, Jacqueline, Brooks earned his doctorate in educational administration from Teachers College, Columbia University.
He will be paid a base salary of $212,000, $35,000 less than his current salary in Long Island. Brooks plans to take up residence in New Jersey during the week and commute home to Long Island on weekends. He will have use of a leased car paid for by the district.
Brooks succeeds Superintendent John Porter, who was paid $195,000 a year and was in the fourth year of his five-year contract when he accepted a superintendent’s post a year ago in San Jose, Calif.The board’s meeting on Monday will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Education Center.
Marty Brooks responds to readers Inquiry
>Dear Ms. Edwards:
Thanks for this note. I’d like to make a few comments about the link you attached. The math wars, like the whole language wars of the past decade, are based on a false dichotomy: traditional education v. progressive education. Good instruction focuses on the needs of the child – every child, one by one – and no one approach meets the needs of all children.
The math issue is interesting in that the battle seems to be pitched around algorithmic fluency v. conceptual understanding. They are not mutually exclusive. Both are essential for mathematical literacy. Students who learn algorithms procedurally without conceptual understanding aren’t truly fluent because although they are able to answer questions correctly on tests (when the questions are posed in the precise format the students are used to seeing), they often have difficulty knowing whether to (and how to) apply that algorithm to new and different situations. Teaching for conceptual understanding helps children develop efficient strategies for computing. Understanding the concept that underlies the algorithm helps students know how and when to apply it, helping them to become more proficient in solving new, differently presented problems and/or more complex problems.
Programs don’t teach children, teachers do. Good teachers vary their instruction – and their materials – based on student response.
Respectfully,
Marty Brooks
BOE APPROVES SOCIAL NORMS SURVEY TO ADDRESS SOCIAL BEHAVIORS
The Board of Education approved student participation at Ridgewood High School in the Social Norms Prevention Campaign conducted through Rowan University. Social Norms is a proactive prevention model that encourages safe habits for students by correcting common misperceptions college and high students have regarding the prevalence of at-risk behaviors among their peers. The initiative was pioneered by Dr. Wesley Perkins of Hobart & William Smith University, who found wide disparity between students’ descriptions of their alcohol consumption and their perceptions of their friends and classmates drinking habits. Because perceptions influence decision-making, the Social Norms approach discourages at-risk behavior by publicizing the true nature of student social behavior. For example, while the media coverage of student drug use and binge drinking on high school and college campuses creates the impression that at-risk behavior is more pervasive than it is, the Social Norms message attempts to correct that misconception. The idea is that if students know the truth they will feel less pressured to engage in dangerous
practices themselves. By using hard data collected in surveys, Social Norms dispel the notion that most students binge drink on a frequent basis.
Because studies at the college level have shown success in reducing alcohol intake among targeted populations, the Social Norms approach has been modified for middle schools and high schools. The purpose is again to promote healthy behaviors through conveying positive, inclusive, and empowering messages that provide information on the true nature of social behavior among their peers. Statistics are accumulated using web-based surveys. Consent forms for individual students to participate will be mailed to parents or guardians. Because of New Jersey statute (18A:36-34) concerning parental consent, only students who have signed parental consent forms will be allowed to take part in the web-based survey. The study has been designed to protect each student’s privacy. The results of the survey will be used to determine which healthy behaviors are student norms and that message will be communicated via a multi-media campaign, including the use of posters, flyers, advertisements in student newspapers, bulletin boards, and newsletters.
