For sixty-years, the Curriculum Study Commission has planned the Asilomar conference and taken a stand on the important educational issues of the day for sixty years. Members of the commission are elementary, middle and high school teachers, librarians, researchers, college professors and school administrators; actively working or retired. As a group of people we are dedicated to providing teachers with the opportunity to participate in meaningful professional development, while experiencing one of the most beautiful physical settings in central California.
The commission’s goal is to support teachers by addressing issues that are relevant to the profession; i.e. – the state of education, current research into best practices, new ways to teach modern and classic literature. Because the conference is set up to foster collaboration, participants have an active voice in each of the session discussions. Fostering a professional learning community, long before it became fashionable, has been the aim of the commission for these 60 years. Therefore those who attend sign up for 1 session and cover the topic in depth. Teacher voice and contribution is a primary factor in making Asilomar unique.
In these days of federal and state mandates, budget cuts and public scrutiny, teachers often feel undervalued, under-appreciated and misunderstood. While many people in the public arena openly espouse their opinions of education and educators, the voices of the classroom teacher are seldom heard. As we listen to those denouncing public education, it is often unclear whether or not those speaking have actually spent time in a classroom, or even in a school, in the past few years.
It is time for educators to be heard. Therefore we dedicate the 60th anniversary of Asilomar to the teacher. We are determined to give teachers a venue to share their story with others. To tell stories that will comfort other teachers who need to know that they are not alone. To relate stories that will honestly explain the frustrations, successes, failures, and lessons learned by those directly involved in educating the youth of today. “Stories Out of School,” while following Asilomar’s familiar format, will also strive to capture teachers’ stories on video with the goal of publishing those stories on the web. We want everyone to know about the work of the classroom today. We encourage you to come to Asilomar 60, to not only expand and/or refresh your professional interests in the beautiful scenery of Pacific Grove’s Asilomar grounds, but also prepared to tell your story. What is your story? It can be a reflection on a particular event or incident, or reminiscence about current classroom conditions. What do you have to say about the state of education today? You will have the opportunity to record your thoughts and reflections. Join us in telling our “Stories Out of School.”
