Perhaps not everyone would connect the work of Catholic educators with activities such as swimming with sharks or rolling about the sand, Cashin said, but the school leaders who gathered at Fordham on May 28 have proven through their efforts that the two professions share some key philosophies.

Like Navy SEALs, educators embrace diversity, confront danger, persevere despite hardship, and demonstrate remarkable self-discipline, Cashin said in her keynote address at the 21st annual Catholic School Executive Leadership Dinner, hosted by the Graduate School of Education (GSE). This year, GSE recognized 13 principals whose schools have exemplary service programs.

A key navy philosophy is not to judge anyone by the size of her flippers, said Cashin, a clinical professor of educational leadership, administration, and policy. For educators, this means not allowing others’ gender, nationality, skin color, and other superficial elements hinder collaboration.

“We don’t choose many of the characteristics we have,” she said. “We have to remain open to diversity and not prejudge people. Working on that is essential to building community.”

She went on to describe an activity during SEAL training known as “the sugar cookie.” The SEALs put on their dress whites, perfecting every detail of their uniforms, and then are told to dive into the ocean and roll in the sand.

“The activity is not about having the perfect uniform—it’s about whether you can take it when you have done everything perfectly and then you’re made to run in the waves,” Cashin said. “The lesson is in humility and getting yourself up against all odds.”

For both Navy SEALs and educators, there will always be sharks to contend with. “They are taught that if the sharks start circling, never swim away. Stay your ground and face the danger head on,” she said.

Finally, Cashin said, at the heart of successful leadership is a very simple navy philosophy: Always make your bed.

“How could you be successful without self-control, or being disciplined?” she said. “And besides, even if you have a lousy day, you go home and your bed is made. You know you started out right.”

Outgoing GSE Dean James Hennessy, PhD was recognized for his longtime service to the school. Hennessy, who has served Fordham for 41 years, is stepping down after 10 years as dean to return to the GSE faculty.

“Service learning is very important, but it rests upon solid education,” said Hennessy, who received the Pro Universitate Medal at this year’s commencement ceremony.

“My great hope is that institutions like Fordham and Catholic universities across the country will continue to support K-8 Catholic education, because that is where our future leaders in ministry will come from.”

“I said, ‘Thank God, you should be flattered,’” said Fariña, now the chancellor of the New York City Department of Education.

She told the story on March 24 at a Fordham event to drive home the importance of collaboration among educators, as opposed to the closed-door attitude that has prevailed in the past.

“If you had a good idea as a principal, you were encouraged not to share it with somebody else,” she said. “Good principals make sure that teachers share with each other. Teachers need to be working with each other in some format to develop plans for making teaching better throughout the school.”

Fariña delivered the keynote address at the ninth annual leadership conference held by Division of Educational Leadership, Administration and Policy at Fordham’s Graduate School of Education (GSE). She also stressed collaboration across schools, not just within them, referring to the city’s Learning Partners program that brings schools together to share strategies.

“When you have to explain your practices, you get better at what you do,” she said.

She emphasized the need for principals to visit classrooms frequently, know who the best and worst teachers are, and overcome any reluctance to “writing up” a teacher when necessary.

“That’s not to say that we want to be on this bandwagon to be nasty, but we really also need to have high standards for ourselves,” rather than having them imposed from without, she said.

“The kids are why you’re there,” she said. “The students all deserve a good teacher.”

Principals should “be humble” to help build trust within schools, she said: “Have one-on-one conversations with everyone in your building. Ask people, ‘What can you do better? What can I do to help you? What is it that’s keeping you from being a more effective teacher?’ And make sure that when you get those answers that you direct your leadership to making sure those people feel you’ve heard it and answered it.”

“This is not about being ‘king of the hill’ or being the autocrat in the building,” she said.

She appeared alongside James Hennessy, PhD, dean of GSE, and Ernest Logan, president of the city’s Council of School Supervisors and Administrators.

Logan asked what Fariña will do in her second year to ensure that people at the school level get the support they need when they seek help from the city bureaucracy.

Fariña said the city has 15 new superintendents better prepared to answer principals’ questions, and also seven new borough field directors along with teams whose expertise is more tailored to each borough’s educational needs.

In response to a question from Hennessy about how the education department will partner with schools of education, she cited the need for specialization: in teaching autistic children, for instance, as opposed to those who have handicaps or learning disabilities. Also needed, she said, is expertise in teaching “dual” populations in schools that serve gentrifying areas.

There, the deans of nine Jesuit education schools came together for the annual meeting of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities.

The morning session, which drew administrators from across the nation, addressed the ebbs and flows of enrollment. A common concern was that the value of professional training in education is under assault.

Mark Meyers, Ph.D., dean of the College of Social Science, Health and Education at Xavier University, noted that Ohio’s new governor eliminated the pay raise that teachers traditionally received when they earned a master’s degree. In addition, there are contradictory messages coming from the top tiers of state government about whether there will be more jobs in teaching, he said.

“No one’s going to sign up to take a graduate course if they don’t know whether they’ll have a job,” he said.

Jon Sunderland, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education at Gonzaga University, concurred.

“Our biggest hit—because of state legislation—has been in professional development activities. The State of Washington also took master’s degrees off the payroll increment scale, so people are not looking for master’s degrees; it does them no financial good,” he said.

A recent report by Stanford University that questioned the value of a master’s degree in teaching has done incredible damage, said Shane Martin, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education at Loyola Marymount University.

“All over the country, and particularly in California, folks hold that up and say, ‘Research definitely says that a master’s degree in education doesn’t do a damn thing,’” he said.

“I’d like to see us address that, because our master’s programs do have value.”

On the issue of enrollment, most attendees reported that they had declines this year.

There were some bright spots in the conversations. Michael Pardales, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education and Human Services at Canisius College, noted that counseling programs seemed to be faring well. He suggested that—like their business school counterparts—education schools should emphasize the uniqueness of Jesuit education.

“Having come to Canisius from a state institution, I’ve seen a definite difference in the way we prepare teachers,” he said. “It could be a piece of the overall puzzle of how to leverage our brand.”

David Prasse, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education at Loyola University Chicago, agreed that for-profit schools are a threat because privatization is so in vogue, many for-profit schools are allowed to operate even after they have been exposed as inferior.

Susan Douglas Franzosa, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions at Fairfield University, said that tuition increases have had an undeniable effect on enrollment, which surged two years ago, then leveled off, and then dropped this year.

She advocated taking a long view, though, noting that the fortunes of professional schools have always been subject to swings.

“If you think back 15 or 20 years, nursing was having a lot of trouble, but now there are not enough spaces to educate nurses,” she said.

The meeting, which was attended by John King, the New York State Commissioner of Education and New York area deans of schools of education, was meant to address changes being proposed for teacher evaluation and preparation.

James Hennessy, Ph.D., dean of the Fordham Graduate School of Education, chaired the meeting along with Joan Lucariello, Ph.D., University Dean for Academic Affairs The City University of New York.

“We’re joined here today by members of board who really committed to understanding your issues. We would prefer that you lay everything out so that some fresh air can enter the dialogue between us. It is not helpful for us if you have your conversations by phone with each other,” Tisch said.

“As with anything, there will points that can be addressed, there will be points of commonality, and then there will be points of disagreement. But if everything’s not on the table, then the conversation continues to take place in the shadows. This is our opportunity to get it out of the shadows.”

The three and half-hour meeting was dedicated to addressing:

-Race to the Top;

-Assessment of Teacher Educator Effectiveness;

-The Adequacy and Use of Video in Performances-Based Assessment

-College and Career Readiness

“A Conversation with New York City Schools Chancellor Cathleen P. Black” was part of the Fifth Annual Leadership Conference, sponsored by the Fordham Graduate School of Education’s (GSE) Division of Educational Leadership, Administration and Policy.

“It was a great opportunity for the new schools chancellor to meet many of the principals and to hear some of their concerns,” said John Lee, Ed.D., clinical professor at GSE who chaired the conference. “She seemed open and was eager to learn more about some of the concerns that principals had. It was a good opportunity for the principals who hadn’t met her to hear from her and ask her questions. We were delighted to provide the opportunity.”

James Hennessy, Ph.D., dean of GSE, introduced Black, who spoke to principals and answered their questions for about an hour. Among the concerns brought up by principals were:

• Expediting the removal of unsatisfactory teachers

• Receiving necessary supports in terms of special education/special needs students

• Being provided with more and quicker communication from the central Department of Education so that principals aren’t the last to find out about developments that will impact their schools.

A big concern raised by principals was the issue of student placements—specifically the placement of special need students and students from schools beings closed by the DOE affects the future performance of the schools they are placed in.

The conference included a panel discussion with Gerald Cattaro, Ph.D., ELAP Division Chair; Lester Young, Ed.D., (GSE ’78) Regent-At-Large, The University of the State of New York; Ernest Logan, president of the Council of Supervisors and Administrators; Barbara Kirkweg, principal of Bronx Aerospace High School; Jacqueline Gonzalez, Network Leader NYC Department of Education and Kathy Cashin, Ed.D., clinical professor at GSE who was on March 8 appointed to represent Brooklyn position on the New York State Board of Regents on March 8.

“It was also interesting for the principals gathered to hear comments and reflections on Chancellor Black’s remarks, as well as on other timely issues, from the panel of leaders and policy makers,” said Lee.

The Sussman Sales Company, Inc., was a co-sponsor of the event.

GSE has been educating leaders to make a difference in the lives of children in the fields of teaching, psychological services and educational administration since 1916. It offers more than 40 program options for masters, professional diplomas and doctoral degrees at its Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses.

Fordham’s Graduate School of Education (GSE) will co-sponsor the 2011 Young Child Expo & Conference on April 7 and 8, in the Hotel Pennsylvania in Manhattan.

The conference, organized by Los Niños Services, brings together top leaders to provide the latest information about essential topics in early childhood development. Early childhood professionals and parents will also learn about services, resources and products to help all children reach their full potential. In one unique event, this conference integrates learning about typically developing children as well as those with special needs, including autism.

James Hennessy, Ph.D., dean of GSE, will present the Excellence in Early Childhood Award, to Ami Klim, Ph.D., director of the Autism Program at Yale University. The award recognizes early childhood professionals who are extraordinary champions and advocates for young children and their families. Klim has conducted groundbreaking research in the area of early assessment of autism.

Klim will deliver the keynote speech on Thursday, April 8, at 8:30 a.m.

For more information on program and speakers, or to register to attend the conference, please visit http://www.youngchildexpo.com/

Los Niños Services is a multilingual agency serving the developmental needs of young children and their families.

Both sides squared off on March 8 at “The Future of New York City Schools: Has Mayoral Control Worked?” The meeting of New York City public school principals was held at the Lowenstein Center on the Lincoln Center campus.

The discussion was sponsored the Fordham Graduate School of Education’s (GSE) Division of Educational Leadership, Administration and Policy. It was triggered by a vote—set for August—on whether Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office should retain control of city schools.

First to offer their views were Dennis Walcott, New York City deputy mayor for education and community development; and Marcia Lyles, Ph.D., deputy chancellor for teaching and learning.

They were followed by a panel featuring Michael Mulgrew, vice president of career and technical high schools for the United Federation of Teachers (UFT); Ernest A. Logan, president of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators; and James Hennessy, Ph.D., dean of GSE.

William F. Baker, Ph.D., president emeritus of WNET and Claudio Aquaviva Chair and Journalist in Residence at Fordham, served as moderator.

Walcott stressed how dysfunctional the system was before the school system underwent a radical reorganization in 2002.

“The system we put in place is a system of coherence, a system of accountability, a system of reform, a system that drives information not just to the principal, not just to the teacher, but to the parents as well,” Walcott said. “It’s a system that holds me, it holds the chancellor, it holds the mayor, it holds the principals accountable as far as results are concerned. It’s not a system based on politics.”

Lyles spoke about the school district’s high turnover rate when she was a superintendent under the old system. She said she constantly felt pressure to hire friends and relatives of board of education members. Aside from removing those pressures, she said the whittling of 32 districts to 10 regions had brought order where once there had been chaos.

“With 32 districts, there were 32 different kinds of programs going on. Subsequently, there was very little coherence,” she said. “Standards were not necessarily the same from one district to the next. The criteria for accountability was very different.”

In addition to increasing accountability in a coherent and organized fashion, she said, the new system also allows principals to determine what works best in their schools.

“We can work with you; we can support you; we can guide you; we can be there when you need us there; but ultimately, you must be responsive to, and accountable to, the children and the families of your community,” she said.

William F. Baker addresses Michael Mulgrew, Ernest A. Logan and James Hennessy in a panel discussion. Photo By Patrick Verel

Representing those who oppose mayoral control, Logan accused the mayor’s office and the Department of Education of copping out by saying the mayor is held accountable because he is elected, noting that Bloomberg gets elected for a host of other reasons. Talking about how bad things used to be is not helpful, either, he mentioned.

The union’s biggest disagreement with the current structure, he said, is that it holds schools accountable for student performance, but does not hold administrators accountable for providing guidance to principals.

A suggestion by the UFT that most of the city’s 13-member panel for educational policy be chosen by someone other than the mayor has been rejected, which he said shows that city education officials are not serious about transparency.

“There are a lot of positive things that have happened, but the lack of transparency and the closing out of the community is the biggest issue,” Logan said.

Mulgrew said the expansion of city schools—as many as 40 new schools are slated to open in the next few years—is a perfect example of the opaqueness under which the Department of Education operates.

“If we’re having a budget cut, where we have to split money up between 1,500 schools, why are we adding to the mix to have even less money for each school?” he asked.

The Human Resiliency Institute, established in May at Fordham College at Lincoln Center, will bring interdisciplinary study to the techniques that allow some people to easily handle tense times at work.

For its first project, the institute will focus on the airline industry—specifically, three airports in the region where employees are getting training in how to solve problems, defuse tensions and bounce back from moments of conflict and angst.

“The front-line people … work in a highly stressed environment,” said James Hennessy, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate School of Education (GSE), where the institute is based. “Helping them deal with those stresses is what resiliency is all about.”

The director of the institute, Tom Murphy, developed a resiliency training program, called Resiliency Edge, for the airline industry. The training also offers lessons for other sectors where tensions run high.

He brought Resiliency Edge to JFK International Airport in May, and found that 97 percent of participants found it effective. The training kicked off at Newark airport on Nov. 19 and came to LaGuardia Airport on Dec. 16.

The institute will augment GSE’s human resources degree program while providing new research opportunities to other academic departments, Hennessy said.

“There’s an opportunity to carve out an area of research focusing on the effects of resiliency training on workforces, wherever those workforces happen to be,” he said.

The institute is already working with the Graduate School of Business Administration and will likely reach out to the Graduate School of Social Service, Hennessy said.

Murphy said hospitals have already started inquiring about his training program. He got the idea for the program after seeing how airline employees responded to the 9/11 attacks.

As a longtime customer service expert who trained thousands of people in the airline industry, he felt their grief at seeing their colleagues perish in the attacks. But he was struck by how vigorously they performed on the job, despite their anguish.

“I saw people lose a lot,” he said. “I could see them being brave and strong, and I wanted to see what the source of their strength was.”

In his book, Reclaiming the Sky (AMACOM, 2006), he gives some examples. Anne MacFarlane, an information agent at Logan International Airport in Boston, sought to help others after losing her daughter—also an airline employee—on United Flight 175.

“Rather than withdraw from life, she went right back into it, which was a powerful lesson in resiliency,” he said.

Murphy’s training program shows workers how to manage pressures and focus their energies on solving customers’ problems, using the traits of adaptability, optimism, engagement and proactivity.

Research will focus on potential benefits such as cost savings and better employee retention and morale, Murphy said. Safety will be another study area, since employees who are more attentive to customers may also become more attentive to their environment, he said.

“That’s the purpose of the institute, to come in with that evaluative arm,” he said.

Murphy has also been working with Fordham’s Center for Catholic Leadership and the Archdiocese of New York on a program, Everyday Givers, that teaches service principles to students at Catholic high schools in the area.