|
Home
|
 |
What readers say...Who reads the Marshall Memo? Principals, assistant principals, teachers, superintendents, consultants, education professors, writers, and others. Click here to read the results from the 2006-07 questionnaire filled out by 845 readers in the summer of 2007. Here is a selection of comments from subscribers: The Marshall Memo is an information-packed distillation of the
six or seven most important articles on school improvement culled
by Kim's discerning eye from hundreds he reviews. He is brilliant
at doing an accurate précis of dense material and delivering it
in a highly readable package that arrives without fail every week. In a world without time, there's no better way to be kept abreast
of best practices and research than reading the informative and
lively Marshall Memo. It's a must read. The Marshall Memo is an indispensable source for educational leaders, teachers, policymakers, and professional developers. The Memo saves time and money and, most importantly, provides a consistent stream of timely research and commentary on the most important educational issues of the day. Few people have time to read all of the research available in this field, but everyone has time to read the Marshall Memo. Given the hectic pace of life as a school leader, it is difficult to sort through all of the reading materials that come across my desk to identify the articles really worth my time and attention. Kim is able to pick out what's truly important in various professional and research journals and summarize - in clear and concise language - the key points relevant to effective school leadership. The Marshall Memo is the ideal tool for school leadership because it both adds value and saves time. For busy educators who despair at keeping up, the Marshall Memo
is indispensable. I'm hooked. I cannot overstate my appreciation of the Marshall Memo. It is truly a gift to educators. Kim Marshall's compelling summaries of the best, most practical articles of the week are my favorite source of information about schools and improvement. I glean more valuable information from the Memo in a short time than anything I have ever come across. Marshall has an unparalleled talent for summarizing. Subscribe to it! You will never regret doing so. I don't have the time or skill to do what Kim does so well.
He prepares exceptionally clear, succinct, yet comprehensive summaries
of the articles that are most relevant to the work I'm trying to
accomplish here in Lowell. Principals and Central Office coordinators
here tell me that it's equally valuable for them. For the overworked (is there any other kind?) principal the
Marshall Memo is invaluable. For years, I have felt guilty as I
leave my office late on Friday afternoon and see that pile of "professional
magazines/journals" growing in the corner.....still unread, often
not even unwrapped. There never seems to be enough time to do the
work and keep up on the reading/research. The Marshall Memo is my
lifesaver. It is beautifully organized, easy to read AND all of
the important educational issues/ideas are just a click away. Even
during the most "harried" week I find the time. I share relevant
articles with faculty and staff and they love it! For example, a
group of upper elementary teachers, the literacy specialist and
I are meeting next week to begin planning a Literature Group for
our reluctant readers, boys in grades 3, 4 & 5. Our discussion began
when I sent them the excerpt from Reading Today "Boys and Books"
by Jane McFann August/September 2004 which I recieved in the Marshall
Memo. Whether you're a busy educator or a less busy consultant like
me, the Marshall Memo is a weekly gift. This thorough, thoughtful
digest offers a quick and easy way to keep abreast of the important
literature in our field without sifting through the periodicals
yourself. With all that a principal has to read, the fact that I couldn't
wait to read the Marshall Memo each week speaks volumes. The summaries
are so well-written and comprehensive that you feel as though you
have read the entire article. Kim selects just the right quotes
and data to make it an interesting read, as well. Each week I found
ideas I could use in my school, in my weekly parent letters, or
in planning professional development. Perhaps most importantly,
the Marshall Memo makes me feel connected to a larger, often invisible,
community of educators, all of us often working alone. During the
time I read, think and use the ideas in the Marshall Memo, I feel
the strength of that community and get another surge of energy and
commitment. Reading the Marshall Memo is like reading a national newspaper.
Without the one you're not an informed educator, just as without the
other you're not an informed citizen. The Marshall Memo is a welcome review of many pieces of educational
literature that I would not have been able to access. The time saved
by the memo gives me the chance to put some other things in place
at the school and/or review some of the information with the staff.
For any principal, the Memo is a welcome addition to have information
on the latest research and interventions going on in different school
systems. I enjoy reading it every week! The Marshall Memo is unparalleled in providing digestible and
relevant summaries of articles and theory applicable to the preparation
and effective functioning of principal leaders. I am also a subscriber
to ASCD's Daily NewsBrief and the PEN Weekly NewsBlast, which give
me broad and national coverage of the educational scene, but do
not provide the specific attention to classroom and school performance
that the Marshall Memo provides. Ever since I started getting the Marshall Memo, I have felt
much more in tune with the world around me. It has sparked several
ideas for me and I have shared pieces with others at my school.
Kim's memos are an amazing way to stay involved intellectually while
being pulled by so many of the immediate demands of school leadership. The Marshall Memo is an extraordinary resource for the busy
educator. Kim is a superb writer. His memo is easy to read and I
have enjoyed every issue. In addition, I have never felt so well
read and up-to-date with the current literature. I wholeheartedly
and enthusiastically recommend the Marshall Memo to you. Once you
begin to receive his Monday e-mails, you'll wonder how you ever
got along without them. The Marshall Memo prompts the busy administrator to stop and
re-focus on larger issues that can easily become hidden under the
details of daily school functioning. It saves time by allowing me
to better focus my additional reading. I have also found that having
this knowledge readily available allows me to informally share information
with staff that could lead to enhancing instruction. I read the Marshall Memo faithfully. Having summaries of the
most important educational articles relating to equity and excellence
has been invaluable to me. Kim Marshall homes in on the most important
aspects of leadership in choosing which articles to send us. I have
used articles and quotes from the Marshall Memo with my teachers.
The Marshall Memo has informed my practice as a leader for the past
year. I make a hard copy of each memo for my "Leadership" binder.
I highly recommend the Marshall Memo for any school leader. I have found the Marshall Memo to be insightful, carefully targeted,
and remarkably concise in detailing current research in education…
I cannot think of a master educator whose opinions and reporting
of factual information I would trust more… This has been a huge
timesaver for me! I love the Memo! It provides a really valuable digest of research
and information, which can then be stored on my laptop for handy
reference whenever questions come up! I just use my search function,
and it takes me to the relevant entries. Plus, Kim always gives
the full reference, so that if you want to read the original, it
is easy to go and find. I also really appreciate the web addresses
that are often included. Some have been real gold mines! Thank you,
Kim! Reading the Marshall Memo this year has been incredibly helpful.
Whenever one begins to wonder just what direction to take to make
progress, I just sit back and scan the highlights of your summaries.
I come away with a clear vision of what works and the confidence
to pursue a strategy. Sharing these best practices is how we are
going to raise student achievement and can inspire everyone involved
- teachers, administrators and board members - to new levels of
success for our schools. The Marshall Memo is a Reader's Digest for school administrators.
The summaries are to the point. I often directly quote from the
Marshall Memo in our weekly circular to remind our staff in continually
novel ways that our single goal is to raise the achievement of students.
I also like to share the research that the Marshall Memo outlines,
which often justifies the best practices we are trying to implement
in our school. I look forward to the Marshall Memo every Monday as it has helped
me tremendously keep up with the current research in the field as
well as assisted my graduate students with various scholarly topics. As a new principal, I find the Marshall Memo invaluable. The
concise research summaries keep me well informed and the links allow
me to delve deeper into areas where I know my school needs more
work. The common-sense, jargon-free language is most welcome. I
learn something new with every issue. Thank you for helping so many of us reflect, transform, and
improve ourselves as professionals and, perhaps more importantly,
as people... I cannot adequately explain how much Kim's memos mean
to me... the strategies, the information, and the inspiration are
very motivational.... I have been using excerpts from each memo
to begin my weekly memo to the staff... I use the inspirational aspects
to motivate and encourage my colleagues and me to continue to have
passion... I use the informational strategies to help us do what we
do more effectively... I regularly do my own searches of the memo, and pull together little "research reviews" in response to client interests and/or my own passions. I save these searches on my laptop, and add to them as new articles come along. When a client has a specific question in the interest area, I comb the research review, and pull out a couple of the most relevant articles to their context and share them. Once again, you provide the most awesome resource out there! I'm almost hesitant to share it, because then people know how I can be so smart! Thank you! |
||
(c) Copyright 2008 Marshall Memo LLC.
222 Clark Road, Brookline, MA 02445. 617-566-4353. kim.marshall8@verizon.net.
Website by Micah Lee Designs.