Avant Assessment

:: Partners

:: Focus on Users

:: Leadership
:: Career Opps

Spotlight on You: Janis Jensen

Director of the Office of Academic Standards,
New Jersey Department of Education, New Jersey

New Jersey's position at the forefront of standards-based world language education is due in large part to the passion and leadership of Janis Jensen, currently the Director of the Office of Academic Standards for the New Jersey Department of Education.

What were the key approaches and strategies that led New Jersey to that position?

In her earlier role as state coordinator of world languages, Janis offered a compelling vision to drive education policy; and created an infrastructure to support policies focused on reform-based learning and teaching, assessment and professional development with the support of the Department of Education, the Foreign Language Educators of New Jersey and educators in the field.

State policies supporting early language learning, focusing on proficiency as a target using performance-based assessments, and including world languages as a graduation requirement have had a dramatic effect on district world languages programs and on both preservice and inservice teacher preparation. To that end, Janis initiated semi-annual Seminars on Teacher Preparation for World Languages that focus on the importance of collaboration between colleges of education and foreign language departments in the overall preparation of world languages teachers. These ongoing events also encourage teacher preparation institutions to become actively involved in department initiatives related to systemic reform in world language education and to facilitate opportunities for professional development for post-secondary practitioners. She also collaborated with the University of Oregon's Center for Applied Second Language Studies (CASLS) and Avant Assessment to obtain a FLAP grant in order to assess New Jersey's eighth grade foreign language students over a three year period. The data generated from that FLAP grant project is fueling New Jersey's educational reform efforts and has provided new findings to the field on the relationship between student achievement and time and frequency of programs.

Other initiatives that provide an infrastructure to support state world languages programs include: Regional Roundtables of Supervisors of World Languages, New Jersey World Languages Model Program Resource Centers, the development of the first state Alternate Route Center for World Languages and the first state approved Accelerated Chinese Language Teacher Certification Program. Most recently, and as part of the state's high school redesign efforts, Janis conceptualized a plan for a proficiency-based high school world languages pilot program, New Jersey's Model for High School Reform in World Languages: Building a Linguistically and Culturally Competent Workforce, to be implemented through a consortium consisting of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the Foreign Language Educators of New Jersey (FLENJ) and the NJDOE in fall 2009.

What are Critical Attitudes for Success in the Classroom?

As an award-winning world language teacher for 27 years, Janis believes that certain key beliefs played a significant role in her classroom success. Specifically, Janis set high expectations for her students which motivated them to accomplish more than they initially believed they could. Those high expectations are based on the belief that as part of one's educational philosophy and practice, teachers must 1) believe all students can achieve, 2) provide students with meaningful learning experiences to foster motivation and interest in language study and make its relevance in the real world apparent, and 3) nurture a sense of self-confidence and pride in student achievement. One of Janis's greatest rewards has been having former students follow her footsteps into teaching.

What are the Greatest Challenges at the State, District, and Local Levels?

While teaching had its set of challenges at the individual student and school program level, Janis says that education administration brought a whole new level of challenges, and trying to effect change at the state level across all content areas is a formidable task.

Janis's experience in world language education has contributed strongly to her current work with other content areas which includes overseeing the development of the 2009 revised state standards. The hallmark of the new state standards is the focus on the infusion of global perspectives and 21st century knowledge and skills. The challenge at all levels is consistent -- to create standards and educational policy that is supported by assessment and professional development, and to enable all students to graduate with the knowledge and skills needed within the context of globalization and in preparation for life and work in the 21st century.

Advice for World Language Educators

To build a successful statewide initiative, adopt the Three Pronged Approach

start by building a foundation of sound educational policy,
implement quality infrastructure and assessment, and
encourage and train teachers to keep an eye on the target of proficiency as beneficial to students and society.

What are Janis' goals for outcomes and hopes for the future?

World Language programs, and education programs at large, will prepare students in their role as global citizens to live and work peacefully and successfully with people from other cultures in a technologically-driven, globally-oriented society.

For more information about Janis Jensen, please visit NJASCD