Skip to main content

Home/ Iowa Core Discussion/ Group items tagged alignment

Rss Feed Group items tagged

lgarza

lingro: The coolest dictionary known to hombre! - 0 views

shared by lgarza on 05 Jul 11 - Cached
  • Sources: Wiktionary (en) reversed(1); xdxf project (sdict) reversed(2); Audio: Shtooka Project. frn_misc.showTooltipMessage(i, '1 word in your history', 5000); Add to wordlist...  My First Wordlist 1 word in your history Click here to open link My First Wordlist
  •  
    This diccionario will be useful to myself and to my students.
Matt Townsley

That Alignment Guy: Introduction to Curriculum Alignment Foundations Series - 4 views

  •  
    Brad's series will likely be a must read for folks looking at outcome 4 this year and next. 
Matt Townsley

Iowa Core: Iowa Core & Alignment - 1 views

  • In 2010, legislation defined full implementation of the Iowa Core as "accomplished when the school or district is able to provide evidence that an ongoing process is in place to ensure that each and every student is learning the Iowa Core standards for ELA and Mathematics and the Essential Concepts and Skills of Science, Social Studies and 21st Century Skills. 
  • "If district leaders (administrators, teachers, and the school board) and other educators monitor and increase the degree of alignment among the intended, enacted, and assessed curriculum, then the quality of instruction will improve and student learning and performance will increase."  
Bradley Niebling

Iowa Core Curriculum - Home - 1 views

  • academic expectations of the Iowa Core Curriculum and Iowa’s core content standards — or “what” students should know. It also provides performance standards — or “how well” students should perform in certain areas.
    • Russ Goerend
       
      Are these standards just "good to know" or will schools be asked to merge their current standards with those of the ICC?
    • Matt Townsley
       
      From what I've learned...schools will be asked to document how they are meeting each standard. Sort of like quasi-state standards, if you will. Not sure if it is to *replace* local standards though. This is where I'm unsure.
    • Evan Abbey
       
      Districts will need to do an alignment of their curriculum with the core. They must cover everything in the core. My understanding is the core is supposed to be a core, and you should have time to add more than the core for the "local control" component. How they will be assessed is anyone's guess at this time.
    • Bradley Niebling
       
      The Iowa Core Content Standards are Iowa's state standards. This was put into code in Senate File 588 from the 2007 legislative session. So, every district is responsible for implementing all of the Iowa Core Content Standards. As for how this relates to the Iowa Core Curriculum, the statements I've heard coming out of the DOE are that by implementing the Iowa Core Curriculum, districts will be implementing the Iowa Core Content Standards, and going beyond them. Districts are not expected to do any merging or additional alignment work between these two documents. The idea is that if you implement the ICC, you won't have to engage in separate or additional work to implement the Iowa Core Content Standards.
  • Grade spans allow classroom teachers to reinforce and build upon previously mastered concepts and skills, and provide the most appropriate learning experiences for students to successfully progress through grade levels
    • Russ Goerend
       
      I like that "grade spans" pushes teachers in the span toward collaboration. I see that collaboration in the reinforecement and building aspects.
  • success in postsecondary education
    • Russ Goerend
       
      How would you define success in post-secondary education? Thinking back to the near-decade I spent in college, I would say it's a mix of interpersonal skills, finding and pursuing goals and passions, and realizing the importance multiple literacies.
    • Matt Townsley
       
      good description, Russ. The more I teach high school students, the more I think about what it means to "prepare them for postsecondary success." Does it mean lecturing for 60 minutes so that they're used to it when they take Bio 101? Does it mean assigning them 15 page essays in preparation for College Composition? Or does it mean preparing them with the essential content so that they have the appropriate pre-requisite knowledge their freshmen year of college? Or is it a combination of all of the above? I think if we can help them see the "life long learning" thing...AND somehow develop a relentless pursuit for excellence. I think it'd be cool if a student was so fixated on learning that he/she studied every single problem/concept/idea (wouldn't leave me or the computer or whatever other resource alone) until he/she was confident that it was understood. TOTALLY idealistic, but cultivating this type of passion towards learning seems to be a sure-fire ingredient for success at the post-secondary level.
  • ...3 more annotations...
    • Darin Johnson
       
      Must a meaningful curriculum prepare all students for success in postsecondary education? I hope more of the public buys into the idea of a Core Curriculum to address the increasingly competitive nature of a global economy. We are sending far too-many students to college who lack the necessary skills. values, and attitudes to shape our world.
  • meaningful curriculum
  • Come back often to experience review new content and learn about Iowa’s world-class education.
    • Darin Johnson
       
      This poorly constructed sentence needs revision. I'm not sure about the author's intent, but I would suggest something more like this: Come back often to experience new content and to learn about Iowa's world-class education. Moving from comments about style to comments about content, will this website actually help people realize we offer a "world-class education" in our state? Will it be updated frequently so that people will find new content?
Matt Townsley

WELCOME! (Heartland AEA 11: Alignment Wiki) - 8 views

  •  
    information about the ICAT alignment tool for outcome 4.
Matt Townsley

Ames Administrator Said Curriculum is Sound - Ames, IA Patch - 4 views

  • or eliminating the Iowa Core.&nbsp; Heidi Doellinger, the district's instructional strategist, said prior to the core curriculums each Iowa school district wrote its own curriculum but that changed when the Iowa Core was implemented. Doellinger said they aligned the district's curriculum with the Iowa core and again with the national core. “It's tedious doing this again and again,” she said. Related Topics: Ames Community School District, Curriculum, Dan Woodin, Legislators, Mandy Ross, No Child Left Behind, and Schools Email me updates about this story. [["validates_email_format_of",{"message":"Enter a valid email address e.g. janedoe@aol.com."}]] Website: Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story. &nbsp;Email &nbsp;Print Follow comments &nbsp;Submit tip &nbsp; Comment Leave a comment [["validates_presence_of",{"message":"Hey, you forgot to let us know how you feel \u2014 please enter a comment."}],["validates_length_of",{"too_long":"Easy there, Tolstoy. Your comment cannot exceed 1500 characters.","maximum":1500,"allow_blank":true}]] Website: Get Email Updates Send me email updates for this article Would you like to receive email updates about this article? Yes, please No thanks Make a new comment on this article Close Read More in Government <
Matt Townsley

Iowa Joins 49 States in Common Core Standards Initiative - Iowa Department of Education - 2 views

  • "Iowa is fortunate to have not only state core content standards, but also the Iowa Core Curriculum, which provides rigorous expectations for all students and gives teachers the tools to change teaching and learning in this state," Jeffrey said. "With our recently passed Iowa Core Curriculum, Iowa can easily incorporate national standards because the Core Curriculum provides more explicit guidance to reach high expectations."
    • Matt Townsley
       
      I find this whole discussion of 'common core standards' to be pretty intriguing. Not too long ago, Iowa was the only (?) state that did not have statewide standards - each district was charged was creating its own. Now we're on board with joining a coalition to create national standards. Things change quickly!
    • Gina Martin
       
      They need to be adapted to special education students that are severe and profound....we have to adapt our curriculum to meet these standards, but it would be nice if all schools in Iowa are using the same adaptations.
    • Kim Renning
       
      I find it interesting as well...We (Iowa) should be well on the way with the Iowa Core Curriculum.
  • The goal is to have a common core of state standards that states can voluntarily adopt. States may choose to include additional standards beyond the common core as long as the common core represents at least 85 percent of the state's standards in English language arts and mathematics. The second phase of this initiative is to ultimately develop common assessments aligned to the core standards developed through the process.
    • Matt Townsley
       
      moving towards national assessments?! I wonder what companies like Pearson think of this idea. Not that it really matters, but I could see some special interest groups becoming...'interested' in getting these contracts. Plan on keeping an eye on how all of this progresses.
  •  
    I thought this was interesting...
Matt Townsley

Should the Textbook Determine the Essential Skills We Teach? | AllThingsPLC - 6 views

  •  
    Although textbooks contain an incredible amount of content and a "game plan" for teachers, I believe that the most effective classrooms would use textbooks as a resource - not the only tool in the classroom. I also feel that many of the essential skills students need such as collaboration, inquiry, curiosity, innovation are hardly addressed by the standard text. There are so many current resources including and ways to publish, that teachers should be willing to break free from the textbook.
  •  
    In my world...teaching a Certified Nurse's Aid class at high school, the textbook certainly is the "ingredient list" of skills that are required for passing the State testing...how one mixes and stirs those ingredients however is open to interpretation and I feel strongly that students, particularly at the high school level need exposure to variations of the "recipe" of the CNA...hence they are taken on a variety of clinical learning opportunities, nursing home, respite care for children with disabilities, home health care....
  •  
    I agree that textbooks are the tools that introduce content. There are many other resources teachers can partner with the textbook to convey content in such a way that each student develops their own set of skills and knowledge. As each teacher has a different teaching style, each student has a different learning style and presenting the information in a variety of ways adds to their success in the understanding of the material.
Matt Townsley

Branstad wants teacher training money reinstated | The Des Moines Register | DesMoinesR... - 7 views

  • "But ... what we are being judged by are some assessments that are not aligned with what we say we value.
shawna poppen

Blogging About The Web 2.0 Connected Classroom: Twitter In Schools-A Getting Started Guide - 12 views

  • Twitter is beginning to catch on with many educators, schools are
    • Clint Balsar
       
      Thanks for sharing this article. I have used Twitter for some time, but on a personal level. I have a side business as a portrait photographer and have used it to stay connected and for some marketing. I was interested in how the article described the use of Twitter for a school community.
    • Doree Cronan
       
      Great ideas! Our school just launched a Twitter and Facebook account this school year. We are still in the beginning phase and this will help push it!
    • Gwen Wrich
       
      I too liked this...helping my learning curve rise much faster as I develop my PLN using Twitter and Diigo etc..
    • kassi Nelson
       
      This article has really made me think about how I can use Twitter in the Art room... my brain is overflowing with ideas!
    • Matt Winter
       
      I used to be against twitter but now I am starting to see the possible benefits of using twitter for the classroom.
  • Wednesday, June 15, 2011 Twitter In Schools-A Getting Started Guide The end of the school year is upon us however many are looking forward to next year. You may be thinking what can you do differently next year? How can you stand out above the crowd? How can your school become a larger part of the school community?While &nbsp;Twitter is beginning to catch on with many educators, schools are lagging in their adoption of the platform. But let's think about it. Twitter is a quick and easy
    • Carrie Olson
       
      I see the increasing interest in the use of twitter, but I am having a difficult time convincing other colleagues to use it. It seems to take fire only when twitter is an 'all in' tool for a staff of teachers. As much as I like twitter and see the usefulness so this as a tool of education, it has a significant amount of growth to do in order to be the mainstream tool within a school.
    • Dan Kuchera
       
      I see a use for Twitter by our school's Administration to push out notifications for: meeting reminders, congratulatory messages, weather related school closings, and sports scores. However, I believe schools and teachers need to be conscious of how much we push out -- having multiple posts a week by each of the seven or eight teachers that a high school student has in a day could be obtrusive. Our system uses PowerSchool and individual teacher websites to post: assignments, scores, and additional course specific information. Parents and students should be able to look up what they need when it is convenient for them as opposed to being messaged when it may not be.
  • along.
    • Lisa Yoder
       
      This link "listen now" isn't working....
    • Lisa Yoder
       
      Oh my! I am not a current Twitter user, so I am not familiar with exactly how it works, but I think I have an idea. This is probably a good examply of the "line" that separates those who are used to this technology and those who are good at technology but at the point of trying to figure out how and when to apply it. WHen I read the "Think First" section, I just kept picturing in my head classes/students/teachers being bombarded and interrupted all day long if they possibly hoped to keep up with Twitter posts. But as I read farther and saw it might be more intended to tweet to the public, I thought "ok", but ...... So, while I'm not turning my reception off to Twitter, I am interested to know how, when and for what purposes Twitter can be used in education. Interesting notion! I look forward to hearing more about its application.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • While &nbsp;Twitter is beginning to catch on with many educators, schools are lagging in their adoption of the platform. But let's think about it. Twitter is a quick and easy tool
    • lgarza
       
      web 2.0 connected classroom
  • What do you want to do with this account? What do you hope to accomplish? What do you want to communicate? So, you are going to have a Twitter account. Great! Why? What do you want to tell people? The possibilities here are really endless. But think beyond the basic stuff like picture day and what's for lunch. Consider taking pictures of kids doing collaborative projects or highlighting staff of the month. It can really go beyond all the regular communication and show the community what your school (or district) is all about. Who will be in charge of the account? Will there be just one person who will post or will you have multiple people who post? This is all situation dependent. I would say more than one person is great but too many and things can get out of hand and duplicate information could easily be posted. Keep it simple and experiment to find what works for your group.
    • shawna poppen
       
      Pertaining to the use of Twitter in the classroom and as part of the curriculum, I believe these questions to be paramount. Too often, with technology, especially networking sites we seem to jump in without much thought or planning as to how this will affect us and what kind of effect it will have on our intended users/viewers/public.
    • Cathy Wolf
       
      This is a great introduction to using twitter in the classroom and answers many questions I wouldn't even have thought to ask. It would make using to it more focused.
    • Jenna Stevens
       
      I think using Twitter in the classroom would be a great addition. Our school is planning on going to 1-on-1's next year, making it easier for everyone to access. I agree with the idea of being able to share some of the cool things the kids are doing with the rest of the community. Kid's get a bum wrap sometimes, when in fact they are doing a lot of really great things both in and out of the classroom that deserves recognition from the community. It would also be a nice way to update people about events going on at the school. For example, our softball team did a soup supper to raise money for the year. While they advertised in the more traditional sense, posters, e-mail's to the faculty, etc., many community members had no idea that this was happening. It would have been nice for them to be a part of the activity, if they would have had more information.
    • Brad Hames
       
      I never thought Twitter would be used in the classroom, but the more I use it and more I read about it, I am beginning to see the benefits of it
    • Christine Scott
       
      I can see where this would be good in the regular public schools. However, I teach at a detention facility and technology is a hard thing to incorporate with students, but think it could be a perfect communication tool for teachers involved with these students.
    • Patricia Westin
       
      I am not apposed to using Twitter in the classroom but am failing to see the benefit of having it in the classroom. We seem to have other tools that have a wide variety of uses. Twitter seems limited in comparison.
    • boothl b
       
      I am excited by the possibilities of this. But my problem is getting staff and families on board. We have a population where many families don't have internet. And many staff don't get their emails read so how do we add more things for them to look for? I would like more information on getting people on board. I don't want it to be a two-tiered system, where a small click in in the know and the rest are out.
    • Kathy Etringer
       
      We have a school wide Twitter account but I am not sure how I would use it in a kindergarten classroom. Any suggestions?
    • sarah block
       
      Parents in your class could follow your twitter account to see what you are doing on a daily basis!
    • Michelle Holt
       
      We have a district twitter account and have the possibility of a school account. I'm trying to picture my principal and lead teacher with time to tweet with everything else going on around them. I can see teems communicating this way which would help them to get input from other sources.
  •  
    Blogging in the classroom. Using Twitter in the classroom.
  • ...1 more comment...
  •  
    I like to read about how Twitter is used in the classroom.
  •  
    Communication is always the complaint that is registered by parents and students when it comes to schools. Having a school update come to you via your phone would be awesome. As always, decisions have to be made on what is the most effective way to communicate. Twitter could really bridge the gap in some cases.
  •  
    Great way to utilize the tool/resource instead of trying to block kids off of it at school. Will be sharing!
Kris Ward

Is It Worth It? - Sharing Data from Successful PLCs | AllThingsPLC - 27 views

  • It was very easy to get together and “chat” about things like lesson plans, travel forms, and recess procedures.&nbsp; It was not until we began to look at our data that we realized, by accident, that some of us were better at some things and some of us were better at others!
    • Jori Lizer
       
      It is amazing how all schools are similiar, when it comes to the nuts and bolts. We all have a group that have multi-talents if we could work with each other and benefit the students it would be a good day.
    • Clint Balsar
       
      This is a great resource! It goes very deep into the motives of using PLNs and breaks it down into a few ideas and questions so you can reflect on what a successful PLN would look like and how to utilize it for students' engagement and success.
    • Deb Sykes
       
      In the article, one district had late starts on Mondays for planning time for their PLCs. Our district plans to have groups meet once a month for 30 minutes. I'd like to hear what other districts are doing.
    • janet2658
       
      We are going into our 3rd year of PLC in my district. I think the idea is great and can be incredibly valuable. However, the group is only as powerful as the members in it. If all members buy into the concept, great things can come out of it. If members view it as a waste of time, come unprepared or do not participate then it truly is a waste of time. Getting members to believe is the most difficult part.
    • Sara Rowe
       
      We are just starting PLCs at my school. So far we have just had a training session about it. I will be interested to see how it works during the next few years.
    • Julie Collison
       
      The biggest hurdle for some districts may be having enough technology/computers available
    • rick gabel
       
      This is the first year of PLC's for Charles City. We are following a very 'patient' approach by 'dictating' the direction of the PLC's (everyone studies characteristics of effective instruction) for the first several months. Hopefullly, this will allow everyone to to understand the dynamics of PLC first before we allow individuals to 'breakout' by content or topic.
    • Alison Bixby
       
      This is our first year of PLC's in the Dike-New Hartford District. Like Charles City we are also easing into the direction our group wants to go. Right now we have two early dismissal days a month to meet. We are too getting to know the dynamics of PLC's to make them effective in our district.
    • vickiroberts
       
      This is our second year of PLC at GR. I ahve found working in our group this year during the extra 8 hours outside of school time very beneficial. Going 1 : 1 computers, this sharing has given us time to find new sources for ourselves and students to use as we improve learning.
  • “Is it worth it?” will always be a question for those interested in taking the PLC journey.&nbsp; While we have data to support it and strategies to share on how we have moved in the direction of learning for all, the greatest answer to the question is in the smiles of our children and stories of their parents as they know and share that student learning is what we are all about at Fort Leavenworth Schools.
    • Abbey Thurn
       
      How do you get something like this started in your school? Can you get everyone on board?
    • Rick Roberts
       
      Collaboration is key. Cant be a complaint session. Must have input from everyone.
    • Joanna Seymour
       
      I agree. When we start working on solutions to challenges, rather than complaining, educators can make incredible gains.
    • Diane Sperfslage
       
      Our PLC made little flags with photos of Norm from "Cheers" on wooden sticks. When one of us starts going down a different path with the discussion, any of us can hold up our "Norm" to remind us to stay on track. This works well for us because it is a humorous way to keep organized and doesn't hurt anybody's feelings.
    • Gwen Wrich
       
      Diane: I love the creativity and team-bldg. by using humor ...and yet being organized and productive.
    • vickiroberts
       
      Just attended a PLC of 4 regional schools last friday where we were trying to develop curriculum alignment amongst school. Develping this network on line will allow us as a gorup to "steal" activities from others, discuss best practices and share our successes and struggles.
    • Kevin Kleis
       
      It seems as though my school's PLCs have been overshadowed by PD and our mixture of content teachers, while good in theory, has not worked in practice. I am a foreign language teacher, the only one in my school, and I am always paired with art, music, PE and the guidance counselor. Then we are so structured that any type of 'ah-ha moment' cannot be realized, due to the constraints of the itinerary.
  • ...3 more annotations...
    • Diane Sperfslage
       
      Finding the time to meet consistently seems to be the biggest task for us. It seems that we begin to lose our inspiration when it is so complicated to get together.
    • Annette Watermiller
       
      We met in PLCs the last two years, but then became one to one and our focus has switched for this year. I wonder how this will change in the future.
    • Annette Watermiller
       
      I agree that time is the key. During basketball season my group was only able to meet at 6:30 am.
    • Diane Sperfslage
       
      I think these questions are so valuable to all of us. It forces us to think and evaluate what we are doing in the classroom and how much is necessary vs. "fluff".
    • Gwen Wrich
       
      I feel like I am coming up with more questions than solutions...yet am excited for the potential that increased PLC productivity can become using technology
  • she commented that one of the norms for her group was to&nbsp;leave their egos at the door.&nbsp; When everyone did that, honest conversations started to happen and learning was paramount.&nbsp; Realizing that it was not a personal affront to anyone when you spoke about data was a huge AHA moment for our teachers!&nbsp; It gave professionals permission not to have to be supermen and superwomen in their classrooms, but to focus on what they can do better – together!
    • Kris Ward
       
      We are very passionate about what we teach that this can be very true. Always remembering we are there for the students and not ourselves makes all the difference.
  •  
    Nice write-up about learning teams and the use of common formative assessments. 
  • ...2 more comments...
  •  
    Having a PLC and actually using it effectively is important. As teachers, we know we need the time to work collaboratively to make effective changes. This was an excellent source on how teachers worked together to improve performance. Goood key questions used to keep teachers focused on improvement.
  •  
    This is our first year implementing PLC at Dike New Hartford. We are in the beginning phases and are dismissing two hours early twice a month. The big idea of focusing on learning and not teaching is a big shift in thinking, but a much needed one. After spending three days in Minneapolis, I feel I have a good handle on what a true PLC should look like, but not sure a lot of my teaching partners due yet.
  •  
    I would like to see more time in our school devoted to PLC...with increased focus on technology...this stuff takes time yet in the long run would SAVE so much time. I have to say technology gets me more excited as to the access of information than the actual Iowa Core does.
  •  
    I am in my first year in a district that uses PLCs for professional development. I find it to be a great way to share ideas and learn from colleagues from a variety of curricular areas; very worthwhile professional development.
1 - 12 of 12
Showing 20 items per page