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Matt Townsley

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

www.iowa.gov/...index.php

shared by Matt Townsley on 07 Jul 09 - Cached
  • "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
      Matt Townsley on 13 Jul 09
       
      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
      Gina Martin on 07 Apr 10
       
      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
      Kim Renning on 07 Apr 10
       
      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
      Matt Townsley on 13 Jul 09
       
      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.
  • Corey St. John on 07 Jul 09
     
    I thought this was interesting...
Russ Goerend

Assessment & Teaching of 21st Century Skills - Melbourne University - 0 views

www.atc21s.org

assessment 21st Century

shared by Russ Goerend on 11 Jun 09 - Cached
  • Russ Goerend on 11 Jun 09
     
    Haven't been able to look too far into this yet, but thought it was worth sharing.
Matt Townsley

AEA 267 News » Blog Archive » Are students learning? How can parents know? - 4 views

news.blogs.aea267.k12.ia.us/...nts-teachers-and-students-know

icc formative assessment

shared by Matt Townsley on 23 Feb 10 - Cached
  • Clear achievement targets or criteria for success are provided to students and parents in student friendly language before instruction begins. Doing so informs students what is expected of them upfront. Imagine how difficult it would be for a young person to build a log cabin for the first time without a picture, and then get graded on how similar their log home is to the picture they did not get to see. That would not be fair. However, providing clear achievement targets to students and parents before instruction begins can be a very efficient, effective, equitable formative assessment strategy.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 31 Mar 10
       
      I enjoyed this article because the concept seems so basic. Providing clear instruction for students and parents so they know what is expected of them. A recipe for success.
Matt Townsley

A new way to grade: Standards replace letters in Waukee | The Des Moines Register | Des... - 2 views

www.desmoinesregister.com/...andards-replace-letters-Waukee

sbar standards-based assessment

shared by Matt Townsley on 07 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • Students will receive statuses of "beginning," "developing," "secure" or "exceeds" in 10 to 12 objectives - or standards - per subject instead of traditional letter grades.
  • "It's a very emotional topic," Reeves said. "A big thing is it's not standards versus grades. It's, 'Are we giving parents and students better information to improve their performance?' "
  • It's critical that before you move students on in their learning, you actually know what it is that they have control of and at what level," he said. "This method does that."
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • Students can progress from one group to the next, and have the ability throughout the year to retake the assessments to prove proficiency.
Matt Townsley

Formative Assessment and Standards-Based Grading webinar - 1 views

www.youtube.com/watch

sbar formative assessment marzano

shared by Matt Townsley on 03 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • Matt Townsley on 03 Jun 11
     
    archive of webinar led by Bob Marzano
Matt Townsley

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

www.desmoinesregister.com/...article

assessment bridgettewagoner icc

shared by Matt Townsley on 13 Jul 11 - No Cached
  • "But ... what we are being judged by are some assessments that are not aligned with what we say we value.
jmitsch

Cool Cat Teacher Blog: QR Code Classroom Implementation Guide - 0 views

coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/...room-implementation-guide.html

qrcodes classroom guide

shared by jmitsch on 06 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • QR Codes are barcodes of information that hardlink the physical world with the online world.
  • They can save us time. They can save paper. They provide a link to mobile devices that help students do their homework and follow along.
  • Adobe air QR Code reader
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • Once on your computer, it is a picture that can be put into presentations, graphics, and blog posts.
  • type in a website name and generate the code
  • Common QR Code Problems
  • Mobile Websites Don't Show All Features. Problem: When used on a mobile device, many websites (like Ning) will take you to their mobile-enabled website which may leave out the item (like a blog) that you need to assess. Solution: Look at the bottom of the page for the "view the regular version of this website" link. I recommend this if you're on an ipad, in particular.
  • 7 Uses of QR Codes in the Classroom
Bradley Niebling

Iowa Core Curriculum - Home - 1 views

www.corecurriculum.iowa.gov/Home.aspx

curriculum iowa ICC

shared by Bradley Niebling on 31 May 09 - Cached
  • 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
      Russ Goerend on 31 May 09
       
      Are these standards just "good to know" or will schools be asked to merge their current standards with those of the ICC?
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      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
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jun 09
       
      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
      Bradley Niebling on 09 Feb 10
       
      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
      Russ Goerend on 31 May 09
       
      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
      Russ Goerend on 31 May 09
       
      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
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      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
      Darin Johnson on 17 Jun 09
       
      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
      Darin Johnson on 17 Jun 09
       
      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?
Gene McCracken

Simple Math | Education | Change.org - 1 views

education.change.org/...simple_math

shared by Gene McCracken on 30 Jun 09 - Cached
  • Another time, a student asked me out of the blue—not in class, just in the course of a normal day—what I knew about counting in base 2 (a.k.a. binary numbers, the basis for digital computers). A spontaneous quasi-class ensued, as she and I looked things up, using a chalkboard to piece together the mysteries, treating it like a puzzle or a grand game: When do you add another digit? When is a 1 replaced with a 0? and so forth.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 08 Jul 09
       
      this is an inspiring example. how can we create/foster/encourage more of this type of conversation in our classrooms?
  • "A Mathematician's Lament"
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 08 Jul 09
       
      an outstanding read for any and all math educators; agree or disagree, it's a nice conversation starter.
  • We learn things because they interest us now, not because they might be useful later. But this is exactly what we are asking children to do with math...Of course it can be done, but I think it ultimately does more harm than good. Much better to wait until their own natural curiosity about numbers kicks in.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 08 Jul 09
       
      I appreciate this point, but it seems to go against so much of the daily grind of public education, i.e. curriculum mapping, assessments, instructional decision making, etc. I wonder how/if we can make this big shift? Have other countries already done so?
    • Rob Kleinow
      Rob Kleinow on 01 Apr 10
       
      I think a big part of this is how the system was created and its goals. Much of learning does not fit well in an "efficiency" driven model with common standards for all.
  • ...2 more annotations...
    • Gene McCracken
      Gene McCracken on 09 Apr 10
       
      It is not remembered because it is not used. Math is a literacy and about 20+ years behing reading - Reading across the "content areas" - around a long time. "Math across the content areas" - a long way off. In math applied is weak; abstract is king. I recall the quote "Why do I need to learn this math stuff? Oh, you need it for your next math class!" Relevent only for the next math class.
  • The only chance we have is to hammer away at the stuff bit by bit every day for years. Even then it does not work...Give me a kid who wants to learn the stuff—well, twenty hours or so makes sense."
    • Susan Sandholm-Petersen
      Susan Sandholm-Petersen on 10 Apr 10
       
      It is true that when our students have intrinsic motivation, it is so easy to teach! But can our passion for our subject area engage and inspire students who might not otherwise even think that they could find something to interest them in that area?
Matt Townsley

The Changing Face of Education in Iowa: Iowa Core, in a Nutshell - 4 views

eabbey.blogspot.com/...iowa-core-in-nutshell.html

ICC formative assessment

shared by Matt Townsley on 18 Dec 09 - Cached
  • Matt Townsley on 18 Dec 09
     
    Evan Abbey explains the ICC in terms practitioners can understand
  • Matt Townsley on 18 Dec 09
     
    A must read for all interested in the Iowa Core Curriculum.
Matt Townsley

PBIT Lesson Template with Formative Assessment - Google Docs - 1 views

docs.google.com/...edit

pbit

shared by Matt Townsley on 19 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • Matt Townsley on 19 Mar 11
     
    This template will make sense for math teachers who are familiar with "problem-based instructional tasks"
Joanna Seymour

Framing and Learning - 0 views

www.allcbl.com/...framing-and-learning.html

cbl pbl curriculum formative assessment education 21st Century

shared by Joanna Seymour on 11 Oct 11 - No Cached
  • Joanna Seymour on 11 Oct 11
     
    A direction that many schools need to consider is adding more challenge based learning opportunities. The CBL framework is constructivist, the experience is authentic, and the outcome is relevant because it makes a difference in the students' school, community, or world.
Matt Townsley

The Changing Face of Education in Iowa: Mt. Washington is 6288 feet tall - 3 views

eabbey.blogspot.com/...hington-is-6288-feet-tall.html

ICC

shared by Matt Townsley on 13 Nov 09 - Cached
  • When we discuss the Iowa Core, this is an example of what we need to do. Get rid of the rest of that stuff. Determine what is important. And then have a deeper lesson, leading to deeper conceptual and procedural knowledge, with authentic and formative assessment. Which will lead to permanent learning.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 13 Nov 09
       
      quadrant D learning...
  • Matt Townsley on 13 Nov 09
     
    Evan points out a need to examine how we will look at the ICC, through the lens of his daughter's SS class.
Todd ZInkula

Assessing Your School's PLC Progress | AllThingsPLC - 0 views

www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress

shared by Todd ZInkula on 29 Jun 11 - No Cached
    • Todd ZInkula
      Todd ZInkula on 29 Jun 11
       
      This is the big question when working in PLC's.  I hope your second year goes better than ours.  
Margaret Jodeit

Race to the Top evens playing field, challenges teachers | The Iowa Center for Public A... - 0 views

www.iowawatch.org/?p=4236&cpage=1#comment-11752

shared by Margaret Jodeit on 02 Jul 11 - No Cached
    • Margaret Jodeit
      Margaret Jodeit on 02 Jul 11
       
      That Assessment portion is a critical piece to have! I hope the Iowa Department of Ed is working on it.
Mary Neumayer

Education Update:Taking the Fear Out of the First Year:Professional Learning Communitie... - 4 views

www.ascd.org/...l-Leaders%27-Perspectives.aspx

shared by Mary Neumayer on 30 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • What do we want each student to learn? How will we know when each student has learned it? How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning?
    • Abby Hendershot
      Abby Hendershot on 30 Jun 11
       
      My school system has been doing PLC groups for 2 years but I think we need to think about these questions while decided what we want to do in them. I think we jump from one thing to the next and do not think about the students.
    • Tara Liston
      Tara Liston on 29 Aug 11
       
      I believe that thiese are important questions you must think about when deciding what you are going to discuss. My PLC group really tried to think about what we wanted the students to learn and how we were going to help them!
    • Rick Roberts
      Rick Roberts on 29 Aug 11
       
      My school is also in the second year. Getting better at working together rather then just complaining. Will take commitment from everyone.
    • Alison Bixby
      Alison Bixby on 04 Oct 11
       
      We are in the first year of our PLC groups, and these are the questions that our groups are focusing on. Our goal is to help every student, no matter if they are in our class or not. I think these are great questions to help us help all of our students!
    • Lowell Young
      Lowell Young on 10 Jun 12
       
      PLC groups (as defined by DuFour) seem to be easier to implement in a larger school with more than one teacher teaching a specific class. Developing a true PLC will not be an immediate process. After hearing speakers at the PLC conference in St. Louis, it is amazing what some districts have done with these.
    • Colleen Olson
      Colleen Olson on 29 Oct 12
       
      These are questions that our administrator has had us ask ourselves for two years now. It keeps us focused on our students and what we need to do for each of them.
    • Mary Neumayer
      Mary Neumayer on 12 Jun 13
       
      I'm hoping that my school will consider a real PLC within the next year or two.  These questions would be a good jump point.
  • So what is the true definition of a PLC? On its Web site, the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory explains that the term describes "a collegial group of administrators and staff who are united in their commitment to student learning." Administrators and staff work collaboratively to create shared goals, assess student understanding and learning, and improve their own teaching practices.
    • shawna poppen
      shawna poppen on 30 Aug 11
       
      These PLC groups will become ever more important as the dynamic of a teacher's responsibility continues to change. As in, not only are we teaching these children together, but in some cases playing father, mother, role model, confidant, etc.
    • Joanna Seymour
      Joanna Seymour on 11 Oct 11
       
      Julie Crotty from AEA267 explained that there are essentially two terms we are confusing. There are plc's (lower case) that are the more informal learning communities where the community can explore any goals. Then there is the PLC (upper case) which represents the definition you describe. As I understand it, in a PLC, a group of educators would be analyzing student data, determining goals, and deciding how to attain measurable student achievement.
  • Because of teachers' busy schedules, it is important for administrators to allot specific time for teachers to meet as groups. "It's absolutely immoral to tell teachers they need to collaborate and not give them the time to collaborate,"
    • Matt Winter
      Matt Winter on 30 Oct 12
       
      I think one of the most valuable ways we spend in-service time is by teachers bouncing ideas off each other. I know each time we go this I come away with a good idea or two of what I can do in my own classroom.
  • ...2 more annotations...
    • Colleen Olson
      Colleen Olson on 29 Oct 12
       
      This is so important. I agree with Mike Mattos comment about being immoral, but more importantly, it does nothing but bring down staff morale.
    • Mary Neumayer
      Mary Neumayer on 12 Jun 13
       
      Very important point - additionally this must be a priority for all teachers in the district.  Too often non-required classes (music, PE, vocational, special education) are skipped or seen as a low priority for collaboration time.
  • when teachers participate in a learning community, students benefit as well, as indicated by improved achievement scores over time
  • Brenda Schnell on 30 Aug 11
     
    Learning as a group with interactive members has been proven to be beneficial. I haven't been involved with a PLC, but I know when I start teaching, I will want that support group. I think a lot depends on what is set as an objective for the lesson and if it is easily measurable.
Michelle Hill

Iowa Core Curriculum facing uncertain future - 1 views

wcfcourier.com/...ab-11e0-8042-001cc4c03286.html

icc iowa assessment curriculum 21st Century core

shared by Michelle Hill on 29 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • Michelle Hill on 29 Jun 11
     
    Once a month a small group of Irving Elementary School teachers gather to talk shop. It isn't just water cooler conversation about who's causing problems in class. They are comparing literacy strategies and best teaching practices. They bring samples of teaching resources and technology.
Judy Boerm

Education Update:Taking the Fear Out of the First Year:Professional Learning Communitie... - 13 views

www.ascd.org/...ool-Leaders'-Perspectives.aspx

shared by Judy Boerm on 23 Jun 11 - No Cached
    • Laura Clausen
      Laura Clausen on 30 Jun 11
       
      Being a part of a collaborative culture helped to take my first year from being a complete, disorganized disaster to a year of successful learning for both the children and me.  I felt the mentoring process was a form of collaborative culture.
    • Allysen Lovstuen
      Allysen Lovstuen on 30 Jun 11
       
      The time for groups of teachers to work together is key. This can be difficult at the secondary level, districts and administrators are getting more creative about finding ways to make this happen.
    • Sheryl Dales
      Sheryl Dales on 01 Jul 11
       
      Specials teachers also like to be included in these communities. It seems like we get placed in the position of working with students while other collaborate in our building. Not sure how to solve this scheduling issue.
    • Jori Lizer
      Jori Lizer on 07 Jul 11
       
      Allysen is right! key is time for teachers to work together and learn the technology available
  • Because of teachers' busy schedules, it is important for administrators to allot specific time for teachers to meet as groups. "It's absolutely immoral to tell teachers they need to collaborate and not give them the time to collaborate," says Mike Mattos, principal at Pioneer Middle School in Tustin, Calif. His school implemented the Late Start Wednesday program, in which students come to school late on Wednesdays (the other days are longer to make up classroom time), allowing teachers time for collaboration.
    • Judy Boerm
      Judy Boerm on 05 Oct 11
       
      I think it's great that this article points out the importance to allot time for collaboration! We have implemented an early out once a month this year for basically this reason. We are using the time to work on AIW, Authentic Intellectual Work, with co-workers. This focuses on working together to improve tasks, student work and instruction.
    • Julie Taylor
      Julie Taylor on 06 Oct 11
       
      It is important to provide time to collaborate. In some schools the teachers only see each other at lunch, in the hallway, or at an already structured meeting. There should be an opportunity for teachers of all subjects to get together to talk about what they have been doing, what has worked, and what has not worked.
  • Matt Townsley on 23 Jun 11
     
    an easy-to-read article describing the professional learning community philosophy
  • ...6 more comments...
  • Todd ZInkula on 29 Jun 11
     
    Here is a great article I found during a PLN class I am taking and it talks on how to use twitter. Our class on Personal Learning Networks fits right with PLC's. Our school in Grundy Center, Iowa just finished it's second year. Here is the sight for the twitter info. http://cooper-taylor.com/2008/08/50-ideas-on-using-twitter-for-education/
  • Todd ZInkula on 29 Jun 11
     
    http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=2105 Here is an article to see if your school is doing a good job with PLC's. Our school thought it had a great first year and the second year we didn't. We followed the steps the second year and didn't personalize it as much and we regretted it later. While assessing PLC's don't ever forget to make it your own.
  • Brent Thoren on 29 Jun 11
     
    I am taking a class bout this concept of PLN's and we have been investigating multiple social media outlets in order to help contribute to the students' learning environment. Below is a link to the 2006 Time magazine "person of the Year" article. It's a good read and offers great perspective and it would be a great resource to explain to kids and other teachers (PD) as to what direction "learning" is heading and why is it important to continue to evolve our methods. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1569514,00.html
  • Julie Collison on 29 Aug 11
     
    Good article
  • Tara Liston on 29 Aug 11
     
    The PLC team I was on this year really felt like we were successful at helping our first graders. We were able to focus on what we wanted to do to help our students and have the time to discuss if it was working. We were also able to have the time to discuss what we can all do to make things better.
  • Julie Sorensen-Skaar on 04 Sep 11
     
    There is no question that a collaborative culture encourages improved student achievement. When we all work together, it's always better for the students and for us.
  • Angie Norton on 13 Oct 11
     
    I look forward to creating that collaborative culture in our district. I feel we have it, but turning the focus on to the student's actual learning will be very powerful and beneficial to all of our students. Providing the time for our teachers will be critical, and getting everyone to buy into the change in thinking.
  • boothl b on 05 Jun 12
     
    Perhaps because I am taking a class on and learning the power of PLNs, I am really impressed by the potential of this. And beneficial to teachers AND students.
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