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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.
Laurie Wyatt

Iowa Core Curriculum - Literacy - 0 views

www.corecurriculum.iowa.gov/ContentArea.aspx

shared by Laurie Wyatt on 17 Apr 10 - Cached
  • Literacy — defined by Meltzer, Smith, and Clark as the ability to read, write, speak, listen, and think effectively — enables students to learn and to communicate clearly about what they know. Being literate gives people the ability to become informed, to inform others, and to make informed decisions (2001). Literacy is synonymous with learning. The partnerships between reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing — connecting with the ever-increasing knowledge base for each content area — provide the means for thinking among and between concepts and ideas. It is an active process.
    • Laurie Wyatt
      Laurie Wyatt on 17 Apr 10
       
      Literacy is social.
  • By its nature, literacy is social. In being effective critical members of a literacy community, students collaborate with others. Whether it be engaging the ideas of an author or actively discussing and debating issues about their lives with their peers, this collaboration helps students gain an appreciation of themselves, others, and the world. There is a cumulative advantage to the reciprocity of sharing ideas. The more students engage in literacy, the deeper their conceptual understanding and motivation to learn becomes.
  • Laurie Wyatt on 17 Apr 10
     
    "By its nature, literacy is social. In being effective critical members of a literacy community, students collaborate with others. Whether it be engaging the ideas of an author or actively discussing and debating issues about their lives with their peers, this collaboration helps students gain an appreciation of themselves, others, and the world. There is a cumulative advantage to the reciprocity of sharing ideas. The more students engage in literacy, the deeper their conceptual understanding and motivation to learn becomes. "
Matt Townsley

Is REAL Formative Assessment Even Possible? - The Tempered Radical - 0 views

teacherleaders.typepad.com/...-assessment-even-possible.html

formative assessment billferriter

shared by Matt Townsley on 11 Sep 11 - No Cached
  • Instead, school leaders should ask that teachers meet with ONE collaborative group and one collaborative group only. Then, they should require that collaborative groups make formative assessment a priority. Meetings should focus on studying formative assessment data, creating exemplars, improving rubrics, and designing remediation and enrichment opportunities for kids. The simple truth is teachers just don’t have the time to do formative assessment correctly if their attention is divided between the kinds of traditional meetings we’ve always been required to attend.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 11 Sep 11
       
      Yes!  In my opinion, this should be the #1 priority of every collaborative learning team. 
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.
Russ Goerend

TeachPaperless: 21st Century Skills: My Personal Mission Statement - 0 views

teachpaperless.blogspot.com/...kills-my-personal-mission.html

shared by Russ Goerend on 02 Jun 09 - Cached
  • In schoolhouse lingo, I could only declare teachers and students 'absent' from the board of P21. And until that absence is rectified, the board will only symbolize the top-down old-fashioned 20th century style of management that's gotten us into so many of the problems that as a nation we currently face.
    • Russ Goerend
      Russ Goerend on 02 Jun 09
       
      I don't know a ton abou P21, but student centeredness is a facet of Iowa Core, and it should be for all of education in the 21st Century.
  • building collaborative partnerships between families, communities, and educators independent of any proprietary business interests.
    • Russ Goerend
      Russ Goerend on 02 Jun 09
       
      Collaboration is so key to the world our students will grow up in. I feel there is a mentality that collaboration = cheating with the kids I've learned with (and when I was in high school). It will be important to change the connotation of the word.
Denise Krefting

Home | Iowa Core Curriculum 21st Century Scenarios - 8 views

scenarios.aea267.k12.ia.us

shared by Denise Krefting on 26 Oct 09 - Cached
  • This scenario database is to be used by educators seeking to find or contributing new ideas to stimulate and offer a variety of Curricula options while infusing 21st century skills within the Iowa Core Curriculum. It is a collaborative project between the AEAs with the goal of providing this database tool as a support for Iowa educators
    • Christine Scott
      Christine Scott on 16 Apr 12
       
      Denise, as you know the SCEP program has been diligently trying to get Iowa Core and 21st Century infused in all our subjects. A big job, but I have learned so much!
  • Matt Townsley on 26 Oct 09
     
    21st century skills scenarios from ICC
  • Matt Townsley on 26 Oct 09
     
    21st century skills scenarios for ICC
  • chandra poore on 05 Jun 12
     
    Great idea for ICC. There is no reason for all teachers to reinvent the wheel for each lesson. Great form of collaboration!
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?
Susan Sandholm-Petersen

Key Ingredient Missing in 21st Century Education | Asia Society - 0 views

www.asiasociety.org/...ent-missing-21st-century-educa

world languages 21st C Skills global awareness

shared by Susan Sandholm-Petersen on 10 Apr 10 - Cached
  • Mastery of world languages and the weaving of global awareness into core subject areas are key components of their definition of success. Yet too often, as in President Obama's call to arms this week, the notion that part of a world-class education includes knowing something about the world gets left out of the reform rhetoric. It's time to include global competency—knowing how to compete, communicate and collaborate with the world—as a core 21st century skill that all students, indeed, have a right to learn
    • Susan Sandholm-Petersen
      Susan Sandholm-Petersen on 10 Apr 10
       
      One of the best ways to learn global competence and to develop global literacy is to learn another language. Communication and collaboration are embedded and experienced via the target language
    • Susan Sandholm-Petersen
      Susan Sandholm-Petersen on 10 Apr 10
       
      Although World Languages is listed as a key 21st Century Skill (second on the list of key competencies, after English, reading and language arts), World Languages instruction is currently not part of the Iowa Core Curriculum. Will our Iowa students be fully prepared to work on a global level without this competency?
Kris Ward

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

www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress

shared by Kris Ward on 30 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • It was very easy to get together and “chat” about things like lesson plans, travel forms, and recess procedures.  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
      Jori Lizer on 07 Jul 11
       
      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
      Clint Balsar on 26 Aug 11
       
      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
      Deb Sykes on 28 Aug 11
       
      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
      janet2658 on 28 Aug 11
       
      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
      Sara Rowe on 28 Aug 11
       
      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
      Julie Collison on 29 Aug 11
       
      The biggest hurdle for some districts may be having enough technology/computers available
    • rick gabel
      rick gabel on 29 Aug 11
       
      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
      Alison Bixby on 04 Oct 11
       
      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
      vickiroberts on 27 Feb 12
       
      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.  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
      Abbey Thurn on 29 Aug 11
       
      How do you get something like this started in your school? Can you get everyone on board?
    • Rick Roberts
      Rick Roberts on 29 Aug 11
       
      Collaboration is key. Cant be a complaint session. Must have input from everyone.
    • Joanna Seymour
      Joanna Seymour on 11 Oct 11
       
      I agree. When we start working on solutions to challenges, rather than complaining, educators can make incredible gains.
    • Diane Sperfslage
      Diane Sperfslage on 26 Feb 12
       
      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
      Gwen Wrich on 27 Feb 12
       
      Diane: I love the creativity and team-bldg. by using humor ...and yet being organized and productive.
    • vickiroberts
      vickiroberts on 27 Feb 12
       
      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
      Kevin Kleis on 28 Feb 12
       
      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
      Diane Sperfslage on 26 Feb 12
       
      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
      Annette Watermiller on 27 Feb 12
       
      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
      Annette Watermiller on 27 Feb 12
       
      I agree that time is the key. During basketball season my group was only able to meet at 6:30 am.
    • Diane Sperfslage
      Diane Sperfslage on 26 Feb 12
       
      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
      Gwen Wrich on 27 Feb 12
       
      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 leave their egos at the door.  When everyone did that, honest conversations started to happen and learning was paramount.  Realizing that it was not a personal affront to anyone when you spoke about data was a huge AHA moment for our teachers!  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
      Kris Ward on 28 Feb 12
       
      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.
  • Matt Townsley on 30 Jun 11
     
    Nice write-up about learning teams and the use of common formative assessments. 
  • ...2 more comments...
  • Julie Sorensen-Skaar on 01 Sep 11
     
    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.
  • Angie Norton on 13 Oct 11
     
    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.
  • Gwen Wrich on 27 Feb 12
     
    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.
  • Ben Walters on 16 Apr 12
     
    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.
Susie Peterson

Best content in Iowa Core Discussion | Diigo - Groups - 0 views

groups.diigo.com/...ICCdiscussion

shared by Susie Peterson on 05 Jun 12 - No Cached
    • Susie Peterson
      Susie Peterson on 05 Jun 12
       
      While Kay doesn't address the Common Core specifically, he does address the changes that need to occur for schools to become viable in the 21st Century.  He specifically refers to the 4 Cs, which are found in 21C Skills/Standards.  Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Communication.  Be committed to the 3 Rs and the 4Cs.  Good article of reform-minded individuals. Susie P
anonymous

Paperless Tiger « buckenglish - 0 views

buckenglish.wordpress.com/...paperless-tiger

shared by anonymous on 17 Jun 09 - Cached
  • Does this jettisoning of time-honored titles mean that the paperless classroom is also lacking a creator, controller and grader?  Is the paperless classroom also a teacherless paradigm?  The answer is in some regards, yes.  I have removed myself from center stage.  I have relinquished the need to control every class.  I have stopped seeing work as stagnant…completed and submitted by students and then graded by me.  I have let go of my need to pre-plan months at a time, in favor of following the path that unfolds as we learn together.  My classes are not, however, teacherless, just less about the teaching and more about the learning.  The students know that I am ready and willing to be student to their insights, that they can teach, create, control and even evaluate their own learning.  This shift has inspired a true spirit of collaboration, critical thinking, and communication in B304–it has been an amazing semester and has changed the course of my career for good!
    • Dan Rader
      Dan Rader on 17 Jun 09
       
      I think this is the key to the whole post.
    • Russ Goerend
      Russ Goerend on 17 Jun 09
       
      Hey, those are three 21st Century skills!
  • Jennifer Kitzman on 17 Jun 09
     
    To use the two virtual extensions - the wiki and the ning - create so many avenues for creating, discussing and viewing both instructional tools and student work. It definitely does pave the way for a whole new way of teaching and learning.
anonymous

Iowa Department of Education 21st Century Skills - 0 views

www.corecurriculum.iowa.gov/ContentArea.aspx

Iowa_Core Curriculum Home pln_course

shared by anonymous on 31 May 09 - Cached
  • Friedman
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      Have you read Friedman? I have a little...there's also plenty of push-back on this guy's ideas.
  • (1) critical thinking and problem solving; (2) collaboration and leadership; (3) agility and adaptability; (4) initiative and entrepreneurialism; (5) effective oral and written communication; (6) accessing and analyzing information; and (7) curiosity and imagination.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      I think these are all great...but think back to the '5 essential characteristics' and formative assessment, etc. How will we be able to "assess" these skills? It's tough to assess these soft skills, in my opinion.
    • Russ Goerend
      Russ Goerend on 01 Jun 09
       
      Yes, these are definitely broad topics. What underlying, assessable skills make up these survival skills?
Michele Arman

21st Century Technology Literacy - 1 views

www.corecurriculum.iowa.gov/Discipline.aspx

ICC

shared by Michele Arman on 17 Jun 09 - Cached
    • Dan Rader
      Dan Rader on 17 Jun 09
       
      One of the things I notice is the use of the generic terms. Sometimes my staff gets so caught up in the "tools", ie specific software, they over look the big picture.
    • Jennifer Kitzman
      Jennifer Kitzman on 17 Jun 09
       
      With technology the 'tools' seem to change so quickly - that is where 'looking at the big picture', 'being willing to adapt to new changes, and 'the process of learning about technology' becomes important.
  • Collaborate with peers, experts, and others using interactive technology
    • Dan Rader
      Dan Rader on 17 Jun 09
       
      I think currently the students could help the teachers with this more than we can help them.
    • Dan Rader
      Dan Rader on 17 Jun 09
       
      I am not sure that we currently have anyone on staff that is a master of all of these essential concepts. I see a lot of Professional Development needed in this area.
  • anonymous on 17 Jun 09
     
    Some times we forget that technology items - computers, overhead, SmartBoard - are all tools to help us help our students. There is a whole new realm of literacy as mentioned, technology literacy, for both teachers and students. One overarching literacy principle is how to decide which tool to use when and what skills are needed to carry out the work.
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Jennifer Kitzman on 17 Jun 09
     
    It is a very broad range to cover with the words "technological knowledge and skills to learn effectively and live productively" because we know that that will look so different for each individual student. With that in mind, I feel the 'process' becomes the important thing and as educators we need to try to 'open the doors' and 'help each other go through them' - teacher to student, student to teacher, student to student and teacher to teacher.
  • Michele Arman on 11 Apr 10
     
    I like this vision that we are striving for. Today's students need technology knowlege and skills. All students will be able to make individual contributions if we keep this goal. Tehnology has changed the way we work today and how we have our relationships.
  • Julie Schwertley on 14 Apr 10
     
    I totally agree. We always need to be looking at the big picture because the tools in our tool box change so often.
Russell A

Educational Leadership:Informative Assessment:The Best Value in Formative Assessment - 3 views

www.ascd.org/...e_in_Formative_Assessment.aspx

formative assessment

shared by Russell A on 27 Jul 09 - Cached
  • Even though assessments will continue to be labeled formative or summative, how the results are used is what determines whether the assessment is formative or summative.
  • but some, by design, are better suited to summative use and others to formative use.
  • Although such assessments are sometimes intended for formative use—that is, to guide further instruction for groups or individual students—teachers' and administrators' lack of understanding of how to use the results can derail this intention
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • however, teachers must plan and allow time for students to learn the knowledge and skills they missed on the summative assessment and to retake the assessment
  • When teachers assess student learning for purely formative purposes, there is no final mark on the paper and no summative grade in the grade book.
  • Where am I going? Give students a list of the learning targets they are responsible for mastering, written in student-friendly language. Show students anonymous strong and weak examples of the kind of product or performance they are expected to create and have them use a scoring guide to determine which one is better and why. Where am I now? Administer a nongraded quiz part-way through the learning, to help both teacher and students understand who needs to work on what. Highlight phrases on a scoring guide reflecting specific strengths and areas for improvement and staple it to student work. Have students identify their own strengths and areas for improvement using a scoring guide. Have students keep a list of learning targets for the course and periodically check off the ones they have mastered. How can I close the gap? Give students feedback and have them use it to set goals. Have students graph or describe their progress on specific learning targets. Ask students to comment on their progress: What changes have they noticed? What is easy that used to be hard? What insights into themselves as learners have they discovered? When students use feedback from the teacher to learn how to self-assess and set goals, they increase ownership of their own success. In this type of assessment environment, teachers and students collaborate in an ongoing process using assessment information to improve rather than judge learning. It all hinges on the assessment's ability to provide timely, understandable, and descriptive feedback to teachers and students.
    • Teresa Bellinghausen
      Teresa Bellinghausen on 11 Apr 10
       
      One of the most important features of formative assessment is that teachers and students are both actively involved in the assessment process. Students are not just passive recipients of grades, but must set learning goals and reflect on their own learning, making adjustments in strategies when needed. My guess is that in most classrooms, especially at the high school level, this will be a radical departure from the norm.
  • When we try to teacher-proof the assessment process by providing a steady diet of ready-made external tests, we lose these advantages. Such tests cannot substitute for the day-to-day level of formative assessment that only assessment-literate teachers are able to conduct.
    • Russell A
      Russell A on 10 Apr 10
       
      music instructors are said to do formative assessments every 5-10 seconds. I haven't figured out whether that's good or bad.
  • What is formative assessment, then? First, it's not a product.
  • Assessment for learning can take many different forms in the classroom.
  • Matt Townsley on 27 Jul 09
     
    great article on what 'formative assessment' is and is not.
  • ...2 more comments...
  • Russell A on 10 Apr 10
     
    great article on what 'formative assessment' is and is not.
  • Michele Arman on 10 Apr 10
     
    I feel that modern language teachers do many assessments during each class. This year, we tracked all the kinds of assessments that we do. I have already ended up with a huge notebook full of the different types of assessment that is used in my classroom. My question is if we should have that many or should we concentrate on ones that give us the best results on depicting a student's progress.
  • Bridgette Wagoner on 12 Apr 10
     
    I always think back to what Doug Reeves says about the difference between formative and summative assessments. He says formative assessment is like exploratory surgery; summative assessment is like an autopsy.
  • Renee Harmon on 19 Apr 10
     
    Great description Bridgette. I love this and will use it with my college students.
rick gabel

Preparing students with 21st Century Skills - Resources for Teachers - 0 views

www.thinkfinity.org/21st-century-skills

education 21st century #aeapln

shared by rick gabel on 04 Sep 11 - Cached
  • rick gabel on 04 Sep 11
     
    Inspire creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication, so they are ready for tomorrow's world. 21st Century Readiness for Every Student
Matt Townsley

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

www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress

plc rickdufour alignment curriculum

shared by Matt Townsley on 13 Sep 11 - No Cached
  • Joanna Seymour on 11 Oct 11
     
    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.
  • Gwen Wrich on 27 Feb 12
     
    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....
  • ropera r on 07 Jun 12
     
    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.
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