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K Wolf

Teachers.Net Gazette October 2002 - HARRY & ROSEMARY WONG: EFFECTIVE PRACTICES APPLY TO... - 0 views

teachers.net/...wong.html

shared by K Wolf on 31 May 09 - Cached
  • Teachers put off dealing with non-emergency situations and needs until students are working
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      I like to say, "let's talk about it later..." It gives students a chance to cool down and me a chance to think about it...as well as keeps the class moving forward.
    • S Adair
      S Adair on 11 Jun 09
       
      This is a great idea! How much of my class time is spent with students telling me "I forgot my book" or "I had pizza last night" or other things that may be interesting, but not relevant to what we need to do!
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 13 Jun 09
       
      I agree. A lot of time during class is spent on nonrelevant discussion. We need to refocus to keep the class flowing.
  • High school and middle grade teachers have bellwork/warm-up/sponge activities on the board or overhead projector so students get to work as soon as they enter the classroom
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      If you haven't thought about a bell-ringer, you should. It gets the students working right away and gives you time to take attendance and do other things for the first few minutes. It may seem like "busy work," but you'll eventually figure out how to use the bell ringer to maximize your instruction, too.
  • Objectives for the day are displayed on the board
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      I can go either way on this one. I used to post objectives, but students didn't really get into it. Instead, I post a bulleted list of the day's activities on the board, i.e. 1) Discuss HW 2) Go over quizzes 3) Circumference of Circles 4) Area of Circles This takes away the "what are we doing today?" questions and gives students an idea of what to expect for the day. It also establishes a nice routine, helps you metacognitize before the day, and provides a 'back-up' in case you freeze. It's not uncommon for students to say, "hey..weren't we supposed to go over our quizzes?!" when I've mistakenly moved on.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • A student "class secretary" maintains a "What Did I Miss?" folder
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      Create whatever system you want for missing work. After a few weeks of helping absent students see how the system works, you'll never have to answer the question, "What did we do yesterday in LA?" Students will know the routine (who to ask or where to go) to get the handouts, assignment, etc.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jun 09
       
      I was never able to get that developed. Eventually, when I put things on Moodle, students got into the habit of checking there after missing (or before). Still, I could see many other setups being just as effective.
    • K Wolf
      K Wolf on 17 Jun 09
       
      Re: make-up work - this task can easily become digital - assignments, handouts, summaries of the lesson by other students, etc. could be posted on a class wiki so it's accessible 24/7
  • Each teacher has a system of procedures for setting up small groups
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      Do it. Rehearse it every day or two for a few weeks. Tell 'em what you expect. It'll make your life easier later on.
  • Students are informed of and discuss the specific purpose/s before viewing a vide
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      I would add, "Students are informed of and discuss the specific purpose before ANYTHING"...not just videos. Saves the "Why do we have to do/know this?" comments.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jun 09
       
      Ditto!
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 13 Jun 09
       
      Students do need to be informed about everything they're doing. It saves a lot of time answering questions rather than spending it repeating the information over and over again. We want to make sure they're prepared and ready to go.
  • shakes hands
    • Darin Johnson
      Darin Johnson on 17 Jun 09
       
      What do you think about shaking hands? My supervising teacher read this suggestion in a book, and she required that I join her. I did it one year on my own. Are we too germ phobic to do this today?
  • Students who have something of a non-emergency nature that they wish to tell the teacher can fill out a prepared form titled "Listening Ear" with a line drawing of an ear and four blank lines for the student's message.
    • Darin Johnson
      Darin Johnson on 17 Jun 09
       
      My students would never do this. This man has some good advice, but having students fill out a "listening Ear" form in the target language is utterly cumbersome.
  • Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
     
    Harry Wong - okay, so this isn't ICC, but it does talk a lot about effective practices. If you haven't read "The First Days of School," you should. If not, check out this website. It summarizes lots of the main points. I'll mark it up with what I see as the most important points.
  • ...3 more comments...
  • Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
     
    Wong on effective classroom practices.
  • Evan Abbey on 01 Jun 09
     
    Wong on effective classroom practices.
  • anonymous on 13 Jun 09
     
    Some teachers send home progress sheets and letters informing parents whenever a new chapter or unit begins, outlining the objectives and providing information about any cultural activities or projects associated with the new unit.
  • anonymous on 13 Jun 09
     
    I think this is a good way to keep parents informed on what their child is going to be working on. This can help promote interaction between parent and child.
  • K Wolf on 17 Jun 09
     
    Wong on effective classroom practices.
Dianne Loughren

School Districts Integrate Technology into Common Core-based Curriculum - 0 views

diigo.com/0nx12

icc curriculum technology

shared by Dianne Loughren on 28 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • Dianne Loughren on 28 Feb 12
     
    This article talks about that as states work on implementing the Common Core they need to integrate technology. Two main points are how districts integrate technology into standards-based curriculum and how districts prepare teachers for standards-based, technology-infused lessons.
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!
Teresa Bellinghausen

The Changing Face of Education in Iowa: 5 Characteristics of Effective Instruction - 6 views

eabbey.blogspot.com/...racteristics-of-effective.html

ICC formative assessment

shared by Teresa Bellinghausen on 31 May 09 - Cached
Matt Townsley liked it
  • So not only will Iowa's high schools develop implementation plans for the content next year, they will also conduct a self-study to determine which characteristics need attention and put forward a professional development plan to improve in that area(s).
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      ICC is a process. To see this change to its fullest extent, the DE is proposing a plan for each district to create a plan to roll it out over several years. (This is how we should/might view our classrooms...focus on making a few changes at a time, but do them well rather than trying to be Mr. Awesome Teacher in all kinds of areas without enough time/thought/trial & error.) <-- this is KEY. What are your thoughts, Russ?
    • Russ Goerend
      Russ Goerend on 31 May 09
       
      I like that it is built on reflection and continual improvement. You've explained it to me before as being "what good teachers should be doing." I think all teachers, rookies and veterans, can benefit from an open discussion on that point.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jun 09
       
      I'm leery of the plans becoming planning for planning sake, but the intention is good--trying to get at the process of continual improvement, as you mentioned.
    • Teresa Bellinghausen
      Teresa Bellinghausen on 07 Apr 10
       
      Evan, there's no doubt that some schools/districts will simply write a plan, then check it off the list of things to do. However, many others that recognize the value in the intent, or spirit, of the IC will approach the process seriously.
    • Lacy Kolpin
      Lacy Kolpin on 07 Apr 10
       
      Just to piggy back here, I also like it that there are people that are going to reflect on what may or may not be working. Often enough, I don't think that gets done enough. As Teresa said, some and perhaps the majority of schools will just fulfill what they have to, but some will put in time and get some neat things out of this process. I hope that many will take it seriously.
    • Karen Waid
      Karen Waid on 08 Apr 10
       
      Our district is currently working on the plan. I hope we do a good job so we can implement and use it!
  • Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students as part of instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of core content.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      I didn't think about this until my 5th year of teaching. What is your "assessment plan"? How will you assess? How often? What will you do if students are absent on assessment day?
    • Russ Goerend
      Russ Goerend on 31 May 09
       
      Your comment made me think of the quote we shared with you this past weekend: "our generation wants in 7 years what our parents worke for all their lives." That's what I feel fairly often since I've been surrounded by veteran teachers. There are many times I need to slow down and remember that I'm learning, learning. learning. So, to "answer" your questions, I don't know. I appreciate being able to learn from your experiences.
  • A rigorous curriculum is one that is complex, provocative, and personally or emotionally challenging
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      This is a never-ending task. I don't expect to "master" this, even when I'm ready to retire. It involves really thinking about the content and the students and how authentic work can be created by them according to their interests. This is TOUGH!
    • Russ Goerend
      Russ Goerend on 31 May 09
       
      Evan had a great comment on this point: "The key is to teach students how to learn that advanced content on their own--to become life-long learners. No one is arguing that teachers aren't cognitively limited; they are. But that is (or should be) irrelevant. To continue the transmission model of education, where teachers have all the knowledge and students have to get it in the approved way, will continue to stunt the growth of students."
    • Russ Goerend
      Russ Goerend on 31 May 09
       
      That quote came from this post on Scott Mcleod's blog: http://is.gd/KhNX
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      Good point. It's the old 'liberal arts' education lingo...becoming a life long learner. From my experience, it's difficult to get some students to learn the basics, let alone do any learning on their own (the few that come to school because they're required...or only desire a passing grade...or some other sort of grade to please parents). Not saying it can't be done, but lots of thought, motivation and modeling needed.
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jun 09
       
      One thing I've found is that out of the 5, this is the one that teachers say, "Yeah, I've got this one down". It seems everyone has seen the graphic of the quadrants. What's difficult is, even though we all know we need to be rigorous & relevant, we don't often know which of our lessons truly are rigorous & relevant. The best professional development will give teachers some specific, tangible examples to show how to ramp up rigor.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 13 Jul 09
       
      This definition is adapted from Teaching What Matters Most by Silver, Strong and Perrini. It's a great read (ASCD)
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • Differences can best be accomplished by engaging in a process which has teachers using student and instructional assessment data to make sound instructional decisions to meet the needs of individual students.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      when formative assessment is done well, differentiation comes naturally. Again, easier said than done....so we need to be patient in this area as we learn the common misconceptions of students in our curriculum, this practice will become more visible over time.
    • Russ Goerend
      Russ Goerend on 31 May 09
       
      I saw this on a large scale when I visited Knoxville West Elementary school as part of our IDM team. They had reading data on all students and used it to adjust the instruction for all kids. Do you think formative assessment flows naturally from the assessment to the remedial instruction? What I mean is, say a teacher formatively assesses students, do we assume that teacher is using that data to influence instruction? Is the "changing intruction" part of the definition of formative assessment?
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      You hit the big "aha" moment ICC is going to (hopefully) help so many educators in Iowa realize. I sort of feel like differentiation and formative assessment aren't mutually exclusive...one in the same (assess, use data to create new individualized/group instruction to help students move along the continuum of learning; repeat). Not sure if it's worth debating the definitions, but rather seeing the ideas as working together to improve classroom practice. Yes, it is possible to collect data and do nothing with it. This is the major misconception of 'formative assessment,' in my opinion. The analogy of "formative assessment is chef's ongoing soup tasting during prep; summative assessment is restaurant customer liking or disliking soup" seems to fit, but when some educators hear this, they only taste the soup (collect data, quiz more often, etc.) but never make any changes to the soup recipe (instruction). I'm guilty and to be honest thought this way until earlier this year. We can't just assume the data is being used, you're right. In a quality classroom, I think it would be pretty obvious that the data was being used (maybe my class next year?!).
    • Russ Goerend
      Russ Goerend on 31 May 09
       
      The only reason I bring up the definition is so everyone is on the same page when discussing it. If some think "formative assessment" is only the assessment and others think it includes the instruction-adjustment, there's a disconnect. That's all. Plus I'm an English guy, so I like definitions. I'm already loving this ICC stuff now that I get "the point." So here's my big thought of the day: how are college education programs going to use the ICC? If the state has defined effective practices, will colleges follow suit in what they focus their teaching on...both in the ed. training programs and how the faculty teaches?
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 01 Jun 09
       
      I think ICC defines formative assessment as a process of both collecting the data and modifying instruction: From ICC, Module 5: "Assessment FOR Learning (Formative Assessment): Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students as part of instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students' achievement of core content. As assessment FOR learning, formative assessment practices provide students with clear learning targets, examples and models of strong and weak work, regular descriptive feedback, and the ability to self-assess, track learning, and set goals. (Adapted from Council of Chief State School Officers, FAST SCASS)."
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 01 Jun 09
       
      Not sure how/if it will impact higher ed. Impact on higher ed. will surely aid in determining success of ICC, but won't necessarily directly affect our day-to-day instruction. If new staff are trained with ICC in mind, it would help the process along. To be realistic, I think it takes extended classroom experience to get a grasp on what an abstract idea such as "assessment for learning" truly is. Nonetheless a theoretical framework (aside from modifying/extending student teaching/practicum as you and I have discussed previously), is one possible step forward.
    • Teresa Bellinghausen
      Teresa Bellinghausen on 07 Apr 10
       
      You both make excellent points, and I like the "chef" anaology. As far as post-secondary ed is concerned, some of them are coming to the table to at least sniff the soup. Eventually, I think they'll buy the whole meal because (1) schools will be demanding that teacher ed programs include the IC, and (2) students who have experienced full implementation of the IC in high school will demand the same of their experiences at the post-secondary level. It's just going to be a long-term process.
  • In Student-centered Classrooms, students construct their own knowledge based on experiential, holistic, authentic, and challenging experiences.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      From what I know about you, Russ, I think you'll do well in this area (student-centered classroom). Realistically, this can only be done "well" with a solid classroom management plan coupled with a focused look on the desired culture of your classroom.
    • Russ Goerend
      Russ Goerend on 31 May 09
       
      I appreciate you saying that, Matt. It struck me as funny, mainly because of what I emailed you last night: "I'm nervous about classroom management/atmosphere." :)
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      See other bookmark in this group, re: Harry Wong and procedures. Wish I would have known Wong (and implemented it) earlier on. You'll be much wiser and knowledgeable than me. Read the book and/or the website. Becky probably has the book. I can email you my procedures if you're interested. Rehearse! It seems goofy and a strange use of time for the first few weeks, but pays huge dividends. Once procedures are established, you can shape the culture (a la more student-centered) and build relationships with students to your heart's content.
  • while these 5 characteristics are essential to a successful school, they are not necessarily mutually exclusive of each other.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 31 May 09
       
      Amen, Evan! See my notes on differentiation and formative assessment. They go together!
    • Evan Abbey
      Evan Abbey on 01 Jun 09
       
      It's my gut feeling that the DE thinks this is implicit; that everyone knows this. But given that the DE's main role is in checklist accredidation, they'll need to be a bit more explicit to districts, or I think they will have districts treating each one separately.
    • Matt Townsley
      Matt Townsley on 01 Jun 09
       
      Great point, Evan. I would venture to guess that the majority of the educators I know would say that "assessment" and "instruction" are mutually exclusive entities. I hear things all the time like "Today is quiz day" rather than viewing it as an ongoing activity. I discussed my thoughts related to this topic here: http://bit.ly/NBqyH This will be a HUGE task on the DE/AEAs part, in my opinion...helping Iowa educators see the conceptual connection as well as how it looks (and doesn't look) in practice.
  • Teaching for Understanding is leading students (to engage in a variety of thought-provoking activities such as explaining, finding evidence in examples, generalizing, connecting, applying, making analogies, and representing the topic in new ways.
    • Rob Kleinow
      Rob Kleinow on 01 Apr 10
       
      This characteristic is always one that concerns me because of the word "understanding" I think it will be interesting how these definitions of understanding evolve through the process
Matt Townsley

Ankeny teachers praise time they have to team on classwork | The Des Moines Register | ... - 1 views

www.desmoinesregister.com/...-on-classwork&community=Ankeny

plc icc

shared by Matt Townsley on 11 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • Teachers whose areas overlap - such as all the educators in the same grade level at an elementary school, or those who teach the same subject - meet twice a week to coordinate lesson plans and review data on students' progress.
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"
Judy Boerm

Genetics - Project Based - 0 views

www.ed.gov/...tudents-are-ready-for-tomorrow

genetics science activity lessons project based Teacher law

shared by Judy Boerm on 11 Oct 11 - No Cached
  • Judy Boerm on 11 Oct 11
     
    Students battle a court case dealing with future of genetics
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.
Matt Townsley

Changing Iowa: Those Darn Eagles - 5 views

eabbey.blogspot.com/...those-darn-eagles.html

icc itsnotabouttechnology evanabbey

shared by Matt Townsley on 05 Apr 11 - No Cached
  • Matt Townsley on 05 Apr 11
     
    This post by Evan Abbey seemed too good not to share.  
  • Clint Balsar on 31 Aug 11
     
    This article made me smile, as our district has sent out this very type of communication on more than one occasion. I enjoyed Evan's daughter's point about our fascination with stalking the eagles for hours. Small clips of a couple minutes each should suffice. I have noticed that this has been a difficult lesson for some in our district to learn. We will likely have individuals asking their entire class to watch streaming videos of something in the near future as well.
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.
angrichards

Science based Learning is about to become Mainstream | Disrupt Education | Big Think - 0 views

bigthink.com/38434

pln_course teachers science

shared by angrichards on 29 Jun 11 - No Cached
    • angrichards
      angrichards on 29 Jun 11
       
      Using web2.0 tools to motivate students
  • the biggest enemy of effective learning can’t be taken away by applying those strategies because it’s something that is fundamental and essentially more important than having a strategy: motivation or or in other words the lack of motivation many learners experience.
  • learning in school or college was based on tradition and lesson plans and undoubtedly some well-respected methods but without real scientific evidence that the way we learn is actually the best way we could learn. It’s just the way some people decided on and we have always done it ever since.
  • angrichards on 29 Jun 11
     
    Blog on motivating students to learn using web2.0 tools
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.&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
      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.&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
      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&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
      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.
Julie Taylor

Writing - 0 views

I am wondering if anyone has a good lesson plan or web site they could share about "planning, drafting, revising, proofreading and publishing a Personal story" for 2nd grade level.

curriculum icc 2nd Grade

started by Julie Taylor on 18 Oct 11 no follow-up yet
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