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"Zeros are seldom an accurate description of a student's achievement and skew average grades dramatically. Instead of prompting greater effort, zeros and the low grades they yield more often cause students to withdraw from learning. One alternative to zeros is to assign an "I" or "Incomplete" grade with explicit requirements for completing the work." .... "If the grade is to represent how well students have learned, mastered established learning standars, or achieved specified learning goals, then the practice of assigning zeros clearly misses the mark." **"Teachers must consider what message they want to communicate through grading, who the primary audience for the message is, and what the intended goal of the communication is." ...

Awesome questions to ponder and apply

I always love learning from Ledesma. Here's another one that I so agree with.

Love the global collaborations with learning. The authentic audience really helps with purpose for learning it, and increases the quality and intrinsic motivation of learning. There are several Common Core projects to join.

20 Ideas for Engaging Projects via @edutopia http://t.co/YXTP9kdk

Global SchoolNet's mission is to support 21st century learning and improve academic performance through content driven collaboration. We engage teachers and K-12 students in meaningful project learning exchanges worldwide to develop science, math, literacy and communication skills, foster teamwork, civic responsibility and collaboration, encourage workforce preparedness and create multi-cultural understanding. We prepare youth for full participation as productive and effective citizens in an increasing global economy.

Global SchoolNet partners with schools, communities, and businesses to provide collaborative learning activities that prepare students for the workforce and help them become literate and responsible global citizens. The Project Registry has more than 800 online projects providing teachers a chance to collaborate and share learning experiences. The most recent partner programs include "Mosaics of Life" (a global art project culminating in the creation of eight collaborative glass tile murals made up of original art and expressing understanding, concerns, and insights in themes that affect and shape lives both locally and globally) and the U.S. State Department-sponsored "Doors to Diplomacy Competition" (an educational challenge for middle and high school students about the importance of international affairs and diplomacy, with prizes including scholarships, cash, and a trip to Washington, D.C.).

Webinar Wednesdays occur twice a month and shine a spotlight on all things PBL.  The upcoming webinars are highlighted below and are open for registration.  Future webinar topics will include service learning, math, literacy, globalization, web 2.0, leadership, and many more.  The presenters are members of BIE's National Faculty & Staff and special guests. Registration for these 60-minute events is free. We will broadcast them twice on the designated day at 12pm and 3pm Pacific Time. The webinars will be recorded and uploaded to BIE's YouTube Channel shortly after each broadcast.   Webinar Schedule Wednesday, October 5, 2011 STEM and PBL Wednesday, October 12, 2011 Online Learning Environments and PBL Wednesday, November 2, 2011 PBL in Advanced Placement Classes Wednesday, November 16, 2011 Differentiated Instruction and PBL

A great reminder...

Just a quick heads up that ASSET is still here for you and ready to help in filling the Discovery Streaming void. PBS is launching Learning Media, a digital repository of over 14,000 resources, including video, audio, images, interactives and lesson plans. By the end of the year, there will be 30,000 assets. This basic service is totally free to teachers. You can see more at www.azpbs.org/asset and then click on Learning Media.

This is ASSET's answer to helping with Discovery Streaming deciding to charge for their services. If you think it's worth investigating, would you let Jon know? Thanks!

Project Densho The Densho Educational Web site gives students access to a wealth of primary source material relating to the incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Project Densho's partnership with historians at Stanford University produced curriculum to help students and teachers use these valuable resources in classroom activities. This is a powerful tool to bring inquiry-based learning into middle and high school social studies classrooms. This is a powerful site for inquiry-based learning for upper grades; however, there isn't anything already created that we can enroll our classes in... unless it's there and I'm missing it.

Also see: http://www.relayforlife.org/learn/relayforeveryone/studentrelays/relay-recess "How can your students become superheroes in the fight against cancer? Relay Recess brings Relay For Life to elementary schools nationwide. It provides students, teachers, and administrators the opportunity to become heroes in their own communities. It also brings cancer education and community service to the classroom in a fun and exciting way. It also engages elementary school students in the fight against cancer through fundraising activities that support cancer programs and services in every community. It gives students the chance to get out of the classroom and have fun with entertainment and activities that reinforce what they have learned. Because the program is so flexible, it's different at every school and is an excellent opportunity to showcase unique qualities about your school and your community."

Sending this to the Collaboration Coaches in case your school is looking for an outreach that your students can help organize and get involved in...

"MentorMob uses the "playlist" concept to collect and share information. I can see great potential in this application as place to gather multiple sources for creating a flexible architecture for learning." I'm not sure if this is better than Symbaloo, Squorl, or a Livebinder, but it's along the same idea with the exception of you place the sites you want in a play list, almost like an interactive presentation.

This post and webinar is about the work all of you, our amazing Collaboration Coaches, have done in this district to transform learning!

Guideline 1:! Relate grades to the achievement of the district's course/grade level standards. Guideline 2:! Use agreed-on performance standards as the reference points when determining grades. Guideline 3:! Separate achievement from all other dispositions and behaviors. Guideline 4:! Sample student performance. ! Don't score everything & don't include all scores in grades. Guideline 5:! Grade in pencil and maintain records so they can be easily updated. Guideline 6:! To determine grades at the end of the grading period, use professional judgment when considering the body of evidence. Grading must involve more than just crunching numbers. Guideline 7:! Use quality assessments and properly record evidence of achievement. Guideline 8:! Involve students in the assessment and grading processes throughout the learning cycle. No zeros for missing or incomplete work At Middle school: "Student work in the Lesson Practice & Progress Checks portion will be recorded as Missing (M) in the grade book if a student does not turn in an assignment. Middle school students will have until the end of the quarter to complete these practice activities or the Missing (M) will remain. The Missing (M) will factor into the overall average as a zero. However, leaving the Missing (M) in the grade book will communicate that the work has not been turned in. And, because the Lesson Practice & Progress Checks portion of the grade book is weighted just 20% of the overall grade, the Missing (M) for the practice work will not have significant impact on the student's grade." At High School: "A score of zero will not be entered in the grade book. Instead, M or I will be entered to indicate that work is not yet complete. In grades 9-12, students will have five days beyond the assignment due date to complete Lesson Practice and Progress Checks, unless there are extenuating circumstances. An M (Missing) will be entered in the grade book until the work is turned in or until the end of the nine-w

This free resource teaches the basics of computer programming in weekly lessons. Easy, interactive and self-paced. For students who want to learn how to create websites, apps, etc.

Awesome on authentic learning.