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Dan's Twitter Feed @R75TchngLrng
Tweets by @R75TchngLrng
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Free, personalized, professional learning opportunities - for YOU!
~ Daniel Chuhta, Assistant Superintendent
You know that feeling when you walk into a sandwich shop, hardware store, or big discount store (the one that used to pass out yellow smiley faces when you walked in...) and you're immediately welcomed? It's a nice feeling, isn't it? Then they personalize attention to you - how many pickles would you like, super glue is in aisle 6 - you feel that you got just what you needed, just when you needed it. Why, you ask, can't professional learning opportunities be just like that? Well, in fact, they can be. We employ a number of different strategies in professional learning, but thanks to social media, there's a new way for you to get what you want, when you want, and in the dose you self-prescribe! Ultimately, that "just-in-time" learning can be used with your students minutes, hours, or days later!
Too good to be true? Not these days - and when I reveal the solution - keep reading! Do you see the tiny bird silhouette at the top of this page? It's a Twitter icon, and that's the answer. (Here's where you need to keep reading!!) There are probably lots of reasons why you wouldn't be able to use Twitter going through your head. For instance, you don't care when other folks are washing their dishes - you don't have time to keep up with everyone else's life - you have nothing to share with the world! All very legitimate reasons, but... there are also very powerful arguments for getting on board. The site has positioned itself as a way for people to get news, share ideas, and pose questions - faster than the fastest programmer at CNN! And, with some careful selection and appropriate pace - you can manage it in a way that's not overwhelming.
Name a topic that really energizes your professional work, and there's likely a Twitter handle (that's a person or organization's name on Twitter) that you can follow. Interested in ideas and news from Teachers' College - @TCRWP, are you a member of the National Council of Social Studies - @NCSSNetwork, want to follow the development of SmarterBalanced assessments - @SmarterBalanced, ideas about gifted and talented students - @NAGCGifted, Marzano's latest research - @MarzanoResearch, news from the world of physical educators - @afPE_PE. There's no contest for the greatest number of handles you follow. Start with one, and ease yourself into it. Check it every once in a while, or check it every day. THAT'S IT! You'll hear the latest and greatest, and you don't have to do anything else... Yes you can "retweet," "favorite," "hash-tag," and the like, but you don't have to.
And by doing so, you'll get information from the sources you choose, at a pace that you decide. Before you know it, you'll be learning about new things all the time! All you need to do is create an Twitter account, search for your source, and follow. Done... now you can sit back and learn!
In the spring I mentioned that I'd be tweeting my endeavors from around the district. It's been a fun way to share the great work that you and the students are doing. It's also enabled me to find my own sources of learning as well! While I'd encourage you to follow me (@R75TchngLrng), I'd also encourage you to watch for the handles included throughout this up-Link. Many of your colleagues have already discovered this free, personalized, professional learning - I take mine without olives! :)
We are certainly all extremely busy with the meaningful work that we do in our profession. It's nice to know that there's yet another way to share our expertise with others, and continue to learn to be our very best. In the end, the students can only benefit from it!
Join me and millions of other learners: http://www.twitter.com
See you soon,
~ Daniel Chuhta, Assistant Superintendent
You know that feeling when you walk into a sandwich shop, hardware store, or big discount store (the one that used to pass out yellow smiley faces when you walked in...) and you're immediately welcomed? It's a nice feeling, isn't it? Then they personalize attention to you - how many pickles would you like, super glue is in aisle 6 - you feel that you got just what you needed, just when you needed it. Why, you ask, can't professional learning opportunities be just like that? Well, in fact, they can be. We employ a number of different strategies in professional learning, but thanks to social media, there's a new way for you to get what you want, when you want, and in the dose you self-prescribe! Ultimately, that "just-in-time" learning can be used with your students minutes, hours, or days later!
Too good to be true? Not these days - and when I reveal the solution - keep reading! Do you see the tiny bird silhouette at the top of this page? It's a Twitter icon, and that's the answer. (Here's where you need to keep reading!!) There are probably lots of reasons why you wouldn't be able to use Twitter going through your head. For instance, you don't care when other folks are washing their dishes - you don't have time to keep up with everyone else's life - you have nothing to share with the world! All very legitimate reasons, but... there are also very powerful arguments for getting on board. The site has positioned itself as a way for people to get news, share ideas, and pose questions - faster than the fastest programmer at CNN! And, with some careful selection and appropriate pace - you can manage it in a way that's not overwhelming.
Name a topic that really energizes your professional work, and there's likely a Twitter handle (that's a person or organization's name on Twitter) that you can follow. Interested in ideas and news from Teachers' College - @TCRWP, are you a member of the National Council of Social Studies - @NCSSNetwork, want to follow the development of SmarterBalanced assessments - @SmarterBalanced, ideas about gifted and talented students - @NAGCGifted, Marzano's latest research - @MarzanoResearch, news from the world of physical educators - @afPE_PE. There's no contest for the greatest number of handles you follow. Start with one, and ease yourself into it. Check it every once in a while, or check it every day. THAT'S IT! You'll hear the latest and greatest, and you don't have to do anything else... Yes you can "retweet," "favorite," "hash-tag," and the like, but you don't have to.
And by doing so, you'll get information from the sources you choose, at a pace that you decide. Before you know it, you'll be learning about new things all the time! All you need to do is create an Twitter account, search for your source, and follow. Done... now you can sit back and learn!
In the spring I mentioned that I'd be tweeting my endeavors from around the district. It's been a fun way to share the great work that you and the students are doing. It's also enabled me to find my own sources of learning as well! While I'd encourage you to follow me (@R75TchngLrng), I'd also encourage you to watch for the handles included throughout this up-Link. Many of your colleagues have already discovered this free, personalized, professional learning - I take mine without olives! :)
We are certainly all extremely busy with the meaningful work that we do in our profession. It's nice to know that there's yet another way to share our expertise with others, and continue to learn to be our very best. In the end, the students can only benefit from it!
Join me and millions of other learners: http://www.twitter.com
See you soon,
District Committee Updates
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Program Evaluation Updates
As prescribed in newly-adopted Policy IL (Evaluation of Instructional Programs), we will be taking some time each year to do a thorough review of particular programs. The evaluation concludes in a report to the Board, and includes a thorough history of the program, related data, and overview of future direction. The report then addresses a gap analysis - if present - between the present and potential programming. This year we have evaluation teams reviewing:
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Let’s Talk Math (at any level)!
~ Kate Greeley, Technology Integrator and Math Support (@k88t) and Judy Johnson, ELA Coordinator (@moodyjude)
7 X 8 = 56 Why? Because 5,6,7,8 and then just put in the signs: 56 = 7 x 8! Probably not the mathematical reasoning you would be looking for. In the world of 2013, “an increasingly ‘high-tech’ workplace… requires more mathematical know-how than ever before to maintain productivity and economic competitiveness… More and more (employees) are expected and required to know when and why to perform a particular calculation.” (Leinwand, 2012)
How do we foster strong mathematical reasoning in our students? As in literacy classrooms, accountable talk about mathematics sharpens students’ thinking by reinforcing their ability to use and create knowledge. Students need opportunities to collectively reason about a problem. Defending a strategy, making connections to a similar strategy, describing and building upon someone else’s strategy elicit deeper mathematical thinking. So how do we make such talk happen in the classroom? Typically, student talk has involved the teacher as the Master of Ceremonies, calling on the “best and brightest” as they raise their hands. If this talk is important to sharpen thinking, how can we ensure that all students are held accountable to talk?
Now let’s think about this in the math classroom. Students gather and consider a mathematical equation. True or false. Allowing wait time for the majority of the students to access the problem is key. A simple thumbs up close to the body can let you know when students are ready to share. Turn and talk with your partner. Defend your answer of true or false. This structure compels each student to participate. It gives an opportunity to rehearse their thinking in preparation for whole group conversation.
Set an environment where all answers are respected and considered. Keep the conversation going. Providing sentence stems for students to frame their questions and comments in a positive way.
I agree/disagree with ____ because…
That is a good answer because…
I got different results because…
My strategy is like yours because…
What I heard you say was…
Your solution reminds me of…
The steps I took in solving the problem were…
To check my answer I…
My math goal for tomorrow is…
(See more samples of sentence starters for mathematics on Kate’s Pinterest Math Board.)
Lastly, when sharing out with the whole group, it’s important to capture students’ strategies with a visual model or chart. These strategies provide possible ideas that others have not considered. They also lead to discussions about efficiency and generalizations that deepen mathematical thinking and success!
Resources
"Accountable Talk In the Elementary Math Classroom | Math Matters." Math Matters. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. http://gpsmathcoach.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/accountable-talk-in-the-elementary-classroom
Leinwand, Steve. Sensible Mathematics: A Guide for School Leaders. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2012. Print.
Parrish, Sherry. Number Talks: Helping Children Build Mental Math and Computation Strategies, Grades K-5. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions, 2010. Print.
~ Kate Greeley, Technology Integrator and Math Support (@k88t) and Judy Johnson, ELA Coordinator (@moodyjude)
7 X 8 = 56 Why? Because 5,6,7,8 and then just put in the signs: 56 = 7 x 8! Probably not the mathematical reasoning you would be looking for. In the world of 2013, “an increasingly ‘high-tech’ workplace… requires more mathematical know-how than ever before to maintain productivity and economic competitiveness… More and more (employees) are expected and required to know when and why to perform a particular calculation.” (Leinwand, 2012)
How do we foster strong mathematical reasoning in our students? As in literacy classrooms, accountable talk about mathematics sharpens students’ thinking by reinforcing their ability to use and create knowledge. Students need opportunities to collectively reason about a problem. Defending a strategy, making connections to a similar strategy, describing and building upon someone else’s strategy elicit deeper mathematical thinking. So how do we make such talk happen in the classroom? Typically, student talk has involved the teacher as the Master of Ceremonies, calling on the “best and brightest” as they raise their hands. If this talk is important to sharpen thinking, how can we ensure that all students are held accountable to talk?
Now let’s think about this in the math classroom. Students gather and consider a mathematical equation. True or false. Allowing wait time for the majority of the students to access the problem is key. A simple thumbs up close to the body can let you know when students are ready to share. Turn and talk with your partner. Defend your answer of true or false. This structure compels each student to participate. It gives an opportunity to rehearse their thinking in preparation for whole group conversation.
Set an environment where all answers are respected and considered. Keep the conversation going. Providing sentence stems for students to frame their questions and comments in a positive way.
I agree/disagree with ____ because…
That is a good answer because…
I got different results because…
My strategy is like yours because…
What I heard you say was…
Your solution reminds me of…
The steps I took in solving the problem were…
To check my answer I…
My math goal for tomorrow is…
(See more samples of sentence starters for mathematics on Kate’s Pinterest Math Board.)
Lastly, when sharing out with the whole group, it’s important to capture students’ strategies with a visual model or chart. These strategies provide possible ideas that others have not considered. They also lead to discussions about efficiency and generalizations that deepen mathematical thinking and success!
Resources
"Accountable Talk In the Elementary Math Classroom | Math Matters." Math Matters. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. http://gpsmathcoach.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/accountable-talk-in-the-elementary-classroom
Leinwand, Steve. Sensible Mathematics: A Guide for School Leaders. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2012. Print.
Parrish, Sherry. Number Talks: Helping Children Build Mental Math and Computation Strategies, Grades K-5. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions, 2010. Print.
Workshop Model Growing In The Middle School
~ Courtney Belolan, MAMS Literacy Teacher Leader
For several years now our district has worked with Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) at the elementary level. For the first time, this fall we extended this incredible professional learning to include all of the 6-8 English Language Arts teachers and special educators, at Mt. Ararat Middle School. We have already seen the potential power of the TCRWP writing workshop model to transform a class into a community of learners, and we're looking forward to being a part of the metamorphosis of our school and district.
True to TCRWP fashion, our teachers hit the ground running in October. The 6-8 ELA teachers began their work this year with a “workshop model boot camp” run by Courtney Belolan and two days with Gerrit Jones-Rooy, the TCRWP Staff Developer working with the school this year. The days moved quickly with discussions, lab sites in each grade level (in-classroom modeling and practice), planning, and debriefing. Everyone who participated engaged in excellent, meaningful conversation and pushed to step outside their comfort levels. Everybody left with something new to try.
Gerrit will return at the end of January, and until then, the MAMS teachers continue to progress towards their goal of fully implementing workshops by the end of this school year. Courtney and the ELA teachers are working together through classroom coaching, shared scoring, and strategy conversations to support one another in developing writing workshops across the grade levels. To be sure, the work of our elementary colleagues has set the stage for our success. It will be exciting to see how this work stretches into the high school as our students move on.
~ Courtney Belolan, MAMS Literacy Teacher Leader
For several years now our district has worked with Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) at the elementary level. For the first time, this fall we extended this incredible professional learning to include all of the 6-8 English Language Arts teachers and special educators, at Mt. Ararat Middle School. We have already seen the potential power of the TCRWP writing workshop model to transform a class into a community of learners, and we're looking forward to being a part of the metamorphosis of our school and district.
True to TCRWP fashion, our teachers hit the ground running in October. The 6-8 ELA teachers began their work this year with a “workshop model boot camp” run by Courtney Belolan and two days with Gerrit Jones-Rooy, the TCRWP Staff Developer working with the school this year. The days moved quickly with discussions, lab sites in each grade level (in-classroom modeling and practice), planning, and debriefing. Everyone who participated engaged in excellent, meaningful conversation and pushed to step outside their comfort levels. Everybody left with something new to try.
Gerrit will return at the end of January, and until then, the MAMS teachers continue to progress towards their goal of fully implementing workshops by the end of this school year. Courtney and the ELA teachers are working together through classroom coaching, shared scoring, and strategy conversations to support one another in developing writing workshops across the grade levels. To be sure, the work of our elementary colleagues has set the stage for our success. It will be exciting to see how this work stretches into the high school as our students move on.
The Changing Face of Insecurity
~ Mary Booth, School Health Coordinator Every school system in the country supports students living in situations that are not “fixed, regular, or adequate” as defined by the McKinney-Vento law. Living arrangements that are insecure often result in two families living in a space designed for one family, or families living in tents, as was the case in our district this fall. Over the last ten years, there has been a dramatic shift in who is experiencing homelessness, going from over 90% of the cases being at the secondary level to over 50% of the cases currently at the K-5 level. Last year there were 75 students in M.S.A.D. No. 75 supported by McKinney-Vento (or “homeless”). As you develop expectations for students to display mastery of learning, please keep in mind those students who are both housing and food insecure, and provide appropriate options as needed. If you have an important parent night or information you want to share, consider asking a colleague to video tape your presentation and make it available via DVD for parents that are unable to come to the school. http://homeless.samhsa.gov/ |
Expanding Wellness Opportunities for Students and Staff
~ Mary Booth, School Health Coordinator The District is committed to on-going health promotion and wellness. Over the last four years there has been a steady increase in the need for emotional health support, both for students and staff. Over half the 1,000 annual visits to the School Based Health Center at Mt. Ararat High School are for emotional support. Working with the Maine Employees Association Benefit Trust (MEABT), this fall we learned emotional health needs are one of the district’s major cost drivers for staff as well.Two universal techniques to help support emotional health at any age are: 1) physical activity, and 2) a healthy diet. One ever-expanding initiative for students is the 5-2-1-0+8 Let’s Go! Campaign. This initiative is different in each school (based on specific interests and needs) but the overall goal of promoting physical activity and healthy eating is the same. Last Spring, Bowdoin Central School unveiled an outdoor story walk; Williams-Cone School created a Rumpus/Activity Room; and Harpswell Community School expanded a school/community snow shoe program. In years past, Woodside Elementary School focused on kinesthetic learning, replacing chairs with stability balls in many classrooms. Healthy eating and food security are part of an on-going project at Bowdoinham Community School, ensuring fresh fruits and vegetables are incorporated into the Backpack Program. The Middle School and High School have worked on different size school gardens. Focusing on staff, last year we were proud to host an event on “Emotional Eating – It’s Not About the Food”, featuring nationally recognized speaker, Dr. Denise Lamothe. The event was well attended and feedback was very positive. The District Health Leadership Team is in the process of developing wellness offerings for staff after the Winter Break. If you have suggestions or would like to get involved, please contact Mary Booth. |
6-12 Effective Teaching Late Starts
If students are not engaged in class work... their minds are somewhere else. Mark Moss, Chairman of the Boston University School of Medicine’s Anatomy and Neurobiology Department says, “Attention is the gateway to the mind. If you don’t have their attention, you don’t have their mind.” In a series of conversations this fall, the faculties of our middle school and high school came to this same conclusion. When asked on opening day to describe effective teaching and learning, the top descriptor was engagement. Since August, faculty from the two schools have continued to meet on the second late start of the month to forge a story through conversations of what effective teaching is and what a school system would look and sound like in order to tell that story. We seek a seamless system of learning from kindergarten through graduation with caring adults guiding students to be what they desire. Through small group processing, we are creating this vision while bringing the two schools closer together in their understanding of our students.
If students are not engaged in class work... their minds are somewhere else. Mark Moss, Chairman of the Boston University School of Medicine’s Anatomy and Neurobiology Department says, “Attention is the gateway to the mind. If you don’t have their attention, you don’t have their mind.” In a series of conversations this fall, the faculties of our middle school and high school came to this same conclusion. When asked on opening day to describe effective teaching and learning, the top descriptor was engagement. Since August, faculty from the two schools have continued to meet on the second late start of the month to forge a story through conversations of what effective teaching is and what a school system would look and sound like in order to tell that story. We seek a seamless system of learning from kindergarten through graduation with caring adults guiding students to be what they desire. Through small group processing, we are creating this vision while bringing the two schools closer together in their understanding of our students.
"One should not pursue goals that are easily achieved. One must develop an instinct for what one can just barely achieve through one’s greatest efforts." —Albert Einstein
Project-Based Learning for Gifted Learners
~ Kim Emerson, Gifted and Talented Coordinator Classroom teachers are faced with myriad learning needs within a single classroom and the challenge of meeting the unique needs of gifted learners can be every bit as arduous as meeting the diverse needs of other students. Ensuring that highly able learners are served through systemic programming, which adds depth and complexity to instruction, is imperative for the optimal development of our gifted students. While there are a variety of best-practice initiatives that promote the development of high ability learners, this piece will focus on the use of project based learning (PBL) as a means of differentiating curriculum for gifted learners. PBL leads students through a process of inquiry in response to a problem or a compelling driving question. Skillfully designed projects promote active learning, require critical thinking, real-world problem solving and allow students to develop standards-based competencies while creating high-quality authentic products or presentations. For more detailed information about designing and teaching with PBL units, access some of the resources listed below. One reason PBL learning is an effective differentiation model is that it allows students to work at their own level. Gifted learners need much less repetition than many learners and instead benefit from added depth and complexity in their learning. Involvement in real-world projects allows high ability learners to maximize thinking and make connections, while anchoring skills in authentic and meaningful applications. PBL can increase student motivation and provide an outlet for the gifted learners’ natural curiosity. PBL also helps students connect skills and information to a meaningful endeavor. The standards and student outcomes for Gifted and Talented programming are outlined by the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) and they include the following: “Standard 3 Description: Educators apply the theory and research-based models of curriculum and instruction related to students with gifts and talents and respond to their needs by planning, selecting, adapting, and creating culturally relevant curriculum and by using a repertoire of evidence-based instructional strategies to ensure specific student outcomes. Leading students to achieve the following NAGC student outcome standard: 3.4. Instructional Strategies. Students with gifts and talents become independent investigators.” While benefiting all students, well designed PBL can be especially advantageous for gifted students. This is a curriculum model that can help lead gifted learners to the acquisition of CCSS and NAGC standards. (continues up..) |
Projects Around the District
Gifted and Talented students around the district are currently engaging in a variety of enrichment projects. For example: Fifth grade GT students at HCS are engrossed in creating a planetary scavenger hunt. After gathering facts about each planet, they decided to create a series of video scavenger hunt clues for their classmates to follow via QR codes. Through this project students are developing skills in the areas of math, research, creativity and communication. Identified students at BHM and WCS are participating in the Artifact Box Exchange, a national project to help students learn about where they live. Students exchange a mystery box of artifacts representative of their city, state, and region with another classroom in another state. Through creating the artifact box students learn geography, history, and the local nature of their regions while using creative and critical thinking, research and reference skills. Students across the district will be working on a project to create book trailers for the Maine Student book award nominees. After reading at least one Maine Student book award book, students will create a trailer using a vast menu of options which will then be attached to a QR code and distributed around the district for student use. Trailers will follow a rubric and will require creativity in images and script writing. Please visit www.mainegateways.org to view an array of vetted resources in all subjects and a library of student work (Learning Portfolio). Web Resources:
Print Resources: Stanley, Todd. Project-Based Learning for Gifted Students: A Handbook for the 21st Century Classroom. Waco: Pruffrock Press, 2012. Print. |
Any growth requires a temporary loss of security." - Madeline Hunter
Integrating Technology, One Upgrade at a Time
~ Seth Mitchell, Technology Integrator 6-12 (@TechMSAD75, http://ararattech.weebly.com) , and Kate Greeley, Technology Integrator K-5 (@k88t)
Integrating technology sometimes seems like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Curriculum guru Heidi Hayes Jacobs suggests that educators should seek ways to “upgrade” existing units. The phrasing encourages the sort of backward planning that makes learning--not flashy technology--the center of instruction. Instead of starting with a digital tool and trying to figure out how best to make use of it, teachers should look at units they already teach and see where technology can enhance what is already in place.
Think about a unit you have taught a few times and with which you are comfortable. Now consider a few questions that lead to purposeful tech integration:
>How might I expand the audience for student work?
Is someone other than the teacher seeing student products? We know learners are often most engaged and do their best work when they are working toward an authentic purpose for a real audience. Digital tools make it easy to publish work and share it with others.
MAMS Example (Learning Commons): Gina Stokes has upgraded the research unit she usually teaches in her Learning Commons class. The final product now includes public service announcement podcasts that will be shared with the school and beyond.
Elementary Example: In Mrs. Greenleaf's first grade classroom, the "Small Moments Writing Unit" is upgraded by increasing audience and feedback in having a student use a document camera to project and discuss written work.
> How might I provide students with opportunities to collaborate?
Like any skill, the ability to work effectively in groups requires practice. If we don’t ask students to negotiate the tricky give-and-take waters that true collaboration involves, they can’t internalize the strategies they’ll need to be productive team members.
MAMS Example (Learning Commons): Candice Wright and Joyce Rogers improved collaboration in their research unit by asking students to use Google Drive to craft their group presentations.
Elementary Example: In Mrs. Browne's fifth grade classroom, the "Memoirs Unit" is upgraded by having students create podcasts and host them on the class website.
> How might I connect students with the world?
If a primary purpose of school is to prepare students for the “real world,” we need to make sure that world intersects with our learning spaces as often as possible. Upgrading a unit might mean looking for opportunities for students to reach out to the community.
MTA Example (Social Studies): Thanks to Skype, Sewall Janeway’s and Bree Candland’s classes had a conversation with Senator Angus King. King didn’t need to leave Washington, and the students didn’t have to set foot outside the Learning Commons.
Elementary Example: Bowdoin Central Learning Commons Ed. Tech Mrs. Wheeler has students follow reading a book about Africa by having some students find specific locations in Africa using Google Earth on the iPads, while other students seek additional information about the continent using the laptops.
> How might I give students more voice and choice in how they demonstrate learning?
Is it necessary for all students to create the same product to show they’ve met a learning target at the end of a lesson or unit? If the answer is no, you might allow students more room to select their own methods, a practice that honors students’ varied interests and abilities. A Prezi, iMovie, podcast, screencast, or animation might all accomplish the same purpose.
MAMS Example (Technology): Sandy Bickford's students currently submit journal entries as part of a portfolio assessment of their work. Her updated unit plan will allow students to use drawings, movies, and diagrams--in addition to traditional text-based responses--to make their thinking visible. The goal is reflection, so the medium is secondary to the purpose.
Elementary Example: In Mrs. Lapointe's third grade class, the demonstration of learning about life cycles is upgraded by supporting students in using Google Presentation to share facts about their organism. The whole school becomes their audience as classrooms come to a gallery to view the presentations.
>How might the students and I work more efficiently?
What technological affordances can simplify or enhance the work of teaching and learning? Though adopting a new tech practice can initially create some extra work for the teacher, this early investment usually pays off.
MTA Example (ELA): Upgrading to Google Drive from more traditional approaches for collecting student work, Emily Vail is simplifying and amplifying the writing process in her classroom.
Remember that these questions don’t explicitly ask for technological innovation, but digital tools often make it easier to find answers. If you’d like a thinking partner as you upgrade one of your units, contact your technology integrator who will happily help you consider possibilities.
~ Seth Mitchell, Technology Integrator 6-12 (@TechMSAD75, http://ararattech.weebly.com) , and Kate Greeley, Technology Integrator K-5 (@k88t)
Integrating technology sometimes seems like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Curriculum guru Heidi Hayes Jacobs suggests that educators should seek ways to “upgrade” existing units. The phrasing encourages the sort of backward planning that makes learning--not flashy technology--the center of instruction. Instead of starting with a digital tool and trying to figure out how best to make use of it, teachers should look at units they already teach and see where technology can enhance what is already in place.
Think about a unit you have taught a few times and with which you are comfortable. Now consider a few questions that lead to purposeful tech integration:
>How might I expand the audience for student work?
Is someone other than the teacher seeing student products? We know learners are often most engaged and do their best work when they are working toward an authentic purpose for a real audience. Digital tools make it easy to publish work and share it with others.
MAMS Example (Learning Commons): Gina Stokes has upgraded the research unit she usually teaches in her Learning Commons class. The final product now includes public service announcement podcasts that will be shared with the school and beyond.
Elementary Example: In Mrs. Greenleaf's first grade classroom, the "Small Moments Writing Unit" is upgraded by increasing audience and feedback in having a student use a document camera to project and discuss written work.
> How might I provide students with opportunities to collaborate?
Like any skill, the ability to work effectively in groups requires practice. If we don’t ask students to negotiate the tricky give-and-take waters that true collaboration involves, they can’t internalize the strategies they’ll need to be productive team members.
MAMS Example (Learning Commons): Candice Wright and Joyce Rogers improved collaboration in their research unit by asking students to use Google Drive to craft their group presentations.
Elementary Example: In Mrs. Browne's fifth grade classroom, the "Memoirs Unit" is upgraded by having students create podcasts and host them on the class website.
> How might I connect students with the world?
If a primary purpose of school is to prepare students for the “real world,” we need to make sure that world intersects with our learning spaces as often as possible. Upgrading a unit might mean looking for opportunities for students to reach out to the community.
MTA Example (Social Studies): Thanks to Skype, Sewall Janeway’s and Bree Candland’s classes had a conversation with Senator Angus King. King didn’t need to leave Washington, and the students didn’t have to set foot outside the Learning Commons.
Elementary Example: Bowdoin Central Learning Commons Ed. Tech Mrs. Wheeler has students follow reading a book about Africa by having some students find specific locations in Africa using Google Earth on the iPads, while other students seek additional information about the continent using the laptops.
> How might I give students more voice and choice in how they demonstrate learning?
Is it necessary for all students to create the same product to show they’ve met a learning target at the end of a lesson or unit? If the answer is no, you might allow students more room to select their own methods, a practice that honors students’ varied interests and abilities. A Prezi, iMovie, podcast, screencast, or animation might all accomplish the same purpose.
MAMS Example (Technology): Sandy Bickford's students currently submit journal entries as part of a portfolio assessment of their work. Her updated unit plan will allow students to use drawings, movies, and diagrams--in addition to traditional text-based responses--to make their thinking visible. The goal is reflection, so the medium is secondary to the purpose.
Elementary Example: In Mrs. Lapointe's third grade class, the demonstration of learning about life cycles is upgraded by supporting students in using Google Presentation to share facts about their organism. The whole school becomes their audience as classrooms come to a gallery to view the presentations.
>How might the students and I work more efficiently?
What technological affordances can simplify or enhance the work of teaching and learning? Though adopting a new tech practice can initially create some extra work for the teacher, this early investment usually pays off.
MTA Example (ELA): Upgrading to Google Drive from more traditional approaches for collecting student work, Emily Vail is simplifying and amplifying the writing process in her classroom.
Remember that these questions don’t explicitly ask for technological innovation, but digital tools often make it easier to find answers. If you’d like a thinking partner as you upgrade one of your units, contact your technology integrator who will happily help you consider possibilities.
Asking Questions in the Learning Commons
~ Trish Suthers, Elementary Library Media Specialist (@TrishSuthers) Question, questions, questions. The Learning Commons is based on the integration of library and technology, but how do we begin this integration? Answer: Ask questions. One quick and easy way we’ve been able to upgrade a lesson is to ask questions about the author or illustrator of the book we’re reading. If they have a webpage, we may be able to use it in different ways with different grades. Woodside students experienced a week of learning about children’s book author and illustrator, Eric Carle. On his website, lower grades listened to Eric Carle read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and then were able to practice their illustrating techniques using a drawing program on their laptops. The upper grades were able to use the laptops to explore his website on their own. If we’re reading a nonfiction book we ask, what more can we find out about this subject that would be of interest to our students. At Harpswell Community School, the Ms. McGovern read the book Giant Squid and was able to show students footage of scientists observing these creatures in the wild. We use this questioning technique with other aspects of the Learning Commons. It’s book fair time and we ask, how can the book fair operate in a more efficient way? Woodside’s answer: Recruit wonderful 5th grade helpers and create a digital “wishlist” form that can be filled out online, printed and sent home to parents. These are a few of the small steps we are taking now, but they are just the beginning of a bigger journey. Follow me on my Twitter journey as I integrate my own technological learning. @TrishSuthers Citations: Giant Squid: Searching for a Sea Monster (Smithsonian) by Mary M Cerullo Link: http://amzn.com/1429680237 Videos www.youtube.com/watch?v=Umc9QAh-IV4 Discovering the giant squid www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvi_5Bq8gE8 Looking for the giant squid Eric Carle http://www.eric-carle.com/home.html Drawing Program http://artpad.art.com/artpad/painter/painter.swf |
The Learning Commons Model : The Perfect Fusion of Library and Technology Services
~ Gina Stokes, Middle School Library Media Specialist Learning Commons teams across the district have been busy implementing our new model of services, which is the fusion of traditional “library services”, technology support, cutting edge technology integration and a new vision of our role within the school community. Here at MAMS, in addition to providing technology support and classic “library services” we are busy encouraging students to be engaged users of all the Learning Commons has to offer. This includes providing numerous cultural and recreational opportunities for our student community, such as the well attended November Brown Bag Poetry Luncheon with local poet and educator Betsy Sperry. Another example of the changing face of the Learning Commons is the creation of the MAMS Learning Commons Student Advisory Board. Led by Mrs. Stokes and Ms. Belolan, interested 6th, 7th and 8th grade students will be invited to apply for a position on the newly created committee that will help drive the direction of special events and offerings in the Learning Commons. The physical space of the Learning Commons has also undergone many changes this year. The original space designated as the Learning Commons now includes small group work rooms along the LC corridor, where engaged iTeam students can be seen working with Seth Mitchell, our new Tech Integrator, as he teaches them new and exciting ways to use technology. The main area of the Learning Commons that houses our collection of books and media resources has also experienced a reallocation of space. The room has been rearranged into three interconnected areas to better serve the changing teaching/learning needs of students and staff. |