November 18, 2011

November 18, 2011



Professional Development: Challenge By Choice

Have you ever 'thought' you made yourself clear to your students, only to find that the message wasn't clear? 

I 'thought' I had prefaced our professional development at the beginning of the year with the message that we would focus our efforts, for the first semester, around expanding our knowledge of digital tools - with the understanding that each of us needs to decide what makes sense for our time on Wednesday afternoon. The tech team creating the professional development has been communicating ahead of time what the focus of our professional development plans will be. This allows you to make a decision on whether you will join the group or not.

Collectively, we did (and will continue) to grow in our understandings of how to use these digital tools as tools FOR learning. We also recognized that everyone has a different level of knowledge as they enter into this learning. (Hmmm.. sounds like differentiation). 

If you have reached a point of saturation, where you need to fall back and take the time to APPLY what you have learned, then you make that decision. If you want to continue to attend so that you can have a broader overview of what is available or ready to learn a new chunk, then it might make sense to attend. If you are already up and running and need this time for Backwards Planning, genre work, etc. then you should do that.

In any case, I would ask that you reflect on your personal learning experience from these training sessions. 

What did you learn about yourself as a learner?

How does what you experienced transfer to your classroom and how you think about your learners?

How has it influenced the way you think about effective differentiation?

How has it influenced your thinking about reaching learning targets?

(You might consider posting your thoughts on Edmodo)

I've have personally experienced, just recently, having to put the brakes on the layers of my own, new learning and stop. Too much new information doesn't transfer to application. I need time to get comfortable and flexible with the new learning before I'm ready for more. I feel empowered to have the control.

Does this mean I shift into cruise? No way! I'm excited to apply what I've learned!

As I pondered my own learning I was reminded of 'Challenge By Choice'. We don't have a choice about whether we will challenge ourselves, but we do need to scaffold the challenge so that the outcome is success and empowerment!

The goal this year is to differentiate our professional development. We're learning how to do that. You need to know that it is desired and appropriate for you to be leading the choices and outcomes of your professional development.


Let's consider what this professional development has supported us with:
* Collaboration
* Opportunities for teachers to take leadership roles
* Sharing our discoveries and uses for digital tools
* Spending time together
* Pushing ourselves (look how far we've come!)
* Implementing our learning
* Unpacking the mysteries 
* Facing fears and doing it anyway
* Moving toward a new model of teaching and learning
* Identifying supports and colleagues within our building
* An 'eye' into other classrooms within our school
* Peer observations
* Cutting edge educators!

Calendar

Week of November 21 - 22nd (short week):

Tuesday, 22nd:

* RTI meeting 7:15 a.m.

Wednesday - Friday: 

* Celebrate with friends and family!

Week of November 28 - December 2nd:

Tuesday, 29th:

* RTI meeting 7:15 a.m.

Wednesday, 30th:

* All School Meeting

* Professional Development: Digital Tools

Thursday, 1st:

*2/3 Discovery Field Work: Denver Art Museum

Friday, 2nd:

*1st grade Field Work: Chinese Restaurant

Student Led Conferences

There have been a few questions around Student-Led Conferences and progress reports.  Julie opened the window so you can get to the EPR's (progress reports) early so those of you looking for an earlier opportunity to get started can get rolling. Thanks Julie!

You have two weeks to work with for scheduling your conferences. The goal isn't to stretch it out over two weeks, rather, to have some flexibility to meet your needs and schedule. You have both Wednesday afternoons during those weeks with which to use as suits your needs. I highly encourage you to save one for planning, etc.

If you have questions about filling out the EPR, please visit with myself or Noreene. If you are giving any student a score less than a 2, which would indicate that the student is making satisfactory progress toward the end goal, you should be talking to parents PRIOR to them seeing a score of 1 on the progress report. The progress report should not contain any surprises.

Sharing


Noreene's 5 Poems:

My Journey with Twitter in 5 poems--with a tip of the hat to Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and Shea Bennett who wrote “The 5 Stages of Getting Twitter”

Denial

don’t wanna

don’t hafta

couldn’t run away fasta

Twitter has nothing for me

don’t wanna

don’t hafta

couldn’t run away fasta

I don’t care if twitter is free

Anger

Twitter, twitter, twitter

why should I care what people are having for breakfast

why should I care what’s new on TV

why should I care that you’ve arrived at the bank

and why do you send such nonsense to me?

twitter...twitter....twitter....and, anyway...it’s a dumb name

Bargaining

OK, my friends are on twitter

My boss is on twitter

I’ll sign up ‘cuz twitter is free

My friends are on twitter

My boss is on twitter

I’ll try it so they can tweet me

Depression

I’m sad, feel bad

Twitter isn’t for me

There is nothing to do, nothing to see

And

Why are these people following me?

PS What is a hashtag anyway?

Acceptance

Not there yet

Not ready to say

I get it!

I will have to say, chats are a way

To participate

I will have to say, chats are a way

To build a PLN

I will have to say; maybe I’m one tweet away

From building a world I fit in

Apple Award Nomination

Deadline approaching fast!

Window to nominate closes November 23rd

http://schools.dcsdk12.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=205102&

Love and Logic

9 Essential Skills: Skill Number Seven

Using Choices to Prevent Power Struggles

Guidelines for giving lots of little choices

1. Never give a choice on an issue that might cause a problem for you or for anyone else..

2. For each choice, give only two options, each of which will be okay with you.

3. If the child doesn't decide in ten seconds, decide for him or her.

4. Only give choices that fit with your value system.

Some Examples of Little Choices
1. "Should this paper be due on Wednesday or Thursday?"

2. "Feel free to do the first half of this assignment of the second half."

(Be sure to give an assignment that is twice as long as you want.)

3. "Feel free to do this in pen or pencil."
4. "Would you like recess on time or late?"

5. "Can you stay with us and stop that, or do you need to leave for awhile and come back when you are calm?"

6. "Feel free to choose where you sit as long as it doesn't cause a problem for anyone else."

Backwards Planning

What is it?
* Planning Process that focuses on assessment first and activities last.


Planning developed in three stages:
1. Desired Outcomes
- focus on most important content and skills (depth not breadth)


2. Authentic Evidence
- Appropriate assessments that determine a students understanding of the concept
- Provides students with specific feedback on skill development
- Skills and content assessed together


3. Learning Activities
- Sustainable learning the sticks/students understand, evaluate and create
- Students are frequently doing work that requires them to evaluate and create
- Teachers are partners and coaches


Backward Design in classroom: What to look for...
* The goal is evident - ideas and questions drive toward the goal
* Evidence of the Big Idea/Questions
*Clear connection to the Four C's (collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking)
*Formative assessments fill gaps and drive instruction
*Students are asking questions/articulating understandings
*Students are engaged
*Everyone knows the purpose/goal
*Students and teachers reflect on learning and depth of understanding - adjustments are made as necessary/more questions are asked


How are your PLC's going? We are focused on using Backwards Planning as we work through our genre units of study in writing. Please remember to post your progress/thoughts/questions/reflections on Edmodo. You should be posting at least every two weeks.
(Scheduling this will help)
Our work on our genre units is our Unified Improvement Plan goal. Our goal is to articulate expectations of student writing at each grade level within genre studies.

Featured Folks

Authored by Josh Smiles

Deborah asked me to write about myself and I began to wonder…where to begin, where to end and what do my colleagues want to know about me?  I am still not sure, but I decided I would throw a few links up here and you can look and listen to as much as you want.

Most people know that I just returned from 2-years two years teaching in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  I really enjoyed my time there and I miss parts of my lifestyle, as well as my friends.  I miss the vacation options and cost of living, but in no way doubt my decision to come to Colorado.  My images from this last trip to Asia can be viewed at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vnsmiles/sets

I did show and sell my work in a handful of backpacker bars and restaurants.  If you want a glimpse into my classroom from last year you can see it here: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXmiLE_sFuE

Before I was in Asia, I was living in Portland, Oregon.  I moved there after four years of living in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  I was substitute teaching in Jackson when I decided to move to Portland to attend Lewis and Clark College and get my MA and teaching certificate.  While I was there, I began selling photo greeting cards and other types of photography.  Those images can be found at:
www.flickr.com/photos/sasmiles/sets

  

You might also notice a travel set within this webpage.  I spent my first year out of grad school teaching in Taiwan and then two years later found myself banging around South America.  I did do some teaching and studying, but the most rewarding thing I got involved with was volunteering with a disaster response organization in Pisco, Peru.  My heart is still there.

Aside from photography I also spend a fair bit of time playing music.  I used to play percussion in some bands but now I generally just strum my guitar - on my couch or outside alone.  I recently put some of the songs I recorded up on a site and it can be accessed at:
http://www.reverbnation.com/user/login#!/joshsmilesaudacityproject

In addition to photography, music, and travel, my passions lie in the outdoors.  I have been riding over at Ridgeline Open Space many days after school on my mountain bike.  I love the “flow” of the turns on those trails and watching the sun go down over there. But after last weekend’s time change, the sun seems to be down before I can even blink and I must now change my focus.  I have three day of skiing and snowboarding under my belt so far this year and after two plus years away, it feels great to be playing in the mountain snow again.

There are a number of reasons I choose to come back to the US and more so, to Colorado.  First, REMS seemed like the kind of place where I would fit and be valued.  I hope to drop some roots here and stick around for a while. I really enjoy my students and I appreciate both the support and flexibility this school provides me.  I recognize how unique a place it really is.

I also came for family. My little brother lives here in Denver and he has two little boys that are pretty adorable.  The final reason I returned has mostly to do with quality of life.  I came for the live music scene I heard so much about, for the sunshine, and for the chance to play outside in the mountains.  My introduction to Colorado has been all positive and I look forward to many more adventures in the future.

My crew’s photos can be found at:
http://jsmilescrew201112.shutterfly.com/

 and my blog is: http://unopenedfern.wordpress.com/

And I guess that is me, at the moment at least.  Thanks for reading and have a great weekend J

Focused Feedback:

I started by asking kids questions about what they were learning and why it's important to them. I'll do that next week too. I'm also going to start asking staff questions about what works for them and I'll post the answers.

Here's what one student told me...

Peek Into the Life of our School:

Brittney's students are so involved she can just take a coffee break!

And here's what her student had to say about that...

Board meeting of Chief Executive Officers

The joys of teaching!

Partners in learning

Diana could sell ice to Eskimos!
Awesome Book Fair!!!

Thanksgiving...

Next week we'll depart on Tuesday afternoon and shift our focus to our families and friends as we gather together in the spirit of thanksgiving. As I look forward to that special time I am also reflecting and giving thanks for our school community. How fortunate I feel to to be working and learning with such a passionate, dedicated and talented community of educators. The hardest thing about what we do is that it matters every single day. We give it all we have and are never satisfied. We should all pause and be thankful: we make a difference to students and each other every single day. To each of you, I say, "Thank you. You are exceptional. I am honored to be with you."