2019-20 Events

Telescope Network Year 2: 2020 Annual Report

Connect & Share Follow-Up

• Thanks to the 200+ colleagues who joined us during April and May for our "Connect & Share" webinar sessions.

• We have created a Google Classroom with resources and presentations from these sessions for both elementary and secondary educators. Join to share what's worked in your classroom, and to see what your colleagues have shared as well.

• Join the classroom using the code w3hbwt6 (you must have a BPS email address to join)

Indoor Teacher Trivia League

Thanks for joining us for the Tele-Trivia League. On June 16, our final round of Tele-Trivia, we had 78 players join for our live event. Overall this season, we've had more than 190 players join for at least one session. We had 34 players who were there for 10 or more sessions. The average player attended 4.6 sessions. We hope to be back in the fall.

Connect & Share Spotlight Sessions

On May 21 and May 22, the BPS Tech team and the BPS/BTU Telescope Network co-hosted a series of “Connect and Share Spotlight Sessions.” During these 1-hour webinars, we had 36 "humble expert" panelists who shared resources and materials from their own virtual classrooms. We had 154 participants join us, with 63 participants joining for 2 or more sessions. 98 percent of participants said that they'd recommend these sessions to a friend or colleague.

• May 21 was for early childhood and elementary educators

• May 22 was for middle and high school educators

Connect & Share Sessions

On April 30 and May 1, 2020 the BPS Tech team and the BPS/BTU Telescope Network co-hosted a series of “Connect and Share” conversations. We had 79 educators from across BPS join us for a chance to connect with each other and share ideas about what’s working so far with remote learning. The session topics came from the highest need areas based on the Telescope Network’s Needs Assessment Survey.

tinyurl.com/BPSconnect2020

• April 30 was for early childhood and elementary educators (K-5)

• May 1 was for middle and high school educators (6-12)

Group Discussion: Grading, Feedback, and Performance Assessment with Remote Learning

(Wednesday, April 15, 2020, 11-12 p.m.) Join us for this group discussion where we will discuss ways we can use PBL and performance assessment practices with remote learning. Session hosted by Katherine Petta (Burke HS) and Chris Madson (EMK Academy). Open to all. They will share resources from MCIEA (Massachusetts Consortium for Innovative Education Assessment) and the Center for Collaborative Education.

Panel Webinar: Math Tech Tools

• (April 2, 2020) Come see how math teachers are using various math tech tools in their online classrooms. Find out what’s working, what challenges they face, and spend time digging in with one tool of interest with colleagues.

• (Agenda & Notes / Slideshow)

Group Discussion: Student Engagement

• (April 2, 2020) Co-Hosted w/ BPS Tech. Join with colleagues to discuss ways that you are engaging students online. What is working? What are your challenges? What do you need?

• (Session Slideshow / Padlet / BPS Tech Webinar Archive)

Group Discussion: Virtual Project Based Learning

• (April 1, 2020) During this group discussion we will focus on strategies for teaching virtually, creating lists of soft skills kids might need to further develop in order to work from home, and ways we can encourage, strengthen, or even just address those skills from afar.

Trivia Night Results

• • See attendance results, high scores, and play previous quizzes at tinyurl.com/telescopetrivia.

Differentiation Edcamp

(Feb 2020) On Saturday February 29, 2020 the Telescope Network and BTU hosted an EdCamp at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate. The theme of this Edcamp was differentiation: "How do we differentiate instruction for diverse learning needs without wearing ourselves out?" We had 38 educators from Boston and beyond join the Edcamp. (Flyer / Event Webpage)

Learning Site: Dual Language Teachers

(Feb 2020) On February 12, Magda Rodriguez and her 3rd grade class at the Rafael Hernández Dual Language School hosted a Learning Site. The topic for this session was, "How do we build oral language skills around authentic texts while meeting the variety of language development needs in the class?" We had 15 participants join, including teachers from Hernández, Hurley, Greenwood, Umana, and Dearborn STEM Academy. We also had participants from BPS Office of English Learners and Wayland Public Schools. (Flyer)

Planning Group: Project Based Learning (PBL)

(Jan 2020) On January 30, Katherine Petta (Burke High School) and Chris Madson (EMK Academy) launched a planning group at the Roxbury Innovation Center. We had 9 educators participate in this session. The topic for this group is, "How do we create authentic project-based learning (PBL) tasks that increase student engagement and ownership?" Follow-up virtual sessions (via Zoom) for this group will continue in Feb, March, and April. (Flyer / PBL Group Website)

Planning Group: World Language Teachers

(Jan 2020) On January 23, Rosemary Finley launched a World Language teacher Planning Group at Dearborn STEM Academy. We had 6 teachers attend this session. The topic for this group is, "How do we differentiate lessons for heritage learners and novice learners in a World Language classroom without exhausting ourselves?" Virtual follow-up sessions for this group will continue in Feb, March, and April. (Flyer / Slideshow)

Co-Teaching Crosswalk: How to Make it Work

(Dec 2019 and Jan 2020) On January 30, 2020, we concluded a Co-Teaching Crosswalk for teachers at Madison Park. We had 17 teachers from Madison Park attend the wrap-up session and 10 were able to observe a peer. The topic for this session was, "How do we effectively co-teach an inclusion class? What are the most effective ways to plan, collaborate, and share responsibility between co-teachers?" The Jan 30 follow-up session was facilitated by David Sims. (Flyer / Session Packet / Crosswalk Reflections)

Learning Site: Fostering Students' Civic Engagement

(Dec 2019 and Jan 2020) On December 11 and January 15, Neema Avashia and her Grade 8 Civics class at the McCormack Middle School hosted a Learning Site. We had 36 educators attend the two Learning Site sessions. The topic was, "How do we use civic content to help increase literacy skills, while building meaning for students?" One participant quote: “I was really impressed with this learning session. The piece before the observation was well planned and thought through, the observation was excellent, and the time spent w/ the teacher after lunch was so powerful. I think this is an extremely effective way to do PD. Thank you for having me.” (Flyer)

Learning Site: Culturally Responsive Teaching in Practice

(Nov 2019) On November 20, Rachel Pierce and her Grade 4 class at the Channing Elementary School hosted a Learning Site. The topic for this session was, "How do we create a culturally responsive community for learning in an elementary classroom?" We had 16 participants join, including teachers from the Grew, Chittick, Blackstone, and Haley Schools. We also had participants from BPS Dept. of Behavioral Health Services, Office of Accountability, Office of Turnaround and Transformation, and Office of Opportunity and Achievement Gaps. (Flyer)

Edcamp for Related Services

(October 2019) We collaborated with the BPS Related Services Department to sponsor an Edcamp at EMK Institute on 10/22/19. More than 230 educators attended. More event photos here.

Telescope Teacher Trivia Night

(Oct 2019) Trivia Night Results: Thanks to all who joined us on 10/11 at Doyle's for Telescope Teacher Trivia Night. We had 42 people from 11 different BPS schools at the event. Ingrid Roche (BLA) and her team took home the 1st place gold tiara. Educators from the Rafael Hernandez came in 2nd place.

'Scoping with DESE Commissioner Jeff Riley

(Sept 2019) On 9/9, the Telescope Team was invited to meet with Massachusetts Commissioner of Education Jeff Riley and his team to discuss the work of the Telescope Network and the new MA Kaleidoscope Collective.

Telescope Network Annual Report 2018-19

(June 2019) It's been a busy start-up year for the Telescope Network. Read about our work, our results, and our plans for 2019 and beyond.