Embedded Files
"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success."
- Henry Ford
October 2016
October 2016
volume 1, issue 3
volume 1, issue 3
by Michael Beckwith, Instructional Coach
The colors are beautiful, the mornings are crisp – the season has changed. It seems like it was weeks ago but as you enjoyed our short fall break, I am sure you spent time reflecting on the first months of the school year. Reflecting and making adjustments is part of the growth process, it’s what we do. It’s also a skill we teach our students to enhance their learning. Soon we will have an opportunity to employ this essential skill, once more, as we embark on our School Improvement Review. With that said, this month’s issue of KIBBLE divulges a few of our colleague’s recent contemplations.
The Stevenson High community is a national leader in the design and processes involving professional learning communities. Nick Floerchinger shares his reflection and takeaways after our team’s learning opportunity in Illinois. Likewise, Joe Ventola reflects and shares his thoughts on the connection between project based learning and authentic learning as we mold lifelong learners. Lastly, Elizabeth Kantner shares her musings concerning her professional leaning community’s success coordinating with the learning lab – Heather Anderson’s huge hit.
Finally, as you reflect to grow professionally, a helpful tip and a few learning opportunities are shared. Friends, though we are in the midst of the crazy days of October where it seems many are struggling to keep afloat, keep in mind this “season” will pass and the joys of the holiday season will be upon us. Remember to always put “first things” first and we will see it through together.
* "The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection."
- Thomas Paine
by Nick Floerchinger, Social Studies Teacher
Yes, I went on the trip to Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Chicago who’s the guru of PLCs. Those who know me are surprised I volunteered to go and those who don’t know me, sorry for you. I didn’t go there to compare how much greater they were to us but to see what we do well and how to improve on it, so we become them and not envy them. I found out that we are in the beginning stages of PLC work here at Arvada. Some PLCs are ahead of others, which is fine because we can get there. The big take away for me from Stevenson was the structure that they had around PLCs and that every decision was made for every student’s success. Their PLCs started out to be about student achievement and have morphed into being about teacher learning. Where teachers learn from each other in their PLCs. This means that here at Arvada our PLCs need to concentrate on student achievement so we can start to move to teacher learning.
The last thing I took away from Stevenson was that they are moving towards learning target (outcome/standard) based grading for classes. This will show true student growth better than the old numeric system. In the old system students just accumulate gold coins (points) and the one with the most gets the highest grade but has not always learned the most. In the learning target based system student have multiple ways to demonstrate their proficiency of the learning target and the final is based on a semester's worth of evidence not a single test or a couple of tests. The teacher and student sit down and talk about the final grade with the student having some input in their final grade. It was an eye opening trip in the fact that we can get better at our PLC work and the way we grade kids. Ask someone who went on the trip to explain their experience because this is only mine.
by Elizabeth Kantner, Math Teacher
The general consensus on the Algebra I team is that the Tutoring Center is a great new resource.
How do we use it?
If a student is absent for a test or quiz, we have the tutors administer the test during the student's study hall.
If a student is missing assignments we ask the tutors to pick them up from their study hall in order to help them complete the assignments.
For students without a study hall, I invite them to visit the tutoring center during their off period to do make-up work.
You can also send students during your class, but we are trying to keep kids in class as much as possible. I still bring students in for Bulldog, but that is usually for test corrections or test re-takes.
Let's keep the tutors busy!
by Joe Ventola, Science Teacher
Of the many opportunities we find in project-based-learning, I am most excited about the opportunity to do Authentic Learning. For me, authentic learning has two prongs: cross-content instruction, and real, adult-level learning that I call lifelong learning. For those of you already sold on these PBL benefits, you should consider joining my Authentic Learning PLC, either ad hoc (let’s find a single way to work together!) or semi- permanently (let’s find a way to work together, a lot!). For those of you less convinced, I extol the prong virtues below.
Cross-content education is authentic because that is how adults learn new tasks. If one of my former trucking-company employees showed up on day one to learn to deliver packages, I didn’t send him to individual classes on how to read (addresses), write (reports), and do the math necessary to compute delivery standards. Instead, I showed him how to do the task(s) of the day, and how all those pieces integrate. Although we are limited in some ways in a public high school setting, I have still found ways to get and receive content across department lines.
If you don’t like the cross-content part of Authentic Learning, surely you have to at least love the idea that we can instill into our kids an interest in learning, which they might then keep for life: life-long learning. We have to bring in interesting business and government professionals, offer college-level experiences (for credit whenever possible), and advocate with everyone we meet for making the students responsible for their behavior, societal role, and knowledge. In this process we hopefully leave kids with the realization that learning does not end with high school graduation, but continues throughout life.
I admit, it occasionally takes a little more work to figure out new ways to do things, but it shouldn’t take more work for us permanently. If you want to talk about these ideas some more, let me know. I am looking for your ideas and willing to share mine.
by Michael Beckwith, Instructional Coach
We are dauntless in the task that lies before us. To educate our students to be leaders of their own learning, we must employ every available asset. Time, perhaps, is our most precious resource because we have so little of it. Time matters to the students we have now and they deserve to have us invest it well. Professional Techniques Indicator 2h (maximizing available instructional time) is often overlooked but it is one we should examine closer as we have much knowledge to impart.
Here are some “look-fors” that indicate we are effective in meeting our student’s needs:
- Appropriate instructional time for content:
- Allocation of time matches grade level expectations and student needs with accommodations/modifications as appropriate
- Incorporates appropriate pacing:
- Maximizes instructional time by effectively prioritizing tasks, organizing data, preparing materials, delegating tasks and scheduling
- Smooth transitions between activities:
- Puts procedures in place to avoid interruption to instructional time
- Transitional procedures are in place to expedite progression of learning
- Engages students in learning:
- Ensures that all students participate with a high level of frequency
- Appropriate balance of teacher talk and student talk
- Accesses and employs appropriate materials, services to facilitate student engagement
A generic period*
A generic period*
Warm up: 3 - 5 minutes
Whole Class Instruction: 10 – 15 minutes
Independent/Small Group Work Time: 30 – 35 minutes
Closure: 3 – 5 minutes
*For a block schedule, try splitting the block into two cycles – cycle 1, followed by a short mental break, transition into cycle 2. The second cycle can have its own learning goal, warm up and activities.
In a nutshell
In a nutshell
To ensure our students learn what is required in our C-CAP documents, or for them to shine on a MAP, PSAT, AP or SAT test, we need to maximize our teaching time. Ricardo Montalbán said, in a super cool movie, “time is a luxury you don’t have.” Interrupted to mean, in our case, we must take full advantage of the time allotted. Yes, we still need to build and maintain positive learning environments and time must be set aside to nurture. However, every attempt should be made to intentionally plan so we are purposely using every valuable minute.
Schoology Digital Portfolios
Schoology Digital Portfolios
Teachers will learn how to create Portfolios in Schoology for themselves and their students to display achievements over time and reflect on learning. Portfolios provide the ability to quickly and easily collect, organize and share work with others. Come learn about the many ways to use this easy tool, and the best thing is that it is already a part of Schoology.
- October 25th, 4:00 - 5:00
- Online Webinar
- ESS Course Code: BETSPO session 0001
Leveraging Learning Targets to Plan for Higher Order Thinking
Leveraging Learning Targets to Plan for Higher Order Thinking
- November 9th, 2:10 - 3:40
- 809 Quail, Building 4 Conference Room
- ESS Course Code: LSA042 session 0001
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