William Yang
Assistant Principal
Edgewood Elementary School, Scarsdale New York
Email: William.c.yang@gmail.com / wyang@scarsdaleschools.org
Twitter: @wcyang
Embedded Files
Essential Question #1: How can we develop a professional learning system to support educator innovations in developing authentic/relevant curriculum projects and/or units that incorporate inquiry, digital literacy, and interdisciplinary learning?
Essential Question #1: How can we develop a professional learning system to support educator innovations in developing authentic/relevant curriculum projects and/or units that incorporate inquiry, digital literacy, and interdisciplinary learning?
Innovation through inquiry / research and development is the key to providing teachers and students with the means to develop relevant skills, strategies, and dispositions in an ever changing world. Through teacher action/research, our educational community will have a framework that is equitable, transparent and provide a viable process for evaluating new ideas and approaches to education. By differentiating our professional development to include those teachers who have profound inquiries as to how students learn, we are extending the professional capital of our faculty so that students with diverse learning needs across schools can benefit from our collective knowledge, research, and resources.
In order to support this work, we've developed the Scarsdale Teachers and Adminstrator's Collaborative (ST@C), a network of educators across the schools in our district that is interested in sharing ideas and connecting to those interested in providing a modern learning experience for students. The ST@C is a professional learning opportunity that provides workshops, resources, and networking opportunities for teachers across schools. The focus of the ST@C during this phase is to develop a program that will provide teachers with opporunties to "experiment," collaborate, and share their research around larger innovations with curricular projects or units and beyond.
Action Plan:
Action Plan:
Develop a Scarsdale Center for Innovation grant to support the development of a cohort of teachers across the elementay schools to engage in an inquiry/action research model of developing projects/units. Presentation slides for Rationale for the program to the right.
Develop a supporting Scarsdale Teachers Institute Course for this network of teachers to develop a common framework for engaging in action/research. Incorporate a "lesson study" component into the course to allow for collaborative inquiry as well as examination of pedagogy in relation to new curriculum projects and units. (course outline coming soon!)
ReBrand and merge the ST@C Website and Program offerings as a vehicle for communicating to the community and connecting educators to one another. The ST@C site can include resources online and spotlight the various projects and innovations that help inform and encourage others to explore and contribute.
Essential Question #2: How can we develop Civic Media in elementary students to learn about and tell stories of their community?
Essential Question #2: How can we develop Civic Media in elementary students to learn about and tell stories of their community?
Through some changes to our Edgewood News Student club, we're looking to develop students' ability to report on stories of the community. This is more important now than ever to have students tell stories of what is happening in our school community that is personal, thought-provoking, and advocates for change in the community (and the world) in a positive way.
Action Plan:
Action Plan:
Invite Faculty to join a committee of teachers to help provide input and feedback for the club. Develop a schedule for meetings (real time conferences and anytime learning)
Develop modules for Anytime Learning and set times for Real Time Learning so students can learn more about the process of being a journalist, applying what they've learned in disciplinary units to their stories, and how to communicate their stories through media. Beyond reporting "facts," focus on also personal stories to share that would inform the audience and/or promote change in the community. Provide a library of models for students to draw from.
Revise the Edgewood News Web site to include these modules and accessible for all students -- not just the adults.
Look to expand media choices for students-- Explore the use of Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality as a way to tell stories of the community! (I'm totally geeking out here!). Possibly virtual tours of our school for prospective parents, stories from the community through a guided walking tour using an AR app , etc.)
Acknowledgements:
Acknowledgements:
Special thanks to Julie Coiro, Mark Davis, Yonty Friesem, Renee Hobbs, Kristin Hokanson, Diana McMasters, Paul Tomizawa, and Joyce Valenza for their advice, help, and support in helping to address these inquiry questions. Will also be following up with Jill Castek and Michael Manderino on their work with the CoLab School and Inquiry/Disciplinary Learning!
Page updated
Report abuse