Time to Talk Teaming

As we approach the scheduling topic for the upcoming year, curriculum will largely drive the discussion on how to best use our time for effective teaching and learning.

Interdisciplinary Teaming has been used at the middle level in Fremont for many years.  Student learning is the key component of scheduling.  A discussion must be considered about the effectiveness of common plan time and teaming.

Transition from elementary to secondary schedule
In the elementary schools, students largely are with one teacher throughout the day with the obvious exception of music, PE, art, media, etc.  In the high school, students all have different schedules and have many different teachers who do not share them in common. Where do we go in the middle?

Questions to consider

• Q1: What impact does interdisciplinary teams have on student learning? Student behavior? High expectations?
• Q2: Does teaming improve instructional quality? How does teaming effect communication/feedback between teachers and students?
• Q3: Do we have a better understanding of students because of teaming? Do we better understand prior cognitive ability? students disposition to learn? Does teaming improve our ability to intervene and/or enrich curriculum based on student needs?
• Q4: What advantages does interdisciplinary teaming have when compared to departmental teaming?  What  are advantages departmental teaming?
• Q5: Can we use teams to increase parent involvement?  In what ways do we communicate with parents through teams?
• Q6: How important is teaming in our future schedule?  What other factors are important?

Use twitter to discuss.  Use the hashtag #58connect .  Use Q1/A1 format to answer questions from this blog.  

Brent's Blog

The Case for Teaming in the Middle Level

Scheduling for what Matters -the other side of teaming

Schedule:

• December 8: Time to Talk Teaming Blog
• December 8: The Case for Teaming Blog
• December 8-December 20-Twitter Conversation: tweet anything then put #58connect at the end.
• December 14 Coffee with Colleagues-7:00 am
• December 20 Coffee with Colleagues (Hold the Coffee-bring a lunch) 11:45 a.m.

Feel free to participate in any portion you would like.  You can come to coffee with colleagues and lunch on Dec 20.  

Testing, Testing, 1-2-3: Is this thing Working?

NWEA, NeSA, CRT, EasyCBM, Skills Pointer, C4L, ELDA, LMNOP, ETC.

Data driven decision making, something we can all agree is a good idea.  Data driven decisions means that we look at how a student is doing and use that information to help us make decisions.  Accountability based on a one or a few tests is what is less popular with most educators. Regardless of our opinions on the use of tests and data for accountability, we know that testing is a big part of our school life.  Let's consider a few questions. 

• How do we use data to inform decisions? How can we better use this data?
• How does testing effect our school culture?
• How can we make testing a positive?
• How can we make changes in the bigger picture of education? 
• What do we have to do to compete?
• How does the emphasis on testing impact our exploratory classes?  
• How do we create the right balance of preparing students for tests and preparing students for life?
• What considerations must we have for students who are either poor, english language learners, or have special needs?
• How do we ensure a meaningful curriculum for students who do not have special needs?
• What do we do for high ability students?
• How do we raise our expectations for ALL students?

Homework: Huhh, What is it Good For? Absolutely...

What is it good for?
Mostly, it is a mixed bag of research.  Some say no value and others say some value.  Most would agree that the benefit becomes larger as students get older.  Most would agree that homework's value comes from how purposeful the teacher is in assigning the homework.  Some say that it is good for public relations because parents want to see homework.

Homework has often been the subject of debate.  It is something that has always been there so we just keep giving it.  So let's take a moment to consider homework practices.

Questions

• What is the purpose of homework?
• How much homework is appropriate?
• When should homework be given?
• What does research say about homework?
• In what subjects is homework effective?
• Should homework be graded? If so, how much is it worth?
• Why do you assign homework?
• How do you know students are ready for the homework?
• Is homework what you don't get done in class, or is it more intentional than that?
• Is public relations a valid reason to give homework?

Researchers and Scholars
Rick Dufour
Robert Marzano
Alfie Kohn
Rick Wormeli

Brilliant Blogger-(OK, it's just me.  But I think I'm brilliant)
Homework at the Middle Level (just my opinion)
Active and Purposeful Learning
Supporting No Zeroes
Homework Grading Practices

The Grading Game

Beginning the Conversation-Answer any question in the comment section.  Also, from 10/27/12 through 11/1/12, you can answer questions on the right side of this blog post.

• 
• What does a grade mean?
• When a mom looks at a grade and sees that her daughter has an A, what does that tell her? As an example, does a student on Team 5A and Team 5B have the same expectation for what an "A" grade means in Science?
• Should a grade reflect mastery of concepts/standards?
• What is the purpose of homework?  Is homework assessment or practice?
• Should hard work and responsibility (behavior) be reflected in a student's grade?
• How should extra credit be used to assess students?
• How can I set up my classes to insure that I am assessing students academic performance?

Some Stuff From a Brilliant Blogger-(OK, not really, it's just from Brentcudly.blogspot.com)

Homework Grading Practices

Homework at the Middle Level

Supporting No Zeroes

Real Researchers and Experts in Grading-If you find articles from these researchers or others, please share on twitter using #58connect.  Click on the researchers name for a YouTube video.

• Ken O'Conner
• Rick Wormeli
• Robert Marzano
• Doug Reeves

Innovation and Experimentation Celebration

Innovative Teaching
As administrators, we get to see a lot of great things when we come into your classrooms.  Please share any innovative teaching strategies you have used recently or would like to try in the future.

Whole Brain
Recently, I have seen several teachers using whole brain teaching at Johnson Crossing.  This method is something I was not that familiar with prior to this year.  We have several teachers who would be wonderful resources.  Learn more about whole brain teaching below.

How To Begin Whole Brain Teaching 1

Whole Brain Teaching 5 Step Lesson: Middle School Science

Flipped Classroom
The idea of the "flipped classroom" has been a hot topic on twitter for quite some time.  Flipping the classroom is the idea of doing the homework at school and the lesson at home.

The Flipped Classroom

BYOD
Some teachers are experimenting with "Bring Your Own Device."  Students in the lowest income bracket are most likely to access the internet using a phone or mobile device.  Students use technology regularly and proponents of BYOD would argue that school should not be the only 7 1/2 hours without technology.


BYOD: Bring Your Own Device

Other Innovative Ideas
Please add any other innovative ideas to the conversation.

The Coversation
Coffee with Colleagues-Oct 26 at 7:00 am-room TBA

Twitter - #58connect all week

Share-in the comment section

1.  Please share your experiences with BYOD, the flipped classroom, whole brain teaching, or other innovative teaching ideas/strategies.

2. Share things you are interested in but haven't tried.

3.  Share frustrations and celebrate successes.

Topic 1: iPods, iPads and iPains

TECHNOLOGY
Technology can add a tremendous amount to our instructional toolbox.  Technology can also create frustrations.

Questions


Q1: Where are we with technology?

Q2: What interesting and exciting things have you found using technology that you would like to share with the group?

Q3: Where do you want to see FMS and JCAC go with technology in the upcoming year?  If you have ideas on how we might be able to push technology forward, please include them in your answer.


In your tweets or blog comments, answer with A1 if you are answering Q1.  Not all of your tweets would necessarily be related to one of the questions.

COFFEE WITH COLLEAGUES
10/19/12 at 7:00 a.m.  Location TBD-please feel free to volunteer your classroom.

TWITTER AND BLOG 10/13/12-10/19/12

Hashtags

Be sure to put #58connect on all tweets related to this subject this week.

Education Technology related hashtags: (from Fractus Learning)

#edtech

#elearning

#mlearning

#web20

#flipclass

#edchat

#BYOD

#iPaded

#EdApps

#k12

#cpchat

CONNECT THE CAMPUS

THE IDEA: Share ideas and connect our campus
Each Friday, we will post a topic of the week.  We will take suggestions on topics.  The topic will be emailed out and posted in this blog.  We will also use twitter when we update our blog.

Over the course of the next 7 days, we will then have an ongoing discussion of this topic.  People can either join in on twitter using the hashtag #58connect or they can read this blog and add comments.

The culminating event will be a Friday get together.  Johnson Crossing staff members will gather together on Friday morning at 7:00 am in the designated classroom.  Fremont Middle School will do the same.  We can skype between the classrooms (we'll see how this goes).

NOTHING IS MANDATORY
If you would like to participate, please do so.  If not, that's fine too!

• Participate when you are interested in the topic
• Participate when you have time
• Participate only in the twitter conversation
• Participate only in the classroom discussions
• Participate by adding comments on the blog
• Participate in all aspects of the 5-8 Connect
• Never Participate

ON TWITTER
Use #58connect at the end of each tweet related to the topic of the week.  Please post articles you have read about the topic of the week.  An added bonus of using twitter is that people from outside of our district will see our tweets and can share their experiences.


BLOG
I encourage you all to create a blog.  You can then share your blog via twitter.

If you don't want jump all the way in, then feel free to comment in the comment section of this blog.  Check back and see what others are saying.

CULMINATING EVENT
Come participate in the discussion in person.  The Middle School will connect with Johnson Crossing using Skype.  The discussion will be very informal.  We may have a few questions to get us started and might bring in a few conversation points from the twitter and blog posts.  The idea of these conversations is to spark action.  We can learn from others and share with other people who have great ideas.

SPARKING IDEAS
While a healthy dose of reality is important, these will never be complaining sessions.  This will be for  people looking to get together to have some coffee, conversation, and collegiality.