What she says.......

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There are 3 key ideas from chapters 1-4 of Curriculum 21 that I feel would effect positive change in my district and are also doable…in my opinion.  The first is schedule.  Ms. Jacobs is absolutely correct that “form follows function”.  In order for us to group students effectively for teaching and learning, capitalize on all of our resources and provided collaborative time for teachers we have to push at the daily/weekly schedules.  My thoughts are small in comparison to what we’ve recently read, but large in comparison to the practices we’ve had in our district.  We will be working on lining up our instructional workshops to effectively group students for layered supplemental instruction and project work, establish weekly team time  in order to conduct progress monitoring meetings on striving student and team time for collaboration on units of study/assessment/other PD.  Scheduling is hard…please send good mojo our wayJ

The second key idea is upgrading assessments.  Ms. Jacobs feel that this should come even before looking at content and skills.  I think it could drive purpose and motivation if handled well.  In our district we will be using EDUCATE to “house” student progression through the learning targets.  The means to do that is to attach and “activity” better known as an assessment or outcome to a target or a set of targets.  One the activity is scored on a 1-4 scoring guide and entered into EDUCATE the student’s progression through the learning targets is “populated” with check marks of achievement.  Designing those “activities” and understanding the targets and scoring guides will be our PD work for the coming year.  I am in hopes that, while Ms. Jacobs feels it could wait, we also will create units of study along the way.  This is work I’ve already started this summer with a few teachers. 

The third key idea relates to the tenets Ms. Jacob’s lists on page 31 of Curriculum 21. They all are critical, but I was trying to think about what would be doable. I selected global literacy, technology and media, real purpose and also added essential questions/problems to solve and speech.    I think ramping up our outcomes by establishing real world (global) purpose through essential questions or problems would motivate our students.  Engaging them in outcomes that creatively and effectively use technology and media will also engage and motivate while teaching essential skills they’ll need.  I also really feel what she said about speech starting on page 48 is needed.  There is so little “formality” left in our culture on a daily basis.  Students need to learn that talk has different “genre” and how to navigate with grace.  Providing more opportunity for “talk” in physical and virtual spaces will provide more practice.

Seems like a lot, but I think it’s doable.  It always feels that way in July, right?