1.13.2010
To: Professional Staff – Red Oak Schools
From: The Teacher Quality Committee
Subject: February 15, 2010 Professional Development Day
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The Teacher Quality Committee for ROCSD will sponsor a valuable day of learning for all teachers and invited guests on Monday, February 15, 2010. The day is designed to take our professional knowledge to even a greater level. The TQC appreciates the tremendous growth in our staff through the professional learning community endeavors. The TQC is committed to even greater growth in the months ahead.
Anthony Muhammad, a noted expert in building successful professional learning communities, will be our guest on Monday, February 15. He is the author of “Transforming School Culture – How to Overcome Staff Division”. He will work with all educators to help us grow, learn, and adopt even stronger principles of professionalism through an enhanced school culture.
In preparation of this special learning day, the Teacher Quality Committee has purchased individual copies of the Anthony’s book. He would like for everyone to have read this book prior to February 15 in addition to a short document called “Getting Serious About School Reform: Three Critical Commitments” by noted school reform expert Robert Marzano. The TQC has also provided this reading item for you. If you are working in a paraeducator role in our district and would like to voluntarily attend this special professional growth opportunity, please visit with your principal or any member of the Teacher Quality Committee.
Thank you in advance for helping our district “set the stage” for quality learning on February 15.
The Teacher Quality Committee Membership
Barb Sims - Buck Laughlin - Curtis Adams - Deb Blomstedt - Doug Barry
Jedd Sherman - John Gambs - Kim Walford - Sonia Kunze - Terry Schmidt
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
January 13 & 20 - Curriculum PLC Work
Task:
1. Review MISIC standards as a team; answering the questions in the final three columns.
a. Remember to think about whether the benchmark is currenly being taught in EVERY class/classroom.
- If it is not being taught in one classroom at a given grade – it should be marked “NO.” This should not be debated as there is no wrong answer – we are using this as baseline data to help with planning and support.
- If it is not being consistently taught to all sections (for example, all 6th grade math classes), then it should be marked “NO”
- The benchmarks will be implemented the fall of 2010 so if it is not being taught at the identified grade level now, the team/individual should make plans to implement it for the upcoming year. This is our curriculum.
b. Do not spend too much time deciding what level you’re currently teaching the benchmark at: Introduction, Develop or Mastery. If you have time after going through all the benchmarks, you can come back to debate.
c. This document is our baseline and good data/information for your team and our Iowa Core Curriculum team as we look at our implementation plan, alignment and future planning with the Iowa Core process.
2. Save the document when complete and email it back to me.
Your team will have the next two PLC dates to complete this. If it looks like more time will be needed after Day 1, please let me know so we can plan for adjusting the schedule.
MISIC - http://www.misic.iowapages.org/
Links to check out on MISIC
Member Documents – List of Stan & Benchmarks
Our Purpose – background information
Links: MISIC Ladders Data Base (Error will come up - must click on ‘continue’
We will spend the next two Wednesdays’ PLC time working in grade level teams (K-5) and curriculum teams (6-12) with the main purpose of allowing teachers the time to become acquainted with the standards and benchmarks we are adopting from the Mid-Iowa School Improvement Consortium (MISIC).
The MISIC benchmarks have already been aligned with the Iowa Core Curriculum, thus reducing the time, energy and money we would have spent aligning our own curriculum with the Iowa Core. As you and your team move through the curriculum, you will note very few differences from our current ROCSD curriculum - except that it is already aligned with Iowa Core. :) This is why we believe it will be a smooth transition to fully using the curriculum next fall.
The basics of what you'll be doing is looking at the curriculum and asking/answering:
1. Do we currently teach this?
2. Do we currently assess this?
3. If we don't currently teach this - how/where will we implement it at our grade level (K-8) or within our required curriculum offerings (9-12)?
The team lists by building are attached - please review to make sure I didn't miss anyone! Facilitators will meet with me before Wednesday and will have more specifics for each team on Wednesday. Teams and individuals "outside" the core (science, literacy, math & social studies) will get additional directions prior to Wednesday via email.
As always - questions...please ask!
He who laughs, lasts
DB
Core Curriculum/ Grade Level Facilitators will identify location of meetings. A projector may be very handy if one is available!
K - Smits
1st - Dentlinger
2nd - Pfeiffer
3rd - Vannausdle
4th - Haufle
5th - Braymen
MS:Literacy - Reeve
MS:Math - Sonntag
MS:Science - Hietbrink
MS:So.Stds - Clausen
HS:Literacy - Gilbert
HS:Math – Berry
HS:Science – Blomstedt
HS:So.Stds – Gambs
1. Review MISIC standards as a team; answering the questions in the final three columns.
a. Remember to think about whether the benchmark is currenly being taught in EVERY class/classroom.
- If it is not being taught in one classroom at a given grade – it should be marked “NO.” This should not be debated as there is no wrong answer – we are using this as baseline data to help with planning and support.
- If it is not being consistently taught to all sections (for example, all 6th grade math classes), then it should be marked “NO”
- The benchmarks will be implemented the fall of 2010 so if it is not being taught at the identified grade level now, the team/individual should make plans to implement it for the upcoming year. This is our curriculum.
b. Do not spend too much time deciding what level you’re currently teaching the benchmark at: Introduction, Develop or Mastery. If you have time after going through all the benchmarks, you can come back to debate.
c. This document is our baseline and good data/information for your team and our Iowa Core Curriculum team as we look at our implementation plan, alignment and future planning with the Iowa Core process.
2. Save the document when complete and email it back to me.
Your team will have the next two PLC dates to complete this. If it looks like more time will be needed after Day 1, please let me know so we can plan for adjusting the schedule.
Useful Sites
Dept of Ed’s Iowa Core - http://www.corecurriculum.iowa.gov/ MISIC - http://www.misic.iowapages.org/
Links to check out on MISIC
Member Documents – List of Stan & Benchmarks
Our Purpose – background information
Links: MISIC Ladders Data Base (Error will come up - must click on ‘continue’
------------------------------------------------------------
We will spend the next two Wednesdays’ PLC time working in grade level teams (K-5) and curriculum teams (6-12) with the main purpose of allowing teachers the time to become acquainted with the standards and benchmarks we are adopting from the Mid-Iowa School Improvement Consortium (MISIC).
The MISIC benchmarks have already been aligned with the Iowa Core Curriculum, thus reducing the time, energy and money we would have spent aligning our own curriculum with the Iowa Core. As you and your team move through the curriculum, you will note very few differences from our current ROCSD curriculum - except that it is already aligned with Iowa Core. :) This is why we believe it will be a smooth transition to fully using the curriculum next fall.
The basics of what you'll be doing is looking at the curriculum and asking/answering:
1. Do we currently teach this?
2. Do we currently assess this?
3. If we don't currently teach this - how/where will we implement it at our grade level (K-8) or within our required curriculum offerings (9-12)?
The team lists by building are attached - please review to make sure I didn't miss anyone! Facilitators will meet with me before Wednesday and will have more specifics for each team on Wednesday. Teams and individuals "outside" the core (science, literacy, math & social studies) will get additional directions prior to Wednesday via email.
As always - questions...please ask!
He who laughs, lasts
DB
Core Curriculum/ Grade Level Facilitators will identify location of meetings. A projector may be very handy if one is available!
K - Smits
1st - Dentlinger
2nd - Pfeiffer
3rd - Vannausdle
4th - Haufle
5th - Braymen
MS:Literacy - Reeve
MS:Math - Sonntag
MS:Science - Hietbrink
MS:So.Stds - Clausen
HS:Literacy - Gilbert
HS:Math – Berry
HS:Science – Blomstedt
HS:So.Stds – Gambs
Monday, December 14, 2009
Free Audio & Video Downloads
Happy Monday! I hope you all made it in safe this morning and are geared up for the final week of 2009! I wanted to share another free resource I ran across this morning on a site called 100+ Sites to Download Everything Online.
Learn Out Loud. This is a one-stop destination for video and audio learning resources. You can browse through over 15,000 educational audio books MP3 downloads, podcasts, and videos. The site also contains various free resources which can be found by clicking this link: http://www.learnoutloud.com/Free-Audio-Video#directory
Use for a whole class assignment, enrichment opportunities or audio books for special education students. Many of the audio downloads can be put onto a student/teacher’s iPod, MP3 player or phone! They may be also posted as links on your own webpage or blog for students to access in the media center, at home or the local library.
Samples:
- I Have a Dream Spea (audio & video)
- Romeo & Juliet (audio, RSS Feed)
- General Biology (iTunes & video)
Learn Out Loud. This is a one-stop destination for video and audio learning resources. You can browse through over 15,000 educational audio books MP3 downloads, podcasts, and videos. The site also contains various free resources which can be found by clicking this link: http://www.learnoutloud.com/Free-Audio-Video#directory
Use for a whole class assignment, enrichment opportunities or audio books for special education students. Many of the audio downloads can be put onto a student/teacher’s iPod, MP3 player or phone! They may be also posted as links on your own webpage or blog for students to access in the media center, at home or the local library.
Samples:
- I Have a Dream Spea (audio & video)
- Romeo & Juliet (audio, RSS Feed)
- General Biology (iTunes & video)
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Useful Google Tools from "The Lab"
I came across a couple useful Google tools today while visiting a great site (http://www.freetech4teachers.com/). These would be useful for teachers and students alike – they are pretty cool so check them out!!
Image Swirl - http://image-swirl.googlelabs.com/
Google Image Swirl organizes image search results based on their visual and semantic similarity and presents them in an intuitive exploratory interface. To use Image Swirl, just enter your search term as you would in the regular image search service. The results of your search will be displayed in a grid similar to that with which you're probably familiar. Click any image in the grid a web of more, related, images will appear. Click an image in the web and another web of images will appear.
Educational Use: Images for PowerPoints or to show students examples of concepts. It may also be used as a writing prompt starter.
Google Squared - http://www.google.com/squared
Fetch and organize facts from across the web. Google Squared automatically constructs a table of facts about any category you specify. Google Squared displays the results of a search in a spreadsheet format. This spreadsheet format allows users to quickly compare the results of a search. Users can alter the fields in the spreadsheet to further refine a search. For example, I searched using the term "US Civil War," the results were displayed in a spreadsheet containing the columns "image," "description," "date," and "result." I then eliminated the "result" column and replaced it with "location." The new "location" column displayed results based on location.
Educational Use: Easy organization for students and teachers to compare concepts, people, properties, animals, etc.
Image Swirl - http://image-swirl.googlelabs.com/
Google Image Swirl organizes image search results based on their visual and semantic similarity and presents them in an intuitive exploratory interface. To use Image Swirl, just enter your search term as you would in the regular image search service. The results of your search will be displayed in a grid similar to that with which you're probably familiar. Click any image in the grid a web of more, related, images will appear. Click an image in the web and another web of images will appear.
Educational Use: Images for PowerPoints or to show students examples of concepts. It may also be used as a writing prompt starter.
Google Squared - http://www.google.com/squared
Fetch and organize facts from across the web. Google Squared automatically constructs a table of facts about any category you specify. Google Squared displays the results of a search in a spreadsheet format. This spreadsheet format allows users to quickly compare the results of a search. Users can alter the fields in the spreadsheet to further refine a search. For example, I searched using the term "US Civil War," the results were displayed in a spreadsheet containing the columns "image," "description," "date," and "result." I then eliminated the "result" column and replaced it with "location." The new "location" column displayed results based on location.
Educational Use: Easy organization for students and teachers to compare concepts, people, properties, animals, etc.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Upcoming PLC Dates
Below are the upcoming PLC and early out dates for you to get on your calendar. More information regarding the dates for technology (from Bob) and curriculum (from ICC team) will come at a later time. Enjoy your Thanksgiving break and continue to keep the Redd family in your thoughts and prayers.
11.25 Technology Self-Directed Professional Development – one hour PLC/PD time as teachers have a shortened day prior to the holiday break ----2:30 is the official release time
12.02 Technology Professional Development – as directed and guided by Bob Deter
12.09 Building PLCs
12.16 No early dismissal due to 12.18 holiday dismissal
12.18 2 hour dismissal - Teachers can leave 15 minutes after students are gone
01.06 Curriculum PLCs – Grade span work with MISIC's standards & benchmarks
01.13 Curriculum PLCs – Grade span work continued
01.20 Building PLCs
01.27 Building PLCs
Thursday, November 5, 2009
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