Sunday, March 23, 2014

February Professional Development: Moving Forward with Our Work


                                                                                                      What a successful professional development session we had in February! I believe most of us saw the power of critique to  improve our work.  For too long teachers as a profession have worked in isolation, in large part because schools have not supported structurally opportunities for collaboration. Lynne's skillfulness in creating time for teachers to work together is making a profound difference in the culture of Grand Center.


I am hoping all of you are spending a bit of time working on the stage 3 of your units.  Remember to keep in mind that the strategic placement of activities is critical to the work.  This part of your work is not just a collection of activities that have to do with your topic. Make sure you are working closely with your understandings, questions, and declarative and procedural knowledge.  You have promised   that students will be learning these things.  Are your activities clearly leading students there? Use the WHERE to shape your instruction. 


W: activities to show where the unit is going.

H: activities to hook the students on the learning.
E: activities to engage students in the subject, 
     developing meaning and building concepts, 
     struggling with the essential questions, exploring the 
     enduring understandings, building skills and 
     knowledge.
R: activities to review the key work of the unit and to 
     correct misconceptions.
E:  activities built into the unit to allow teachers to 
      formative assessments.


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