OUTCOME:

Teachers will have the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with peers in order to incorporate the elements of the District Social Studies, Health, and Literacy Curriculum and strategies for good instruction into their lessons and units of study.

AGENDA TOPICS:

I. Our Vision of Learning and Implications for Good Teaching

(Handout From Meeting: Article: How People Learn)

What is our theory of learning?

v Learners actively reflect and ask questions about their world

v Learners construct conceptual frameworks by making connections, seeing relationships, considering other perspectives, and

v Learners have preconceived ideas about their world and continually confirm and correct these ideas

What are the implications for teaching?

v Teachers need to provide demonstrations of active inquiry by asking questions that expert performers/learners ask about specific disciplines. (What questions do mathematicians ask? What questions do readers ask? What questions do writers ask? )

v Teachers provide opportunities for students to learn about a subject or topic in depth. Ample time is allowed for students to grasp the big ideas, to reflect, to investigate, to question, to see relationships, and to construct new meaning.

v Teachers expect students to perform the new learning in authentic situations demonstrating the skills and knowledge as outlined in district and state standards.

This theory of learning connects with the Conditions For Learning found in our Elementary Literacy Support Guide.

II. Backwards Design – Starting with the big ideas to be learned and describing the

Performance expected from the students.

(Handout From Meeting: QAR: Question Answer Response from September 2002, Reading Teacher p. 20-27)

Sample units for social studies were developed and shared by the participants. These drafts will be sent to each teacher and may be further developed at future grade level meetings. The template will be sent electronically to each grade level teacher.

III. Questions

Teachers posted questions throughout the day. See attached for Q/A sheet.

1. Are there kid-friendly 6-trait scoring rubrics based on a 4 (not 5) point scale?

2. Teaming-is there a schedule that supports this model (common planning & block-scheduling)?

3. Is there a reason for the fall DRP testing dates window?

4. District Diagnostic Reading test-have they narrowed it down? If so, which test are they considering?

5. Could we have a time where teachers can share best practices?

IV. Next Steps

Teachers posted suggestions and topics for future grade level meetings.

Topics:

v Integrating subject areas

v Arranging for team collaborative time

v More time to create and share units that use the resources we have available

v Further exploring teaming models

v Further sharing of ideas

v Demonstration of actual plans and lessons proven to be successful

v More discussion of new health unit

v Sharing of best practices

v Reading skill building

Volunteer teachers will develop a plan for the next meeting in March.

John Horner-Whatcom

Penny Sherwood-Whatcom

Jan Westermann-Whatcom

Linda Chapman-Kulshan

Wendy Dutcher-Kulshan

Melanie Frey-Fairhaven

ATTENDEES

Fairhaven: Mary Riley, Melanie Frey, Jack Wiebusch, Kulshan: Wendy Dutcher, Linda Chapman, Whatcom: Timothy Lucy, David Went, Sandra Riggins, Penny Sherwood, Jan Westermann, John Horner, Darilyn Sigel, Dan Liden