PLCs and Teaching Strategies

So, today was day two of the PLC trainings.  We went over some data.  Not the best test score in the district, which means we have a lot to work on, but it also means that we can only really improve from here.  We talked about strong instructional strategies and strategies that move from what our admin called the "old" model (which we are used to, but which aren't exactly broken) to the "new" model. (the current buzzwords in educational theory that make the classroom better.)

 This is that slide.  It may be a bit blurry.  I was trying to get the pictures for it pretty quickly, as my admin has lightening fast fingers on the spacebar once they're done with a slide.
Most of these "old" method still work.  I'm still reading new books on Classroom management and the Marzano model is still relevant in today's society.  The new methods are really good methods too though, and things that we need to see across the entire curriculum, in every single classroom.  My ambition is never ever to be an administrator, but if I was to walk into my colleagues classrooms, especially in a core class, these are what I would expect to see.  Teacher's engaging their students on a level that they can work at.
Admin then asked us to work on a list of strategies that we use in our own classroom and then round robin them around the table and share what we found as our favorite strategies in the classroom.  This is the list that the English group came up with.  Excuse my horrible handwriting.  That's why I type a blog, and don't handwrite it.  (My hubby got me this boogie board sync.. it's digitalized scratch paper.  I can't save it to my computer, but it beats doodling or writing down some quick information that I'm not really going to keep with me.  And, if I do want it, I can always take a picture!)
Translated, these read:

• Academic silence- make sure that all student are giving each other the opportunity to learn in an academic setting when they need to concentrate.
• Stand, Share, Sit- After a pair share or group discussion, all students stand.  They may only sit down once they have shared something with the class.
• 3D Reading with Student-Student pairings.  Not sure what this is, but I'm definitely going to look in to it.
• Kid-Taught lessons- Make students responsible for teaching the mini-lessons in your class like for grammar have students learn about and teach to the class the different verb types and forms.
• Socratic Seminar- use this to get students to listen to each other and discuss topics that are connected to the class, but also connected to them.  Also goes well with Philosophical Chairs.
• Technology!! - Always a favorite! 
• Our drama teacher uses different lines said with a different mood or tone to discuss how tone works in a Shakespearean play.
• Word of the day and Grammar Mini Lessons
• Talk to the Text- Annotating the text with your own thoughts and ideas, getting down what you think of it so you can discuss it and use the notes.
• GAFE and keeping all presentations online and available to students so that they know what is coming or can review when they need to
• Ticket out the Door- helps facilitate conversation for the next class!
• Cross Pollinate across the curriculum- Get to know teachers in other disciplines and find out how to connect the curriculum in your class to theirs.
• Teach how Textbooks are written and different textbook parts.
• Change group dynamics so that students get to know many people and are comfortable with each other but also hear many different opinions.

Phew! That was a lot! Tomorrow, I'll write about what I did in my breakout session (my first experience with teaching a District PD!) and objectives!

Starting with PLCs- TWEETS

Today was our first day back at school for professional development, and our focus for this year, across the entire district, is learning how to implement and continue to use PLCs, or Professional Learning Communities. So, our school, as did many of our feeder schools in our region, on our campus got together. As a member of our PLC team that was sent to Las Vegas, I had the wonderful opportunity in early June to go watch the DuFours and the rest of the team from Solution Tree present about what PLCs can do in schools.  Today, I got an opportunity to help that process continue at my school.

One of our activities was to create a poster about our journey through PLCs so far.  Each school was responsible for creating their own poster.  As we are a large comprehensive high school, doing this sort of activity with 70+ teachers is akin to throwing a handful of paint at a canvas and trying to make it the Mona Lisa.  We divided into groups based on department, completed the posters and displayed them to vote on.

Our English department won this one with this, which I think is pretty good. (I may have to make a graphic.)

T- Together
W-We
E- Educate
E-Every
T- Teen
S - Scholar

I thought that was pretty good!

The rest of the meeting was pretty rote, but we watched a few really amazing videos, including this amazing TED talk, which I think everybody should watch.  It's an educator called Rita Pierson, talking about how Every Student Needs a Champion.