Laying the foundation for our Virtual Professional Learning

Community

Frank Little, Assistant PrincipalWilliam Pinderhughes

Elementary/MiddleOctober 12, 2009

By the conclusion of this session professionals will be able to log onto an online resource and produce a genuine respond to a professional scenario

By the conclusion of this session professionals will examine and refine best practices in order to increase student achievement.

Objectives

  The Virtual Learning Community is a

collaborative effort by Middle School Staff to increase the quality of teaching and learning for not only students but staff alike.

Virtual Learning Community

Virtual Community allows us to give and receive input via the World Wide Web.

Weekly agendas, professional development and other valuable resources will be available at your finger tips 24 hours a day.

LESSON PLAN REVIEWS will also be conducted via this website.

Moving towards a paper “less” system

Rationale

www.teachertube.com Fill in the necessary information. After doing so, please look for your

colleagues so that they may be added to your friends list.

Next, type in Mrlittle (that is me!) Identify the blog Professional Learning

Community #1 Read carefully and generate a response

TeacherTube.com

Scenario

In Elementary/Middle School X there are a total of 425 students. Of which there are125 in the middle school specifically. The middle school area historically has scoredlow of Benchmark and State Testes. Low expectations have been observed inclassrooms by administrators. Students have been seen walking in and out of classeswithout consequence. The middle school administrator has decided to monitor instruction very closely and this is what they saw:

Students often work from worksheets and almost never complete them. Students often have idle conversation and when asked what went on in the

classroom today, they haven't an answer. There are teachers in the classrooms that are doing quite well however they are

becoming frustrated by the lack of control in their colleague's class. Instruction isn't rigorous. Questioning of students do not require students to

develop original responses. They are at the lowest level on Bloom's Taxonomy.

What should be done in order for the staff to correct this problem?

Scenario

What are the next steps for the middle school community?

How do we address these issues? With what resources?

Next Steps

“The Donkey and the Oxen”

A Moral Story

“The Ass and the Oxen”

Revised Version

Based upon the scenario and professional discussion, what is your next course of action?

How do you plan to operate in the “new environment” we currently find ourselves in?

What can we do as a staff to ensure quality instruction for all students?

Self-Reflection