Although I'm actually writing this blog on Friday morning before class, I know we will have a productive class. Your Task 1 Needs assessment should be uploaded already. My plan is to read them on Monday and get you feedback on them.
So for this week, reflect on class on Saturday afternoon. What are your key take-aways? What are your goals for yourself in relationship to your Task 2 plans for the next 2 weeks?
This week you will be reading about adolescents and the secondary grades. I think most of you have taken adolescent literacy already, so you have some background in what the needs of middle and secondary students need in terms of literacy. Use that information as you read, and use the following questions as a guide to your own blogging:
What do you think are the key differences between a literacy program for adolescents and one for early childhood and/or elementary children? How does the role of a literacy leader change when working in a middle or secondary school or with secondary teachers? How does the information in WSQ 12 about writing apply specifically to adolescent learners?
Go into the Google doc that we worked on in class about characteristics of effective literacy programs and add information about programs for adolescents/secondary schools. Add to the section that you and your partner/group worked on in class.
Have a good week!
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Friday, February 16, 2018
Week 6 2018 Program Development PreK through Elementary Grades
I think you all got many important take-aways from the readings for this week. The key pieces that I read about in your blog that you want to make sure to include in your plans for Task 2 include collaboration, follow-up for implementation, research based strategies, and looking for how what was learned in PD impacts student learning in classrooms. I heard/read some good ideas for all of these points that we can share in class on Feb. 24.
Just a note about the blogging discussions: I really appreciate those groups that really have discussions, where each person responds separately to the blog leader's post but also responds to each post of the other members in the group. I can tell you are really thinking about the ideas that you read about and applying those ideas to the key standards for reading specialists and to the class tasks which are aimed at helping you practice some of the important jobs of the reading specialist. We don't get together to discuss face to face, and I really need a window to how you are understanding and applying the information. It is not just about posting 3 times on the blog---that is a minimum and not enough. Remember, this is supposed to be a discussion.
This week you are beginning to think about program improvement, specifically in PreK through the elementary grades. What is the relationship, do you think, of program improvement and the professional development plans that you are creating? What are key aspects that you predict will be important to program improvement?
As you read this week, think about the key ideas about early and elementary literacy programs that make a program effective, as well as key ideas about how to improve a program in an elementary school. How do these ideas tie into what you found out in your needs assessment survey about what is already happening in your school? Look at the reflection questions on p. 83 of the WSQ book. How would you respond to them for your setting? Or you might want to look at the engagement activities at the end of B&D chapters and respond to one of them.
We will be meeting for class on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 1. I'll be in the building at 9 that morning if you want a space for your online 9-12 class with Dr. Ruan. Please upload your Task 1 to Canvas before class. You will begin to collaborate on the creation of your PD plans as we wind up the discussion of adult learning theory and effective professional development as well as thinking about the relationship of program development to PD and program improvement. Please bring questions that you have about the coaching assignment, especially if you want to get ahead of the game and are already working with someone.
I'm including a link (thanks Mykal) to a PDF file on adult learning theory. Please download it adn read it so we can connect the ideas to your PD plan. Adult learning theory article
My blog for Week 7 will not open up until after our class on Saturday.
Have a good week next week! I"m looking forward to getting together.
Just a note about the blogging discussions: I really appreciate those groups that really have discussions, where each person responds separately to the blog leader's post but also responds to each post of the other members in the group. I can tell you are really thinking about the ideas that you read about and applying those ideas to the key standards for reading specialists and to the class tasks which are aimed at helping you practice some of the important jobs of the reading specialist. We don't get together to discuss face to face, and I really need a window to how you are understanding and applying the information. It is not just about posting 3 times on the blog---that is a minimum and not enough. Remember, this is supposed to be a discussion.
This week you are beginning to think about program improvement, specifically in PreK through the elementary grades. What is the relationship, do you think, of program improvement and the professional development plans that you are creating? What are key aspects that you predict will be important to program improvement?
As you read this week, think about the key ideas about early and elementary literacy programs that make a program effective, as well as key ideas about how to improve a program in an elementary school. How do these ideas tie into what you found out in your needs assessment survey about what is already happening in your school? Look at the reflection questions on p. 83 of the WSQ book. How would you respond to them for your setting? Or you might want to look at the engagement activities at the end of B&D chapters and respond to one of them.
We will be meeting for class on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 1. I'll be in the building at 9 that morning if you want a space for your online 9-12 class with Dr. Ruan. Please upload your Task 1 to Canvas before class. You will begin to collaborate on the creation of your PD plans as we wind up the discussion of adult learning theory and effective professional development as well as thinking about the relationship of program development to PD and program improvement. Please bring questions that you have about the coaching assignment, especially if you want to get ahead of the game and are already working with someone.
I'm including a link (thanks Mykal) to a PDF file on adult learning theory. Please download it adn read it so we can connect the ideas to your PD plan. Adult learning theory article
My blog for Week 7 will not open up until after our class on Saturday.
Have a good week next week! I"m looking forward to getting together.
Friday, February 9, 2018
Week 5 2018 Professional Development Part 2
I have enjoyed reading your discussions and descriptions of your own PD in your schools as well as your responses to my ideas of what to think about as you read. Before we jump into the readings for Week 5, I was asked in the VCI about the format of the report for the Needs Assessment survey. While there is not a set format, you do need to provide information to me (and other readers) about your context and what you did to collect the data. And you need to present your results in a ways that makes it easy for you and for others to use the results to prioritize and plan the professional learning plan for your school. So I'll make some suggestions, but feel free to modify as needed.
1. Begin with a description of your school context (information for me and the others in your small group), including the number of teachers, the grade levels, how many teachers at each level, resources teachers and administrators.
2. Tell how the survey was distributed to those teachers/administrators, if you did any followup in terms of re-sending the survey link for example, and how many people returned the survey (give a total but break down by grade level/area as well so that the conclusions you draw can be contextualized to those teachers).
3. Put in tables or charts of the survey results.
4. Write a narrative summary of what you found out. What are the key ELA standards that they say they are implementing and which ones seem to not be implemented as much? What do they say they are knowledgeable about and which ones were not checked as much? What did they say they would like to learn more about and which were not checked so much or were not checked? What types of formats were most popular?
Share your charts/tables in the small group online discussion that you need to have during week 5 to help each other with the summaries.
This week you will continue to read about professional development and learning. In the Research on PD piece, parts 2,3,4,5, you will read about processes and approaches to PD, effective environments, what and how to evaluate PD programs, and indicators of effective PD. In the Guskey article, there are new issues around PD that will be brought up, and the Hobbs et al article discusses a type of PD around digital and media literacies. Before you read, what do you hope to find out in these readings this week that is new to you? What ideas do you already have that you hope will be reinforced?
In your blogs this week, discuss the key ideas that you have gotten out of these readings that you think will be important for you to remember as you are creating your own school-wide professional learning plan? Why? How do they match up with adult learning theory? How will you integrate a plan to assess the effectiveness of your program? What might be some challenges you will have as you make your plan? Why? How can you help each other to try and address those challenges? Be sure to include the following concepts/terms in your discussion: learning environment, mental model, principles of learning, design principles, evaluation, technology, time, collaboration.
Remember that you will need to find a time for your blog group to get together online to share your results of your survey this coming week. Let me know if you would like for me to join you (Tuesday is a day I teach from 7-10 so couldn't join any group then).
The write up of the needs assessment needs to be uploaded to Canvas during Week 6 before the face to face class on Feb. 24--I'll remind you again. We will spend some time in class working on starting your Task 2 and making sure you all know what needs to go in there.
Stay warm this weekend, and Happy Valentine's Day on Wednesday!
1. Begin with a description of your school context (information for me and the others in your small group), including the number of teachers, the grade levels, how many teachers at each level, resources teachers and administrators.
2. Tell how the survey was distributed to those teachers/administrators, if you did any followup in terms of re-sending the survey link for example, and how many people returned the survey (give a total but break down by grade level/area as well so that the conclusions you draw can be contextualized to those teachers).
3. Put in tables or charts of the survey results.
4. Write a narrative summary of what you found out. What are the key ELA standards that they say they are implementing and which ones seem to not be implemented as much? What do they say they are knowledgeable about and which ones were not checked as much? What did they say they would like to learn more about and which were not checked so much or were not checked? What types of formats were most popular?
Share your charts/tables in the small group online discussion that you need to have during week 5 to help each other with the summaries.
This week you will continue to read about professional development and learning. In the Research on PD piece, parts 2,3,4,5, you will read about processes and approaches to PD, effective environments, what and how to evaluate PD programs, and indicators of effective PD. In the Guskey article, there are new issues around PD that will be brought up, and the Hobbs et al article discusses a type of PD around digital and media literacies. Before you read, what do you hope to find out in these readings this week that is new to you? What ideas do you already have that you hope will be reinforced?
In your blogs this week, discuss the key ideas that you have gotten out of these readings that you think will be important for you to remember as you are creating your own school-wide professional learning plan? Why? How do they match up with adult learning theory? How will you integrate a plan to assess the effectiveness of your program? What might be some challenges you will have as you make your plan? Why? How can you help each other to try and address those challenges? Be sure to include the following concepts/terms in your discussion: learning environment, mental model, principles of learning, design principles, evaluation, technology, time, collaboration.
Remember that you will need to find a time for your blog group to get together online to share your results of your survey this coming week. Let me know if you would like for me to join you (Tuesday is a day I teach from 7-10 so couldn't join any group then).
The write up of the needs assessment needs to be uploaded to Canvas during Week 6 before the face to face class on Feb. 24--I'll remind you again. We will spend some time in class working on starting your Task 2 and making sure you all know what needs to go in there.
Stay warm this weekend, and Happy Valentine's Day on Wednesday!
Friday, February 2, 2018
Week 4 Professional Development Part 1
All three groups had interesting, but different discussions on your blogs. Thanks for your heavy thinking and making connections to your own situations. One thing I'd like for you all to think about and that is the difference between a core reading program and the reading and language arts curriculum. The two are NOT the same thing. The core reading program should be chosen to support the curriculum already in place in your school. For most of us in Oklahoma, that is the ELA standards. Some districts may enhance those standards with additional curricular topics. So see the core reading program as only one of the possible materials that could be used to support your teaching of the literacy curriculum.
This week you will look at research on effective professional development, elements and guidelines for successful site based PD and some principles of adult learning, as well as some tips for developing PD. What do you think are characteristics of effective PD? Tell me what works for you.
First , read section 1 of the uploaded piece on research on effective PD, thinking about what effective means and the characteristics of effective PD from the research. Then read the other three chapters, one from each of the books. Begin also to note different types of PD and compare it to the types of PD article uploaded on Canvas. Take notes for yourself about what you want to remember as you begin to put together the professional development plan for your school.Think about these questions or activities for your blog: What is the difference between professional development and professional learning? Which do you want to focus on in your plan? Look in the Bean chapter at the Think about This questions on 114, 120, and 121. Pick one to respond to for yourself. The blog leader may talk about the one she did and ask for your input on the ones that you did. What is your understanding about adult learning theory mentioned in the B chapter figure 5.1 and alluded to in WSQ p. 131 and Bean page 122?
Don't forget that this week you need to complete the Virtual Check In form you can find on Canvas. I'll be checking it on Wednesday and again on Friday, so if you have needs/questions for me, earlier is better than later.
Have a good week!
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Week 3 Comprehensive literacy programs
You will reading this blog after we have spent all day Saturday together. Beginning this week, you will be responding to my blog before you read the chapters for the week. I'll try to target some key vocabulary that you need to pay attention to as well as to help focus your reading and your own blog discussions. Some weeks I'll also tell you how to jigsaw read the readings for the week (on weeks that there is lots to read).
Since we have just finished a face to face class, I'd like for you to reflect on what we did in class. What are your key take-aways from class? why are they important to you? What are you hoping to learn about comprehensive reading literacy programs?
As you read, make connections to your own school and the comprehensive literacy program there. You will be finding out about what needs the the teachers in your school have to make changes in the literacy program through professional development. Think about these terms and what they might mean for you as a literacy leader: standards, curriculum, teacher beliefs, teacher knowledge, change, CBAM, stages of concern, assessment. Think about these questions as possible starters for your blog posts and discussions: B8 has guidelines for choosing a core reading program. Compare those guidelines to what you remember happening in your district the last time you adopted a core reading program. How did that affect your comprehensive literacy program? How does assessment fit in a comprehensive reading program? in WSQ on page 162, respond to #3 in the reflection questions. Choose one of the "Think about This" questions in the Bean chapters to discuss.
Remember to let me know if you want me to address something in your blog. I"ll be reading twice a week, and will make a few comments.
Have a good week, stay healthy!
Since we have just finished a face to face class, I'd like for you to reflect on what we did in class. What are your key take-aways from class? why are they important to you? What are you hoping to learn about comprehensive reading literacy programs?
As you read, make connections to your own school and the comprehensive literacy program there. You will be finding out about what needs the the teachers in your school have to make changes in the literacy program through professional development. Think about these terms and what they might mean for you as a literacy leader: standards, curriculum, teacher beliefs, teacher knowledge, change, CBAM, stages of concern, assessment. Think about these questions as possible starters for your blog posts and discussions: B8 has guidelines for choosing a core reading program. Compare those guidelines to what you remember happening in your district the last time you adopted a core reading program. How did that affect your comprehensive literacy program? How does assessment fit in a comprehensive reading program? in WSQ on page 162, respond to #3 in the reflection questions. Choose one of the "Think about This" questions in the Bean chapters to discuss.
Remember to let me know if you want me to address something in your blog. I"ll be reading twice a week, and will make a few comments.
Have a good week, stay healthy!
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Week 2 Literacy Leadership 2018
I'm writing this blog from Germany where I'm teaching this week. I got up this morning (Saturday) to snow covering everything including my rental car. So I was scraping ice before I drove to class. I'm envious that I am missing the warm weekend in Oklahoma! I haven't read your blog entries for Week 1 yet but am looking forward to getting to know those I don't know a bit through your posts, and reacquainting myself with those I do know.
This week, your readings will focus on building community of learners in a school. Some topics that you will read about include roles of teacher leaders in a school and how to work with different stakeholders, some elements of effective professional development that supports communities of learners, how to lead groups and collaborate with others, and how to develop a school literacy program.
This week, respond to this blog after you read the chapters. Which characteristics of effective leaders are a strong point for you? A challenge? What did you take away as a commonality of working with each of the different stakeholders that a reading specialist or literacy leader needs to collaborate with? Which of the types of collaborative PD in Appendix 18.1 have you experienced? Which would you like to experience?
Respond to each other, comparing your answers to theirs.
I'm looking forward to seeing you on Saturday, Jan. 27. We will begin working on your big assignment that is broken up into four tasks, by creating a needs assessment survey together to use to determine the needs, desires, and activities already in place of teachers in your educational setting. We will also begin the creation of your personal learning plan. I'm really looking forward to seeing/hearing about your Self as a literacy leader posters!
See you soon!
This week, your readings will focus on building community of learners in a school. Some topics that you will read about include roles of teacher leaders in a school and how to work with different stakeholders, some elements of effective professional development that supports communities of learners, how to lead groups and collaborate with others, and how to develop a school literacy program.
This week, respond to this blog after you read the chapters. Which characteristics of effective leaders are a strong point for you? A challenge? What did you take away as a commonality of working with each of the different stakeholders that a reading specialist or literacy leader needs to collaborate with? Which of the types of collaborative PD in Appendix 18.1 have you experienced? Which would you like to experience?
Respond to each other, comparing your answers to theirs.
I'm looking forward to seeing you on Saturday, Jan. 27. We will begin working on your big assignment that is broken up into four tasks, by creating a needs assessment survey together to use to determine the needs, desires, and activities already in place of teachers in your educational setting. We will also begin the creation of your personal learning plan. I'm really looking forward to seeing/hearing about your Self as a literacy leader posters!
See you soon!
Sunday, January 14, 2018
Week 1 Literacy Leadership 2018
Just so you know, I’m in Germany this first week of class, teaching military members and teachers about Educational Research. I’ll have access to email so if you have questions about the syllabus, the assignments for this first 2 weeks, or the readings, send an email. I’ll get back to you when I can—just remember that I am 7 hours ahead of you timewise, and am teaching every evening and during the day on the weekend.
This week, please respond to these questions before you read, and then to each other after you read. For this week, respond to each other by Saturday evening. For Week 2, follow the directions in the syllabus for the blog. We will set up your blogs in the face to face meeting on Saturday, Jan. 27.
The focus for this first week is for you to begin to think about who YOU are as a literacy leader right now and what you think literacy leadership is all about. So, before reading, what do you think are key aspects of literacy leadership? Which of those aspects do you think are ones you have already begun to develop?
When you return to respond to your classmates, integrate what the readings say about being a literacy leader and compare them to what the person said about themselves.
You will be creating an interactive digital “poster” to share with all of us on Jan. 27 that uses print, pictures, audio, video, other graphics. Try to stay away from PowerPoint as your platform unless you have not been involved in other digital platforms. My video was made on my iPad using Explain Everything, but you could make an iMovie or Adobe Spark video, do a Prezi, create a Glog, use Book Creator online to make a book, or some other digital platform. Either upload the link before Jan. 27 or the actual item.
I’ll have Week 2 post up by next Friday, so you might want to visit it before you do the readings for Week 2 to help you focus your reading, and to prepare for our face to face class.
Have a good first week of the semester! I’ll see you on Jan. 27 in Rm. 334 of Collings Hall. Please bring a laptop or iPad or other tablet to class. We will use them to set up blogs and try out other New Literacy tools for you to use for the online portion of the class.
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