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| US Capitol Building. Photo by Ms. Tulbure |
I was very fortunate to attend the Model Schools Conference this summer.
It was held in our nation's capital, Washington DC.
Over 5,000 educators attended from our 50 states. WOW!
The LVUSD team had over 100 attendees.
Below are a few of my notes on sessions and thoughts from the conference.
Linda Jordan and Sue Gendron: 'Effective Assessment for Rigorous and Relevant Instruction',
The presentation taught me more about Common Core Standards and the SmarterBalance assessments.
We discussed the Rigor and Relevance framework, and how crucial it is that students are able to work in Quadrant D rigor as well as extend their thinking with higher depths of knowledge.
The presentation taught me more about Common Core Standards and the SmarterBalance assessments.
We discussed the Rigor and Relevance framework, and how crucial it is that students are able to work in Quadrant D rigor as well as extend their thinking with higher depths of knowledge.
There were a few key points that stood out to me:
Today's students don't have the same relevance that we do
-their technology relevance is higher.
Today's students don't have the same relevance that we do
-their technology relevance is higher.
Another point, echoed throughout the conference, was the importance of relationships.
Partner relationships are very important:
students will spend 75% of the work time learning about the other person.
students will spend 75% of the work time learning about the other person.
That evening came the inspiring keynote, 'Leading For Change: It's about the Adults, not the Kids' by Dr. Sue Szachowicz. The adults, educators, should teach in a manner that represents both change and staying with what works.
School culture is important, and building those relationships is key.
School culture is important, and building those relationships is key.
Dr. Bill Daggett: 'Begin with the End in Mind' keynote focused on college AND career readiness for students.
He explained the current path in education, and how college readiness is the focus of tests and benchmarks.
The focus should be on 'and career ready.'
He explained the current path in education, and how college readiness is the focus of tests and benchmarks.
The focus should be on 'and career ready.'
Culture trumps strategy every time,
therefore building meaningful relationships is important.
therefore building meaningful relationships is important.
A key point was "Relevance makes Rigor possible."
Val Barrett and Alice Cushing from Country Meadows Elementary School: 'Changing Culture and Raising Achievement'
The presenters showed us that relationships make a difference.
"The right environment equals student learning for all."
Greet students in the hallways daily and letting them know they're welcome.
A take away quote:
"The right environment equals student learning for all."
Greet students in the hallways daily and letting them know they're welcome.
A take away quote:
"If you don't capture the kids' hearts, you won't capture their minds."
Bernadette Lambert: 'Quadrant D writing Habits'
The song motto was "This pen is on fire,"
Writing in the classroom to be WARM (warn, analyze, reject, monitor).
Writing in the classroom to be WARM (warn, analyze, reject, monitor).
Students need real world purposes to write about and real world things to write about.
We should provide opportunities for students to research authentic and essential questions.
Linda Jordan: 'Brain Health: Meeting the needs of at-risk students'
Learning is the brain's primary function, and students learn with real things.
Learning is the brain's primary function, and students learn with real things.
To grow dendrites, tell a story that goes along with the information taught
-the brain is likely to remember the story rather then lesson alone.
Take-away:
-the brain is likely to remember the story rather then lesson alone.
Take-away:
"for change to happen your strategies need to be consistent, purposeful, focused, and relentless."
'Quadrant D Classroom' by Alissa Braddy, took our Chaparral team through a Quad D lesson using the Rigor/Relevance framework.
As 4th graders, we experienced interactive and mobile strategies such as
"Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up," "Pass the Buck," and "Jigsaw."
As 4th graders, we experienced interactive and mobile strategies such as
"Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up," "Pass the Buck," and "Jigsaw."
Each group member had a role, and can be designated with different color index cards or markers.
As you finish the lesson, "keep the end in mind and let students know again what the end goal is."
Denise White: 'Effective Ways to Open and Close Lessons to Increase Rigor and Relevance '
Opening a lesson by using anticipatory sets
'hooks' the students and mentally engages them in a lesson
- helps connect something familiar to new content.
Opening a lesson by using anticipatory sets
'hooks' the students and mentally engages them in a lesson
- helps connect something familiar to new content.
Closing a lesson with Exit tickets
such as 3Ws (what did you learn today and WHY is it important) and
3-2-1 (3 things you learned, 2 questions you have, 1 thing my teacher should know),
allows students to "synthesize the main idea and evaluate their own understanding".
such as 3Ws (what did you learn today and WHY is it important) and
3-2-1 (3 things you learned, 2 questions you have, 1 thing my teacher should know),
allows students to "synthesize the main idea and evaluate their own understanding".
It was a pleasure being at the conference with the wonderful Chaparral and LVUSD teams!
What were some of the key points you took away from the conference?
