EdMotion: 2009

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Monday, March 16, 2009

Activating the Desire to Learn - ASCD Conference

2:30-3:30
(I have this book)- brief handout provided
Bob Sullo
Three things worth remembering...
Behavior is Purposeful
Everybody is doing the best they can
Why did you do that

External Control Psychology
(the "carrot and stick" model)
Outside events "make" us do things - I can control your behavior through the systematic presentation of rewards and punishments

"You can't motivate other people... they are already motivated"

Coercion, Fear and learning
The limit of coercion is compliance - learning beyond boundaries
If you aspire to inspire, coercion is not effective
Impact of fear on learning - "Downshift" to survival

We are born with a natural desire to learn and achieve

What about rewards?
"Do this and you'll get that" makes people focus on the "that" and not the "this" Alfie Kahn - Punished by Rewards

Impact of external rewards...
We unintentionally devalue academic learning
Students work for reward rather than develop a love of learning
Need for freedom drives us to resist control even when rewarded

Responsibility
Behavior is predictable and control able response to outside stimuli
Teacher who uses the right "rewards" and punishments has a well-behaved class
THIS MEANS THE TEACHER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BEHAVIOR OF THE STUDENT - the students just react to rewards and punishments

Internal Control Psychology
Outside events provide us with information but never "make" us do anything
We are internally motivated by what we want at that moment
People are fee and accountable for their actions

'Create a shared vision with the kids of what you want as an educator"

Engaging the English Language Learner: Strategies for Success - ASCD Conference

12:30-2
Dr. Gerard Buteau, Dr. Marianne True, Plymouth State University, NH
Manchester School District - Bakersville Elementary School - 1 of 14 schools in the district - 40% ELL (Cultural and Linguistic diversity) - 80% free and reduced lunch - Mt. Pleasant School

Developmental Phases of Second Language Acquisition
Home Language Use
Non-verbal Period
Telegraphic and formulaic language
Productive use of language
(Tabors, 2008)

THIS TAKES TIME!

Language Acquisition Phases
Preproduction/Silent Period - Several Months
Pearly Production - 6 months
Speech Emergence - 1 year
Intermediate Fluency - 1-2 years
Academic Fluency - 5-7 years

Social and Academic Language Acquisition
Social and Survival language
Academic language - Listening, speaking, reading, writing related to academic content
(Cummins 2003)

Common Challenges in Both Urban and Rural Settings
Logistics Around Scheduling
The "territorial" classroom teacher
Respect for and knowledge about the position of the ESL teacher
Communication between classroom teacher and ESL teacher - Curricular, Pedagogical, Cultural

Getting to Know the ELL Student
DIEBELS
Language and Culture Questionnaire
Classroom Practice questionnaire
Goals Chart
W/APT

Classroom Organization
Routines to increase comfort
Visuals to reinforce routines
Safe Havens - Manipulative Tables, Sensory tables, Quiet Reading area, Dramatic Play Area, Opportunity to show competency rather than feel pressure.

Circle Time/Morning Meeting - areas that can be modified for ELLs
Meeting Area
Days of Week
Weather
Attendance
Songs and Movement
Introduction of themes
Personal stories

Classroom Strategies
Language Techniques - Non-verbal communication, keep the message simple, talk about here and now, emphasize important words in sentence, combine gestures with talk
Tell the story rather than read
"Read Alouds" in small groups
Read books more than once
Encourage book sharing
Choose books carefully
(Tabors, 2008)

Additional Techniques
Story Reading: fiction and non
Use Cognates
Choral reading
React and mimic facial expressions associated with language
Act out stories
create an individualized word library
Arrange for peer support - unconditional companion

Lesson Format - dvd clip
Cue to the organized plan (e.g. "folders in")
Relaxation techniques
Discuss last night's story
Read the story (create success from the start)
Review sounds that are in the story
Play a game with the words
Make personal connections to the story
Provide visuals that highlight vocabulary
Engagement throughout!

Dvd lesson - use of idioms (wrong side of the bed), opposite of grumpy, "how do we know...?", each read/then choral read, making predictions, another idiom (blow his top), story done - recall questions, homonyms, digraphs, sky-writing

Resources
Classroom Practice Questionnaire
Language and Culture Questionnaire
Goals Chart

Article Provided - Differentiating instructional strategies to support ELL - Buteau and True

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Suspensions are Old School: A Proactive Approach to Student Management and Discourse - ASCD Conference

3-4:30
Dennis G. Queen, Principal Seneca Valley High School, Montgomery County, Maryland
Slide Show handout provided

Pillars to the Success of a School
Teacher Empowerment
High Expectations
Transparency
Invitational Schools
Stakeholder Accountability
Focused Staff Development
Student Centered

Why is is up to the administration to create a safe classroom for the teachers? This is not necessarily true.

Change - Culture, Leadership, Proactive, Celebrate - paradigm shift

If you are constantly reacting to students, they are running the class/school.

Teacher Empowerment
Give teachers control over their classroom
Accountable for Student Achievement
Accountable for Student Management
Documentation - get you out of a "he said, she said" every time

High Expectations
Students - attendance, homework, behavior
Staff - relationships, relevance of instruction, rigor, data
Parents - active participation, emails, phone calls, conferences, mandatory meetings involving achievement and/or behavior

Transparency
Sharing of Data
Parent Classroom Observations
Volunteers

Invitational Schools
Legendary Service
Parent Welcome Center - coffee, brochures, TV/Computer access

Stakeholder Accountablity
Same as "High Expectations" above

Focused Staff Development
Identify top 5 areas of need based on data
Staff Development Process - Introduction, Modeling, implementation, Evaluation

Student Centered
Schedule built around around student needs
Do school activities focus on student interests
Tough Love - honesty
Relationships - staff, student, community
Relevance of Instruction
Rigor

Developing LIteracy, Math and Social Skills for At-Risk and "ELL" Students - ASCD Conference

12:30-1:30 (did not stay for entire presentation)
Judy Stoehr - NON-comprehensive handout given
Children of Poverty: At-Risk
Related factors - Abuse/neglect, substance abuse, dangerous neighborhoods, homelessness, mobility, exposure to inappropriate experiences, single or low educational level of parents

Indicators - Aggression, violence, social withdrawal, delay in language development, delay in reading development, irregualr attendance, substance abuse, depression, uncompleted assignments, unprepared for tests, learning

Words students hear in 1 hour:
Professional Parents 2153 words
Middle Class Parents 1251 words
Poverty Parents 615 words

English Language Learners: At Risk - 3 types- see handout
Long-Term English Learner - usually above grade 2 - non longer get ESL service, continue academic difficulties, proficient conversationally but not in content language - NEED BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

Learners with Limited Learning - may be new arrivals to US, not fluent conversationally, MAY NOT HAVE DEFELOPED PROFICIENCY IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE

Learners Proficient in Native Language (but not English) - Demonstrate capability of language learning, may have less difficulty becoming proficient in English

General Characteristics of At-Risk Learners- see handout
Global (big picture) - the kids that are always asking "why"

Need Cooperative Experiences - new information should not be introduced for more than 5-8 minutes. Time better used for student centered cooperative learning.

Tactile/Kinesthetic -

Readiness and Intervention: Suggestions-see handout
Identify at-risk students ASAP, offer explicit, intensive, systematic instruction, target multiple learning styles, create peer mediated instruction, connect content, reflect, refocus attention frequently, activate prior learning, develop relationships with students/parents, connect with students' culture, help students become responsive, create flexible grouping, assess regularly, provide parents with information on how to reinforce, incorporate inquiry learning, use organizers, repitition and rehearsal

Vocabulary Activity - 4 square paper - definition, picture, synonym, antonym - on the back write a sentence and as a team come up with a movement/gesture.

Leadership Lessons from Apollo to Discovery - ASCD Conference

10-11:30
Eileen Collins - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Columbia Accident 2003 - Organizational and Cultural Factors (aside from physical/structrual reasons)

Classic Leaderhship Principals - Be the best you can be, work well with people, integrity

Columbia Accident 2003 - NASA asked Air Force to turn satellite to take pictures of wing after foam hit - satellite was never turned, pictures never taken - Many could not believe that the foam would break the heat shield. (Organizational and Cultural Flaw)

Now - robot arm used to take pictures of heat shield, shuttle flips when meeting with space station so they can take pictures even though flight rules prohibited loss of visual with space station(new protocal developed - thinking outside the box)

A leader doesn't need to be liked, a leader needs to be respected.

The Respectful School: Where Every Student Can Learn to Potential - ASCD Conference

8am-9am (Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence)
Anecdote - John decided to skip a school dance. Other boys didn't like it... Started calling him horrible names. Started calling him names in class, pushing in halls, cornered in school yard and attacked, attacked in bathroom, threatened with noose, threatened with gun. Police were finally called after 5 months of this. Boys were arrested and sent to juvenile detention. These boys were 12 years old in Maine in a K-8 school.

Assessment - Rate the school as 1-7 (1 being safest) - Level 6 and 7 are where outside involvement (police etc.) happens.

How would the perception change between asking, administrator, teacher, students?

Student Statements - Feedback from students all over the US regarding their experiences (inappropriate to record)

Key Elements of a Respectful School - Response, Prevention - Develop a Harassment Policy, Discipline System, Faculty and Staff Intervention, Student Programs, Intervention Strategies, Impact Analysis

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Digital Media Tools for Bilingual or English Language Learners - ASCD Conference

5:15-6:15
"Must Have" Hardware Tools - Computers, Projectors, Digital Cameras, Web Cams, Document Camera (Lumens), Ipods, Digital Voice Recorder

Comprehinsible Input - Ipod - exposure to "taped" text - lots of free content on Itunes

--------FREE-------
http://www.storynory.com/ : free audio stories.
http://www.oup.com/elt/students/?cc=global
http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/ : Classic literature in audio
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/ : Lesson Plans for Current Events (check this before sending students - just to be safe)
http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish : News stories
http://www.english-trailers.com/ : Trailers of movies with attached activities

-------Some FREE Some NOT--------

Older students:
http://www.librivox.org/ : free audio books - all public domain - FREE
http://www.gutenberg.com/ : eBooks - text - often scans of 1st editions

Video:
http://www.discoverystreaming.com/ : also has songs, speeches, etc. 100 in Spanish (NOT FREE)

Images:
http://www.flickr.com/ : search terms (may be safer than google)

Background Knowledge - virtual experiences

http://www.brainpop.com/ : 3-4 minute videos that cover a variety of topics (high elementary)
http://www.archive.org/ : public domain videos - "duck and cover" videos - news reels (WW2)

Academic Vocabulary - create nonlinguistic representations

Digital pictures representing vocabulary - especially when students are involved picture creation
http://www.picnik.com/ : photo editing
http://www.mywebspiration.com/ - Online version of Inspiration and Kidspiration
http://www.bubbl.us/ - simple graphic organizer
Comic Life - comic book creation program plesq.com
http://www.kerpoof.com/ : comic like creation - no frames
http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/ : simple comic creation with frames

Audio:
Audacity - free sound recorder for the computer
http://www.gcast.com/ : free podcast server
http://www.voicethread.com/ : voice collaboration over video, document, powerpoint, etc.

MORE HERE - http://eduese.com/links/

It ALL Happens in the Classroom: Supervision that Really Works - ASCD Conference

3:30-5:00
Slide Show and Bibliography Provided - Hard Copy
Tom Gannon, Mount Union College, Barbara Lentine, NJ Schools (teacher, school board), Mark Wigler (Chicago Teacher's Union), Judy Conk (Former Superintendent)

Consider our current district/school supervisory climate... How does it compare to the most current research/literature on good supervisory practice?

Issues - Versus Culture, Expertise, Cost, Time, Results in terms of student achievement, Lack of credible data, Idiosyncratically based, Improvement in teacher effectiveness??????

"... teaching is too sublime to be reduced to a few descriptions that fit on one page." Green and Smyser (1996)

The ultimate goal of supervision is to increase student learning.

"...supervising practice must be regulated in large part by the teacher."
Danielson (1996)

Solutions - New Models, Better instruments, Alternatives to traditional supervision, Research-based principals, Teacher empowerment, Use of data, Change culture

Building relationships and trust is critical!

"Promoting teacher learning in collaborative teams, a principal is far more likely to improve student achievement than by focusing on formal teacher evaluation." Dufour & Marzano (2009)

Chicago - Union and School Board created partnership - Fresh Start - Instructional Leadership Teams - Teacher Advancement Program - Frameworks for Teaching/Praxis III - Teamwork in BEST (Beginning Educator Support and Training)

"The Art and Science of Teaching" - Marzano (ASCD)

Qualities of Effective Teachers - Student Engagement, Instructional Strategies (more student led than teacher led), Communication of Content Knowledge and Skills, Instructional Complexity, Monitoring Student Progress, Respond to student need and abilities - Strange & Hindman (2006)

Mixed Methods Approach to Teacher Evaluation - Peer Ratings, Classroom Observations, Assessment of written communications skills, Standards-based Portfolio - Toledo, Ohio Public Schools

Improve Supervision - Team Supervision, Portfolios, Interactive journaling, Mentoring new staff, peer coaching, Action research projects, Other collaborative
activities.

Team Supervision - Norm of Collegiality, Peer based, Cooperative approach, student work samples, may be project based, produces life-long professional learning.

Differentiating Instruction for ELLs in the Core Content Areas - ASCD Conference

12:30 - 2:30
Handout Packet Distributed
Cultural Difficulties - Male/Female, Attitudes to Teachers/Education, Parent involvement, etc.
Linguistic Difficulties - Multiple meaning words, Sentence structure, 24 tenses, idioms
Reading/Writing Challenges - Literacy in naitive language, Imagery/symbolism, etc.
Decomposing and Comprehension for ELLs - takes 5 years to develop complex language needed for interpretation

Support ELLs - Avoid idioms, simple sentence structures, modify writing assignments (accept shorter versions), provide word banks, use visuals

Vocabulary Building - (guided activity)- Preview-Predict-Confirm (PPC)- Preview pictures in book, predict words the author will use, discuss (activity in handout)

Did you know... students need to know at least 90% of the words in a text in order to understand what they are reading.
Did you know... an average native English speaker enters kindergarten knowing at least 5000 words.
Did you know... at least 30% of all English words have a cognate in Romance languages.
Did you know... at least 36% of daily language in English is figurative.

Cognate Activity
Figurative Language Activity

Tips for teaching Idoms: Cartoons, Comic Strips, Ads. Encourage students to record and discuss
Make and Take - Square paper, fold in corners to middle, write 4 items on outside (first, middle, then, last) and students will write thought, summary, picture, etc. on inside of "flap".

Multiple Meaning for Math Vocab - Table, Foot, Tree, Log, yard, meter, face, formula
How many different words we use for +, -, x, /, =

Support for ELLs in Math - Illustrations, diagrams, highlight important info/cross out unimportant info

Modifying an Assessment - shortening does not help (Will shortening a paragraph in Russian to two sentences help?

Make and Take

ELL Struggles in Social Studies - Government, personal beliefs contradict information

Promoting Peace Once School, One Child at a Time - ASCD Conference

First: Encouraging words from Young Educator Award winners:
"All children learn... just not in the same way, and not at the same rate"

Greg Mortenson

To students: "How many of you have spoken to your grandparents about the depression, civil rights, Vietnam, WW2." In USA - 10% In India - 90%

Video - "Pennies for Peace" - Building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan - "We have to build relationships..."

"The real enemy is ignorance..."

If you educate a boy, you educate an individual... If you educate a girl, you educate a community. - African Proverb

Literacy for the 21st Century - ASCD Conference

8-9:30 am - Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, Jane Hill, Amy Sandvold - http://www.fisherandfrey.com/ - Slides will be available on website - comments in bold
Communication that shapes beliefs, change, understanding and society.
Critical literacy the analyze informaiton that changes rapidly
Create, respond to, and act upon the information

Tensions in 21st century - Gadgets, projects vs. instruction, assessment systems, skills vs. content

From nouns to verbs - Searching (google...), Communicating (twitter...)

Assumptions - 1. Students know stuff in order to do stuff 2. Teachers know stuff 3.Students know stuff too 4. Teachers and students learn from eachother by interacting and collaborating.

Structure for Instruction that Works - From more teacher responsibility to more student responsibility
Teacher Responsibility - (Wide to Narrow) Focus lesson (mini lesson), Guided instruction
Student Responsitility - (Narrow to Wide) Collaboration, Independent

Often the Guided instruction and Collaboration are missing! From focus lesson to independent! Kids who do well in classes like this are those that know the content and just need practice.

Sometimes, even the focus lesson is missing!

Many classroom reading sessions incorporate shared reading, guided reading, independent reading. (focus lesson, guided instruction, independent) - collaboration is missing

Collaboration consolidates information before application.

We often forget, in an education world overrun with "differentiation" that we must also differentiate homework.

Video - Vocabulary - "I like to model my thinking..." - reading history, stops on vocabulary and examines (judicial - root is judge... ratified - text my big brained friend... presidents cabinet - chose his kitchen? No!)
Showing 11th graders that you have to WORK your way through text.

Invest in teachers intentionally releasing responsibility.
------------
English Language Learners
Q. Children learn second languages more quickly and easily than adults. T/F
Q. The younger the child, the more skilled he/she will be at aquiring english. T/F
Q. The more time they spend in english, the faster they will aquire english. T/F
Q. Parents of ELLs should be asked to speak as much english as they can to thier children at home. T/F

All False! Myths an Misconceptions about English Language Learning: What Every Teacher Needs to Unlearn - Barry McLaughlin http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/pubs/symposia/reading/article6/mclaughlin93.html

NCLB/National ELL office - Asking all teachers of ELLs to be teachers of language development AND content...

How much language do your ELLs need to participate? Will they predict, describe, etc.?

Why are their misconceptions about ELLs? - "My child learned by experience and immersion, must be the same for ELLs"

Functional Language and Oral Language - Key to 21st Century Literacy

EdMotion