Below are the professional development sessions I have taught or co-taught.
Teaching Stations - Spring 2012
Teach 1 - Objective-Driven Lessons - Spring 2013
Teacher clearly explains what mastery of the objective looks like so that all students can describe how their learning will be assessed.
Students understand how the objectives fit into the broader content and course goals.
Teacher actively and effectively engages students in the process of connecting the lesson to their prior knowledge.
Goals VS Objectives
Broad Narrow, Limited
Vague Precise
Intangible Concrete
Abstract Competency based
Cannot be validated Always stated in terms of the learner
Example: The learner will introduce himself in French, say how old he is, and say where he is from.
Example: The learner will be able to
demonstrate beginner level competency speaking French.
Measurable Action Verbs:
ANALYZE, COMPARE, CONTRAST, DESCRIBE, PRIORITIZE, SUMMARIZE, IDENTIFY, DESIGN,
DEFINE, PREDICT, LIST, EVALUATE, APPLY
Building a Learning-Focused Environment - April 30, 2014
LOTE: World Language Department of Middle College High School
Andrea Dixon and Ginger Wilder
CLE 1 and CLE 2
Building a Respectful, Learning-Focused Classroom
Developing Classroom Procedures
Classroom Procedures:
1. Entering the room: Enter quietly and politely. Don't interrupt other students. Begin warm up activities or sit quietly until the teacher begins the lesson.
2. Taking out/putting away/caring for supplies: Share group supplies and recap markers and glue
3. Participating in group lessons: Do not bring anything with you unless I ask you to, politely find a place to sit where you can do your best learning, sit flat, not on your knees, listen carefully for new information, raise your hand to speak, do not speak when someone else is speaking.
4. Obtaining help with assignments: Quietly ask the students at your table for help with directions if you need it. If you are working alone, raise your hand to get help from me. If you are working with a group, ask them for help in understanding how you do the assignment.
5. Handing in finished work/homework: Make sure your name is on your paper, place your paper upside down in the "finished work" or "homework" basket.
6. What to do with unfinished work: If I ask for work to be turned in, let me know if it isn't finished. If I ask you to keep an unfinished project, put it in your class work notebook.
7. When and how to use the school restroom: If I am not teaching the whole group, raise your hand and ask permission. Take the hall pass and quietly leave the classroom.
8. Getting into work groups: Take all the materials you will need, greet each other, complete the task doing your personal best, make sure each person signs the project, thank the others in your group.
9. Handling seatwork pages: As soon as you get a paper, print your first name and last initial at the top on the right-hand side and today's date at the top on the left-hand side.
10. Getting a tissue: You may get a tissue from the closest of the tissue boxes whenever you need one. You don't even have to ask. Throw the used tissue away immediately, and make sure it lands in the trash can. Get right back to work.
11. Throwing away trash: You may throw away trash whenever you need to if I am not teaching the whole group. Do not play basketball with your trash. Make sure all trash lands in the can, and pick up trash even if it isn't yours.
12. Visitors in the classroom: When visitors enter the room, let the designated classroom "host" or "hostess" greet them. Remember, most visitors are here to watch you learn, so be ready to explain what you are working on. Treat visitors respectfully.
13. Fire drill: Stop everything, stand up and head for the door quickly, but without running or pushing. Do not cover your ears and do not make any side trips. Walk calmly down the stairs and outside the building. Wait patiently, calmly, and quietly in line outside until we are allowed to go back to what we were doing.
14. Helping other students: In a cooperative classroom, it is good to help one another. If someone needs help with directions or reading an assignment, help him or her if you are able. If someone needs help with understanding the problem, tell him or her to ask me for help. Never put down another student who asks for help.
15. What to do during free time: If you finish an assignment, use this time wisely. You may choose one of the following: pick up an ACT flashcard set and study quietly for the ACT, complete one or more “culture text” enrichment folder activities, complete a basic, proficient, intermediate or advanced enrichment folder activity, or peer-tutor someone who needs your help.
16. Leaving the room: Tell me where you are going, take the correct hall pass, do not run in the hallways or restrooms.
17. Ending the day: Clean off your table, turn in class work, pick up any trash within three feet of your chair, stack textbooks and dictionaries neatly on tables, put your chair under the table, wait quietly to be dismissed.
Other ideas for classroom procedures:
1.
2.
3.
Build a Respectful, Learning Focused Classroom Community
How do you create a respectful, learning-focused classroom community?
1. Remember that each class has its own personality. Keep its specific needs in mind every day.
2. Let students express their opinions and personality. It can create a learning experience for everyone.
3. Kill the negativity as soon as it starts. (even small insults can turn into a big deal)
4. Use social contracts.
5. Treat your class like a party. You are the host/hostess and your students are your guests.
6. Praise your students (honestly). Encourage students to praise other students in class.
7. Ask your students about their family, their weekend, their interests.
8. Remind students of their strengths and tell them you’re proud of them.
9. Create learning focused games that encourage everyone to help everyone else.
10. Create inside jokes with each class. Lessons can be about laughing AND learning.
Other ideas for a learning focused, respectful classroom community:
1.
2.
3.
Teaching Stations - Spring 2012
Teach 1 - Objective-Driven Lessons - Spring 2013
Teacher clearly explains what mastery of the objective looks like so that all students can describe how their learning will be assessed.
Students understand how the objectives fit into the broader content and course goals.
Teacher actively and effectively engages students in the process of connecting the lesson to their prior knowledge.
Goals VS Objectives
Broad Narrow, Limited
Vague Precise
Intangible Concrete
Abstract Competency based
Cannot be validated Always stated in terms of the learner
Example: The learner will introduce himself in French, say how old he is, and say where he is from.
Example: The learner will be able to
demonstrate beginner level competency speaking French.
Measurable Action Verbs:
ANALYZE, COMPARE, CONTRAST, DESCRIBE, PRIORITIZE, SUMMARIZE, IDENTIFY, DESIGN,
DEFINE, PREDICT, LIST, EVALUATE, APPLY
Building a Learning-Focused Environment - April 30, 2014
LOTE: World Language Department of Middle College High School
Andrea Dixon and Ginger Wilder
CLE 1 and CLE 2
Building a Respectful, Learning-Focused Classroom
Developing Classroom Procedures
Classroom Procedures:
1. Entering the room: Enter quietly and politely. Don't interrupt other students. Begin warm up activities or sit quietly until the teacher begins the lesson.
2. Taking out/putting away/caring for supplies: Share group supplies and recap markers and glue
3. Participating in group lessons: Do not bring anything with you unless I ask you to, politely find a place to sit where you can do your best learning, sit flat, not on your knees, listen carefully for new information, raise your hand to speak, do not speak when someone else is speaking.
4. Obtaining help with assignments: Quietly ask the students at your table for help with directions if you need it. If you are working alone, raise your hand to get help from me. If you are working with a group, ask them for help in understanding how you do the assignment.
5. Handing in finished work/homework: Make sure your name is on your paper, place your paper upside down in the "finished work" or "homework" basket.
6. What to do with unfinished work: If I ask for work to be turned in, let me know if it isn't finished. If I ask you to keep an unfinished project, put it in your class work notebook.
7. When and how to use the school restroom: If I am not teaching the whole group, raise your hand and ask permission. Take the hall pass and quietly leave the classroom.
8. Getting into work groups: Take all the materials you will need, greet each other, complete the task doing your personal best, make sure each person signs the project, thank the others in your group.
9. Handling seatwork pages: As soon as you get a paper, print your first name and last initial at the top on the right-hand side and today's date at the top on the left-hand side.
10. Getting a tissue: You may get a tissue from the closest of the tissue boxes whenever you need one. You don't even have to ask. Throw the used tissue away immediately, and make sure it lands in the trash can. Get right back to work.
11. Throwing away trash: You may throw away trash whenever you need to if I am not teaching the whole group. Do not play basketball with your trash. Make sure all trash lands in the can, and pick up trash even if it isn't yours.
12. Visitors in the classroom: When visitors enter the room, let the designated classroom "host" or "hostess" greet them. Remember, most visitors are here to watch you learn, so be ready to explain what you are working on. Treat visitors respectfully.
13. Fire drill: Stop everything, stand up and head for the door quickly, but without running or pushing. Do not cover your ears and do not make any side trips. Walk calmly down the stairs and outside the building. Wait patiently, calmly, and quietly in line outside until we are allowed to go back to what we were doing.
14. Helping other students: In a cooperative classroom, it is good to help one another. If someone needs help with directions or reading an assignment, help him or her if you are able. If someone needs help with understanding the problem, tell him or her to ask me for help. Never put down another student who asks for help.
15. What to do during free time: If you finish an assignment, use this time wisely. You may choose one of the following: pick up an ACT flashcard set and study quietly for the ACT, complete one or more “culture text” enrichment folder activities, complete a basic, proficient, intermediate or advanced enrichment folder activity, or peer-tutor someone who needs your help.
16. Leaving the room: Tell me where you are going, take the correct hall pass, do not run in the hallways or restrooms.
17. Ending the day: Clean off your table, turn in class work, pick up any trash within three feet of your chair, stack textbooks and dictionaries neatly on tables, put your chair under the table, wait quietly to be dismissed.
Other ideas for classroom procedures:
1.
2.
3.
Build a Respectful, Learning Focused Classroom Community
How do you create a respectful, learning-focused classroom community?
1. Remember that each class has its own personality. Keep its specific needs in mind every day.
2. Let students express their opinions and personality. It can create a learning experience for everyone.
3. Kill the negativity as soon as it starts. (even small insults can turn into a big deal)
4. Use social contracts.
5. Treat your class like a party. You are the host/hostess and your students are your guests.
6. Praise your students (honestly). Encourage students to praise other students in class.
7. Ask your students about their family, their weekend, their interests.
8. Remind students of their strengths and tell them you’re proud of them.
9. Create learning focused games that encourage everyone to help everyone else.
10. Create inside jokes with each class. Lessons can be about laughing AND learning.
Other ideas for a learning focused, respectful classroom community:
1.
2.
3.