THIS WE BELIEVE ABOUT ENGAGING LEARNERS AT GREYSTONE CENTENNIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL

WHAT ARE WE DOING AT SCHOOL TODAY?

A Co-Created Action Plan to Support Teachers in Developing Classroom Practice to Meet the Needs of Todays Learners ~ March, 2013

RISK TAKING
Learners are persevering to grow outside their boundaries.

Adapting Exploring Questioning

Examples: trying new technology in your class making learning public - posting on blogs, youtube creating an environment where students are helping students building an understanding that it is OK to make mistakes, it is how you do your best learning

CREATING
Learners are thinking, acting and engaging with ideas to discover possibilities.

Personal Investment Discovery Through Exposure & Experiences Choice

Examples: gaining independence and interdependence establishing flexible groupings challenging high flyers setting clear guidelines and criteria providing multiple feedback loops and support encouraging a wide variety of end products to demonstrate deep understanding Innovation Week contributing something new and meaningful to the larger community

COLLABORATING Learners are open minded to different perspectives in order to build an interdependent learning community.

Providing Constructive Feedback & Reflection Creating a Safe Environment

Appreciating Others Perspectives

Examples: Team Time for teachers cross graded groups (Buddy Time) teacher holding student accountable for learning (regular check-ins for understanding) teacher facilitates learning when necessary; acts as a mediator for groups of students; more of a coach not a one man show; guidance rather than lecture format. students are acquiring competencies expected in high performance work organizations (teamwork, problemsolving, communications, decisionmaking, project management) holding themselves and each other accountable demonstrating active listening skills contributing different strengths and developing skills by learning from those who have strengths that are different from their own.

QUESTIONING
Learners natural curiosity is leading them to explore deeper learning.

Creating Curiosity Developing an Emotional Investment Digging Deeper

Examples: starting inquiry projects with criteria of what make good powerful questions socratic circles, four corner discussions, other discussion strategies to build curiosity stimulating the students interest through video clips, pictures, songs, group problems to get them thinking or hooks on the topic connecting to students interests students are encouraged to ask questions of: *evidence (how do we know what we know?) *viewpoint (who is speaking?) *pattern and connections (what causes what?) *supposition (how might things have been different?) *why it matters (who cares?)

ENSURING AUTHENTIC LEARNING

Learners are emotionally and intellectually invested in work that is personally relevant and deeply connected to the world in which they live.

Passionate Personalized Connections Beyond the Classroom

Examples: Social Media connections (Twitter, FaceBook, YouTube etc.) LC6 traffic light initiative: town council meetings, community involvement LC6 iPad project: student choice Innovation Week Option Classes LC9 Civic Mirror Science labs/experiments Lit Fair the study expands on a question, problem, issue or exploration that is significant to the discipline students think, act and engage with ideas and core concepts in the same ways as historians, chemists, biologists, botanists, writers, journalists, photographers, architects, etc. to make meaningful connections and build deep understanding the study requires students to conduct research, share information, make decisions, solve problems, create meaning and communicate with various audiences inside and outside the classroom

PROVIDING EVIDENCE
Learners are an active part of the assessment and feedback process to move their learning forward.

Co-Creating Connecting Reflecting

Examples: Artifacts/Conversations/ Observations are main sources of evidence of learning Report cards, IPPs, RPAs benchmark assessments personal reflections - portfolios, blogging, facebook pages ongoing assessment is woven into the design of the learning tasks providing timely, descriptive feedback utilizing a range of methods, including peer and self - evaluation assessment guides student learning and teachers instructional planning opportunities given for students to reflect on their learning using clear criteria that they have helped to set co-creating rubrics, checklists, reflection questions listening to our students tracking growth providing exemplars sharing student feedback/reflections Personalizing, Modifying, Adapting, Differentiating being proactive relationships! strengthening home/school communication