Notes+for+Jan+16+PD+session


 * __Notes -Thursday January 26th, 2012__**


 * Context ** - what is this collaborative PD initiative a part of?

- overall goal - independent and engaged learners at Glen Williams P.S.

Stan suggested: Citizenship – we are preparing citizens. How does that apply? Where does that fit?

1) Using professional collaboration 2) Learning Strategies 3) Real World Connections 4) Integrated Inquiry 5) Overlap other goals (class, school, board ministry priorities) while pursuing this one
 * Learning Goals of this initiative**

- where are you at in your practice and what are you looking for /bringing to this gathering?
 * Opening Circle**

- Would like to dig deeper with knowledge building circles - Supportive group of teachers is important – doesn’t want to feel like the only person doing this
 * Michelle** – last year began to trust children’s questions more – try to work more from their feedback – looked at knowledge building circles – taking notion of all learning is improvable – looking at language that students are using

- would like to continue to do that
 * Leeanne** – goal last time was to have them go out once a week – 1 period a week to go outside and explore

- getting close to being released - quick and easy activities, plus more comprehensive lessons (all connected to //The Ontario Curriculum// and //Growing Success// Learning Skills and Work Habits
 * Ron** – Back to Nature Network Resource (Teacher Guide)


 * Jonathan** - getting outside a lot more – working on forces and structures – had tso take in effect the wind outside – having the students lead the way


 * Susan** **K** - going outside more – would like to do more inquiry piece – do a little bit more inquiry on snow


 * Susan L**- persuasive writing – swings – had to go outside and measure and take into account the environment in order to make their point clear – math and literacy

- i n a grade 5 class – moon of the owl - started on new moon; assignment is due on next new moon - Reviewing criteria that students have prepared themselves (i.e., co-constructed success criteria) - Class structure was in a U - Individualized, differentiated learning – student putting up website - Going out, throughout the month, to find out what else is happening during moon of the owl
 * Stan** – change is hard – changing practice - how do we do it?


 * Vince (Principal)** – very excited about what is going on – outdoor classroom – allocated $1000 from HLF – have it up and running by mid-April – outline is there – parent support

Process is more important than content Teachers think in steps or building blocks, but instead it should be a spiral thought process Structure for discussing important things and problems that arise in the classroom Listening, respecting, and thinking is something that a KB circle provides for us Rules of participation How do you establish the rules?
 * Elements of Knowledge Building Circles - Andrea**
 * Put inclusive language onto Wiki**

- children will have choices in their learning and it will be a shared ownership – questions and voice are valued (independent stage – self motivated) - by seeing their peers adding pieces of information, it will encourage some of the quieter students to get involved and when to try - or the engaged piece – listening to their ideas and giving them a voice, and input; the engaged part will come naturally because it is something that they are going to want to know about and are engaged in - create opportunities for authentic choices – if we do not have decision making, how do we create places for kids to make decisions? - once you establish that everyone’s ideas are respected, the conversation will flow more rapidly - y ou reminded me of a time last year when two teachers were working together – we didn’t know this one piece of information – we did not try to solve the question – the kids did not understand that the teachers did not know the answer to the question – **you are all learning together** – **teacher as co-learner** - as we think about engagement – what comes to mind is students being socially engaged, school engaged, intellectually engaged – this type of experience (led by students) becomes meaningful and relevant to students – virtuous intelligence – environmental inquiry approach leads to stewardship (making the world a better place) - it can be empowering for students to see that their small choices in their learning can change things – if we tell them everything, they will grow up playing the game of school – we are getting at the citizenship idea and agents of change piece – what do you want your community to be like? Students need opportunities to envision how they would like things to be so that we can work towards it (and if we don't give them those opportunities they become complacent and indifferent)
 * A Knowledge Building Circle for** "What does our goal of independent engaged learners imply for practice?"


 * Knowledge Building as Assessment**
 * write down the thoughts of students as they are speaking – shows you how their learning has changed throughout the learning activity/communication/language that they are using
 * paired with reflection journals – this piece is very important – just write your ideas down (teacher can look at it and get further insight into how their students are planning)
 * individual – group – individual – group is very powerful
 * //Growing Success// document – this is Ministry of Education policy
 * Everyone is still learning

1) Letting go of some things and accepting others 2) Accepting something new and resisting change 3) No time – a lot of expectations and demands already in place – where does the time come from? 4) Different learning styles – social skills when outside – not getting off topic – runner – paired up with older students 5) Collaboration with staff – structured timetables – when can we meet? 6) Getting away from time table 7) Students feeling that education is “one way” – getting them away from this 8) Providing support to make a difference 9) Not fill the silence 10) Sticking with it 11) Budget priorities 12) Constrained by TLCP’s (real or imagined) – what do students need? 13) Communication 14) How does it fit into the big picture? Are we on the right path? 15) How do we help people with priorities? 16) How do we take advantage of the resources that we already have to make a difference? 17) How do we help everyone stay on the path? 18) Planning time is fragmenting teaching time 19) Assessment – how do I take an integrated/holistic approach and than break this down for assessment on report cards 20) As planning time increases, kids are being handed off for more subjects 21) Where do exceptionalities come into this model? Let’s turn this around, trying to be understanding and helpful to ourselves, colleagues but can I do this for my students to? If I am not living up to it, can we be accepting of our students as well?
 * Challenges of Addressing Our Goals**

1) Collaboration criteria a. group meeting – 2nd Monday of every month b. visit Wiki once a week- Contribute once a month? Visit it once a week?
 * Assessment of Goals –identifying criteria**

2) Strategy - Learning Locally
 * committing to being outside once a week
 * Jonathon please post list on the wiki of these so far that have been noted

3) Strategy Real World Connections/Community Partners 4) Strategy – Integration/ Inquiry
 * for 3 and 4, address these at least once a semester in a significant way


 * Exploring Learning Strategies**
 * Learning Strategies ** -some useful framework for integrated and inquiry based learing

Integration -Project based Learning Inquiry -guided Inquiry -open -Natural Curiosity model Experience-based inquiry

A framework for Integration - **Project Based Learning**
 * see sheet - 6 steps
 * Project example for primary - What are our favorite buildings in Glen Williams P.S. (Ron will send photos of possibilities from our January 26 hike)?
 * We are going to go for a walk (multiple walks)
 * Criteria first – how are we going to decide what is a good building
 * Teacher is going to take digital camera
 * Talk about buildings
 * Probably go on two or three trips
 * Photos are printed the next day
 * Who needs to know that these are our favorite buildings? The people in them! Real world connections
 * Draw them/write about them/deliver them to people who live in them
 * Visual arts/math/structures
 * What makes a building appealing? – discussion topic – criteria to create a new building for Glen Williams
 * As the teacher, leave a note for people to comment about their work from those that received it – nice wrap up-evaluation and appreciation
 * money might be needed – throw that in
 * a lot of side loops in this process
 * questions to start inquiry off
 * starting page on Wiki Group
 * once the students start going with it, let them take over; they will come up with their own stuff


 * Structure of Environmental Inquiry**

-an experience that has students gain some relationship with what is to be investigated (e.g., bring a sample of water that you collect over the March break) - what stories, learning, questions arise from the initial experience (determines what we will investigate)? - KBC to explore what we do know as a group - research, experiments, interviews, etc. - incorporating this into our group understanding – maybe another KBC - stewardship project – to apply our learning

RAN (Reading and Analyzing Non-fiction) – What I think I know. Now what do I know? What I am still wondering? (http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/sssm/html/readingandanalyzingnonfiction_sm.html)


 * What has the staying power? Good practice.
 * Maybe students need to be taught to be independent?
 * How do independent learners and engaged learners correlate?

Experiential Inquiry – questions that arise from walk are basis to take off learning Guided Inquiry – teacher presents questions at beginning

-no time for this -refer to the wiki and create a page for it
 * Design a Learning Experience**

-identified
 * Tour to explore Learning Locally – Community As Classroom**
 * integrated projects that relate to community
 * natural inquiries
 * examples of project based inquiries

-reflection page was passed out for your use-Stan wil also email it or fill the one in found on its own page here
 * Closing Circle**

-Andrea Cousineau **confirmed to attend** (consider a knowledge building circle as a way to conclude, summarize, and reflect on the session - should be invited asap) Environmental Education Coordinator/Teacher THE LABORATORY SCHOOL AT THE DR. ERIC JACKMAN INSTITUTE OF CHILD STUDY ONTARIO INSTITUTE FOR STUDIES IN EDUCATION - UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO 45 WALMER ROAD, TORONTO, ONTARIO M5R 2X2 CANADA T: 416 934 4517 F: 416 934 4565 [ andrea.cousineau@utoronto.ca ]andrea.cousineau@utoronto.ca