When was the Staff Professional Learning Day? Yes, that was just a week ago. Thank you for all that made the first faculty day back so beneficial! Also, great to see so many of you at the first ever TGIM at the Westin Sunset Grill!
Below are some helpful planning notes for the week!
On Campus
Christy Curran—Teacher’s College Reading and Writing Program
Christy is an independent literacy consultant. She was a fourth grade teacher, before joining the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project as a staff developer. She taught at several TCRWP institutes, including the coaching institute, where she helped literacy coaches all around the globe perfect their practice. She now focuses on infusing inquiry into the Readers and Writers Workshop approach. Christy will be returning to AISC on Friday March 24 – 29, 2017 to work with Elementary and Middle School teachers on Writer’s Workshop. HERE is a schedule of her visit (times and meeting subject to change).
Monday, March 27 (Optional) Afternoon Session 3:45-5:00, Writer’s Workshop Mini Institute
Wednesday, March 29 Faculty Meeting for All Literacy Teachers K-8, ES EAL Teachers*, MS Teachers: Lydia, Kathryn, Heidi, Allison, Vini Rajkumar, Pepper and Paula.
Agenda for Wednesday Faculty Meeting
The Importance of the Teacher as a Writer
- Writing Identity Work
- Thoughts from Calkins: Reading from The Art of Teaching Writing
- Participating in a Writer’s Workshop
- Mini lesson
- Independent Writing w conferring
- Teaching Share w partner work
- What you experienced, Why you experienced it, and How it can impact your teaching
MS/HS Teachers--please follow communications on faculty meeting from principals. MS LA AND EAL teachers are with Christy Curran.
*ES Specialists, on Monday you will receive an email from me regarding time for your continued curricular work during Wednesday’s faculty meeting time.
Sherriden Masters
A reminder, next year’s Director of Technologies and Innovation will also be with us this week.
Upcoming Consultants
Suzie Boss—Inquiry Through Project Based Learning
I'm a journalist who writes about the power of teaching and learning to improve lives and transform communities. Author of Bringing Innovation to School: Empowering Students to Thrive in a Changing World and co-author of Reinventing Project-Based Learning: Your Field Guide to Real-World Projects in the Digital Age, I'm inspired by educators who push the boundaries of the traditional classroom. I'm on the National Faculty of the Buck Institute for Education, and have also helped nonprofit organizations design programs that teach both youth and adults how to improve their communities with innovative, sustainable solutions. Suzie will be at AISC on April 3-5, 2017 to primarily work with Middle and High School Science and Social Studies Departments. HERE is a schedule of her visit (times and meeting subject to change). Individual invites will be sent out this week.
Tania Lattanzio--Inquiry
Tania* is international educator who co-founded Innovative Global Education. The focus of her work at AISC will be on developing and conducting professional development for teachers and leadership, modeling pedagogy in classrooms, developing and designing inquiry-based units and lessons with teachers and working intensively with teaching teams, through mentoring and coaching, to improve planning, teaching and assessment that has a direct focus on inquiry.
Tania will be at AISC on April 24 – 27, 2017 to work with Elementary School and Middle School teachers. (note on consultant change: Andrea will not be joining Tania at AISC in April for health reasons.)
Professional Learning and Development Request Form
In order to better understand the time commitment teachers are planning for their professional learning opportunities, the AISC Request form has been revised. HERE is the REVISED Professional Learning and Development Request Form. The only change you will see is the addition of adding DATES AWAY FROM SCHOOL (including travel dates). The REVISED form is updated on this blog and on the AISC Moodle Staff Portal. Going forward, please use this form.
Wellness at AISC
Are you interested in seeing what is happening with wellness at AISC and in Chennai? If so, click here to stay updated. We have lots of exciting events planned so be sure to check in!
Worthwhile Reading
Margaret Heffernan: The Dangers of Willful Blindness .This TEDTalk is about our human tendency to want to be known, needed, and cared for. Recommended by Christy Curran.
5 less than optimal elementary school literacy practices that could be using up valuable instructional time from University of Michigan of professor Nell K. Duke’s article What Doesn’t Work: Literacy Practices We Should Abandon LINK HERE.
The importance of starting conversations with “why” before talking about “how” to… article on motivating employees recommended by Dan Pink LINK HERE.
The danger of a single story Ted Talk by LINK HERE. Recommended by Keryn Dowling
Have a great week!
PS: I will be away from campus at NESA Spring Educators Conference, March 31-April 2
No comments:
Post a Comment