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Staff memo 3/28/13
MGE Inquiry Groups!
Thanks again for your openness to learning outside of our traditional PD structure. I continued to think about the afternoon at home and was so excited about the conversations and goal within groups - truly making it meaningful for your own learning and growth but using the collective brainpower and skills of your group members!
MGE Team,
A second thought at home was that true and meaningful inquiry takes time, reflection, and problem solving. After an informal poll it seems that you agree so we are going to honor the process and your time with the following changes to our original plan (formative assessment in action, right!?) :
1) Between now and April 17th, continue to dig deeper into your topic. Read a few articles on the blog , play around in your classroom with forms, minilessons, and continue having conversations within your group and other in your PLN.
2) April 17th will be devoted to full on inquiry work: TIME WITH YOUR INQUIRY GROUP. On the 17th you will meet with your group members to share successes, problem solve kinks, and create needed tools for classroom practice. More information to come prior to that day.
3) May 1st will be time to work together on the sharing piece (share new learning or actions with staff) and reassess yourself on the 3D rubric. Also more information to come prior to that day.
As always... If we can be of any help whatsoever (resources, coverage for peer observation, questions, etc) please do not hesitate to ask.
Leslie, Doug, Diann
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Staff memo 3/27/13
MGE Team,
As we observed and listened to your conversation during our PD today, it made me reflect upon the front-loading we did with our Instructional Rounds team regarding the uncomfortable feeling that may be associated with learning and growing through the inquiry process versus the more traditional professional development or rounds process.
The questions we heard and read were great. Your conversation during the work time was meaningful and exciting. We appreciate your willingness to give the inquiry process a try as you extend your own learning and instructional practice. Providing differentiated learning and opportunity for growth has been a major theme we have heard from you over the past two years. We hope the PD today, your learning and networking for the remainder of the year, and the sharing time we will provide on April 17th will allow each of you to grow in your own learning, understanding and ultimately classroom practices.
Please have one team member enter your team's goal and team member names on the GoogleDoc link below. We believe we may see connections between teams and want to help foster that if necessary and appropriate. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtE3GTvyU_V6dDFTZk9BVDREem5SSEVVbno0Q0VjMFE#gid=0
There are a lot of great resources on Leslie's blog. Please dig deeper using those resources.
Your team should also take the time to look back at the questions on Twitter and continue to question (see me if you want a list of those questions).
What's next? We want you to: Learn. Share. Implement. Observe. Reflect. Grow. Do not worry about what you will be sharing on April 17th. We will use your feedback and BLT to shape that day with the goal being one of learning and sharing...not presenting.
Thank you for your hard work and professionalism!
Doug & Leslie
As we observed and listened to your conversation during our PD today, it made me reflect upon the front-loading we did with our Instructional Rounds team regarding the uncomfortable feeling that may be associated with learning and growing through the inquiry process versus the more traditional professional development or rounds process.
The questions we heard and read were great. Your conversation during the work time was meaningful and exciting. We appreciate your willingness to give the inquiry process a try as you extend your own learning and instructional practice. Providing differentiated learning and opportunity for growth has been a major theme we have heard from you over the past two years. We hope the PD today, your learning and networking for the remainder of the year, and the sharing time we will provide on April 17th will allow each of you to grow in your own learning, understanding and ultimately classroom practices.
Please have one team member enter your team's goal and team member names on the GoogleDoc link below. We believe we may see connections between teams and want to help foster that if necessary and appropriate. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtE3GTvyU_V6dDFTZk9BVDREem5SSEVVbno0Q0VjMFE#gid=0
There are a lot of great resources on Leslie's blog. Please dig deeper using those resources.
Your team should also take the time to look back at the questions on Twitter and continue to question (see me if you want a list of those questions).
What's next? We want you to: Learn. Share. Implement. Observe. Reflect. Grow. Do not worry about what you will be sharing on April 17th. We will use your feedback and BLT to shape that day with the goal being one of learning and sharing...not presenting.
Thank you for your hard work and professionalism!
Doug & Leslie
