Productive p.d.

Scheduling two days of professional development to close out the term was bound to create some questions. Would it be productive, relevant, worthwhile, boring? Would there be buy-in, and would everyone contribute in a meaningful way? The goals for the professional development sessions were to enhance both primary and intermediate collaboration within a professional learning community (plc), and to further develop our understanding of IB through deepening awareness of PYP and MYP practices.

The first impressions suggest that both goals were met to varying degrees. A key element of the sessions involved sharing best practices. It was highly enlightening to watch colleagues interact with one another, each revealing their strengths, tendencies, and characteristics as teachers. Some were detail oriented, others more broad in scope. Personally, I chose to share a lesson that I found useful this term that involved the use of back channeling and the technology of TodaysMeet. Now, I am personally not a techie, but I have been enhancing my lessons through its use. We also recorded our discussions of the p.d. using TodaysMeet. I tend to be big picture thinker and teacher, and this was evident during the session. From time to time I needed to be reminded to explain my methodology, its purpose, and usefulness. It occurred to me that my students must have the same questions, reactions, and experiences.

Other colleagues were strong on detail. They shared the value of beginning with the end in mind; knowing the summative assessment well in advance and the way that it will be marked. Others spoke of lessons that featured a common protocol, allowing students to experience the benefit of consistency. Still others emphasized the value of peer teaching, editing, and coaching.

As the first morning proceeded there was a team cohesiveness that was developing as a result of the activities and most importantly, sharing that was taking place. By the time that the session ended it was clear that colleagues were on the same page with one another and that we each had a better idea of what the other was doing inside and outside of the classroom.

Moving From Me to We - Global Mindedness

Our school has an active extra-curricular program and character education program. This year we decided to match our programs to the IB Learner Profile and to become more community-oriented. A group of grade 7 and 8 students joined up for an activity entitled: From Me to We- Global Mindedness. Inspired by participation in We Day, held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the students brought awareness to issues such as poverty, economic inequality, and child exploitation throughout the world.

Two students became motivated to take the step of going to Kenya in order to truly make a difference. Last week they spoke at our Lower School Assembly about their upcoming trip to Africa in June-July of 2012. In conjunction with our younger students in grades 7 and 8, these two grade 10 girls used the opportunity to raise awareness about the needs of people in parts of the world less fortunate than our own. We take it for granted that children go to school; this is a luxury that many families cannot afford in many parts of the world. Going without footwear is something we would never countenance in the developing world; many school-aged children in Kenya do without these commonplace items. Clean drinking water is available throughout our homes, while many in Africa trek long distances to get the resource that is most vital to sustaining life.

Such comparisons are seemingly endless. However, raising a generation of students and citizens committed to closing the gap between rich and poor worldwide is surely a step in the right direction. That is the philosophy and motivation of Moving from Me to We- Global Mindedness.

Sorting, Sifting, and Reporting

Having enjoyed a leisurely Saturday morning that consisted of a sleep-in, a yoga session, and breakfast at our favorite diner, the afternoon turned to the weightier matters of report writing. If you factor in a car wash and watching a few extraneous football games, you might even say that I was procrastinating. You might be right, but not for the reasons you may think.

While I appreciate that in education there is a need to track student progress, record and report that progress to parents, students, and educational authorities, there is something fragmented and counterproductive about this process. Most schools adopt a system that requires sorting and sifting- placing grades and percentages on work done to date. There are undoubtedly good reasons for following this precedent, the most compelling being the university admissions process and the granting of credits.

Middle school teachers are not bound by the same constraints, yet most schools follow a system that is similar to high school. This seems counterintuitive to developments in education that call for differentiated ways of assessing student work, and longer projects that add relevance and rigor to learning, but are more complicated to assess. I favor frequent, but varied assessment of student work and a less rigid way of reporting student progress in a timely fashion. I expect that most schools, even innovative ones like my own, grapple with the right balance of reports, updates, and opportunities for encouraging student success and learning.

It would be great to hear what other schools are doing by way of change in this important area of school life. Meantime, it is time to turn off the distractions, and get back to sorting, sifting, and reporting.