Week 7: Co-Teaching Summary

For this week's summary, I began aggregating all of the posts for the 4 main questions into a document to view all the responses to each question separately.

Once I did this, I decided to take each question and create a visual representation for the responses. Lately, I've been playing around with a product called Tagxedo, that allows you to change the shape of the tag cloud, and even allows you to upload pictures to put the cloud into that shape. Unfortunately, the embedded files from Tagxedo did not load properly when I tried to embed them, so I have included the static .jpg image instead. With the embedded version, when you click on words, they are supposed to animate and turn sideways for easier viewing. For comparison's sake, I also created the cloud in Wordle.

Here's what it looks like:

Question 1: What does co-teaching mean for the written, taught, and tested curriculum?
Taxedo Image: Hands and Puzzle The majority of the responses discussed the three stages of beginning, compromising and collaboration as outlined in Gately and Gately. Several mentioned student or learner centered instruction and the ability to differentiate curriculum based on formative assessment. In the written curriculum, several mentioned the importance of including the special education teacher in the process. In the taught curriculum there is a great advantage when students hear how to complete a task or learn from a different point of view. Collaboration between the content and special education teacher is key, and it is important for the special education teacher to know the material and the content teacher to understand the pedagogy of differentiating instruction.
Question 2: What structures need to be in place for co-teaching to be successful?
Taxedo Image Schoolhouse The structures reflected in the summary revolved around: Mutual Respect and Trust Common Planning Time Content Background Good Communication Well Defined Classroom Management Team approach Clear Goals Check Your Ego at the Door Some shared the KU Content Enhancement Routines and SIM Strategies as effective components, and there was also good discussion on the cost of co-teaching to districts facing budget difficulties.
Question 3: What impact does the upgrade of curriculum for the 21st century have on co-teaching?
The Tagxedo image above is from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework image. Many respondents to the question made the connection between the 21st Century skills of collaboration, communication, and problem solving as being directly related to co-teaching and that there was a natural enhancement when these skills are emphasized. The ability to differentiate content, process and product through the integration of technology is a powerful complement to the co-teaching process. Skype and Google Docs were often mentioned as tools to assist in this process, and it was even mentioned that technology offers the ability to co-teach at a distance, or in a blended format.
Question 4:What are some challenges in supervising and evaluating a co-teaching team, and how might supervisors address these challenges?
Tagxedo Image of Supervison The importance of administrative support, professional development and coordination of teams was emphasized as critical. Finding teams that will complement each other is a important first step, as well as monitoring them to be sure the relationship is a positive one. There was a great deal of discussion about taking more time in the evaluation process, observing and talking with staff separately and together. Many mentioned Gately and Gately's Co-teaching Rating scale as a checklist that they would use in their role as supervisor and "The Power of Two Observation and Debrief: Eight Components of the Co-Teaching Relationship was also mentioned as a useful tool. The issue of whether to observe the teacher or the students was brought up in discussion and it was suggested that we develop an observation tool that emphasizes student behavior. All in all, 81 posts on this topic were generated, with the initial ones totaling over 14 pages. In the follow-up the topics of discussion included: Mike Glennon's clever parenthetical usage! Communication, communication, and more communication The cost of co-teaching in an age of budget cuts Questioning the depth of knowledge and dedication to all students learning Methods of evaluation and supervision Consistent classroom management practices Effective Professional Development practices (Including Shared Inquiry.) Planning with Web 2.0 tools Evaluating not just the teaching but the collaboration Modeling the co-teaching process and gaining job embedded PD through co-teaching Suggestion that Special Education teachers be generalists The value of collaboration Should co-teaching be voluntary? High Tech Tools Offering Promise The use of UDL in co-teaching Questioning whether the special education teacher was truly a specialist in pedagogy The benefits of 4 eyes and hands in the classroom The benefit of students seeing more than one way to solve problems and learn Co-teaching becoming a "quick fix" to meet NCLB requirements

Teachable Moments in the Written, Taught and Tested Curriculum

On February 1, my son came home from school and I asked him the following question:

"So Evan," I said, "Did you talk about Egypt today in Humanities class (Geography)?" "No," said my son, "we haven't started North Africa yet."

When I tweeted about it that evening, I included the tag: #linearlearningfail.

Recently there have been several current events that have provided great opportunities for learning in the classroom. Unfortunately, those "teachable moments" occurred at times that may not have been ideal for teachers to use in their curriculum, or didn't meet a grade level subject area standard. Perhaps they had an assessment they had been planning, or their favorite lecture on the Gettysburg address, or even a unit on Ethiopia. It got me to thinking about what gets taught in school, when it gets taught, and whether or not current events can provide richer, relevant learning opportunities than what might get written down in content standards, taught to the class, and/or ultimately assessed. When events happen that are tied to the curriculum, should teachers take advantage of the opportunity to make the connections? Should they use these moments to illustrate concepts that students are expected to know, and provide relevance to their learning?

Egypt

Totaling 80 pages, the Minnesota Social Studies Standards, which were adopted controversially in 2004, are broken down into U.S. History, World History, Geography, Economics and Civics.

The standards for each subject is listed for K-3, 4-8 and 9-12 and it is up to individual districts to determine what specific grade level will meet that standard.

Students in grades 4-8 learn about government, but only in relation to United States government. They learn geography, as well as history. Did the recent events occurring in Cairo and other parts of Egypt provide teachers the opportunity to solidify connections to these lessons? I think so!

As I watched the amazing events transpire in Egypt, and viewed how social media was impacting those events, I wondered how many classrooms would take advantage of this opportunity to view first hand a relatively peaceful democratic movement.

I created this screencast to demonstrate how much information was coming out:

Here in "real-time" social media sites and on cable news channels, students could observe history in the making, and make connections to civil disobedience, our own Bill of Rights, non-violent protest, diplomacy, and geography, with a teacher their to guide them and weave the standards into the discussion. How many Social Studies teachers took advantage of that opportunity? How many Language Arts teachers, with communications standards in their curriculum took a moment to share the massive amount of powerful communication and collaboration being used by the protesters?

Wisconsin

Recently on Facebook, one of my friends was complaining about the teachers calling in sick to protest Governor Scott Walker's proposal to eliminate collective bargaining for teachers and other public employees. She pointed out that many parents rely on school for custodial care while they are at work. While I believe that the teachers are exercising their civic right of assembly in the wake of Governor Walker's refusal to negotiate attempt to push the bill through, I understand her concern. My hope, as illustrated in a column in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, is that when teachers return to the classroom they will use this as an opportunity for dialog, beliefs, a discussion of workers rights, economics, politics, First Amendment rights and civil disobedience. They are living those rights and beliefs out in front of our eyes, and as educators, have a unique opportunity to share that experience with their students.

Blogging Teacher

A few months ago, Natalie Monroe, a teacher in Pennsylvania had a bad day at work. The students were particularly unruly and didn't seem to care about what she was attempting to teach to them. She decided to share her frustrations about her experience on a blog that a friend had suggested she set up. And so she did. She berated the student attitudes, lack of interest, and lack of parent support, calling the students, "rude, lazy whiners." Surprisingly to Ms. Monroe, parents and students found out about the blog and were upset to read the commentary there.

This past week, Ms. Monroe has been making the morning entertainment program circuit and blogging again, attempting to repair her reputation. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that she has learned her lesson from all of this. As Chris Lehmann eloquently stated on his blog, Monroe did not do the most important thing she should have: apologize!

Not only have Monroe's students been hurt by her words, but her digital footprint and reputation have been permanently disfigured by her actions. How many teachers took time during class this past week to have a discussion with students about their own digital footprint and make a connection with the methods they use to communicate with others?

I believe that learning is NOT linear, and that as educators, we should jump at the opportunity to connect student learning to real world events and experiences. Of course, we never know when those opportunities may arise, but expert teachers will seize the opportunity to blend these events with the written curriculum to make the taught curriculum a richer experience for their students.

Curriculum Course Reflection:

This week, I was asked to respond to the following questions. I decided to create the video screencast below to share my thoughts.

As a school administrator and instructional leader, what instructional technology would you expect to see in the written, taught, and tested curriculum of a school or school district striving to meet the needs of 21st century learners?

What instructional technology would you promote to differentiate instruction for all learners?

Here is the presentation to navigate if you wish. It also includes references.

I recorded the video with Screencastomatic, which has many nice features. Unfortunately, the Prezi effects did not hold during capture, and that was disappointing. I like the fact that Screencastomatic includes up to 15 minutes of recording per session, and can be edited on the fly. You can also embed your Webcam while talking, which personalizes things very nicely.

Curriculum Course Reflection: The Purpose of School

In this post I will be sharing my thoughts regarding the following prompt:

What are your philosophical beliefs about the purpose of school, about what subjects should be taught, and about how students learn? How does your work demonstrate your belief?

At then end of a course I just taught with a group of educators in my district called, "Creating Community for All Learners," I asked them to provide three words to describe their experience in the course. I then used Wordle to provide a visual for that experience that you see to the right. As I think about my philosophy about the purpose of school, I think those words are a pretty good representation of what I think school should be: Fun, creative, challenging, collaborative, exciting, interesting, enlightening.

I believe that the focus of school should be about learning how to learn, so that by the time a student graduates, they have the skills and passion to be a life-long learner. Students should be exposed to ideas that challenge and make them question. At times, they should be frustrated, as learning can be messy sometimes, but working through these problems and frustration will provide them skills to tackle the more difficult challenges of life.

Students should learn how to communicate effectively, collaborate and problem solve in Language Arts and Mathematics. They should learn Science so that they understand the difference between theory and fact, Social Studies so that they understand the importance of being an engaged member of society, a second language to understand cultural differences and improve their understanding of grammar in their native tongue, and music and art to enhance their humanity and make further connections with their learning. They should have the opportunity to infuse their passions into the study of these subjects, to "follow the rabbit hole" in each subject to see where it takes them, rather than study something "a mile wide and an inch deep."

They should be provided the opportunity to create new meaning in the subjects they study through inquiry and authentic projects that allow them to showcase their talents.

I believe my role as a technology integration specialist and educator, is that of a sherpa or guide to assist teachers and students as they connect their learning. I carry the tools that can help students problem solve, collaborate and communicate effectively beyond the walls of their classroom or school.