Book Study & Socratic Seminar

Book study - pdf of Ishmael by Daniel Quinn 


Socratic Seminar

Socratic Seminar Lesson Using Ishmael


Socratic Seminar Rubrics and Handouts from AVID




Guiding questions for discussion

The End of the PLC's for 2014

6/3/2014

Notes from CILT -

1. Needs Assessment - These are results of our Campus Needs Assessment. By Dr. Ortega's report, the campus assessment identifies our school mastery of Lesson Objectives, and DOLs at about 1.75. Our goal was 2.0, but she feels we are very near that goal. 

2. Climate Survey - Dr. Ortega is very concerned that all of the reporting categories are still red. She remarked on the following:

Administrative support - In her opinion, the notification of additional funds for supplies and the offer to pay for staff development are evidence of administrative support. She also points out that she provided substitute teachers for the English department when they were required to grade the 200 extra essays from other schools. In light of these things, Dr. Ortega does understand this consistently low rating. She suspects that the low-ratings may be a result of disgruntled few, but she hopes that we understand that adjustments to Business and Child Guidance pathways are needed to provide relevant career opportunities for our students.

We still need more pathways. Could we create Science Pathways. Dr. Ortega has suggested Nursing, what other relevant areas?

And consider this:

Science and Math Department Chairs,

 

Please let me know if you have any teachers who would like to go:  

 

Robotics Training for Certified Teachers

The UT Dallas Science and Engineering Education Center will offer STEM and Robotics training sessions for teachers in July and August. If your campus plans to have a robotics team next year, the Student Activities Department will fund the expenses associated with the training. If your certified teachers are interested in training, please have them contact Andrea Guerra via andguerra@dallasisd.org by June 6, 2014.

 

 

AND

 

If you could present this idea to your PLC’s tomorrow….

Here is an awesome contest!! It would be great if we could get a sponsor for a Robotics team here at Adamson!

http://www.ten80education.com/

 

Please let me know if any teachers would be willing to sponsor a Robotics Club. 

 

 

Ms. LoLecia Day

Academic Contest Coordinator

W. H. Adamson High School

Office: Room 005A

Can we get some feedback here?

Fair and Consistent Discipline -
Another low-scoring area, and Dr. Ortega wants me to emphasize the importance of calls home. She remarks that often there have been no calls home when a student arrives at the office with a referral. In her opinion, by the time the student is in the office, that's the third strike, there should have been two prior calls home. Opinions? Feedback? 

We have repeatedly stressed the inconsistence of contact information in Gradespeed, and I don't see a change ever coming in that area, because frankly, our students come from all over, and the information provided to get them here is often not their primary residence. 

So, remember, at the beginning of next year, your best opportunity to get real information from your students is early. Get the numbers, and establish contact early, before there's ever any need to be in touch. I would suggest offering grade incentive for complete contact information, once that information is verified. I know we don't want to give out our phone numbers. What suggestions do you guys have for establishing that parent contact early?

3. Professional Development August -- Dr. Ortega feels we should complete PD by department for the most part. There have been recommendations for some full group work on Special Ed Inclusion. Dr. Ortega is still very concerned about how we engage our Special Teaching Aids in the classroom, and the consistent low scores for Special Ed. Also talk of TELPAS training.

We need suggestions for the types of Professional Development you would find most helpful. I'm interested in STEM.

4. Professional Development Next Year -- sounds as if weekly Wednesday meetings will continue. Dr. Ortega relates that these meetings are for things that cannot be communicated by email or memo, such as testing preparations. 

5. Early Release -- As of Monday morning there was still some question, but we have received emails since confirming. This early release for students only, we are to work on grades and planning for next year. It sounds as if Saturday will be early day. After sign outs are complete, we have been invited to El Fenix. Ms. Poledor would like to have potluck get together on Friday. Time and place?

6. June 7th -- If you cannot be here on June 7, you need to see Dr. Ortega.






   

Writing samples

11/15/2013

Department:	Science	Content/Type: Science		Date: 11/15/2013
Facilitator:	Megahan		Start Time:8:00		End Time: 8:40
Evidence: Support of Key Action Plan
Key Action _5E1:   Leaders will facilitate "Looking at Student Work Sessions" and will demonstrate use of rubric.	Evidence of Support/Assessment:  Developing a common rubric to support our looking at student work sessions.   Discussion: Let’s use these questions from “Looking at Student Work Sessions” to develop a rubric we will all use. Level 1: The Details: What details do you see in the student work – voice, content, organization, vocabulary, mechanics?  Level 2: The Student's Perspective: Looking at the work from the student perspective – what was the student working on? What were they trying to do? What level of thinking were they using? What choices were they making about content, process, product, or evaluation? How much responsibility do they take for - what they learn, the process they use, and how they evaluate it? Level 3: Patterns and Conclusions: Do you see any patterns across the samples of student work? Did you see anything that was surprising? What did you learn about how a student thinks and learns?  Level 4: What's Next? What new perspectives did you learn from your colleagues? What questions about teaching and learning did looking at student work raise for you? As a result of looking at student work, are there things you would like to try in your classroom to increase rigor, increase relevance, promote reflection? Action Step:  Teachers will participate in "Looking at Student Work Sessions" and will  assess student writing using a department developed rubric.   STAAR rubric for assessing expository writing. http://curriculum.mydallasisdonline.org/file.php/1/STAAR/RLA/Latest%20STAAR%20Updates%20and%20Resources/Resources/EOC%20I,%20II,%20III/EOC%20Writing/R10%20-%20High%20School%20Expository%20Writing%20Rubric.pdf   Who Is Responsible: Science Teachers   Timeline:
Key Action 2C1:     The Community Liaison will actively recruit parent volunteers and ensure participation at school activities and events.	Evidence of Support/Assessment: Discuss school and community events and opportunities to encourage parent participation.   Discussion: In what events have you participated? How was parent involvement? What strategies can we put in place to increase parent involvement?         Action Step: Recruit teachers to participate in the Mayor’s Race on Dec 7, and solicit ideas for ways the science department can support the “Giving Tree” project.   Who Is Responsible? Ms. Megahan   Timeline: Friday’s Meeting
Questions for Administration:

Agenda for meeting Friday, 9/27/2013, 8:15

9/27/2013

We will meet in Ms. Maldonado's room at 8:15. 

Please bring your laptop, and curriculum map so you can work in content areas pulling up data. 

The agenda for today's meeting:

1. Work with content teacher's to pull data, and compile a report for Dr. Ortega.

2. Focus on objectives on the curriculum map for the second six weeks. 

3. Prepare an excel report to forward to Dr. Ortega.

September 16 PLC

Short meeting this morning to establish the best time for Department PLC. 

Dr. Ortega explained that we will meet two days a week. Wednesday afternoon meetings are mandatory. If there is not a school wide faculty meeting, then we are to meet in our PLC. 

Data driven decision making is the topic for meetings until further notice. She doesn't have evidence of this yet. 

The five teachers present voted for Friday afternoons as the best time for meetings, however, Dr. Ortega sent Ms. Elliot to veto Friday afternoon meetings.

So now we need consensus again. Shall we meet Friday mornings, or is Thurs afternoon better? I will need to reschedule tutoring.

Please reply in comments below or by email ASAP so I can plan accordingly.

Pl

PLC Meeting Wednesday Afternoon 9/11

From Dr. Ortega's earlier email.

 

"Wednesday:

 

If did not cover Monday's agenda, continue or begin and add:

 

6.  Now that we know the weakest areas, how will we add to our maps to insure we spiral these through the year?   How and how often will we assess to ensure our students are improving in these skills/concepts/content?

 

Thank you all for your continued good work.".

 

Please bring your curriculum map with data notes or some documentation of the data.