Creating Meaningful Learning Experiences

1. Creating Meaningful Learning Experiences Powerful Conversations Elementary Network February 7, 2012

2. Alphabet Soup! • ABPC Alabama Best Practices Center • KLNKey Leaders Network • PCNPowerfulConversations Network • SLNSuperintendentLeaders Network • IPPInstructionalPartners Pilot • CCRSCollege-and Career-Ready Standards • FAFormative Assessment

3. Partners with the Alabama State Department of Education Initiatives

4. Guiding Questions • What does “engaging learning experience” mean to me? To what extent and in what ways do I and my colleagues think engaging learning experiences might improve student learning? • In what ways are we incorporating “authentic performance assessments” into our lesson and unit designs in our school? What is the value of using these?

5. Guiding Questions • Why might “engaging scenarios” be particularly appropriate to student mastery of CCR standards? • What type of engaging scenario can we collaboratively create to support the CCRS that our design team has been working with this year? • What can we expect from Instructional Rounds this spring?

6. Guidelines for Group Interactions • Be open to and respect all points of view. • Listen with an open mind and expect to learn from one another. • Accept responsibility for active and equitable participation. • Allow think time – before and after someone speaks. • Check for understanding. Before you counter an idea, be sure you fully understand what has been said. • Welcome questions.

7. Activity: Sharing Successes—Give One-Get One WHAT? Sharing classroom and/or school-wide success you’ve had with CCRS implementation WHY? To celebrate accomplishments and learn from one another HOW? Individually record on an index card one success you’ve experienced as you’ve worked to implement CCRS. Write legibly. Be ready to share with colleagues and exchange cards.

8. Activity 1: What Does “Engaging Learning Experience” Mean?—4 A’s Text Protocol WHAT? Reading and dialogue using the 4 A’s text protocol WHY? To make personal and collective meaning of “engaging learning experience” as defined by Ainsworth HOW? Individually read and prepare for dialogue using 4 A’s Protocol. Use Activity Sheet 1, pp. 2-3 of Activity Packet.

9. Activity 2: Viewing Classroom Video By Reference to 7C Student Survey WHAT? Watch a videotaped classroom where teaching and learning are focused on a common core standard—and use student survey to assess student engagement WHY? To “see” engagement in action and talk together about what makes an engaging lesson HOW? Watch video with focus on 7Cs; talk with team member about your perceptions

10. Authentic Performance Assessment “Performance tasks provide educators with a ‘window’ into student understanding, giving them the formative diagnostic data they need to monitor and adjust instruction for different students. For students, performance tasks enable them to construct their own understanding of the standards in focus through active participation, not just passive listening and seeing, as they exercise the full range of thinking skills.” (Rigorous Curriculum Design, p. 161)

11. Activity 3: What is Authentic Performance Assessment?—Team Talk WHAT? Developing a shared meaning of the what and the why of authentic performance assessment WHY? To consider the value of increasing use of this strategy to support students’ mastery of CCRS HOW? Follow directions on Activity Sheet 3, p. 5 of the Activity Packet

12. Stand Up and Find a School Team with Whom to Share • Share and compare the results of your force-field analysis. • Talk about strategies you might use to encourage faculty to increase their use of authentic performance assessments.

13. Regroup After Lunch • Join your role-alike team with whom you’ve been working this year. • Find your grade level and/or chosen content on table signage. • If you have a question about the group with whom to affiliate, see the facilitator.

14. Organize Your Team • Facilitator • Recorder • Materials Manager • Timekeeper

15. Activity 4: Investigating “Engaging Scenarios”: Facilitated Team Review of Engaging Scenarios WHAT? Conversation in role-alike design teams to develop a shared understanding of engaging scenarios WHY? To prepare for collaborative creation of an engaging scenario related to your selected standard(s) HOW? Team facilitator will lead team in review of pp. 164-172 in Ainsworth’s RCD following directions on p. 6 of Activity Packet.

16. Activity 5: Creating An Engaging Scenario—Collaborative Creation of an Engaging Scenario WHAT? Collaborative creation of an engaging scenario that matches your selected standard WHY? To apply learning and to develop a product that you can take away and use HOW? Follow directions and use resources provided on pp. 7-14 of the Activity Packet.

17. SCRAP:A Design Tool You Can Use • S = Situation • C = Challenge • R = Role • A = Audience • P = Product or Performance

18. Activity 6: Sharing and Giving/Getting Feedback on Team Engaging Scenario— Modified Tuning Protocol WHAT? Sharing engaging scenarios and giving and receiving feedback through work with a sister team WHY? To learn from others HOW? Follow directions provided on p. 15 of the Activity Packet

19. Preview of Upcoming Event:Instructional Rounds • Spring, 2013 • Online registration • Choice, but each site will have a limited number of spots. • Host schools will select an area of focus related to implementation of CCRS

20. Overview from Some Host Schools

21. Reflection and Feedback • Please complete the reflection and feedback form on the last page of your Activity Packet—including the comments for each item. • This is your exit ticket! Thank you! Safe travels. See you next time!