Meeting 9.17.12

In attendance:  Pam Benton, Esther Gonzalez-Wright, Marlene Ricalde, Carolina Escudero, Jane Cato, Laura Leocata

Discussion Highlights:  Chapters 5 Flipped Mastery Model & 6 of our book

1. Underlying philosophy (all students can learn given enough time & support) Student should learn at his/her own pace.  Esther mentioned that this is what we aleady do with the parallel assessments and PEAK strategies. 
2. Looking at our learning objectives:  We'll need to look at them carefully and some will need to be divided into subsets for video/resource purposes.
3. Some assessment administration via computer will be possible (listening, reading, writing, intercultural), but the speaking assessments will need to be done on language labs or face to face. Jane shared her work with clickers on the SMARTBoard and how that quick interim assessment gives her data to use for planning remediation, reteaching or moving on. 
4. Laura discussed the need for use of common assessments and the ability to share data with other teachers of the same language and level in her PLC at school.  Seminole High is expecting what we've been trying to promote for several years--true use of common assessments and sharing of data in an effort to improve practice across the board. 
5. A pattern is beginning to emerge that includes organization of the students at the beginning of the period according to what they need to do that day.  Esther shared with us some of her experiences with organizing students for retesting using the parallel assessments. 
6. We're lucky that our Curriculum Guidelines already provide us with the basics of the Standards-based learning objectives.  We need to figure out what concepts students should master via direct instruction from us (videos and 1-1 or small group work in class) and what they can learn on their own (inquiry based) through resources that we provide for them (PowerPoints, websites, teaching each other, etc.)
7. We can use quia &/or MOODLE/POODLE to create multiple versions of the same assessment.  We briefly discussed the merits of each.  Quia provides a faster and easier way to create and grade assessments.  Moodle is integrated right into the gradebook.  
8. We'll need to set up Organizational Guides for each unit of study.  If we use their template, we'll organize by learning objective and include references (book pages, powerpoints, websites, worksheets, videos, model Cornell notes, etc.)  Marlene shared her efforts with Cornell notes in her classes.  She brought some examples that were scanned and placed in the Cornell notes Resources folder in our MOODLE area.  In general, the boys liked the videos and Cornell notes system and the girls were less enthusiastic.  It will be interesting to see how things change over time!  
9. We like the idea of use of interim formal and informal assessments that let students and us know immediately what they've learned and not learned.  This will allow for individual customization for each student without leaving the teacher with mounds of paperwork.  
10. We need to request approval from principals and ask for their support with technology and connection to wi-fi in the school if students will be using their own technology.  
11. We become the "Guide by the side" instead of the "Sage on the stage."  Exciting!

A question we still have:  If every student is learning at his own pace, what happens at the end of the year?  Some students will be well  beyond the expectations and some may be not at expectations yet???  How does this work?  Credit exams for middle schoolers could be more complicated.  What are the implications? 

Pam shared a sample parent consent form  and asked PLC members to look it over and make suggestions for changes. 

**Developments since the meeting:

1. Pam completed and sent out (to the PLC for review) the letter to the principal
2. Jan asked for some minor editorial changes to the letter  & the consent (her new title is Specialist, not Supervisor)
3. Pam created a sample self-evaluation based on learning objectives on both MOODLE & Quia.com/web.  She asked teachers to look them over and give suggestions.