I'm wondering what ideas we can come up with to encourage people to use this forum. I check periodically, but not much is going on discussion-wise so I'm not sure how often I'm going to remember to keep checking it.
One thought I have is to ask each PLC to use it to discuss an issue (with the opportunity to get "outsider" feedback). If we have new PLC groups being created, this could also be a good forum to get ideas / issues for groups to deal with and potentially allow some people to contribute to more than one PLC.
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One things that would help is if teachers used a blog reader or rss feed. This alerts you when someone has updated the blog so you don't have to check the blog to see if someone has posted.
ReplyDeleteOther then that, perhaps we could give away free airplane tickets.
I think it is like everything else. It just takes a while for folks to acquire the habit. it is basically a great idea it just takes a little longer for those of us who are not as technologically astute to catch on. For example I have had a new microwave for a year and just got around to using the VERY HELPFUL defrost mode this weekend. Works much better than using the regular cook mode to defrost.What can I say?
ReplyDeleteDitto Penny's remarks. For example, I have never heard of an "rss feed" or "blog reader." I thought I was a blog reader! Future PLC topics? Recently, a boy was killed in a dirt bike accident at the school where Caitlin is student teaching. After talking with her about this, I mentioned to Dan and Shaye that we should have a plan in place for handling the death of a member of our school community---student or adult. Dan suggested a PLC group for that.
ReplyDeleteKaren: That's an interesting focus--and unfortunately something that every school eventually needs to deal with. Better to do so in advance!
ReplyDeleteI think we need to do work around our late policies.
Another area I think we could work on is parent / community communication and involvement. It would be interesting to have their participation in that PLC too.
As far as using technology is concerned, I know I don't usually learn it until I have to. I got into this when Dan set it up for my English classes. I learned it alongside my students and knew I'd need to figure it out to help my absent students or when Dan wasn't available. My next challenge is to set one up entirely by myself. I'll get there!
How about a PLC group (2010-2011 school year) to plan and develop a "Senior Seminar" class for the 2011-2012 school year? Unit topics, expert guest speakers, field trips, activities, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think that's a wonderful idea, Karen--a way to enrich the senior year experience and make it more exciting, meaningful, and memorable!
ReplyDeleteMatt's presentation today highlighted the need to examine our program offerings and requirements (and their specific content) to determine if we are meeting the needs of our students. In a quick search for statistics, I found that in 2004 the CDC reported that parents need to express their expectations regarding condom use BEFORE their child becomes sexually active in order to effect their consistent use of a condom. That leads us back to the need for a stronger parent / community link. In the matter of condoms, it's not a matter of IF we include them we'll be more successful, but of we MUST include them in order to be successful.
I think with all these great PLC ideas, I'm going to have a hard time choosing where to devote my efforts.
I am very much in favor of a senior seminar course. I took a similar course in high school and found it great, would love to see it here.
ReplyDeleteAnother idea for "senior seminar".....I was talking with Greg Marley on Wednesday after the suicide prevention presentation. He said they are piloting a program to use with seniors before they head off to college away from familiar support groups. We might add that to the list of topics to include in the R&D of a "senior seminar" type offering.
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