Teaching Learning Leading K-12

Episode 21: Allen Fort -Talking about Rural School Systems and other Education Topics in Georgia

Allen is currently the superintendent of schools in Quitman County, Georgia. He has 39 years of total education experience. He was a teacher, a coach, an assistant principal, a principal, and worked for five years as a GA Department of Education School Improvement and Redesign Specialist.

He feels that he is very fortunate for his opportunities to travel across the state and get to know educators in many different regions of Georgia.

Allen is familiar with the needs of the rural school systems. He has created a rural school system learning group that is comprised of educators from rural systems. He sees this group as providing an opportunity for the different systems to learn from each other on how best to use their limited resources.

As a principal he instituted one of the first ninth grade academies in the state. We talk about his thoughts and lessons learned.

We also talk a little about the challenge of teachers working with kids who have access to incredible amounts of information through Google and other web based solutions. We talk about how when we were kids the teachers had the information or it was in books that they could direct us to, whereas today, the kids can study beforehand and actually know more than the teacher about some topics. This becomes a challenge in that the teacher is often trying to keep up with the kids, but another challenge is that all kids don’t have access. It is quite possible that in the same class there will be those who can and those who can’t access web based information.

I enjoyed talking with Allen and I think that you will enjoy your time listening!

You can find out more information about Allen at www.allenfortga.com

Length 33:27

Episode 20: Classworks with Kristie Brooks

Kristie is a former special education teacher who eventually became a Special Education Director for a school system. She now is a Georgia Account Executive for Classworks.

Classworks is a web-based tool for assisting students in achieving more during their education. It has tools for assessment and instruction that are used to personalize learning and to support teachers as they help students achieve academic goals.

Kristie and I explore the following questions and many more…

·         How can software programs go beyond the “computer lab” to impact classroom teaching and student engagement?

·         How does Classworks use student data to form individualized plans? How can a teacher use this tool to help with differentiation?

·         What do you think is the greatest challenge for teachers working with kids? How can Classworks assist with these challenges?

Hope that you enjoy the conversation. 

Spend some time at their website or contact Kristie if you have any questions.

For more information go to…

www.classworks.com

or contact Kristie at

KBrooks@classworks.com

Length 26:32

Episode 19: Dr. Tim Elmore and Growing Leaders

Dr. Tim Elmore is the founder and the president of the non-profit organization, Growing Leaders.

Tim worked with Dr. John Maxwell who has spent many years teaching leadership skills to adults. Out of this experience of working with Dr. Maxwell grew "the desire to teach basic life skills and leadership skills to kids while they are still in school." Hence, the vision for Growing Leaders was born.

Tim and I discuss his ideas about changing the school house. He talks about Marching off the Map or being willing to do school differently.

He explains, "Our current school systems were designed for a past era..." and our teachers feel like "more is added to their workload every year." He notes that as a result many schools are in "maintenance or survival mode" where the teachers and administrators are "not willing to live on the edge." Tim creates a brilliant image of the difference between pioneers and settlers. The settlers are comfortable with being in one place, whereas the pioneer has to explore.

Tim states that we need to be EPIC in our classrooms and schools...

Experiential

Participatory

Image Rich

Connected

He also explains the thought that..."Kids Google." Tim notes, "They don't need us for information, they need us for interpretation." 

Finally, Tim discusses the purpose of Growing Leaders and how it partners with schools and other organizations that serve children.

Tim was amazing to talk to! 

He is energetic and insightful! 

He has so many ideas that hit home. 

Enjoy!

You can find out more about Dr. Tim Elmore and Growing Leaders at www.growingleaders.com. 

Best wishes!

Length 31:07

Episode 15: Ms. Kamorra Crafton, 3rd grade teacher talking with me about learning centers and mini-whiteboards

This is Episode 15! 

Awesome!

Today, I am talking with Ms. Kamorra Crafton, a 3rd grade teacher at Saxon Heights Elementary School in Dublin City Schools, Dublin, Georgia.

This is her 7th year in teaching and her 3rd year teaching 3rd graders.

I had the pleasure seeing her teach using learning centers and mini-whiteboards to create engagement and to provide feedback about student understanding! Her students were involved and excited to be working in the centers and using the boards. It is not an exaggeration to say that they were totally engaged in the activities! Ms. Crafton commented, "I use the centers to provide more individualized instruction." She continued, They allow me to see what the kids are struggling with..."

The mini-whiteboards help her get immediate feedback. She shared, "Anytime they can get out those markers and whiteboards they are excited!"

She reflected, "The information gathered helps her with determining what direction she needs to go, what she needs to re-teach and what she may need to make harder..."

I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation and I am glad that I was able to see her work with the children. 

Check out the use of learning centers and mini-whiteboards to assist with aiding instruction and getting feedback about student understanding.

I have a board on Pinterest called Assessment Strategies where I have pins pertaining to using the mini-whiteboards and one called Stations(Learning Centers). 

Go here for Saxon Heights Elementary School.

Enjoy!

Length 17:12

Episode 13: Formative Instructional Practices with Kelli Harris Wright GADOE

Kelli is a recently retired public educator. She was a special education and general education teacher. She also served in many different capacities within public school systems. Her most recent role, prior to retiring and going to work for the Georgia Department of Education, was as the Director of K-12 Teaching and Learning for a large Atlanta school district. She now oversees the FIP or Formative Instructional Practices program which falls under the Division for Assessment and Accountability at the DOE.

FIP is based upon the work of Rick Stiggins, Jan and Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter.  According to Kelli, “It focuses on the formal and informal methods that teachers and students collect information about student learning. It is about the use of the information that is collected.”

Formative Assessment helps teachers to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their students. The collected information then enables the teachers to modify their instructional practices to address the needs of the kids.

One aspect of this program is that the teachers learn how to create learning targets based upon the standards for the unit content. These help the teacher understand what it is that needs to be taught.

Formative assessment is purposeful. The teacher creates activities that provide information about the understandings of the students. As a result, these activities typically are not graded and should not be graded. It shows what the students know or don’t know therefore, a grade cannot be administered.

The actual training for teachers happens through professional learning networks, overview sessions, and on-line modules. There are five on-line modules for teachers.

1.        Overview of the Research about Formative Assessment

2.        Learning Targets

3.        Ways to Collect Evidence of Student Learning

4.        Analyzing the Evidence of Student Learning/ Effective Feedback

5.       Student Ownership of Learning/Peer Feedback

There are two additional modules: One for leadership personnel and another for coaches and teacher leaders.

Kelli recommends three books to help with understanding formative assessment:

Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Jan Chappuis, Pearson Assessment Training Institute

©2010 • Pearson • Paper, 272 pp

Published 03/01/2009

Assessment Balance and Quality: An Action Guide for School Leaders, 3/E

Steve Chappuis, Carol Commodore, Rick J. Stiggins, Pearson Assessment Training Institute

 Pearson • Paper, 240 pp Published 03/02/2010

 

Formative Assessment and Standards-Based Grading

       Robert J. Marzano, Publisher: Marzano Research Laboratory

      November 11, 2009

 

You can find more information about Georgia’s use of FIP at www.gadoe.org/fip or simply google Georgia FIP.

You can contact Kelli at

 Phone: (404) 463-5047

Fax: (404) 656-5976

Email: Kharris-wright@doe.k12.ga.us

Length 34:09