Wrapping up Sem 1 unit plans

All Semester 1 unit plans need to be modified to ensure Stage 2 is in the GRASPS format ad Stage 3 in the WHERETO format.
As this had been done for one unit in October, it was continued and completed for unit plans in all courses.

In Stage 2 I found that I had already documented the assessments in terms of the acronym GRASPS. The process of including the letters made me read through all assessments again. This exercise led to a re-think following which I attempted to clarify the descriptions further.

The WHERETO format for the Learning Plans in Stage 3 was more of a challenge. Salle Q's in-service session in November provided guidance in this area. I used the suggestions generated during the in-service to provide more details and to re-align the learning plan in most units.
An interesting insight I had of my learning plans was that in several cases the sequencing of the plan fit into the acronym with very few changes required. In other learning plans the E (Explore) and R (Revise) sections were long and interwoven.

What I do recognize, even though I may not agree with the use of WHERETO for every plan, is that the exercise focuses attention on the delivery of the curriculum in the classroom and encourages me to tweak, modify and eventually improve my teaching so as to ultimately affect student learning positively.

November work on unit plans

November began with a 2-day in-service by an external presenter on all three stages of UbD. The break-out session gave us opportunities to work as a dept and revamp some plans.
We worked with each stage of a chosen unit to get a sense of how to critique each others units constructively. Marty and I worked on each others IB English units.

Stage 1: The focus was on
the EUs - were they broad enough and comprehensive enough?
the EQs - did they relate to the chosen standards and benchmarks?
- were they comprehensive and specific?
Content/Knowledge - did they represent the benchmarks?
Skills - did they cover the skills necessary to reach the intended learnings?
- a set of general skills categorized as Trans-Disciplinary skill
- subject-specific skills related to English Language/Literature

Stage 2: Linking assessment with the intended learnings (expressed as content and skills).
Attempting to ensure a match
Ensuring that each assessment tool was expressed in terms of the acronym GRASPS

Stage 3: Expressing Learning Plans in terms of WHERETO

This was accomplished for both chosen units.

The in-service provided some insight into the details of each stage in UbD. It helped me focus on areas that need strengthening in my unit plans. Gave me practice on how to review and reinforce a plan.
Now this process could be applied to the other plans.

October follow-up on unit plans

Some units in IB English A2-2 and TOK 11 needed to be realigned as the sequence of units has changed this year.
As TZ will be observing classes through November, there is specific focus on a chosen unit - "Conflict" in IB English A2-2. All parts of this unit were reviewed.
Skills were divided into Subject specific skills and Trans-disciplinary Skills (from ESLRs, the school's Vision and Mission).
The Learning Plan was revamped to fit the WHERETO model.
In addition a sequence of lessons was uploaded to this section.

September review of unit plans

Went over the Atlas unit plans in September 09. Checked year overviews to ensure they were adjusted for this school year - 2009-2010.
Continued to check the plans for EUs and EQs which will be printed and placed on the relevant classroom Bulletin Boards through the year.
Handouts, activities, lesson sequences and other resources need to be uploaded to each plan through the year.

Goals for 2009-2010

All PD goals for 2009-2010 are related to Atlas unit plans. This gives me no option to shape goals for this school year. While I can handle the Atlas related goals, I feel less of a sense of ownership about PD goals for this year. I will do what needs to be done.

Revamping each stage of the Unit plans for each semester seems to be the focus. Reflections on this blog may help to track the progress of the work. There are days set aside during the school year 2009-2010 for work on dept plans.

Reflections at the end of 0809

End-of-the-year reflections are necessary to help provide closure to the year's activities as well as to provide a basis for PD for the following year.

As I have put together a detailed reflection of how I addressed my PD goals in March this year, in this final reflection I would like to touch on a few points where there have been some developments.

Goal #1
Under Assess for learning, I have set up a Google site for the Writing & Research11 class that allows each student and teacher to maintain a dialog online that is recorded and archived. Students have begun using this system as well as one-on-one email communication, so that class time can be used for interaction and time outside class is available for individual communication. The fact that the communication is one-on-one and that the dialogs are recorded ensures both privacy and appropriate language and attitude / respect in the dialogs.
http://sites.google.com/site/writingresearch11

Goal #2
Under Work towards an articulated curriculum communication with Secondary English teachers indicates that unit plans are in place allowing teachers to begin comparing maps with a view to improve articulation during the next school year.


Possible PD goals for next year:
- Work towards a closer match of assessments and benchmarks in each class.
- Continue consolidation of materials in unit plans.
- Integrate more forms of differentiated instruction.
- Integrate more technology tools where they will benefit students.
- Work with dept colleagues to improve articulation in the English/Language Arts curriculum at EBV.

Tech Integration

Using a blog
Tried Wordpress for the English A1 course - responses to Keats' poetry.
Sent the students the link and asked them to post their responses to one of Keats' sonnets. Some did post - four out of six. It was stilted and unlike the free-flowing dialog it was supposed to be. Perhaps, if I had provided comments and sustained the dialog through responses, it may have continued and grown into a conversation.

CAS students in Gr 11 were encouraged to open a blog in blogspot and use it for their reflections. Some did and have invited their CAS coordinator to participate and add his comments. They have also uploaded photos to their blogs.

I use this blog for reflections related to Prof Dev, CAS and Technology. I tend to be erratic in my use. More regular use may be beneficial.

Using a wiki
In order to reduce the need to meet often and discuss points related to putting together the Essential Agreements / other Curriculum components for the English / Language Arts group at EBV, I set up a wiki on Wikispaces, gave a demo on its use, invited all members to the wiki and got it going at the end of 2007-2008. This school year i modified the member list due to changes. The wiki was visited but not used to the extent i would have liked. Once the Standards-based agreements were identified, the wiki was not revisited.
Indications are that there needs to be a clear purpose for a wiki to be used by our staff members. Again only some of the E ? LA group members actually contributed to the building of the wiki content. A few have yet to join the wiki.

I've just begun Google sites wiki for the W & R11 class center. All students have finally got gmail accounts, so they can use this site. They send me their assignments via Gmail. I convert these to Google Docs and store them in the students' folders. The use of Google sites together with Google Docs increase optios.
Eventually I hope to get them to set up their own Google docs and to park all their assignments , drafts, docs in their folders. This will save all the printing, the paper, the excuses.