CONNECT-ED

PHASE II

TRAIN the TRAINERS WORKSHOPS

2/18/09 & 2/25/09

What is Train the Trainers?

Why do we have it?

How does it fit into Phase II?

Who are YOU?

CONNECT-ED (C-E) Phase II: Collaborative Professional Learning

Organized Around the Big Ideas in Science and Mathematics

Electives

Leadership Development thru

PLC training

Guide larger grp in each district to address district

priorities

Train the Trainers Program

More teachers design BIMs

Apply “Big Ideas Thinking” to Apply “Big Ideas Thinking” to classroom instruction and district-classroom instruction and district-wide K-12 science/math programswide K-12 science/math programs

Funding-

District

Grants

BIMs

CONNECT-EDProfessional Development in Science and Mathematics

CONNECT-EDProfessional Development in Science and Mathematics

CONNECT-EDProfessional Development in Science and Mathematics

Individual pieces….

Some not covered…Teachers “dreaming” of connections….

CONNECT-EDProfessional Development in Science and Mathematics

Dis-Connections…

Coherence: 

“Being logically or aesthetically consistent,

with all separate parts fitting together

to form a harmonious or credible whole."

CONNECT-EDProfessional Development in Science and Mathematics

“Big Idea Modules”

• Elementary, Middle and High School lessons that build content through the day

• Full day workshops where teachers experience this series of selected lessons from different grade levels

• Designers of BIM present them and provide their different grade level perspective

• Scientist/ mathematician help content learning and consider connections to real world

• In a series of BIMs, discuss horizontal and vertical connections

CONNECT-EDProfessional Development in Science and Mathematics

J. Lemasney Rider OIT

CONNECT-ED & “How People Learn”

1. Engage Prior Understandings

-Know about prior learning and how their piece fits into the bigger K-12 curriculum

-Consider prior knowledge & misconceptions

2. Essential Role of Factual Knowledge and Conceptual Understandings

-Organizes concepts in the context of Big Ideas

-Show connections between concepts and between Big Ideas

3. Importance of Self-Monitoring

-Reflection on learning

-Identify additional information needed

Brandsford et al. (2000)

CONNECT-EDProfessional Development in Science and Mathematics

Result:

Teachers help students consider basic concepts in big picture context.

Evaluation:

“It is unusual to see gains [in content knowledge] as deep and broadly distributed as those from [the summer

institute].” (EDC 2004 evaluation) ________________________

Program’s strengths include: focus on engaging numerous partners in very intentional ways, recruiting diverse

perspectives (ES, MS, HS, administration, science/math specialists) for design teams and in participant populations, and guiding teams to succeed in producing and presenting

BIMs. (TCC 2006 Evaluation)

CONNECT-EDProfessional Development in Science and Mathematics

“The next generation of standards and curricula at both the national and state levels

should be structured to identify a few core ideas in a discipline

and elaborate on how those ideas can be grown in a cumulative manner over grades K-8.”

Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in K-8. (2006). National Research Council (NRC). www.nap.edu

________________________________________

“The Science Anchors initiative is a new NSTA project

that seeks to help bolster student achievement in science by identifying a smaller set of core science concepts, or anchors,

that can serve as the new national science framework.” NSTA Express, March 2007.CONNECT-ED

Professional Development in Science and Mathematics

“Teachers who understand the Big Ideas of mathematics translate that to their teaching practices by consistently

connecting new ideas to Big Ideas and by reinforcing Big Ideas throughout teaching.

….. effective teachers know how Big Ideas connect topics across grades; they know the

concepts and skills developed at each grade and how those connect to previous and

subsequent grades.”

Big ideas & Understandings as the foundation for Elementary & Middle School Mathematics, Charles, 2005,

NCSM journal v. 8, n. 1

“An approach that focuses on a small number of significant mathematical “targets” for each grade

level offers a way of thinking about what is important in school mathematics…”

______________________________

“Organizing a curriculum around these described focal points….

can provide students with a connected, coherent, ever expanding body

of mathematical knowledge and ways of thinking.”

Curriculum Focal Points for Prekindergarten through Grade 8 Mathematics: A Quest for Coherence. (2006). The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc. Reston, VA. www.nctm.org.

CONNECT-EDProfessional Development in Science and Mathematics

Pg. 43

AAAS Project 2061

Atlas of Science Literacy

CONNECT-EDProfessional Development in Science and Mathematics

Use resources available to guide:

NJ CCCS’s

AAAS Atlases of Science Literacy

NCTM’s Curriculum Focal Points

District scope/sequence

STC & STC/MS FERA Learning CycleFocus

Getting started

ExploreInquiry

Reflect

Reflect on what you’ve learned

Apply Readers & extensions

© NSRC

FOCUS: Investigate & clarify ideas learners already have

EXPLORE: Engage in the phenomena to be investigated

REFLECT: Discuss observations & reconcile new ideas w/ prior knowledge

APPLY: Discuss and apply new ideas in new situations

This training:

Merger of 2 different approaches….

-the 6-hr “Standard” BIMs

&

-Modified model for undergrads

Common Language

Big Idea Module -

Strand -

Big Idea -

Benchmark/Standard -

BIM Focus -

FERA -

How can “How can “standardstandard” ” BIM design process BIM design process be adapted so that be adapted so that more people can more people can

experience it?experience it?

An example: An example: Pre-service Elementary TeachersPre-service Elementary Teachers

Reasons for the need for adjustment:Reasons for the need for adjustment: When they become teachers, they will be When they become teachers, they will be

teaching grades K – 5 teaching grades K – 5 Did not have the time for to prepare or share Did not have the time for to prepare or share

a six hour BIMa six hour BIM Pre-service teachers have limited experiencePre-service teachers have limited experience Minimal familiarity with curriculumMinimal familiarity with curriculum

AdaptationsAdaptations Focus was presented as a problem that is Focus was presented as a problem that is

appropriate for middle schoolappropriate for middle school Grade levels wereGrade levels were

Early Elementary: K – 2Early Elementary: K – 2 Middle Elementary: 3 – 4 Middle Elementary: 3 – 4 Upper Elementary: 5 – 6 Upper Elementary: 5 – 6

Model BIM – limited to one 2 hr 40 min Model BIM – limited to one 2 hr 40 min periodperiod

Work done in 2 periods + outside time Work done in 2 periods + outside time BIMs presented simultaneouslyBIMs presented simultaneously

What will we do today?What will we do today?

Experience a Experience a TrainingTraining BIM that we have BIM that we have adapted from a pre-service BIMadapted from a pre-service BIM This BIM will be an example of the flexibility that is This BIM will be an example of the flexibility that is

possible when using a BIMpossible when using a BIM This Training BIM was designed to meet the goals This Training BIM was designed to meet the goals

of today’s meetingof today’s meeting Create a BIM based on adaptations you will Create a BIM based on adaptations you will

decide upondecide upon Monitor your own process of designingMonitor your own process of designing

Focus for 2/18/09:

Leave with an understanding of what it takes to design a BIM

Focus of 2/25/09:

Leave with an understanding of what it takes to help others design a BIM

Let’s experience a BIM using a model that you are not familiar with….

As you work, consider how this new BIM compares to your previous experiences with BIMs.

Reminder:

Build Pagoda as the Model BIM unfolds; switch to Word document

Debriefing questions:

What kinds of learning happens in a BIM?

What does this new model show about the versatility in how BIMs can be created and used?

What are the potential applications in teacher practice &/or district initiatives?

Comparison of 2 different BIM models:

-Content study

-Explore content connections

-Awareness about other grades

-Opportunity to align curricula

-Variety of inquiry approaches

-Time involved

-Audiences

Regular BIMs

Team of 3 teachers and 1 admin/BIM

2-day training to begin design process

~6 month design effort

Access to scientist/ mathematician assigned to team

Extended exploration of the content, connections, big idea, student misconceptions, teaching strategies, vertical articulation

Product: polished 6 hr workshop used in summer institutes and as stand alone workshops; small # of teachers with deeper understandings

Mini-BIMs

Class of ~30 students

1 class mtg: intro

~2 class design effort

Instructor serves as content expert

Short exploration of the content, connections, big idea, student misconceptions, teaching strategies, vertical articulation

Product: completed worksheets; larger # of students/teachers with improved understandings

2 Models of BIM Design

Reminder to Kathy..

Let them EAT!

Please be ready to start again at 12:45

Make your own adapted BIM:

-Identify your audience and their needs

-What is the intent in guiding this audience to create BIMs?

-What adaptations do you think will be necessary to accomplish these goals? Consider:

• grade levels to cover• time• content knowledge of audience• familiarity with BIMs• intent for the BIM “products”

-Choose either math or science; use appropriate resources

-Use Concept Strand Selection worksheet to decide on Big Idea

-Complete Key Concepts & Connections sheet as you work (pagoda!)

-Track your steps by completing blank Design Steps Matrix (paper or electronic)

“name” the steps (Col. 1) and

describe what happened in each(Col. 2)

[3rd and 4th col. are for homework!]

GO!

Steps taken to create a BIM:

(We will continue this discussion next week!)

Homework

Complete all 4 columns of Matrix for your newly designed BIM.

Complete the Pagoda for this BIM.

Find out what your district’s plans are for the use of your new skills!

Send your completed Matrix to all of us by Monday 9a.m. next week. (This implies that your grp

comes to agreement on a final matrix.)

One member of each grp “Reply all” to

email sent to you this morning.

If you have time, take a look at the other grps’ matrices before you come to 2nd day of training.