- Thanks to input from other s2tlc participants I was able to refine my Action Research Project focus so it was not “slanted” toward a specific outcome (assuming that there would be a positive impact as a result of crew at Sullivan).
- Update on my COP in relation to student learning: Thanks to HPS “fuller” school day there is now time available during the school day once a week where I can physically meet with my vertical team within my building. For years we have worked have consistent formats and methods through grade levels to facilitate student familiarity with expectations within the math classrooms. It hasn’t been until we have had this sacred time available every week coupled with the flexibility of the google platform and the ability to co-author academic products that we have been able to jointly develop, streamline, and put to use from 6th-8th grade common rubriks for writing EBQ’s (responses to evidence based questions with thorough but concise supporting evidence), stream line daily warm ups to assess previous day learning, exit tickets (to make students aware of the goal for the end of the class period), weekly spiral homework assignments(that tie in previous standards that support the new standard being taught for the week).
- My VCOP continues to expand: I keep in touch with Keith Wright and one of his former colleagues to support our crew work at Sullivan, I look to Andrea Cooley Strom and appreciate the support from Sandy and Deatrice’s perspectives from Zoom experience, as well as on-going virtual contact with Lori Banks (my rock), Tom Wyze and Jeremiah Barrett as he sends me his former students from time to time. I could not make it through this journey in isolation. I also am working to familiarize myself with the google platform and its version of Skype or Zoom so as to start a virtual classroom across our district in upcoming school year where my students can learn from 7th grade students in other Holyoke buildings and would like to further expand their experiences to interact with other districts across the state or country as well empowering them as communicators.
- Crew: my pet project continues albeit with some blips in the radar due to the different levels of dedication/comfort of different grade levels and staff members. As I have mentioned, I knew this would be our biggest challenge. We were told that we would be given sacred time to develop lesson plans for crew to be shared in order to lighten the load of adding this to our daily responsibilities. As the year went on this was not made possible, for which I take responsibility. I should have fought for it more. At the end of the year the 8th grade team has “time” available after step up that could be dedicated to this end.
An NSF Noyce Project