Schools for Scholars Presented by Nora Ho

2 Outcomes Participants will: Know their students Understand scholarliness Be able to create a nurturing, scholarly environment through the implementation of depth and complexity

3 Attributes and Characteristics of Scholars Thirst for Knowledge Exercise their Intellect Take Intellectual Risks Look at Multiple Perspectives Have Goals they want to reach Ponder Ideas Have unanswered Questions Save Ideas Have a Strong Work Ethic Use Research and a Variety of Resources

4 Scholarly Intelligence Intellectual Autonomy oValue and validate intelligence oUnderstand giftedness oRecognize strengths/Build skills oEnvision what can be Intellectual Courage oSelf-Advocacy oRisk-Taking oCreativity/conformity oIndividual needs/Belonging

5 Academic Rigor Standards we set for our students High expectations for students through depth and complexity Content mastery Skill mastery Critical thinking across the disciplines Commitment to put similar emphasis on expectations for ourselves Increase mastery of discipline content Improve ability to apply learning Model critical thinking

6 An academic program is rigorous when there is and/ or are… Depth and integrity of inquiry Sustained focus Multiple perspectives Unanswered questions Big Ideas Goal Setting

7 An academic program is appropriate when there is and/ or are… Differentiation of curriculum and instruction On-going assessment Respectful and appropriately challenging work Academic relevance

8 Students are able to make personal meaning. (Novelty) We have prior intellectual or emotional connection. It is connected to real life. It is significant to the times. It actively engages or involves us. Learning increases when connections are built upon prior knowledge Content material is rigorous and respectful

9 Scholarly Practice Allows students to function as a practitioner, a producer, a researcher, or a scholar Allows students to assume a leadership role Provides a rationale for Why is this important? Provides students with the tools and methods for independent learning Establishes the relationship between questions that disciplines seek to answer and questions they seek to answer in their daily lives Offers opportunities to learn how to use and apply the skills of a discipline in real world situations.

10 Scholarly Skills Time Management/Organization Decision-making Learning how to learn Asking questions/conducting interviews Determining when to persist Gathering and analyzing data Determining bias in documents Using the tools of the discipline Identity perspective Make observations/report findings

11 Scholarly Habits Value physical fitness Believe in the power of effort Tolerate ambiguity Understand the nature of frustration Think and communicate with clarity and precision Manage impulsivity Listen with understanding and empathy Create, imagine, innovate Question and pose problems Think interdependently Find humor

12 Knowing the need to differentiate to meet academic needs and knowing the social and emotional needs of scholars, how will this determine your learning environment?

13 A Scholarly Environment Is… Welcoming Safe Caring Respectful Flexible Time Structure Supportive of study, reflection, collaboration and academic rigor

14 Relationships: a Professional Learning Community Understand and Practice Scholarliness Exercise and validate intellect Practice the work ethic A pervasive expectation and celebration of growth Mutual Respect Clear Rules and Expectations Appreciate individual strengths and differences

15 Open Communication Killer Statements: If you would just try harder…. You did a great job but… You are not working up to your potential… Non-judgmental, respectful dialogue with appreciation of differences and recognition of the strengths of each member of the learning community

Icons Language of the Discipline

17 This is a nursery rhyme. Once upon a time… The End!

18 Icons for Depth Language of the Discipline Details Patterns Trends Unanswered Questions Rules Ethics Big Idea

19 Language of the Discipline Scholar Icons Differentiation Depth Complexity Novelty Environment Disciplinarian

20 Sample Lesson: Thinking Like a Disciplinarian Think Like a Marine Biologist I describe and classify marine life and determine how these organisms develop, obtain food, reproduce, interact with other life, and why particular groups live in different regions of the ocean. I investigate: how marine plants and animals can be harvested as food without destroying their natural populations whether or not human activities, such as dumping waste products in the ocean, harm marine life what substances marine organisms produce that can be used to treat human diseases. Language Animal classificationse.g. mammal, fish; ecosystems, habitats, communities, populations, predator/prey, producer/consumer/decomposer, reproduction Skills/Tools Scuba diving, knowledge of oceanic landforms & ocean life, cause & effect, problem solving, chemistry, medicine, botany, swimming Products Specimens, pictures, drawings, charts, graphs, food, medicine Adapted from: Long Beach Unified School District GATE

21 Details of ideas, subjects, concepts are investigated and add to student s depth of understanding. How can you elaborate on this? What are the parts-to-whole relationships in this study? What information can be added to what we already know? We agree. The earth rotates around the sun.

22 Patterns of behaviors, activities, events, etc. are investigated to create an understanding beyond the single event. In what ways is the past repeated in the present and may possibly be repeated in the future? What information does the pattern provide? How does the pattern explain some event or thing? What are the details within the pattern? The repetition of something What patterns exist in your topic?

23 Students investigate trends within issues, ideas, events, etc. to gain understanding of the big picture. What are the external factors affecting the information about this topic? What causes of action affected the development of the ideas about this topic? What social, political, economic, technological, and popular ideas affected the knowledge about this topic? What are the current trends of advances in your discipline?

24 The guide or procedures one must obey in this field of study. What are the procedures in the study of your topic? What are the written and unwritten rules?

25 Rules/Expectations Clear Rules and Expectations provide a sense of security and stability Rules are necessary for a society to function Rules should be developed as a collaborative effort Rules should be few and simple with clear and logical consequences Stated rules and expectations allow students to consider their choices Rules must be enforced in a respectful manner

26 Students discover and investigate questions for which there are no answers. The missing or unclear parts of the discipline. What ideas remain unclear or incomplete about this topic? What information is still ambiguous about this topic? What ideas are still unresolved about this topic? What information is relevant to this study but is unavailable?

27 Ethics can be investigated to determine why decisions are made in certain ways. The Debate. The right or wrong surrounding an issue in this discipline. RIGHT! WRONG! WHAT ARE THE CONTROVERSIES?

28 Students investigate ideas in order to determine what the overarching ideas are within a field of study or across disciplines.

29 Icons for Complexity Relationship Over Time Relationship Between, Among, Across Disciplines Multiple Perspectives

30 PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE… How has the area of study changed or evolved? How has the topic changed over time? How will it look in the future?

31 How does one discipline relate to other disciplines? Do they use the same tools, language, and/or skills?

32 Perspective: relating information from… Differing roles and knowledge Opposing viewpoints Multiple perspectives.

33 What is the Student s Role? All students participate in respectful work. Students work in a variety of group configurations, as well as independently. Students assume more responsibility for their own learning.

34 Students Have the Responsibility to… Treat others with respect Refrain from engaging in behavior that interferes with learning or detracts from a scholarly environment

35 What Is The Teacher s Role? To Understand… Who we teach What we teach How we teach

36 Teachers have the responsibility to… Model and mentor Be a scholar and practice scholarliness

37 Becoming a Gifted Educator Be: A Scholar Enthusiastic about learning Willing to go outside your comfort zone An advocate for your students A Model and Mentor Encourage: The pursuit of in-depth learning Respectful questions Risk-taking Know: How Gifted Students learn What you teach Your students Help: Students understand their giftedness Students understand and express their feelings Hold: High expectations Students Accountable for Quality Work Provide: Opportunities for interaction with students mental peers A nurturing safe place Research and standards-based instruction Pervasive caring Share: Who you are Your passion Your knowledge Take: Care of the Caregiver

38 We are indebted to the works of: Deborah Burns, PhD. Cheshire Public Schools, Jan Leppien, PhD. University of Great Falls, Jean Purcell, PhD. Connecticut State Dept. of Ed., from a workshop entitled, Developing Scholars and Expert Practitioners Sandra Kaplan, EdD., U.S.C., California Model of Differentiation Marilyn Lane, Educational Consultant