Meeting the Needs of Our Students GVSU Learning Network August 2014

Framing the Day & Laying the Groundwork

Learning Network -Norms Silence mobile phones and other devices Be present and engaged Listen actively Make this relevant to your work and your school Call the baby ugly (call it like you see it) Reduce side conversations Come prepared Speak honestly Vegas rule—share ideas, but protect people, schools, sensitive issues Share speaking opportunities—watch talk time Avoid negativity and complaining Arrive on time, start on time, end on time

Essential Question How do we design our classrooms and schools to meet the various learning and developmental needs of the students in our care?

Day 1 Objectives Assist school teams in: – Clarifying how they want to utilize the learning network. – Understanding the various needs their students have and how they might best meet those needs.

First Things, First. What factors will enable your team to work most effectively together? Think about what is in your control. What factors will enable this team to lead when it arrives back at the school? What are the improvement assets for your school? (factors that give it the capacity to improve.). What are the 2-3 most significant improvement issues at the school?

Text-Based Discussion Part 1: Cross-School Final Word Protocol Preparation: Identify a single passage from the text that most spoke to you (for any range of reasons) and be prepared to explain.

Text-Based Discussion Part 1: Cross-School Final Word Protocol Presenter: Read the passage that spoke to you and explain what it was about this passage that made it so meaningful (3 minutes). Responder 1: Respond to the passage and/or to the explanation the presenter provided (2 minutes). Responder 2: Respond to the passage, explanation the presenter provided, and/or the thoughts of responder 1 (2 minutes). Responder 3: Respond to the passage, explanation the presenter provided, and/or the thoughts of responders 1 & 2 (2 minutes). Presenter: Final opportunity to speak about your passage and or any of the ideas presented in the conversation (1 minute). Total time for one rotation with 4 group members: 10 minutes

Text-Based Conversation Discuss your big takeaways from the cross- team conversations. What implications, if any, does the conversation have for your school?

Team Discussion: What Do We Know? What Do We Currently Do? Dimension of Student Need What Do We Know About Out Students?What Do We Currently Do to Address this Area? Developmental (biologic traits)— coming from phases and stages of child development Cultural— Coming from identify and group need Socio-Emotional— coming from the need to develop skills for social competence Learning Style—coming from talents and disposition of learning in differing ways What Do We Not Know (and Need to Find Out)

What should we see in a classroom that is meeting the various needs of students?

What do you see? Describe what you see? – Be descriptive? Avoid judgments and evaluation. – Be specific? Avoid vagaries and generalities.

Learning and Teaching in the Classroom A Descriptive Framework Teacher Content Student Task Environment

End of the Day Reflections What ideas is your team considering after today? What is the biggest question you have in your head (related to meeting student needs) at the close of the day? What does your team need to help it more effectively translate ideas into practice within your school?

Meeting Our Students’ Needs GVSU Learning Network Day 2 August 2014

Cross-Team Discussion—Learning Styles What did the online edutopia.com inventory reveal about your learning style? Do you think it is accurate? What do you know about learning styles and organizing schools and classrooms to address different learning styles? What questions do you have?

Day 2 Objectives Develop a clearer sense of the student needs issues schools are facing. Create an action plan to clarify next steps for meeting student needs.

Action Planning What are you going to do as a result of being here? How will you bring this back to the school?

Stepback Consultancy Session 1:00-3:00 Presentation: Team A explains the context, the issues the school faces, and any specific ideas the team has for better meeting student needs (10 minutes). Question and Answer: Team B asks clarifying questions to gather any necessary information (5 minutes). – HINT: Ask and answer the questions efficiently. Step-Back: Team A sits back from the table, takes notes and listens to Team B “take on the problem” as their own (20 minutes) – HINT: Team B should use “I and we” language, not “they” language. Team B should also be generative and creative in thinking through possible solutions. Reflection: Team A has 5 minutes to reflect on what they heard (5 minutes) – Hint: Look for ideas that challenged you and made you think differently.