Comments on: A Meeting of Minds http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2008/11/30/a-meeting-of-minds/ teaching technology abroad Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:54:20 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Langwitches » links for 2009-05-27 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2008/11/30/a-meeting-of-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-2757 Langwitches » links for 2009-05-27 Wed, 27 May 2009 23:34:42 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/?p=314#comment-2757 [...] A Meeting of Minds | always learning we spent some time getting the planning and timing just right - not wasting anyone’s time and (attempting, at least) to keep it interesting. In order to model the use of essential web tools, we shared our agenda on a wiki and made sure to include lots of great links for staff. [...] [...] A Meeting of Minds | always learning we spent some time getting the planning and timing just right – not wasting anyone’s time and (attempting, at least) to keep it interesting. In order to model the use of essential web tools, we shared our agenda on a wiki and made sure to include lots of great links for staff. [...]

]]> By: Take Your Faculty SpeedGeeking! | always learning http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2008/11/30/a-meeting-of-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-2468 Take Your Faculty SpeedGeeking! | always learning Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:33:57 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/?p=314#comment-2468 [...] week Tara, Jeff and I had our second opportunity of the year to organize and facilitate an elementary faculty meeting. We absolutely [...] [...] week Tara, Jeff and I had our second opportunity of the year to organize and facilitate an elementary faculty meeting. We absolutely [...]

]]> By: Kim Cofino http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2008/11/30/a-meeting-of-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-2177 Kim Cofino Sun, 07 Dec 2008 01:51:04 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/?p=314#comment-2177 @Doug, Thanks! At this point, we're looking more at process and attitudes more than mastery. Our thought is that mastery of tools changes far to rapidly to determine any fixed point now that would continue to be relevant for even 2-3 years. We're trying to move away from tool-based instruction, into more of an individualized learning experience. I do think we can, and probably need to think about, mastery of those processes and attitudes in our framework - what does it look like when a student is an effective learner, for example. How are students demonstrating that they can collaborate effectively on a global scale? This is definitely the next step for us. @Nilah, Thank you! You've made my day with your enthusiastically positive feedback :) I love your idea of asking teachers how we can help them cope with this constant change. I think we got some of that feedback on our survey, but we definitely didn't ask the question directly - something for us to do at our next faculty meeting! @Sean, Thank you! I agree that the short time frame was very productive - more intense, but also more engaging, and I definitely don't think that we had anyone feeling like the meeting dragged on for ages ;) You are so lucky to have 20 teachers working with you at this level - I'm sure you will have a much easier job brining the rest of the 70 on board by sharing the success of these 20. For a one-year process, that's a pretty good ratio! @nrwatkins, Thank you! You are more than welcome to use both images (with credit)! I hope they are helpful for you in your presentation. I'd love to hear how it goes! @Garr, Thanks for reading! What a buzz to see that the author of a favorite new book of mine actually read one of my blog posts! @Doug,

Thanks! At this point, we’re looking more at process and attitudes more than mastery. Our thought is that mastery of tools changes far to rapidly to determine any fixed point now that would continue to be relevant for even 2-3 years. We’re trying to move away from tool-based instruction, into more of an individualized learning experience.

I do think we can, and probably need to think about, mastery of those processes and attitudes in our framework – what does it look like when a student is an effective learner, for example. How are students demonstrating that they can collaborate effectively on a global scale? This is definitely the next step for us.

@Nilah,

Thank you! You’ve made my day with your enthusiastically positive feedback :) I love your idea of asking teachers how we can help them cope with this constant change. I think we got some of that feedback on our survey, but we definitely didn’t ask the question directly – something for us to do at our next faculty meeting!

@Sean,

Thank you! I agree that the short time frame was very productive – more intense, but also more engaging, and I definitely don’t think that we had anyone feeling like the meeting dragged on for ages ;)

You are so lucky to have 20 teachers working with you at this level – I’m sure you will have a much easier job brining the rest of the 70 on board by sharing the success of these 20. For a one-year process, that’s a pretty good ratio!

@nrwatkins,

Thank you! You are more than welcome to use both images (with credit)! I hope they are helpful for you in your presentation. I’d love to hear how it goes!

@Garr,

Thanks for reading! What a buzz to see that the author of a favorite new book of mine actually read one of my blog posts!

]]> By: Garr Reynolds http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2008/11/30/a-meeting-of-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-2131 Garr Reynolds Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:39:22 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/?p=314#comment-2131 Kim -- excellent post. Love the diagram. Got me thinking.... Thank you! -g Kim — excellent post. Love the diagram. Got me thinking…. Thank you! -g

]]> By: nrwatkins http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2008/11/30/a-meeting-of-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-2114 nrwatkins Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:32:01 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/?p=314#comment-2114 Hi Kim, Great post and it's wonderful to see your well-organised and thoughtful program being continually developed. I think that your awareness and understanding of audience receptivity should benefit you in moving to the next stage(s). I'm completing a presentation on models of professional development and online networking for the English Teachers' Association here in Victoria, Australia, and I wonder if I may have your permission to use two of your images (with citation). I would like ot incorporate your Venn diagram of the 21st century learner from this post, and the models of PD diagram you used a couple of posts back. Let me know if that would be OK. Hi Kim,
Great post and it’s wonderful to see your well-organised and thoughtful program being continually developed. I think that your awareness and understanding of audience receptivity should benefit you in moving to the next stage(s).
I’m completing a presentation on models of professional development and online networking for the English Teachers’ Association here in Victoria, Australia, and I wonder if I may have your permission to use two of your images (with citation). I would like ot incorporate your Venn diagram of the 21st century learner from this post, and the models of PD diagram you used a couple of posts back. Let me know if that would be OK.

]]> By: nashworld http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2008/11/30/a-meeting-of-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-2113 nashworld Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:21:27 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/?p=314#comment-2113 Hey Kim... Phenomenal post. Thanks so much for sharing this. I love to see people trumpet the successes of the people they work for & with. These are inspiring. So many things to comment on, so little time... so I'll graze the highlights: -Your words about having a supportive administration truly speak volumes. I too, am blessed with supportive leaders at the building level who believe in the cause... and can listen every bit as well as they can talk. -Your very tightly-designed protocol for sharing in 45 minutes is awesome. We normally have longer with the whole faculty, and this is a really great model for sharing such disparate projects over grade levels and approaches. I love it. I have a cohort of 20 teachers in my high school who have signed on for a tech-immersion year. They have been fantastic- really. One stress of mine is thinking of how I (with the help of these 20) will bring on the remaining 70 next year. This post is a slice of positivity of how I can play out our current successes for the staff as a whole next year. -This piece is littered with small coaching tips that, as a generalist instructional coach, really resonate with me. Thanks again for this post... I will get some good mileage out of the ideas I gleaned from this one! ;-) Sean Hey Kim…

Phenomenal post. Thanks so much for sharing this. I love to see people trumpet the successes of the people they work for & with. These are inspiring. So many things to comment on, so little time… so I’ll graze the highlights:

-Your words about having a supportive administration truly speak volumes. I too, am blessed with supportive leaders at the building level who believe in the cause… and can listen every bit as well as they can talk.

-Your very tightly-designed protocol for sharing in 45 minutes is awesome. We normally have longer with the whole faculty, and this is a really great model for sharing such disparate projects over grade levels and approaches. I love it. I have a cohort of 20 teachers in my high school who have signed on for a tech-immersion year. They have been fantastic- really. One stress of mine is thinking of how I (with the help of these 20) will bring on the remaining 70 next year. This post is a slice of positivity of how I can play out our current successes for the staff as a whole next year.

-This piece is littered with small coaching tips that, as a generalist instructional coach, really resonate with me.

Thanks again for this post… I will get some good mileage out of the ideas I gleaned from this one! ;-)

Sean

]]> By: Nilah Cote http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2008/11/30/a-meeting-of-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-2105 Nilah Cote Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:46:39 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/?p=314#comment-2105 Hi Kim, Your energy crosses the planet and vibrates here in Northern Vermont. I am amazed with the work you are doing and the time and energy you give to sharing it with others. I find it interesting that you ask the same question that I ask when you are so far ahead of my school. "How do you keep moving forward without overwhelming teachers?" All positions in a school are demanding but classroom teachers do feel the burden of it all on their shoulders. I think we have to open this question up to those teachers and hear their responses. It sounds like you generated some energy among your teachers during your 45 minute presentation. Thanks for sharing! Hi Kim,
Your energy crosses the planet and vibrates here in Northern Vermont. I am amazed with the work you are doing and the time and energy you give to sharing it with others. I find it interesting that you ask the same question that I ask when you are so far ahead of my school. “How do you keep moving forward without overwhelming teachers?” All positions in a school are demanding but classroom teachers do feel the burden of it all on their shoulders. I think we have to open this question up to those teachers and hear their responses. It sounds like you generated some energy among your teachers during your 45 minute presentation. Thanks for sharing!

]]> By: Doug Johnson http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2008/11/30/a-meeting-of-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-2101 Doug Johnson Sun, 30 Nov 2008 18:40:53 +0000 http://mscofino.edublogs.org/?p=314#comment-2101 Hi Kim, A very insightful model reflecting a process / skills / dispositions - based approach to education. Is there any place for content mastery in your model? All the best, Doug Hi Kim,

A very insightful model reflecting a process / skills / dispositions – based approach to education.

Is there any place for content mastery in your model?

All the best,

Doug

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