If you are back for round two… congratulations on your successes during week one! If you’re just joining us, welcome~ we’re thrilled to have you here and hope you join the conversation! Let’s think about where we are starting!
Level 1: Projects, activities and assignments lack challenge, are inappropriate, or do not cognitively engage students. -> Level 2: Projects, activities and assignments inconsistently challenge all students appropriately and only cognitively engage some students. -> Level 3: Projects, activities and assignments are appropriately challenging for all students, require 21st century skills, and cognitively engage almost all students in complex learning. -> Level 4: Projects, activities, and assignments are appropriately challenging for all students, require 21st century skills, and cognitively engage student in complex learning.
With these descriptors in mind, which level would you say best describes your daily teaching experiences?
Next, consider the difference between your current level and the next level? What is described in the next level that is not in your current level? Knowing this will help you set a goal to make purposeful, explicit change that is directly connected to these indicators.
For example, one difference between Level 1 and Level 2 is that in Level 2 projects, activities, and activities inconsistently challenge all students appropriately and only cognitively engage some students.
Something that is described in Level 3 but not Level 2 is that projects, activities, and assignments are appropriately challenging for all students, require 21st century skills, and cognitively engage almost all students in complex learning.
Level 4 is different from Level 3 only in that projects, activities, and assignments are appropriate level of challenge, requirement of 21st century skills and cognitive engagement of students in complex learning is expected for all learners.
The key components that elevate practice from a Level 1 to a Level 4 in the area of student engagement are differentiated instruction and 21st century skills. They will become the focus of our work together for the next week.
Today, I invite you to set a goal for yourself. That’s a great step in the direction of change. Did you know that recording your goal increases your chance of attaining it? Did you know that sharing your goal increases your likelihood of success even more?
If you’ re taking the challenge- do everything in your power to guarantee your own success (& the learning of your students… bonus!) by sharing your goal in the comments here or on the Facebook Page. Your commitment might be just the inspiration someone else needs to join the party. Share your successes, your challenges and your dedication. I promise to be your cheerleader!
Student Engagement Rubrics: i3_Engagement_rubric RI_Engagement_rubric
Hey Alicia!
Great topic. So, I was thinking a great deal about Differentiation and 21st Century Skills today in our Induction Coach training. One of the things that came to mind is how important it is for teachers to make sure the “projects, activities and assignments” are engaging and that we, as teachers, do not solely focus on differntiating “the assessment”—and/or the “product” that students produce for a summative grade. We can’t lecture for several weeks in a high school setting and then give our students a “great project” when it is all said and done! 🙂 We need to put blood, sweat, and tears into the planning of the unit so that complex learning happens throughout the unit—and not just during the formal assessment. I think this is where backward design comes in. Can’t wait to hear what others think!
Here is a quick article to get the juices flowing http://www.edutopia.org/project-learning-teaching-strategies
Sometimes we get so excited about teaching students content and skills, we forget to let them process, make connections and identify questions. They need time to “chew” and make meaning. Costa’s research suggests that for every 10 minutes of teacher talk there needs to be 2 minutes of student talk. Younger students require a 2 minutes of student talk for every 5 minutes of teacher talk. Here is a great site that goes beyond the “turn and talk”—
http://www.leadership4asp.org/files/resources/engagement%20ring%206.6.11.pdf
Thank Alicia for this great blog… I’m so inspired! Melissa