Teacher Times #20
January 27, 2014
Birthdays of the WeekDana Levenberg 1/29/14
Deadline RemindersAtlas Maps - 1/31 (through the end of Marking Period 1; Term 2)
Bulletin Boards - 2/14 Professional Development and Student Opportunities Note the following professional development and student opportunity:
§ Participate on January 30: Pre-k PD: Using Learning Centers to Support Instruction Copiers, Bulletin Boards, Instructional Shifts & STEAM
All of your hard work preparing students for the Regents this week is about to yield results.
Thank you to everyone who made that extra effort and push on our students. 1. On the heels of a compliment, I have to express my real disappointment in the treatment of the copiers and lack of following reporting protocol if there is a problem with a machine. There used to be one copy machine. Now, there are three at a cost of an extra $4,000 a year. The problem is not only high usage. I will rent an additional machine for your use if required. What is very upsetting is the abuse of the machines themselves. Consistently, someone tries to “fix” the copiers and breaks something in the process and doesn’t report the issue to Annie. This is unprofessional and selfish. Please stop it. 2. The bulletin board deadline is 2/14/14, right before the break. 3. Student work displayed on bulletin boards should demonstrate some aspect of the attached CCLS Instructional Shifts. The DOE Instructional Expectations for 2014 emphasize the shifts, which directly impact NYS assessments, so please showcase aligned student work. Bulletin board assignments are hereto attached. Please see Demetri if you have a question about the assignment or location of your 46”x46” (1/2 bulletin board). A minimum of 7 pieces of student work is mandatory. A required elements bulletin board check list (not formatting) is also attached. The remaining 2nd and 3rd marking period curriculum maps should be aligned with the CCLS. Marking periods commence March 24th and May 12th, respectively. 4. TAPCo will be among the first STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) public schools in NYC. Professional development and STEAM curriculum mapping texts will be provided in advance of these marking periods. This should be professionally stimulating and fun for teachers and students alike. The unifying STEAM focus of the 2nd and 3rd marking periods will be the CONTENT and THEMES of the IN THE TIME OF THE BUTTERFLIES (the production at the end of the school year). The book is also being read in the 11th grade. The STEAM standards are comprised of the CCLS, in addition to STEM practices, and Fine Arts Standards (NYC Blueprint for the Arts). We are making this shift because the thrust of STEAM is to identify the interconnections between Science and Art. Going into next year, TAPCo will have 3 primary audition and sequenced tracks of study: Dance, Drama, Visual Arts, and Gen Ed. Regardless of which track students pursue, they will receive a well-rounded, relevant education. We want all TAPCo teachers to examine the interconnections between human pursuits through the lens of their subject areas so that we are better positioned to produce graduates who have a greater sense of the world and themselves. |
Clip Of The Week
Common Core Curriculum Professional Development UpdatesThe NYCDOE is offering the following professional development (PD) and resources on Common Core-aligned curriculum and instruction. This overview provides the year-long schedule for each PD series below.
Register by January 31 for: § Curriculum team session 4 for ReadyGen, Go Math!, Code X, and CMP3 offered on various dates, February 10–14 (extended from the original deadline) § Curriculum team session 4 for high schools and middle schools that did not purchase Core Curriculum materials offered on various dates, February 5–12; these sessions will focus on shifting pedagogy in the core content areas—ELA, math, social studies, and science (extended from the original deadline) § PCG (grade 9) PD on February 18 or 19 (for teachers) and February 20 (for administrators and coaches) for schools implementing NYSED’s grade 9 ELA curriculum modules For other upcoming sessions, register by: § February 14 for general session 4 for ReadyGen, Go Math!, Code X, and CMP3 offered on various dates, March 3–28 § March 3 for Expeditionary Learning (grades 3–8) PD on March 18 (“Going Deeper with Writing”), March 19–20 (“Supporting Learning through Academic Conversations”), and March 21 (“Leading Change for Administrators and Coaches”); note that the session on March 21 will cover the same content as the session on January 23 § March 7 for Common Core, Inc. PD on March 18–19 (grades K–5) and March 20–21 (grades 6–9) Online Resources for ReadyGen: Teachers and school leaders can now register for the following webinars: § The ReadyGen Phonics Webinar on January 27 from 4:00–5:00 p.m. § The ReadyGen Pacing Webinar on January 23 or January 29 from 4:00–5:00 p.m. Common Core Literacy: Teachers with limited familiarity of the Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS) for Literacy and Danielson's Framework for Teaching are invited to the Introduction to Common Core Literacy online course. The course provides teachers with an overview of the CCLS and Danielson’s Framework for Teaching and helps them to articulate practical next steps to improve their practice. It begins February 17 and takes place completely online over a two week period. For more information and to register, click here. Register by February 12. To see a complete list of online resources for each Core Curriculum program, click here. For questions, email curriculumpd@schools.nyc.gov. Grant OpportunitiesGrant opportunities are posted on the Grants website (you can visit the page on any computer using this link). This week’s highlights include:
§ Studio in a School – Grant Opportunity for Title 1 Schools § 2013-14 Christopher Columbus Awards |