Action Research Plan Update - December

Not much too report.  Falcon Time is still moving along in all grade levels.  We've reached the half-way point through the year.

Action Research Plan Update - November

I actually heard a kindergarten teacher say that she really likes Falcon Time!  This is quite a remarkable thing considering that kindergarten was the most resistant grade level at the start of the year.

At this time of the year, I believe some grade levels have a better understanding of Falcon Time than others. Kindergarten, second grade, and fourth grade are utilizing the time wisely.  They understand the purpose is to meet all students' needs.  The other grade levels are still requiring more guidance from me as the instructional coach.  But, I believe that all grade levels will get there eventually!

Action Research Plan Update - September/October

Falcon Time is in full swing on our elementary campus, as well as the other two elementary campuses.  My second through fifth grade teachers had an easier adjustment with Falcon Time than the primary teachers.  I believe this is because they are used to grouping students by objectives for reteaching.  The kindergarten and first grade teachers have needed more guidance with the Falcon Time implementation.  I've had to help them with data disaggregation and sorting students into groups based on data needs.

An overall issue that has had to be addressed is what to do with higher achieving students during Falcon Time.  The teachers know how to plan for those that need remediation.  They have had a harder time planning extension activities.  This has been a great learning opportunity for my teachers, as we've talked about utilizing Falcon Time as a means to boost the scores of our commended students.

Action Research Plan Update - August

School has started!  Week one is finished.  All three elementary campuses will begin Falcon Time next Monday.  Since school has just begun and we don't have data on our students, we will begin Falcon Time slowly.  This week, teachers will use Falcon Time as a time to get acquainted with the students.  Students will practice moving from classroom to classroom, getting to know each of the teachers in their grade level.  Teachers will use Falcon Time this week as a time for a literacy lesson.

Action Research Plan Update - July

No new news to post.  The new master schedule will be implemented in August.

Action Research Plan Update - June

The new master schedule has gone to the school board for approval.  It's official - all three elementary schools will be using the new master schedule with a built in reteaching time!

Action Research Plan Update - May

The new master schedule has been introduced to our SBDM committee.  The committee has introduced the master schedule to the rest of the campus.  The overall feeling seems to be excitement.  One grade level was unhappy with the idea that they would have to teach Language Arts in the afternoon, instead of the morning.

Next week during PLCs, the principal and I will meet with each grade level to further discuss the idea of master schedule allowing us to work together as a community of educators to reach all learners.  Overall, I'm very excited about the transition to the new master schedule!

The Technology Link - My Posted Action Plan

Week 4 Action Plan
Goal: Integrating Teaching, Learning, and Technology
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline:	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Determine campus technology staff development needs	K. Blevins (Campus Instructional Coach) will create survey using Survey Monkey and distribute to teachers	Early April 2011	Survey to assess teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the Technology Application TEKS and purpose of the STaR Chart	Survey results will be shared with the following: V. Deussen (Campus Principal) K. Selwood (District Instructional Technologist) J. Bryant (District Staff Development Coordinator)
Based on survey results, provide Technology Application TEKS training for all K-5 campus teachers during weekly PLCs.	K. Blevins (Campus Instructional Coach) and K. Selwood (District Instructional Technologist) will provide training.  V. Deussen and B. Plagge (Campus Administrators) will be present during all PLCs.	April 2011 – May 2011	Copies of the Technology Application TEKS for grades K-5 (one for each teacher and two administrators)	Observation during training Survey to assess teachers’ knowledge and understanding of  the Technology Application TEKS after training has been completed
Based on survey results, provide STaR Chart training for all K-5 campus teachers during the May staff meeting	V. Deussen (Campus Principal) K. Blevins (Instructional Coach)	May 2011	STaR Chart Power Point State and Campus STaR Chart Data	Survey to assess teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the purpose of the STaR chart post-training
Convene SBDM team to analyze campus STaR Chart data to determine strategies for addressing CIP and DIP goal of providing staff development in the area of technology integration.	SBDM team, as well as the following: J. Bryant (District Staff Development Coordinator)  K. Selwood (District Instructional Technologist)	May 2011 -June 2011	CIP Plan and DIP Plan	SBDM minutes Plan of action for staff development implementation for 2011-2012
Based on SBDM team’s recommendations, implement on-going staff development in the area of technology integration.	K-5 Classroom teachers K. Selwood (District Instructional Technologist) K. Blevins (Campus Instructional Coach) V. Deussen (Campus Principal)	August 2011 – June 2012	On-going training and support through monthly PLCs and after school follow-up trainings. K. Selwood will also provide model lessons integrating technology for teachers.	Walk-through data gathered by Selwood, Blevins, and Deussen
Data Disaggregation Training provided to all K-5 campus teachers	K. Blevins (Campus Instructional Coach) will show teachers how to access data in Aware and how to create reports.	September 2011	District and Campus TAKS Data from Aware	On-going data analysis during weekly PLCs to determine instructional strengths and weaknesses (TAKS and Unit Assessments)

Texas STaR Chart

SSE STaR Chart Presentation  - 2nd Attempt

Texas STaR Chart

View more presentations from kerriblevins.

Web Conference Reflection

I have always found web conferences to be very informative.  It's nice to be able to connect a face (and a voice) to your course professors.  In addition, it's nice to be able to submit your questions and have them answered.  I also find a bit of comfort in participating in web conferences.  It's nice to know that many of my classmates have the same concerns or questions that I have.  I plan to attend as many of the web conferences as I can.  Although, I will admit, tonight was a little overwhelming with so many participants.

texas star chart presentation

More PowerPoint presentations from Kerri Blevins

Blop Posting #3

Transforming American Education:  Learning Powered by Technology

Technology is everywhere!  The jobs of today require the use of technology, beyond that of what was in use even five or ten years ago.  Today’s students are inundated with technology outside out their lives at school – some for even as much time as they spend in the school setting.  To compete with this ever-changing, fast-growing technological world, schools must adequately prepare students for their lives in the 21^st century.

Technology can facilitate learning, without detracting from the traditional learning experiences found in the school setting.  According to Transforming American Education:  Learning Powered by Technology (2010), technology can represent information through a much richer mix of media types and facilitate knowledge connections through interactive tools.  Therefore, schools can use technology to provide rich, meaningful learning experiences within the content areas, while using up-to-date technology with real-world applications.

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and guidelines were established to create a universal research-based design to guide educators to improve the learning outcomes and goals for all diverse learners of the 21^st century as they seek the technology and content necessary to be successful contributors to society.  The UDL principles and guidelines specifically focus on the following groups, in an effort to reach all learners:  Low-income and minority groups, English language learners, learners with disabilities, Pre-K, adult workforce, and seniors.  In addition, another area of concern is that of high school and college dropout rates.

President Obama’s emphasis on problem-solving and critical thinking skills for students in the 21^st century is very important.  As we educate our future, students must be able to problem-solve and think critically, in order to function successfully in the technology-based work-force.  As educators, we should provide all students with opportunities to use technology to improve learning, in order to prepare students for their future.

Blog Posting #2

Progress Report on the Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020

It is important not only for students to gain the necessary and important technology skills for the 21^st Century, but also equally as important for educators to gain these skills, as well.  Schools, teachers, and administrators are embracing technology learning as they share their expertise and support one another.  Significant progress has been made in the implementation of the recommendations of the Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020.  

According to the NetDay Speak Up 2007 Survey, the majority of students in grades K-8 used technology for playing games (online or video.)  Downloading music was what the majority of 9-12 graders chose as their survey response as to how they used technology.  When it came to using technology for school work, grades K-2 used technology most for playing learning games, while grades 3-5 used the internet most for research.  Grades 6-12 used technology most for completing school writing assignments.

Results from the NetDay Speak Up 2007 Survey indicate that parents find technology a helpful means of communicating with their child’s school and teacher.  Because of technology, parents felt more informed about their child’s education and felt better equipped to help their child with their schooling needs.  In addition, the survey indicated that teachers felt that communication and collaboration were of utmost importance for the 21^st Century student to be successful, both of which are skills that could be taught using technology tools.

The Texas Immersion Pilot and Texas Virtual School Network have showed significant gains since their inception.  Both programs have provided students with opportunities to expand their technology knowledge. 

Improvements have been made in the key area of Teaching and Learning on the Texas Campus STaR Chart as more campuses moved toward the distinction of Targeted Tech.  In the key areas of Educator Preparation and Development and Leadership, Administration, and Instructional Support, fewer campuses were at the level of Early Tech in 2007-2008, as compared to those in 2006-2007.  In the key area of Infrastructure for Technology, more campuses were rated at the Target Tech level in 2008 than in 2007.

Blog Posting #1

Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020:  Educator Preparation and Development

The students of today are much different than students of the past.  To be prepared to meet the ever-changing needs of today’s students, teachers need to be knowledgeable in the area of educational technology.  To keep educators apprised of the current technological trends, professional learning should be continuous and ongoing for all educators. 

            Essential to effectively preparing educators to meet the needs of 21^st Century learners are time, resources, and effective models for professional development.  Professional development models must include instructional strategies that reflect current research, modern contexts to engage students in learning, and classroom assessments that effectively measure what students are learning (Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006, p.  24).  Distance learning can offer educators, administrators, and teacher preparation programs the opportunity for technology professional growth.

            My district has a Technology Director who handles the district’s technology infrastructure; however, with the impending budget crisis, we no longer have an Instructional Technology Coordinator.  In the past, the Instructional Technology Coordinator would assess the staff development needs of the district’s teachers.  The IT Coordinator would then plan and implement staff development to address the technology needs of the staff at each campus.  I am concerned that my district’s teachers may not receive the level of support for technology-related professional development as they have previously in the past.

            My recommendation for my district and/or campus would be to implement a system of regular technology-focused staff development trainings for all staff members to attend on a yearly basis.  I would also like to see administrators encourage more participation in statewide, technology professional development opportunities.  In addition, we currently do not have RETN capabilities at any of our campuses.  I would like to recommend the addition of RETN technology, so that teachers can participate in distance learning opportunities on campus.

February Update

Time for another monthly update...

Not too much has changed since my last update.  One of our elementary campuses has implemented the master schedule.  They are calling the built-in reteaching/tutorial time "Falcon Time,"  since our district's mascot is the falcon.

Campus master schedules for the following school year are due to our Superintendent in March.  So, my principal and I will be sitting down to create our new "master schedule" on Monday.  We still need to finalize how we will introduce the schedule change to teachers.

January Update

Time for another update...

One of the elementary schools in my district liked the idea of the new master schedule so much that they decided to begin implementation in January.  They jumped right in!  Things seem to be going pretty well for them.  They are working out some kinks as they arise.  I plan to learn from their implementation!

Essentially, each grade level has a 45 minute time period carved out in their schedule where they have specialists converge on their grade level.  All classroom teachers divide up their students and put them into small groups for a time of differentiated instruction.

The TAKS grade level teachers seem to have warmed up to the idea a little quicker than the K-2 teachers.  For the 3-5 teachers, this has cut down tremendously on the number of pull-outs that students were experiencing.  Now, all pull-out programs also take place during this time period.  This has allowed classroom teachers to have all of their students present in their classroom all day, except for during this 45 minutes period.

The plan for my campus... We will wait until around Spring Break to introduce the idea to staff during PLCs.  At that time, we are thinking we would still like to take a small group of teachers over to the model school to see this master schedule in action.