District Collaboration Day - Elementary

October 14, 8:00 – 11:30 AM

Facilitators prepare ahead of time:

  • Click on Learning and Equity in BVSD on the BVSD webpage and then click on the Chief Academic Officer’s blog. On that page you’ll find the links to everything you’ll need for facilitation on October 14: The Facilitator Script (Elementary or Secondary), The Power Point (Elementary or Secondary), the Curriculum Update Video and the link to the curriculum you’ll be addressing that day.

October 14, please

  • Set up your laptop with your PowerPoint, Curriculum Update video and curriculum ready to go. Post a piece of chart paper for a “parking lot”

To all Facilitators:

Thank you for volunteering to be a facilitator. According to Adaptive Schools research, facilitate means "make easier." A facilitator is one who conducts a meeting in which the purpose may be dialogue, shared decision making, planning or problem solving. The facilitator directs meeting processes, choreographs the energy within the group, and maintains a focus on one content and one process at a time.

The following is the lesson plan and script we are asking everyone to use so our message is consistent throughout the district.

8:00-8:15

  1. As participants enter, welcome them to the session and visit with them. Ask them to sign in or add their name to the list. Be sure they have a name tag with their first & last name & their school. Ask them to get their computer set up so it can be used later in the session.
  2. Show PowerPoint Slide #1.
  1. Facilitator(s): Welcome, I’m ______from ______.

We’ve been asked to facilitate this session. As a way to get to know others in the room we are going to ask that you stand up and get into groups of four with people you don’t usually work with. The goal of this activity is to meet 11 new people or find out new things about previous friends. Every 3 minutes I will stop and ask you to make a new group to share some information just to change things up. When our three rounds are completed, everyone will return to their original seat. Everyone stand up and get into a group of four. Read slide #2 language for “grouping #1.” After three minutes ask everyone to make a new group of four and then read the slide language for “grouping #2.” And so on…

  1. Facilitator(s): Here is today’s agenda. Show slide #3.
  1. Facilitator(s): Let’s look at today’s objectives. Show slide #4.
  1. Facilitator(s): Our outcomes and products for today are simple because we want you to have a good amount of time to review our proposed CED. Show slide #5.

8:15 – 8:25

  1. Facilitator(s): We want to have common agreements about working together. As we go through the process of investigating our revised, draft curriculum documents we want to ensure you have quality work time and that all voices are heard. Therefore, we will establish norms as we begin our conversations and work collaboratively. This basis for norms comes from the Center for Adaptive Schools. Will someone please read this slide? Show slide #6.

  1. Facilitator(s):We are going to ask that you to consider these Norms of Collaboration before we start our discussions. Show slides #7 and #8. Ask different people to read them.

Facilitator(s): Will we all agree to these norms? Are there others you need on this list for our work time today to be meaningful and effective? Write any others on chart paper.

8:25-8:35

  1. Facilitator(s): Let’s move to the next slide. Show slide #9. Since we currently exist in a time of change and some ambiguity, let’s talk about this question in pairs for 3 minutes: What are your best hopes and biggest roadblocks regarding the transition to the revised CEDs?

Let’s share out best hopes and biggest roadblocks. We’ll try to address your biggest roadblocks today, but if we don’t, please add a note to the “parking lot” and we’ll share it with the planners.

8:35-9:05

  1. Facilitator(s): Now let’s begin our work with the revised Curriculum Essentials Documents or CEDs. The first thing we need to share is a little context for our work. Here is a video that explains the national, state and BVSD timeline. Show video through the YouTube link on your computer. Do you have any questions about the video? Facilitator(s): Here are the main points in case you need them:

The Revised Curriculum Essentials Documents

•Are still pending approval by the Board of Education in December 2011

•Will not be fully implemented until August 2012

•Teachers will not be expected to have assessments in place for every Evidence Outcome in the Curriculum Essentials Documents by August 2012

•2012-2013 is a transition year to the new Curriculum Essentials Documents

•TCAP for 2012 and 2013; new state assessments will be in place by spring 2014

  1. Facilitator(s): Read slide #10. Ask everyone to open the curriculum on their computer. The Introduction to the CED is in the curriculum. Pass out copies of the Venn Diagram. Ask if there are questions about the tasks.

9:05 – 10:35

  1. Facilitator(s): Let’s dig deeper into the CED and learn about Grade Level Expectations, GLEs. Read slide #11.

Show slide #12. You say, “This is a copy of the Example GLE Chart. Let’s read the cells at the top and the cell below it as an example of how we’d like you to complete your GLE Chart.”Then read slide #13.

Facilitator(s):You will have until 10:45 to finish this activity and take a break.

10:45 – 11:00

  1. Facilitator(s): Facilitate a “share out” of the GLE Chart Information by reading and following PowerPoint slide #14.

11:00 – 11:15

  1. Facilitator(s): Now it’s time to dive into our GLEs and practice using them to create a unit plan. Everyone please get into a group from your school. If you’re here as the sole person from your school, join a group. Read slide # 15.

11:15 – 11:30

  1. Facilitator(s): Now it’s time to reflect on our work with our new CED and give feedback about today. Read slide #16. Hand out Scantron sheets and pencils.

I’ll give you 5 minutes for this exercise and 5 minutes for the Scantron sheet, but please take a moment to read the last slide with me. Read slide #17.

  1. Facilitator(s): We appreciate all your good thinking today. Please give me your Scantron sheets and your pencils. Don’t forget to add any of your worst fears that weren’t addressed today to our “parking lot.” If you didn’t sign in, please do so. Thanks and see you on April 20 if not before!