Integrating Technology in PreK

We have started working on a  PreK blog but it isn't ready for prime time yet!  We have a few parents who are on the no photo list so we will wait to talk about it at Back to School Night.  Our blog will go live in October.  In addition to this we have are go through the tutorials for Three Ring.  Three Ring is a documentation app where we an capture moments, photo, audio, and video.  We can make notes just for our eyes,  share information with individual families or the entire class if it is appropriate.  We hope that this tool will help us with launching provocations and project work in small groups with our class. But more importantly  creating a portfolio of information that will paint a picture of where each child is developmentally that will be easier for parents to understand during conferences in January. 

CODING STUDY GROUP

For the coding study group, click the link below to find out what we're doing here.

What is the difference between doing a project and project based learning?

Here is a site that has a great chart showing what is the difference between projects and project based learning.
There is also other info on the site as well.

http://teachbytes.com/2013/03/17/whats-the-difference-between-doing-projects-and-project-based-learning/

Cultural Competency

What cultural competency is not:

• “appreciation of diversity” - statement of purpose
• Not mentioned in ESLRs

What we hope to explore:

• not making it token (not isolating it to dress-up one day a year)
• how does it become ingrained into curriculum
• make what we’re teaching is culturally relevant
• cultural appreciation vs. appropriation
• definition of "culture"
• are we addressing student experience when we’re attempting to “appreciate” diversity
• privilege!
• relationships to adults (each other)
• how is this hard for us as adults/faculty?
• how are we avoiding the conversation?
• how can we agree to define cultural competency as a faculty?

• how does that inform the way we act in the classroom
• understanding the community, identifying the community
• how do we define "cultural" activities within our community
• inclusivity - shift language, actions

What goals we hope to accomplish:

• For the year, how do we establish/define this for us as faculty (maybe next year we can work on implementing it into curriculum/discussion with students)
• get on the same page in terms of understanding cultural competency
• begin with the intention
• PD / training
• building awareness of gaps in our understanding
• small and large conversations
• becoming okay with tension, discomfort
• sharing the same language
• acknowledging privilege
• how do we assess where we’re at? Who we are?

Resources:

• Facilitator for this conversation: Cheyenne Pronga (Cosmo)

Goal: Continue the conversation, read

PLC: Service learning for K-1

K-1 will be participating in making placements for Meals on Wheels to donate for the Thanksgiving holiday. Debbie will be contacting Meals on Wheels on Monday to arrange for a school visit. Began brainstorming optional projects: visiting retirement homes to donate time to work with seniors on crafts, pen pals with seniors living in retirement communities

PBL Discussion

First, we discussed the gold standard of problem based learning and how to could adapt a project we already have to make it PBL. By adapting a project we already do, it will be more manageable to accomplish this year.

Main Points of Gold Standard PBL
- Challenging problem
- Sustained inquiry
- Authenticity
- Student Voice and Choice
- Reflection
- Critique and Revision
- Public Product

Second, we spent time individually looking at http://bie.org/about. The BIE website includes a description, examples of projects and resources.

Math-PLC

We researched some PD opportunities and explored the SVMI website for some classroom resources. We also decided to add a study skill element to our monthly discussion.