2-22-2012+coaches+meeting+notes

 __ Objectives: __  
 * To share successful coaching strategies between schools
 * To integrate primary source documents into learning experiences, and to find resources for obtaining them
 * To collaboratively determine effective strategies for implementing instructional coaching without or with limited release time
 * To actively participate in the adaptation of lessons to incorporate the BDA model and improve student engagement
 * To revise and edit planning through peer-editing and review
 * To explore and utilize methods and resources for the implementation of literacy strategies into math instruction
 * To develop BDE templates / exercises that can be adapted as a group
 * To explore and develop the means for implementing Learning Walks

 __Notes: __  ==We began the day sharing the coaching successes both with the coaching itself and with the classroom strategies. Conversation turned to what seems to be working with reluctant learners. The A-Z strategy and the Post It Note Shuffle were discussed as possible options to motivate all students. As a group we’ve agreed to possibly prepare a lesson strategy for a large group share out if all coaches participate next year.==

Jeremy directed our attention to the arincoaches.wikispaces.com. We accessed the different tools on the wikispace. We also accessed the agenda for the day via the wiki.
==The morning session continued with a discussion of the use of text rendering with a primary source that isn’t necessarily text. We used a photograph to try the text rendering strategy. After this activity, our conversation turned to the role of the textbook in the history classroom versus the role of primary resources. As a group we’ve agreed to discuss textbook reading strategies for the next meeting, which may include the following: Intervtioncentral.com, T.H.I.E.V.E.S, and Talking to the Text.== ==Our agenda for the morning also included time to access primary documents using the various web sites that are listed on the wiki page. Participants pulled back together to share with others the documents that they found on the sites that may be used in their classrooms.== ==Our morning session ended with an overview of learning walks. Learning walks are visits with other teachers where the coach/teacher would observe positive features and academic activities happening in other classrooms. This coaching scenario can only work if teachers are willing to participate. The objective is to share teaching and learning strategies with colleagues. Teachers would need to be informed ahead of time about this type of collaboration, and a plan of scheduling these visits should be planned prior as well. These walks must be non-evaluative in nature and should not include an administrator.== ==Over the course of the afternoon session, participants had a chance to collaborate with teachers from other schools about their unit plans. Teachers discussed unit topics, lesson planning templates, and the organization of the unit plans. Participants spent the remaining time working on the group unit plans.==