Comments on: Compasses Or Road Maps? http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/11/24/compasses-or-road-maps/ ...For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:45:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: A. Mercer http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/11/24/compasses-or-road-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-7182 A. Mercer Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:59:18 +0000 http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=6355#comment-7182 I know of schools that do say they have a culture, and come up with a culture, and many work towards the culture, but what strikes me is how difficult it is to do all of the work necessary to make it a reality. Like you have high expectation that all students succeed, but there are specific programs making sure that everything your school is doing supports that. Questions schools have to ask themselves: Are you providing the support and extra-curricular activities that make that a reality? Are those activities aligned towards supporting both that goal and academics? I think you need both a desire (a child-centered curriculum, everyone succeeds, no excuses), a destination (study units that kids design and build, 85% of students at 85% of grade level, no child left behind), along with a map (materials, curriculum, instruction, guiding questions), a compass (informal assessment), Triple-A TourBook (supplemental materials and services) and some GPS (summative assessments) when you're working in a high poverty school. Unless you have all of those aligned, you're talking, but the kids aren't walking towards that goal. I know of schools that do say they have a culture, and come up with a culture, and many work towards the culture, but what strikes me is how difficult it is to do all of the work necessary to make it a reality. Like you have high expectation that all students succeed, but there are specific programs making sure that everything your school is doing supports that.
Questions schools have to ask themselves: Are you providing the support and extra-curricular activities that make that a reality? Are those activities aligned towards supporting both that goal and academics?
I think you need both a desire (a child-centered curriculum, everyone succeeds, no excuses), a destination (study units that kids design and build, 85% of students at 85% of grade level, no child left behind), along with a map (materials, curriculum, instruction, guiding questions), a compass (informal assessment), Triple-A TourBook (supplemental materials and services) and some GPS (summative assessments) when you’re working in a high poverty school. Unless you have all of those aligned, you’re talking, but the kids aren’t walking towards that goal.

]]> By: Michelle Howell-Martin http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/11/24/compasses-or-road-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-7176 Michelle Howell-Martin Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:25:34 +0000 http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=6355#comment-7176 Your post echoes a discussion I had yesterday with my academic coach and I made connections with what I have been learning about Whole Brain Teaching. I teach in one of the toughest elementary schools in my district and feel on most days that I am in a classroom as opposed to being in a learning community. Your words, as well as those of my coach, encourage me. I feel that I can make changes in my classroom to help it transition from classroom to community. I will be sharing your post with the faculty and administration in my building in the hopes that we can make some changes school-wide. Thank you. Your post echoes a discussion I had yesterday with my academic coach and I made connections with what I have been learning about Whole Brain Teaching. I teach in one of the toughest elementary schools in my district and feel on most days that I am in a classroom as opposed to being in a learning community. Your words, as well as those of my coach, encourage me. I feel that I can make changes in my classroom to help it transition from classroom to community. I will be sharing your post with the faculty and administration in my building in the hopes that we can make some changes school-wide. Thank you.

]]> By: Jason Renshaw http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/11/24/compasses-or-road-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-7174 Jason Renshaw Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:27:43 +0000 http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=6355#comment-7174 Great post, Larry - and nice to see you pondering and musing! These are the real little gems on your blog (though the rest of course is gold!). Thanks for sharing and challenging us all to think, ~ Jason Great post, Larry – and nice to see you pondering and musing! These are the real little gems on your blog (though the rest of course is gold!).

Thanks for sharing and challenging us all to think,

~ Jason

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