Melissa Torres on Twitter: #ProfessionalLearning @sbunified #CommonCore #SantaBarbara #teachers... Differentiated Instruction Strategies. PLC - Professional Learning Community. Differentiated-instruction. One-to-one-computing-sponsored. Link btwn Digital Learn & Assess. Via Keys to Literacy. Writing Your Professional Practice Goals the UDL Way - Katie Novak, Ed.D. The end of one educator evaluation cycle means the beginning of a new one.
As I think of my own professional practice goals (PPG) for next year, I realize that the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can positively impact the goal setting process for all of us. When setting PPG, remember that you are a learner, and that your goal should guide you to learn. Malcolm Knowles (1984) proposed six assumptions regarding the characteristics of adult learners that differentiate them from child learners and all of these impact the goal-setting process.
All six characteristics relate to Universal Design for Learning when writing PPG. Here’s how. Step 1: Identifying the goal area In order for us to be internally motivated, we have to choose goals that are relevant and meaningful to us. To do this effectively, begin by identifying a problem. Step 2: Writing the goal Here is a PPG that is SMART: Here is the alignment to specific SMART indicators.
Step 3: Write your action steps Like this: Content - Process - Product LearnCycle. Tools for Professional Learning: Curate, Share, Connect. New Analysis Tool Attempts to Predict Teacher Success in Urban Areas. Big Data | News New Analysis Tool Attempts to Predict Teacher Success in Urban Areas Aspex Solutions has released a new assessment tool for evaluating the potential success of teacher applicants in urban settings.
TeacherFit Urban is an online assessment that uses predictive analytics to provide administrators with real-time data that shows each applicant’s proficiency in areas like planning and organization, initiative, and focus on students. In addition to the predictive data, the tool also provides an individualized interview questionnaire with sample responses designed to be used during interviews to "probe areas of weakness identified during the assessment," according to information released by the company.
The tool is part of AppliTrack Selection, which also includes assessments for certified teachers, special education teachers, classified staff, and administrators. About the Author. Using Mindfulness Practice to Promote a Healthy Classroom Environment. One of the major occupational hazards of teaching is emotional burnout.
Stressors in the classroom can lead teachers to find themselves in a situation where the work is becoming too mentally taxing, often as the result of dealing with difficult students. Using the principles of mindfulness, teachers can avoid feeling overstressed by work. Mindfulness practices involve recognizing your physical and emotional states without judgment and acting to regulate them. As a result, you can create a buffer for yourself between external stress-inducers and your internal mental state.
Mindfulness strategies benefit not only teachers, but also students by improving their concentration and stability in the classroom. Mindfulness Techniques A study by the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center of the University of Wisconsin has demonstrated a connection between an individual's awareness of emotional information and their reactions to external stressors (Lapate, et al. 2013). The Definition Of Digital Literacy. The Definition Of Digital Literacy by Terry Heick When we think of digital literacy, we usually think of research–finding, evaluating, and properly crediting digital sources.
The “research” connotation makes sense, as it is the sheer volume of sources and media forms on the “internet” that stand out. But we are living in a world where the internet is disappearing, replaced by sheer connectivity. Are you “on the internet” when you tweet? As the internet dissolves into something more seamless–that no longer requires a clunky web browser to make itself visible–we might adjust our perspectives in parallel. Take the idea of “literacy,” for example. Technology improves literacy only insofar as it improves a learner’s ability to identify, analyze, evaluate and create media. Literacy implies a fuller understanding and a rounder knowledge. This isn’t wrong so much as it focuses too much on technology and “the internet.” NextGen PD.
Melissa BL Palette PD. UDL. Badges. Leadership3.0. Design. PD Management & Reporting.