MRVED Business

Last Week for the Call for MELT Presentations & Session Ideas

The call for presentations will close on November 1st.  The MRVED is once again looking for people to present at the annual MELT conference in January.  The 2014 installment of the MELT will be held at Lac Qui Parle Valley High School on January 20.  This is a great day to showcase some of the great things you are doing in your classrooms.  Presenters will be paid a small stipend for their efforts.  If you are interested in providing a session, please click on the link below and fill out the form.  Filling out the form does not guarantee or bind you to providing a session.  If you don't want to present, but have great ideas for possible sessions, please click on the correct link below to provide the MRVED with your suggestions.

If you are willing to present and provide a session click HERE

If you do not want to present, but have ideas for sessions, click HERE

Meeting Updates
Title I
The Title I teachers came to the MRVED for their 2nd ever best practice meeting on October 8.  Brandon and Karen facilitated the learning around effective feedback and depth of knowledge.  The afternoon was spent networking and sharing ideas.  Overall it was a great day of learning and networking.

Music
The music instructors gathered at the MRVED for their annual best practice meeting on Wednesday, October 9.  The day was full of conversation and sharing.  Part of the morning was spent networking in job-alike groups, with all instructors coming well-prepared for their networking.  21st Century Skills was also a focus of the morning and the teachers really got into discussing and learning about what it looks like in their classrooms.  During the afternoon, Jessica Leibfried from the Perpich Center met with the teachers to discuss what the Perpich Center can do for them professionally.  Jessica will be continuing to work with the teachers during MELT in January.  Overall a great day was had!

Art
The art teachers met at the MRVED on Thursday, October 10 for their best practice meeting.  The day started off with a presentation and discussion from OSHA on safety in the art classroom.  After the OSHA presentation, Jeremy Holien from the Perpich Center met with the teachers and discussed and facilitated 21st Century Skills and curriculum alignment with the instructors.  The rest of the afternoon was spent networking and discussing possible MELT sessions for the art teachers.

MRVED UPCOMING MEETINGS:
October 29, 2013 - Math
October 30, 2013 - Superintendents' Council
November 5, 2013 - FACS (meeting will be in Marshall)
November 6, 2013 - Principals' Council
November 14, 2013 - Guidance Counselors

Math and Science Frameworks

The Minnesota Department of Education and SciMath MN partnered a couple years ago to develop an online version of the Math and Science Frameworks.  It is a great website to get standards aligned resources and ideas.  The frameworks are user-friendly and aligned to the most current version of the standards.  If you haven't been out to the website in awhile, give a look over today.

Watch a 12 minute tutorial on the Math and Science Frameworks

12 Touchstones of Good Teaching

6. Interact meaningfully with every student

What it looks like: "Teachers interact with students, getting to know them and demonstrating interest in them as individuals and as learners.  They also bring a positive personality to the classroom, displaying enthusiasm for learning and modeling for students how their particular subject areas can be worth of lifelong pursuit." (Goodwin & Hubbell, pg. 197)

Why it is important: "Research shows that students with weak relationships with teachers are more likely to disengage from school.  Conversely, strong positive links have been found between student performance and teacher-student relationship variables, such as empathy, warmth, nondirectivity, and sensitivity to students' social and emotional needs." (Goodwin & Hubbell, pg. 197)