Science Standard Implementation Conversation with MDE
John Olson, from the Minnesota Department of Education will be providing outreach to our MRVED school districts on Monday, January 18th, starting at 1:00 PM. John will be going over a timeline for implementation of the new science standards and answer any and all questions you may have about implementation of the science standards.
If you would like to join the conversation, and your administrator has not already set something up or shared the link with you, please let Brandon (braymo@mrved.net) know.
Articles
COVID Teaching - What is here to stay?
This pandemic has changed the way in which we "do" education. It often has me thinking; "What is here to stay? What are we going to dump when we are back fully in-person?" This article from Edutopia provides some great talking points.
The events of last week at the Capitol can be tough to talk about with kids. Events like the attack on the Capitol are politically charged, emotional events. How much do we share with kids? How do we talk to them about the event without letting your political emotions show? This CNN article offers some great advice.
I came across this great TED talk from Caige Jambor on how social emotional learning benefits everyone. Take 10 minutes and watch today!
Technology
Tech Tip - Jamboard
Jamboard has been featured before, but it is worth repeating. Jamboard is an AWESOME whiteboard app from Google. You can set up multiple whiteboard for your classes to accomplish group work or do multi-step activities. Jamboard works great if you have kids in class or at home. If you haven't used Jamboard yet, check it out today!
September 17, 2020 - Teachers' Advisory Council Meeting (Virtual)
September 18, 2020 - Principals' Advisory Council Meeting (Virtual)
September 23, 2020 - Superintendents' Council Meeting
September 25, 2020 - Title III Teachers' Meeting
Welcome Back
Welcome back to the 2020-2021 school year! We hope you had a rejuvenating summer and were able to put school in the rearview mirror for a little while. Last year was tough and this year looks to be just as difficult. Please know that the MRVED is here to provide support for you and your district wherever/whenever we can. If there is anything we can do, please do not hesitate to ask. Many times, if we don't have the expertise to help in a certain area, we can direct you to someone who does. Although this year looks to be just as challenging as last school year, know that you are surrounded by many people that support the tough work you are doing every day.
As with everything else, the MRVED Common In-Service days will most likely look a little different. The October date will feature a keynote message by Carla Tantillo Philibert. More information will be coming on the October date. The MELT Conference in January will still happen, however it will look different and offer virtual options. The April 1 date is a long ways off and our Teacher Advisory Council will be developing a plan throughout this fall.
The MRVED Common In-Service Dates
October 14, 2020 - Virtual
January 18, 2021 - MELT (TBD)
April 1, 2021 - TBD
MRVED Paraprofessional Conference Recap
On August 19, 2020, the MRVED hosted their first ever virtual conference for the paraprofessionals. The day started with a keynote by Carla Tantillo Philibert from Mindful Practices. Carla spoke about the importance of SEL and provided the paraprofessionals with a handful of awesome strategies they can use with their students. Teachers will have the opportunity to see Carla virtually during the October common inservice. After the keynote, the paraprofessionals participated in a handful of breakout sessions from trauma to good posture when working online to math and reading support. Overall the day went really well. The MRVED staff learned much about hosting a virtual conference and look to make improvements for each event. A huge thank you to our presenters, participants, and Katie in the MRVED office for handling registration and questions. You are all ROCKSTARS!
Minnesota Standards Update
Minnesota is in the middle of a massive standard review process. I thought it worthwhile to take a look at where each content area is at on the Minnesota Department of Education Timeline
Arts - Revised in 2018 - Was making its way through rulemaking to determine implementation. 2018 Standards
Science - Revised in 2019. Approved by the commissioner in 2020. Still in rulemaking to determine implementation. Commissioner recommends full implementation by 2023-24. 2019 Standards
Language Arts - Revised in 2020. Awaiting commissioner approval. Implementation will be made in rulemaking this year. 2020 ELA Standards Draft
April 12th - Title III Teachers
April 18th - MRVED Common Inservice Day
April 24th - Superintendents' Advisory Council
April 24th - MRVED Board Meeting
April 18th Common Inservice Day
The spring MRVED Common Inservice Day will be held on April 18, 2019, at the Dawson-Boyd Schools. You will be welcomed with coffee, juice, and muffins to begin your day. The day will consist of attending one session for the entire morning and the afternoon will be time with your district, determined by your administrator. The choices for the morning sessions are: Social Emotional Learning, Teach Like a Pirate, and Structured Unconference. Registration is now CLOSED and no changes can be made to your lunch choice.
Closer to the inservice date, you will receive an email with detailed information including the school's address, which to door to enter, and other information. Please read this carefully. When you arrive, your meal ticket and agenda will be in the commons area at the registration table.
We look forward to seeing everyone on April 18th!
(Please Note:Districts not participating in the inservice due to a school make-up day: Minneota/Ivanhoe, Ortonville, YME)
MRVED - Did You Know
The MRVED has hosted the MELT conference for over 15 years. Throughout the years the conference has morphed into what it is today. Today there are around 100 sessions for educators to choose from. The topics range from the latest drug trends to the newest technology. One of the goals of the MRVED is to efficiently use resources to accomplish goals. The MELT is accomplished for $12 per teacher. To put this in perspective, the TIES conference registration costs $389. If we were to send everyone in the MRVED to the TIES conference, the total cost would be around $252,000, just for conference registration. The MELT is put on for around $7,000!
What is Social Emotional Learning (SEL)?
Social Emotional Learning or SEL has been a big buzzword in education over the past few years. It's something we are hearing more and more of, but what is SEL and why is it important. The short video below does an excellent job of explaining the what & why.
The Minnesota Department of Education is looking for educators to serve on a committee charged with creating the test specifications for the new science test.
This committee will be comprised of K-12 teacher leaders who will use their expertise to help develop assessment boundaries for the new 2019 Minnesota science standards. Committee selection will emphasize balance of demographics, grade levels, and content areas. The committee will meet for a total of 7 days starting on August 6-8, 2019 at MDE in Roseville and continuing through the spring of 2020. Committee members must commit to attending all meetings. The meeting dates are as follows:
· August 6-8, 2019
· October 29-30, 2019
· March 3-4, 2020
You will receive an honorarium and per diem for your travel expenses as needed.
If you are interested in being considered for this committee, enter your information in the form on the link below by April 12, 2019.
If you use Google Forms in your classroom, this is an Add-On for you! Automastery is awesome and a great way to differentiate. Maryellen West did a fabulous job! Check out the write-up from the website.
AutoMastery is a Google Forms Add-On that allows the Form owner to send students assignments based on their score on a Google Form. The owner sets a mastery level score and a beginner level score in a Google Form and sets what link respondents will receive via email with an assignment based on their scores.
Quiz takers will fall into one of three grade categories: Mastery, Progressing, and Beginner.
If a student has mastered the material and scores at or above the Mastery Score you set, he or she will be assigned an extension activity as set by the teacher.
A student who scores above the Beginner Score, but below the Mastery Score, will be sent a progressing assignment, set by the teacher, to bring them to mastery level.
A student not reaching the Beginner Score will be sent a comprehensive assignment, as set by the teacher.
Ditch That Textbook - Section 3 Part 3
We will take a look at chapters 30-33 in Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller. These are simply my thoughts on the chapters and by no means should replace reading the chapters for yourself.
Chapter 30 is titled, Make It. Plain and simple, if you can't find what you are looking for, make it! As a teacher, you have some of the best available resources at your fingertips to make whatever you need for your classroom. If you can't find a video to explain how the letters "t" and "h" go together, gather a group of students and make your own video. Think about the learning experiences involved in that activity. We all have awesome cameras built into our cell phones. We have Google Docs and Microsoft Office products at our fingertips. Some of the best creation iPad apps offer free or discounted versions for education. Even if you think you are not creative enough to make something, try!
Miller also talks about staying in touch with students and meeting them in their space. If your students are on Twitter, join Twitter to see what it's all about. If your students are Snapchatting, join it and try. Instead of thinking about how I can block these tools in my classroom, think about how can you harness their power for educational purposes. It may not be apparent to you right away, but if you think hard enough and creatively enough, you'll find a way. Social networking is the way of the world today. Classroom Twitter pages are popping up all over the place. Teachers are using Instagram to show parents what is going on in their classrooms. Schools are creating Snapchat filters and Twitter hashtags to create a virtual showcase of their events.
We have one section left in the book and a conclusion to go. Once you are done with this book, I encourage you to borrow it to someone during the summer. But, don't forget who you gave it to because you will want this playbook back to start the year next year.
