CES Fall Forum 2016

 When a student finishes her schooling and enters the adult world, she will judged for the rest of her life by two things: the quality of her character and the quality of her work. In spite of this, schools—even very good schools—feel the pressures of coverage and testing and can spend very little time compelling and supporting students to do exemplary work. What would it look like if students saw their mission at school as creating beautiful work? This is a hands-on workshop in which we will discuss and examine beautiful student work across subjects and grade levels, examine the classrooms that work came from, and discuss the conditions that make that work possible. 

In order to transition into blended learning, we must develop a talented pipeline of educators who understand this approach and can support district and building leaders with this shift. The Fuse RI Fellowship is currently training 60 educators to be the state's next generation of blended and personalized learning coaches, consultants, and leaders. This session will be run as a blended learning station rotation model in which participants will rotate between face to face sessions with Fuse RI Fellows who are trained to support blended and personalized learning roll-outs at the district and building level, online playlists that include asynchronous resources that leaders can use to train their own coaches, and collaborative design build activities that leverage Highlander Institute’s District Development Framework.

Using the Newmann Authentic Intellectual Work rubrics, Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School has adapted peer observation to promote collaborative professional development. We believe this form of observation allows teachers to share different strategies used in the classroom and provide valuable feedback to one another. This workshop will focus on how Peer Observations were introduced and implemented into the Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom school community, in collaboration with the Eagle Rock School Professional Development Center. 

I am interested in convening participants around the idea of connecting the first CES Common Principle (helping young people use their minds well) with the tenth (diversity and equity).  Specifically, I'd like to bring together people who can talk about and share ideas related to creating and sustaining intentionally diverse schools and practices and resources that build on the diversity of the school to help students learn to use their minds well.

Please see the Networking Conversations document deslgned to guide this conversation: http://bit.ly/NetworkingConversations2016.  

Please note that this networking conversation will convene only on Saturday, December 3 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm and 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm.

Lots of people these days are on the project-based learning (PBL) bandwagon, but how well are projects being designed and implemented? Are they getting the results people hope for? Are projects only "dessert" but not the "main course?" Building on 15 years of work with teachers and school leaders and a major research review, the Buck Institute for Education has formulated a "gold standard" for effective PBL. Hear about exemplary projects in various grade levels and subject areas, and learn how to make sure projects engage students and are rigorous, align with standards, and build college and career readiness skills. We will also explore our gold standard model for project based teaching practices and its implications for professional development.

I am interested in convening participants around the idea of connecting the first CES Common Principle (helping young people use their minds well) with the tenth (diversity and equity).  Specifically, I'd like to bring together people who can talk about and share ideas related to creating and sustaining intentionally diverse schools and practices and resources that build on the diversity of the school to help students learn to use their minds well.

Please see the Networking Conversations document deslgned to guide this conversation: http://bit.ly/NetworkingConversations2016.  

Please note that this networking conversation will convene only on Saturday, December 3 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm and 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm.