Seminars

Focus

Primary Teaching Standard

Performance Assessment

Sample Activities and Resources

Seminar to Classroom Expectations

At least five support seminars are recommended during the first year of teaching.

Seminar 1

Tasks

Standards-Based Teaching

#1: Understand ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship

#13: Being a Reflective Practitioner

Standards #2 - #10

Linking teaching and learning standards to guiding questions in the portfolio

1. Teacher Standards activities

2. Modeling a standards-based lesson

3. Guiding questions

Choose an objective

Develop an inquiry based lesson

Teach the lesson

Journal entries on reflection

Seminar 2

Learning Environment

#11: Create and develop a dynamic learning environment that is characterized by positive, productive, and healthy interactions.

Evaluate lessons

Design a lesson using standards-based teaching

Introduce guiding questions for learning environment and concept of action research

1. Brainstorm ways to change current lessons

2. Design a lesson

3. Handout on elements of an inquiry based lesson

4. Learning environment activity

Try an action research strategy

Keep track of informal assessments used in one class

Develop a standards-based lesson

Seminar 3

Assessment

Analysis of Student Learning

#12: Understand and use both formal and informal assessment methods to obtain useful information about student learning and development

Examine and discuss a wide variety of instructional materials

Brainstorm ideas for performance based assessment

Design rubrics for evaluation

1. Sticky note review

2. Read A Children’s Story by James Clavell, discuss

3.Brainstorm about the variety of assessments

4. Read handout on performance-based assessment

5. Design a rubric

Videotape yourself and reflect on the video

Try one of the performance based assessments brainstormed in this session and report back

Try one inquiry based lesson

Seminar 4

Standards based, inquiry based lesson

Standards #1 - #10

Evaluate lessons

Design an inquiry lesson using standards-based teaching

1. Inquiry based teaching activity A & B
2. Video: Eye of the Storm
3. Remodel a current lesson
4. Videotaping guidelines

Create a standards based, inquiry based lesson

Videotape the lesson

Reflect on the lesson in a write-up

Seminar 5

Analysis of Student Learning

Analysis of Teaching

Standard #12: see above

Standard #13: Being a reflective teacher

Writing reflective commentaries

Self-assessment of teaching practices

1. Fill-out the Social Studies self-inventory

2. Analysis of Learning and Analysis of Teaching activity

3. View videotapes

Since this is the final seminar of the year, there isn’t an official assignment. Teachers are encouraged to practice the strategies learned in the seminar and to keep an ongoing list of their own “professional growth”.

At least three support seminars are recommended during the second year.

Seminar 1

Review Year I

Overview of Portfolio components

Practicing Skills
Profiling Learners
Collecting Samples
of Student Work

Standards #1 - #13

Linking teaching and learning standards to the portfolio

1. KWL Activity

2. Go through the handbook
• Directions
• Guiding Questions
• Written sections

Complete “Context of Teaching

Bring a videotape of you teaching

Seminar 2

Planning Unit of Instruction and Featured Lessons

Practicing Skills
Lesson Logs
Commentaries on
Student Work

Standards #1 - #10

Standard #12: Assessment

Standard #13: Reflection

Use of Guiding Questions to find evidence in teaching portfolios

Chosen Standards-based lesson meets requirements with adequate discussion and inquiry by students

Seminar 3

Peer Conferencing – Sharing Drafts and Receiving Feedback
Revisit guidelines

Planning the Final Steps to Portfolio Completion

Standard #12: Assessment

Standard #13: Reflection

Application of Guiding Questions to teacher's own portfolio and discussion/critique by peers

Link reflection to practice

Use of peer observation to support best practice and reflection