Grade+Group+10

GRADE GROUP ESSENTIAL DISCUSSION/QUESTIONS

Dr. Pedro Nogurea discusses technical versus adaptive work. Technical work is the routine sensible things we do in schools on a daily basis. Adaptive work has substance, meaning and purpose. It is about the culture we create in changing our environment. Adaptive work is done proactively and is based on reflection. In schools we must achieve a balance between technical vs. adaptive work. With this in mind, use the following questions to determine what we want to be and what does it take to educate the children you serve?

Key Adaptive Questions:

How do children/young adults learn? Students learn through visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile experiences. Students create understanding to fit their prior experiences.

How do/will they use literacy and math in a global environment? Students will need to communicate effectively in language, writing, the rhetoric of academic disciplines, and technology. Math literacy and proficiency is essential to financial planning.

What are your students interested in? How do we find out? Students are interested in a plethora of things, most of them social. Technology plays a large role in their social world. Asking students and developing meaningful relationships with students throughout the year helps gain access into their lives and interests. A survey at the beginning of the year also provides some information.

How are we going to use this information to develop our programs and instructional strategies? Using student interests, teachers and instructional leaders can grab students' attention and use their motivation to delve deeper into skill development. Utilizing choice boards, developing assignments that align with student's interests, and utilizing technology can help teachers develop meaningful curriculum units.

What challenges do students and their parents face? Students and parents face wide varieties of economic, social, emotional, and cultural challenges. The burdens of living are light for no one.

What are their needs that may impact learning? Hunger, clothing, shelter and emotional needs can all impact learning.

What are their dreams and aspirations? How do we find out? Like many human beings, our dreams and aspirations are shaped by our individual experiences. Many may include being happy and fulfilled in relationships with others.

If knowledge is power how do we make it relevant? Connection of knowledge to student's prior knowledge and their lives helps to create relevance. Seeing how adults use the same knowledge to earn a living is important.

What does the data tell you about your students? Data helps identify what skills are students' strengths and in what skills students' need remediation.

How do our students take control over their learning? Learning responsibility for their own success and failure is the first step. Learning to keep track of their progress and identify their own strengths and weaknesses are important.

How do we talk to our students? Talking to our students from a caring and nurturing place is important in gaining trust and developing a successful learning relationship between teachers and students.

How do we talk to our parents? Phone calls, emails, and conferences for positive and negative behaviors and work.

How are we going to better connect to our community? Opening our doors is a good first step. Open houses for parents and community Creating community relationships through internships, partnerships, and mentorships will help develop better connections to our community.