Coaches' Corner
November Newsletter, Volume 4
In this issue...
From the Principal's Desk
Cool Tools
Purposeful Practice
EC Spotlight
Progress Checks and Feedback
Teacher Spotlight
PLT Update
From the Principal's Desk
Taking Advantage of a 1:1 Learning Environment
A 1:1 learning environment does not mean there is one teacher assigned to every student, but imagine if this were possible, every student would have a content specialist assigned exclusively to meet their academic needs. It would be rational thinking that the achievement gap could possibly be eliminated because students would readily have immediate access to information at their fingertips. As we know, this is wishful thinking to have one teacher to every one student, but it is not wishful thinking to provide every student with a device which puts information at their proverbial fingertips to increase their learning.
Phillips is about to embark on this very endeavor. Phillips will see each of its students have access to a quality laptop, which will allow them and their teachers to explore and gather information in a manner of seconds--literally by just pushing a laptop key or two. However, the 1:1 environment is not just about the device, but rather the strategic integration of that device into lessons at the right time to enhance a student’s learning. This is how you take full advantage of a 1:1 learning environment, but this is not easy work, as it does take very methodical planning to execute the goal. A 1:1 learning environment can be a challenging one, but--if approached with the right mindset-- it can take a student’s learning experience and a teacher’s teaching experience to a whole new level. The article from Edutopia below which outlines 5 best practices for implementing a successful 1:1 learning environment.
-Mr. Colvin
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10 Rules for Successful 1:1 Implementation
"Each morning, when Laura Rahn’s class of fourth grade students entered their classroom at Mountainview Elementary School in Loudoun County, VA, they got their laptops from the charging station, completed their daily math fluency practice, and checked EdModo for the day’s instructions. The laptops “didn’t replace me or become the full instruction for the day,” says Rahn, “they were an additional learning tool.”
If your school has yet to implement a laptop program like Rahn’s, it may be on the horizon. More and more classrooms are going one-to-one, says Bob Berry, vice president of business development with Troxell Communications, as districts invest in web-based learning platforms and devices.
“Education is going through a huge transformation,” agrees Verna Lalbeharie, Digital Learning Collaboration Co-lead with The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, “with this huge move towards personalized learning.” One-on-one teaching happens at the intersection of content, pedagogy, and technology, says Lalbeharie. You’re planning what and how students will learn, and how you’ll use the technology to help them get there. This year, whether you’re just opening your first shipment of tablets or setting up laptops for the tenth time, here are 10 ways to maximize your one-to-one classroom."
EC Spotlight: Progress Checks and Feedback
- Provide learning disabled students with frequent progress checks. Let them know how well they are progressing toward an individual or class goal.
- Give immediate feedback to learning disabled students. They need to see quickly the relationship between what was taught and what was learned.
Click on the examples below!
Progress Monitoring Tool
Progress Monitoring Template
Progress Monitoring Reflection Form
Teacher Spotlight: Ms. Gillis
Email: mgillis@wcpss.net
Website: http://phillipsmediacenter.weebly.com/
Phone: 1200