Making Learning Personal
Fall 2023
Editor's Note
School Year 2024 is well underway and I've had incredible experiences visiting Vanguard classrooms throughout the month of October. It is remarkable to witness the transformations taking place in classrooms across FCPS. The process of onboarding, which starts at the beginning of the school year and continues throughout, is a crucial element in our personalized journey of growth and empowerment for teachers and students. Continuous onboarding practices foster and increase engagement and agency. Voice, choice and motivation are harnessed, ultimately leading students AND teachers to expert learning.
Shift to Student Led was the focus for Catlin Tucker's two-day visit and work with Teach and Coach Year Vanguards. What spoke to me most deeply was a slide titled "Universally Designed Blended Learning," mashing together Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Blended Learning (BL). UDL removes learning barriers in the learning environment. Learner Variability honors the jagged learning profile that is each learner in every classroom. Blended Learning is a way to accomplish teaching and learning within the UDL framework. "Firm goals and flexible pathways" is a beautiful marriage of UDL and BL holding all students to high expectations, and providing the right supports at the right time to be a community of expert learners.
In this Fall Issue of MLP, you'll find inspiring words on how to "start small" and what that actually means as you work to shift your practice. We have several articles focusing on our high quality instructional materials, and how to most effectively personalize learning with these FCPS tools, including Media Databases and Open Court. AND! Meet the Solutions Team who keeps all the premium tools in our Digital Ecosystem running smoothly - this is the problem-solving team behind ServiceNow. Of interest to all Vanguards is an article on instructional coaching that can be a lensed through each year of your Vanguard journey.
We hope the articles and resources shared here will provide you with fresh perspectives and practical ideas to integrate with your practice. Thank you for your dedication to education and for being part of our community. Remember to stop along the way, reflect on what's been accomplished, connect and share your work, look forward to the next small start, and don't forget to stop and smell the roses.
All of us on the Innovation Team wish you and your families a restful and joyous Thanksgiving Holiday.
Heather Rose
Innovative Learning Team
MLP Editor
Start Small
Amanda Gough, 3rd Grade Teacher
After a long day at work, I enter my front door, set my bag on the ground, slowly bend down to take off my shoes, and drag my slumped, exhausted body to the couch where I collapse, face first. I look at my watch to check the date. Surely it must be Friday. Nope, it’s Monday. I think to myself, “Well at least it’s May.” Nope, wrong again. It’s only November. NOVEMBER?! How am I going to make it 7 more months?
Personalizing Media Databases
Katie Engelstatter, Catoctin High School
Heather McFadden, Brunswick Middle School
Are you assigning research for your students and looking for a way to build in appropriate choice options? Your media specialist has the tools to help. All of the databases provided by the media center contain tools that allow students to individualize their own learning through research. Some of the features on the databases include:
- Dyslexia font
- Readability level
- Audio reading feature
- Translation tool
- Built in citations
- Feature Page
- Related Articles feature
Ideas to reinforce and personalize independent practice in ela
Kelsey Van Hook, Middletown Primary School
The new FCPS Literacy vision begins, “to ensure that ALL students are able to read and write, Frederick County Public Schools will provide evidence-based, developmentally-appropriate, comprehensive, literacy instruction.” To accomplish this, FCPS has adopted a comprehensive reading program for the primary grades called Open Court. After implementing this program for a few months, I can see that the program includes all components of Scarborough’s Reading Rope, for which the Science of Reading is based around. In Open Court, each color band is detailed and informative, the texts are engaging, and the materials are high quality. However, a few challenges have emerged. Much of the material is to be presented in a whole group format. Where are the opportunities to differentiate and personalize for different learning preferences and ability levels? Another challenge is the amount of material that is to be covered in a day. How can we ensure students are getting exposed to every component of the program, while also thinking smarter and using our time wisely? When will students have opportunities to apply what they have learned? I have been brainstorming and trying ways to look beyond the manual. I think the answer to all of these challenges is to incorporate differentiation, choice and supplemental activities using a playlist.
unlocking the power of instructional coaching: Vanguard coaching
Tony Bollino, Innovative Learning Team
Instructional coaching is the final stage of the Vanguard program, aimed at enhancing teaching practices and student learning. The goal of the Vanguard program is to develop your capacity as instructional leaders and coaches in your role. It's important to distinguish instructional coaching from mentoring, as they serve distinct purposes. Instructional coaching, according to the Coaching Federation, is “Partnering with [teachers] in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” It involves a collaborative partnership between an experienced Vanguard and a classroom teacher. This partnership focuses on specific instructional strategies, models, techniques, and student outcomes to create a blended and personalized learning experience for students. Mentoring sessions are, in contrast, often a one-way relationship where a more experienced teacher imparts general wisdom and advice to a less experienced one. Vanguard Coach Year teachers are diving deep into the coaching relationship. However, any Vanguard, as a recognized leader in your building, may be called upon to help others or others will seek you out for help with an instructional problem. You will find yourself in situations where you have the opportunity to take on the role of an instructional coach. So let’s explore instructional coaching a little further.
Meet the CII Solutions Team
CII Solutions Team
Curriculum, Instruction and Innovation Department
Meet the Team providing support documentation and training for Premium Digital Tools purchased or contracted by CII. Chris, Jen, Kelly and Kara keep our digital ecosystem running smoothly. Save this resource to refer to when you need to submit a ticket to ServiceNow, or when you need access to resources supporting Schoology.
#FCPSVanguard
Upcoming Dates and Reminders
December 5, 8:00-4:00 - Math/Sci Forum
December 14, 8:00-4:00 - Intermediate Forum
December 18, 8:00-4:00 - ELA/SS Forum
December 19, 8:00-4:00 - Applied Academics Forum
December 20, 8:00-4:00 - Primary Forum
February 1st - Microcredentials Due (2)
Vanguard Teacher Program
Email: eric.haines@fcps.org
Website: vanguard.fcps.org
Phone: 301-644-5182
Twitter: @EHaines24