To kick off 2010, our January 4th program consisted of a series of workshops led by teachers who have developed effective classroom strategies for improving: Attribution, Meta-Cognition, Knowledge Transfer, Formative Assessment, and Distributed Curriculum. Workshop topics included:

Motivation and Reading
Laura Davis

Student motivation in reading is critical and has been linked to comprehension, strategy use, and self-esteem. Laura presented the results of research she conducted in her own second-grade classroom examining how different instructional approaches - skills-based (“traditional” text-book-based) versus student-directed (whole language approach) - influenced students’ attitudes, engagement, and motivation. The results suggest ways in which teachers can organize reading instruction to develop self-efficacy, competence, and engagement in young students. (Laura’s study has been accepted for presentation at the American Education Research Association’s annual conference)

Using Web 2.0 and Smart Boards to Enhance Instruction
Ronan Hallowell

Using a new interactive whiteboard, Ronan discussed Web 2.0 tools such as Ning, Wikispaces, Google Documents, Google Maps/Earth, Slideshare and others, using his students’ work as illustration of the possibilities these tools provide. Participants then set up a Ning social network to provide a forum for further discussion of these topics after the session.

Practice Modules for Differentiated Instruction
Demian Feldman

Using a new interactive whiteboard, Ronan discussed Web 2.0 tools such as Ning, Wikispaces, Google Documents, Google Maps/Earth, Slideshare and others, using his students’ work as illustration of the possibilities these tools provide. Participants then set up a Ning social network to provide a forum for further discussion of these topics after the session.

Training students in the use of the Learning Tool
Christy Elliott

Christy has been training 4th and 5th graders in the use of the Learning Tool and shared her thoughts and expertise on student training and on the impact of the Learning Tool in making students more aware of their learning styles as they use it to track their learning and development.

Student Directed Learning
Jim Loughrie

Jim introduced his approach to student-directed learning and discussed how it deviates from the "here is the answer" approach so often seen in education. In particular, Jim highlighted how our science classes endeavor to utilize the Socratic Method and the skill sets we expect and develop in our students.

Integrating Social Justice into Curriculum
Andrea Meller

Andrea is teaching social justice using the vehicle of Manga (Japanese comics). She shared the stories her students wrote and illustrated around themes of compassion and social justice and engaged participants in a similar (abbreviated) process, suggesting ways in which her strategies could be incorporated into other classes like humanities, theater, visual arts, etc.

Skype, The Learning Tool and a Virtual network with Santa Fe, Argentina
Juana “Kika” Elias

Since the first day of school last fall, Kika’s students have been involved in - an international cultural exchange between New Roads Middle School students and the Colegio La Salle Jobson in Santa Fe, Argentina. Kika discussed how use of this virtual classroom is motivating students in both locations to enhance their language skills and cultural literacy.

Current Events in the Classroom
Eric Cleveland

David tells parents of prospective students:  “We are not teaching kids just to know the answers found in the back of the book.” What about the answers on page 16 of the front section of the LA Times, or on page 1 of the business section? Viewing New Roads as a “life-prep” school where we teach much more than knowing the “answers”, Eric provided examples, from his science classes, of methods for integrating current events and activities into the curriculum as a means to improve student interest and engagement.

Exploring The Number 5
Shep Stern

Shep discussed the number 5 (Pentad) and its archetypes in nature, art, and science. He demonstrated the tools of the geometer (compass and straightedge), by constructing a regular pentagon, thereby revealing the principle of Regeneration.  Shep also explored the Fibonacci Sequence, using Fibonacci's "Rabbit Riddle," showing this sequence to be present in the construction of the regular pentagram star.

Writing Workshop
William Webb

Based on last fall’s two-day writing workshop at the High School campus, Bill presented and discussed various writing strategies, plans, questions, problems and triumphs, and brought everyone up to date on what is happening across the K-12 curriculum in writing.

Hands-On Art History
Marcia Moore

Hands on activities in the classroom are a meaningful way of engaging students in learning. Marcia Moore presented: "Learning to Look at and Love Greek Vases,” a hands-on Art History project that asked participants to design their own vases in the style of the Greeks, using contemporary symbolism and “mythology”.