Memorial+Middle+School



Early Adopters The questions below are meant to be a starting point, as you consider and shape your efforts to challenge learners in authentic, meaningful and relevant ways.

Please add additional questions and thoughts, as they arise... Students taking inspiration from the world around them ||
 * || //**Consider**...// || //notes, evidence, examples, resource links, etc.// ||
 * =**Vision**= || * **Where is your building headed?** || // Student Owned Learning //
 * =**A Closer Look**= || * **Under which F&D Focus Area will you center your efforts this coming year?**
 * Global Communication
 * Information Literacy
 * Student Owned Learning
 * Driving Innovation || Student Owned Learning ||
 * =Grain Size= || * **What requisite skills will students need to develop to attend to this focus area?**

> Careful pairing of TEKS across content areas > Clearly define “projects”Student choice – what does that look like?
 * **Which thread have your early adopters chosen to weave through their practice this coming year?** || # Teacher-training (staff development) paradigm shift for teachers/parents/all stakeholders ; emphasizing higher-level thinking skills; autonomy; choice; co-creators with others; 70-20-10 model (district model)
 * 1) Clear understanding of TEKS
 * 1) Students taking inspiration from the world around them ||
 * < =**Leadership**= ||< * **Who is leading the way?** ||< Adminstration Team, Icoach, Technology Teachers, Librarian, and EA Cohort. ||
 * ==**Staff Capacity**== || * **What is the capability of the instructional staff?**


 * **How might you develop or build this capacity?**


 * **Who are the capacity builders on your campus?** || Faculty is open and willing to try new technology tools. Example, Art teacher having students use ipads and Active Boards to teach students about optical illusions.

Teachers have highg expectations for themselves and students. ||
 * =**Instructional Practices**= || * **Where do models of best practice exist?**


 * **What elements of strength do each offer?** || Science classrooms, Language Arts, Social Studies, and math classrooms. In addition many of our elective teachers use technology frequently.

Willingness to take risk, high student engagment. Willing to collaborate. ||
 * =**Learning Commons**= || * **What is the role of the library media program in the development of your early adopters?** || Librarian provides support for the teachers when they are taking risks. ||
 * =**Staff Development**= || * **In what ways will your early adopters be encouraged to develop a nuanced understanding of the requisite skills our learners need to be life ready?**
 * =**Staff Development**= || * **In what ways will your early adopters be encouraged to develop a nuanced understanding of the requisite skills our learners need to be life ready?**
 * =**Staff Development**= || * **In what ways will your early adopters be encouraged to develop a nuanced understanding of the requisite skills our learners need to be life ready?**


 * **In what ways will your early adopters be encouraged to...**
 * **push the edges of expected practice**
 * **take risks**
 * **embrace failure**
 * **document their process**
 * **mine their mistakes**
 * **iterate** || Teachers will begin with intentional planning- what types of thinking do we want our students to do? What learning outcomes are we planning for? What do teachers need to know about technology modes so that they can be used with the highest level of meaningful learning/thinking

Encourage them to share their ideas with the faculity, thru a faculity blog.

Peer observations, arrange coverage for teachers. ||
 * =**Pedagogical Development**= || * **How will teachers be encouraged to consider their daily practice,** **as it relates to technology, content & the creation of knowledge?**
 * =**Pedagogical Development**= || * **How will teachers be encouraged to consider their daily practice,** **as it relates to technology, content & the creation of knowledge?**


 * **What opportunities will be available for your early adopters to continue their own learning in the context of their practice?** || # We will continue to use our training and technology resources (Wendy Smith, Karen Rogers, Chris Waites, I-Coaches) to help teachers become good stewards of technology with an emphasis on how these tools can be optimized for rigorous and relevant thinking/learning of students. ||
 * =**Accountability**= || * **What evidence might you collect with your early adopters to show your campus plan is producing learning gains?** ||  ||
 * =**Planning**= || * **How is the current vision of your building being acted upon and continuing to evolve?**
 * =**Planning**= || * **How is the current vision of your building being acted upon and continuing to evolve?**
 * =**Planning**= || * **How is the current vision of your building being acted upon and continuing to evolve?**


 * **How do the focus area(s) you've selected for next year support that vision?**


 * **At what point will students being invited into the conversations?**


 * **How will you include students as contributing members in early adopter planning sessions?**


 * **What ideas do you have for the full day each month of campus PD**? **How might we best support your efforts during that time?**


 * **In what way(s) will early adopters be supported between monthly sessions?**


 * **How might you address some of the more pressing "Yeah, but...."s on your campus?**


 * **What resources can the District provide to support your efforts on this front?** || //// ||
 * =**Communication**= || * **How will you communicate what your building is doing?**
 * =**Communication**= || * **How will you communicate what your building is doing?**


 * **How will you invite other stakeholders to engage in the conversation?**


 * **How will you invite and engage global colleagues and peers to learn along side your early adopters?**


 * **Of what benefit will it be to network with the 4 other "early adopter" campuses?** ||  ||
 * =**Connections**= || * **How do your vision & efforts align with the mission of the district?**
 * =**Connections**= || * **How do your vision & efforts align with the mission of the district?**


 * **To which focus area(s) in the Findings & Directions document does your work most closely align?** ||  ||