Thornwood+Elementary



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...
 * || //**Consider**...// || //notes, evidence, examples, resource links, etc.// ||
 * =**Vision**= || * **Where is your building headed?** || //Being a top elementary school that is an outlier that provides new opportunities to our students. Giving students confidence and utilizing their strengths.// ||
 * =**A Closer Look**= || * **Under which F&D Focus Area will you center your efforts this coming year?**
 * Global Communication
 * Information Literacy
 * Student Owned Learning || Student Owned Learning ||
 * =Grain Size= || * **What requisite skills will students need to develop to attend to this focus area?**


 * **Which thread have your early adopters chosen to weave through their practice this coming year?** || * problem solvers, risk takers, confidence, good communicators, inquisitive, passionate about learning and motivated
 * Flip classroom, student owned projects, student engagement ||
 * < =**Leadership**= ||< * **Who is leading the way?** ||< Principal, ICoach, ILT, and EA teachers ||
 * ==**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?** || * All levels. Some teachers are very new to technology but willing to try new small things. Others are very knowledgeable and use technology daily.
 * Creating a risk free environment and supporting teachers when they need it most. Its okay to fail, but learn and adapt to succeed.
 * Principals, ICoach, ILT, librarian and tech specialist ||
 * =**Instructional Practices**= || * **Where do models of best practice exist?**


 * **What elements of strength do each offer?** || * Technology in workstations, research, Edmodo, Skype
 * Engagement, relevance, and some ownership of student learning ||
 * =**Learning Commons**= || * **What is the role of the library media program in the development of your early adopters?** || To assist teachers with resources and technology hiccups that may occur throughout this journey ||
 * =**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** || * Relevance piece is connected and we want to encourage student thinking and reflection.
 * Lots of conversations about the process and celebrating simple successes to drive further risk taking. ||
 * =**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?**

As well as teacher and student reflections about the learning ||
 * **What opportunities will be available for your early adopters to continue their own learning in the context of their practice?** || * Through tying technology to content are and not making it an additional task. It needs to be natural and rigorous.
 * We will be able to guide staff development to meet their needs and encourage their learning. They will be the trendsetters. ||
 * =**Accountability**= || * **What evidence might you collect with your early adopters to show your campus plan is producing learning gains?** || Student work and products will demonstrate the technology initiatives.
 * =**Accountability**= || * **What evidence might you collect with your early adopters to show your campus plan is producing learning gains?** || Student work and products will demonstrate the technology initiatives.
 * =**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?** ||  ||