What Will the Iowa Core Look Like in 

Manson Northwest Webster Classrooms?

The purpose of the Iowa Core/Common Core is to transform teaching and learning in all classrooms so students are college and career ready. So what does that mean for the teachers and students at Manson Northwest Webster?  The Iowa Core/Common Core highlights five shifts that should be happening in every classroom when the Core is fully implemented.

·         Lead high level, text-based discussions –This is as simple as  when  asking students to discuss a text as a whole class or in small groups, make sure the questions are grounded in the text, and  that students refer to the text in their responses.  While personal reactions and opinions are important, they should first be in response to what is being read.

·         Focus on process not just content – Teachers are passionate about their subjects and we are glad they are serious about students learning the skills and concepts because content obviously matters.  However, we cannot merely fill students’ heads with content; we should no longer ask students to just to memorize facts and details.  Instead, we should engage students in the learning process. Give students the opportunity to really understand the concept and connect it to their own lives. When students make multiple connections between a new learning and their own experiences, they develop a better understanding of what they are learning and learn the details along the way.

·         Create assignments for real audiences with real purposes - Of course teachers can create fake situations or simulate audiences for projects.  However, if our goal is to prepare students for life beyond school, they need to be given experiences like those they will have later. 

·         Teach argument, not persuasion - Logical argument convinces the audience because of the  merit and reasonableness of the claims and proofs offered rather than either the emotions the writing.  It is more for college and career to know how to create a logical argument and to be able to persuade someone.

·         Increase text complexity - It’s not just about the textbook anymore!  Besides making sure that an individual text is challenging enough, teachers can also raise the level of content in their classroom by using multiple sources of information. Providing multiple sources on the same topic can help students see a variety of perspectives, and it can help students adjust to texts at varying levels of difficulty.

Although the MNW staff  has been learning about the Iowa Core for a couple of years and thinking about what it means for the classroom, teachers are now in the process of furthering their study of the Core by taking part in area-wide professional development sessions.  During these sessions, the teachers collaborate with colleagues in surrounding districts and schools and follow an Iowa Core Investigations process that will help them discover what the Core is all about. While there are a lot of great learning opportunities going on in MNW classrooms, it’s quite likely not all classrooms have been transformed to reflect the Iowa Core/Common Core.  Learning the Core documents at a deep level during these inservice days is a first step to changing instruction and learning in the classrooms.

Even though we could approach the Iowa Core/Common Core as a compliance issue, we have chosen to look at the Core as an opportunity to prepare our students for their life beyond school.  The Iowa Core/Common Core is about learning and that’s what we’re about at Manson Northwest Webster.

Technology at Manson Northwest Webster Elementary

I have been intrigued by infographs and have been wanting to try one.  The influx of technology at Manson Northwest Webster Elementary seemed like a good place to start.  I used the free version of the web tool Piktochart.  Although the tool wasn't foolproof and the graphics options were limited in the free version, I think I was able to capture the essence of the information and data about technology at Manson Northwest Webster Elementary.  As you can see, however, the information is too small and in many places too fuzzy to read.  The tool didn't allow me to convert it to a pdf, and I ended up having to save it as a image in order to upload it here.  Then, of course, I wasn't able to make it larger for this posting. Although...maybe all the issues were just me...  Next step - a program that will do a more complete job of displaying my information.

I recently wrote this blog post for Manson Northwest Webster's Professional Learning Network class. You can follow this class on Twitter at #mnwpln and the blog at MNWPLN.

Digital Literacy

When I was growing up, the word literacy was strictly associated with reading. Being literate meant you were able to read.  Now when we combine the word “digital” with the word “literacy”, it has a much bigger meaning. Here are three points that help describe what being digitally literate means to me.  These points are actually nothing new and really get to the heart of digital literacy for everyone.  The italicized words in each bullet point are ones that I believe are crucial to the meaning of Digital Literacy. So, it’s about doing as well as knowing.

Digital Literacy is:

• the ability to use technology, communication devices or networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information. 
• the ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources that are presented using the web. 
• the ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment.

The way I do my job has changed dramatically over the last ten years.  I have learned how to become digitally literate in the context of my work and many times in a “sink or swim” situation.  I have learned many skills I need to navigate technology devices and web tools to do my job efficiently and effectively. My social networking tool of choice at work is Twitter.  I have come to depend on the professional network I’ve created over the last two years to help me do my job.  I’ve learned to problem-solve out of necessity as well as find and create information.   But I’m not there yet!  I know I will always be learning how to improve my digital literacy.

I have spent more than twenty years in education and much of it has been at Manson Northwest Webster.  I am passionate about making sure our students are prepared for the future, and I believe being digitally literate will go a long way to get them ready for life beyond our school.