Excellence in Applied Technology

This page is under construction and will be constantly updated throughout the school year.!!!!!

What is Excellence in Applied technology? We are providing an in-depth look and explanation of how we, Mr. Duke and Mr. Maguire meet the needs of our students and inspire them to achieve excellence. Where possible we will provide explanations, clarifications, artifacts, and examples for the commitments listed.

The commitments are divided into four main categories:

Planning / Preparation, Learning Environment, Instruction, Professional Responsibilities / Other

Planning / Preparation:

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We consistently plan and implement engaging, highly effective instruction based on our knowledge of students, content, and pedagogy.

-It is important for us to build relationships with our students in order to know and understand what students interests are allowing us to engage students with their interests in mind.

-We use various learning methods, class methods of instruction (Self, Partner and Collaborative Groupings) to engage students and immerse them in the lessons and content.

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We consistently align planning, instruction, and assessment with district standards and curricula.

-All of our lessons are from the national PLTW curriculum and align to the NETS, Common Core and State Math and Science standards. We expose students to thought provoking essential questions that will go beyond checking for understanding, but hopefully inspire students to go beyond the curriculum to learn more.

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We continually communicate the standards and expectations with students and parents.

-As we begin each class session, (by trimester, etc.) we e-mail parents describing the class and the expectations and how to best assist the students in our class. After each Summative Engineering Notebook Check we send a message to parents explaining to them that we have completed the unit and add some thoughtful at home engaging questions about the content.

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We consistently involve students in the learning process by providing numerous opportunities for student choice and reflection.

-In each activity, students are asked reflection questions about their learning and the content that is being taught.

-We also engage students in different action based questions as problems or different learning opportunities arise. -We find it is really some of the best learning moments when something (a robot or a 3D model) fails and we can learn from the failure opportunity.

Learning Environment:

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We consistently involve students in the creation and maintenance of a safe, respectful, and positive learning environment; both in the classroom and throughout the school environment.

-It is vital that students feel safe and free to learn in our Lab. We have created a set of predetermined rules, expectations, and procedures so that students know the expectations and how to function successfully in our room.

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We consistently develop and maintain a positive, trusting, and appropriate professional relationship with all students.

-Again when we build that relationship, students want to learn and want to produce and have fun learning.

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We establish a culture for learning where high expectations of all students are present at all times, and students work to their highest potential.

-It is important for students to know that we expect them to solve problems. We teach our students how to think, not what to think. With that, there is a basic set of information and skills that are necessary to function, but from there student can apply and extend their knowledge by thinking for them selves and in teams and solve real world problems.

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We establish, communicate, implement, and monitor expectations for student conduct through efficient procedures and routines.

Instruction:

We consistently use our extensive knowledge of teaching and learning to provide all students with activities, lessons, and experiences that result in learning and growth to their highest possible level.

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We consistently uses a wide variety of tools and techniques/strategies that are based on current best practice and student needs

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We consistently and effectively uses a wide variety of methods to monitor all aspects of student growth.

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We consistently are reflective practitioners who continually adjusts instructional practice based on students' needs.

Professional Responsibilities:

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We make thoughtful and accurate assessment of a lesson's effectiveness and the extent to which it achieved its instructional outcomes, citing many specific examples from the lesson and weighing the relative strengths of each.

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We draw an extensive repertoire of skills, and offer specific alternative actions, complete with the probable success of different courses of action.

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Our system for maintaining information on student completion of assignments, student progress in learning, and non-instructional records is fully effective.

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Students contribute information and participate in maintaining the records.

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We communicate frequently with families in a culturally sensitive manner, with students contributing to the communication.

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We respond to family concerns with professional and cultural sensitivity.

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We make efforts to engage families in the instructional program that are frequent and successful.

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We build relationships with colleagues are characterized by mutual support and cooperation, we take initiative in assuming leadership among the faculty at Station.

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We take a leadership role in promoting a culture of professional inquiry.

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We volunteers to participate in school events and district projects, and make a substantial contribution and assuming a leadership' role in at least one aspect of school or district life.

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We seek out opportunities for professional development.

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We make a systematic effort to conduct action research. See Action Research Page

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We solicit feedback on practice from both supervisors and colleagues.

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We initiate important activities to contribute to the profession.

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We hold ourselves to hold the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and confidentiality and takes a leadership role with colleagues.

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We are highly proactive in serving students, and seeking out resources when needed.

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We make a concerted effort to challenge negative attitudes or practices to ensure that all students, particularly those traditionally under-served, are honored in the school.

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We take a leadership role in team or departmental decision making and helps ensure that such decisions are based on the highest professional standards.

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We complies fully with school and district regulations, and take a leadership role with colleagues.

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OTHER:

District Initiatives, Goals, & Strategies:

-Close reading

School Initiatives, Goals, & Strategies:

-Colt Time Tier 2 interventions

Department Initiatives, Goals, & Strategies:

-Implementation of PLTW STEM Curriculum

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Committees and School Initiatives:

Committees

• • Team Leader

  • Technology Committee (building)

  • 220 Technology Steering Committee (district)

  • STUF – STation Upgrade Facilitator

  • SIP- Student Improvement Plan (Rising Star)

  • (Math Committee)

  • SIP-Student Improvement Plan(Caring Schools)

School Initiative

• • UbD – Understanding by Design

  • Essential questions

  • PLC- Professional Learning community

  • RTI- Response to Intervention

  • Social emotional activities

  • PALS (Service Learning Activity Plan) & Adv

  • Advisory / Character Ed.

  • Tech Lab Furniture - Research & Allocation

Activities

• • Sound & wiring

  • Activity center, Gym, Media center

  • Tech Lab Curriculum – add modules

  • Teach Computer classes and Workshops: Schoology, Excel, Digital Scrapbook/Writing, Web 2.0 Tools, Computer Organization/E-mail

*Adapted from the District 220 Danielson Supervisory Process Model