PLC Meeting 12/20/10

We have apparently conquered our technology issues...we were all able to log on.

December 20, 2010
MS/HS Art Room

Members present: Ronda, Heidi, Andrew, Bev, Emily, and Kara (visitor from West Marshall)
Members absent: None

Blogger: Ronda
Timekeeper: Bev

Check Heidi's comment on the last meeting's notes concerning information about the AEA Read Aloud webinar.

Ronda has received word from Mr. VanderPol concerning our request for stipend pay for outside the contract day to attend the webinar..."Will check with SIT team and see if we will be able to do this. Might be a really good thing."

We need to do a better job of replying to meeting posts about what we are doing in our classrooms in regard to reading. :-)

PLC meeting 12/6/10

Here we go again...more log-in troubles now that our gmail and spartanpride.net accounts have merged, but alas here we are posting our meeting notes only one day late!

December 6, 2010
MS/HS Art Room

Members present: Ronda, Heidi, Andrew, Bev, and (new member) Emily
Members absent: None

Blogger: Ronda
Timekeeper: Heidi

Our group is interested in the AEA Read-aloud Webinar offering on January 25 (a Tuesday). The Webinar will be offered at 8:00 a.m. and at 3:30 p.m. Do we have Professional Development money available for us to attend one of these sessions. If we attend the 8:00 session, we would need substitutes. If we attend the 3:30 session, would we be able to be paid a per diem stipend for outside of our contract day?

Heidi will check with someone at the AEA about the length of the Webinar.

Homework: Everyone post another reading activity that they are doing with their classes.

PLC meeting 11/22/10

November 22, 2010
MS/HS Art Room

Members present: Andrew, Bev, Heidi, Ronda
Members absent: None

Blogger: Ronda
Timekeeper: Bev

Today we worked on getting everyone on board to be able to comment on our blog the work that they are doing in their individual classrooms. For example, for this meeting we were going to have investigated Read Aloud strategies that we could, or are, using in our classrooms.

PLC meeting 11/8/10

November 8, 2010
MS/HS Art Room

Members present: Andrew, Bev, Heidi, Ronda
Members absent: Emily (Is Emily planning to join us?)

Blogger: Ronda
Timekeeper: Heidi

It has been so long since our last PLC meeting that at first we struggled with how to even get logged in and able to create a new post. Mission accomplished...obviously, since we are now posting today's work.

Lisa commented on our last meeting post about consideration of using read-alouds to deepen vocabulary in our content areas.

For our next meeting, we will have researched at least one read-aloud piece that we can use in our content areas, and will hopefully have tried it and have a report to share with our PLC.

Setting up our PLC

Since this is a new PLC, we have gone through setting things up and developing our norms.
•Timekeeper = Heidi
•Record keeper/Blogger = Ronda
•Team Name = GC Fine Arts Reading
•Meeting Place = Ronda's room
•Norms = Be on time, Stay on task, Finish on time, Treats welcome

Questions to be answered...
1. What do we want to achieve? (Goal) We want to improve student learning regarding reading comprehension for every student (in our classes).

2. How are we going to achieve this? (Plan) By researching and implementing effective contemporary reading strategies as they relate to our content areas.

3. How can I contribute? (Role)
Heidi = Identify vocabulary infused into elementary art and the work that the students produce to show understanding of vocabulary and to strengthen their knowledge.
Ronda = Build upon current use of reading strategies, research and incorporate new strategies in art.
Bev = Identify vocabulary infused into elementary general music and how to better incorporate strategies to strengthen those skills.
Andrew = Every student will read a "foreign language" (being music) every day in my class and become fluent in translating that reading into tonal values. Students in music become intimately familiar with the process of reading through their daily exercises.
Emily = TBD

4. What will I get out of this? (Reward) Being a team player within the district as we all work toward the common goal of improving reading comprehension on standardized testing K-12.