Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
1/16/08
Present: Linda Black, Tom Sedore,
Jamie Coleman, Connie Lowe, Chris Hennessey, Dan Herschel
Review Minutes from previous meeting.
Regular Meeting Time established: 3rd Tuesday of Month.
Scheduling Committee is meeting on 1/24/08 in room 124
Look at information on class size policy:
q Scheduling
causes imbalances in class sizes.
q May
be alleviated with a new more flexible schedule
q Don’t
look at snapshots but averages.
q If
more than 10 students with an IEP, a special educator must teach class.
q Students
in 03 classes all need individual instruction so large classes make this
impossible.
q Confusion
on “sixth class” for minimum class size
Staff Development
needs
Staff development to successfully teach in block scheduling.
Current staff development is top down, it needs to be teacher input.
Lack of goals/ focus. Inter and intra disciplinary goals needed.
Each department needs to identify goals.
What do we want students to be able to do?
How do we assess performance?
What strategies do we use to get there?
10 Curriculum components are key.
We can turn issues to academic goals. They can serve as a means of accountability for students teachers, parents, and board.
Need “policing” by department heads and administrators to improve best practices.
Need less meetings and more work with departments.
More informal observations – 10 minute walk throughs with discussion.
Need to share strategies.
It is useful to see other teachers in practice.