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2008 Institute Course
Descriptions |
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- Curriculum Writing for the
International School Teacher
Presented by Karen Moreau
Miami: 19-23 June 2008
As teachers in
international schools, we often find ourselves in the
position of developing curriculum or facilitating curriculum
committees. Given that international schools are
typically not tied to a particular set of external curricula
standards, it is important that teachers understand the
essential elements of a quality curriculum. This
one-of-a-kind course will help teachers hone skills in this
vital area, which has now become central to the job of
teaching in international schools. Using actual units
of study, case studies, and other practical curriculum
tools, participants will develop skills in:
-
analyzing the current
state of curriculum in your school
-
discovering the
different types of curriculum models that are typically
found in international schools
-
determining the
essential components of a curriculum that focuses on
quality student learning
-
discovering how the
teaching and learning cycle relates to curriculum and
assessment
-
utilizing the steps in
developing a quality curriculum
-
developing assessments
that reflect student learning of the intended curriculum
-
understanding factors
that lead to sustainability of the written curriculum
-
determining strategies
for facilitating a curriculum development project in
your school
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Leadership Tools for Department Heads
and Grade Level Leaders
Presented by Ann
Straub
Miami:
19-23 June 2008
International schools
worldwide have adopted an organizational model which
often includes grade level team leaders and heads of
department. These leaders are critical to student
learning and continuous improvement, yet we often fail
to provide specific, practical training for the job to
be well done. This course, the first of its kind
in the international setting, is designed to help
Department Heads and Team Leaders understand both the
complexity and importance of their roles and provide
them with essential tools for effective leadership,
including:
- exploring practices
that provoke learning and build ownership on teams,
departments, and committees
- recognizing the
stages of change and using strategies to support
teams in the change process
- internalizing characteristics
and stages of development of effective teams
- taking a deep look at an
appropriate job description and substantiating the
rationale for these positions
- adapting tools for
developing, implementing and monitoring curriculum
at the department or grade level
- becoming a 'leader
of learning'
- practicing specific leadership
strategies and models for focusing the work of a
department or grade level team on student learning
- assessing one's own
leadership style
- communicating with
team members and other school educators
This course is suitable
for both practicing and aspiring grade level leaders
and/or department heads.
Instructional Strategies That Work
Presented by John &
Jaye Zola
Miami:
25-29 June 2008
This course models a wide range of instructional strategies that can increase
student achievement by promoting the active and engaged
learning of all students. Our work will begin with
ways of creating a classroom environment that supports
discussion and promotes student voice. Authentic
discussion, as opposed to techniques such as "call and
response," is at the heart of effective classroom
instruction. It is through discussion that
students make meaning and reveal their levels of mastery
and understanding. Effective discussion combines
both instruction and assessment in the learning process.
The second focus of this course will be the modeling of
active and engaging teaching strategies. Whether
"scored discussions," simulations, or concept mapping,
these strategies put the student at the center of the
learning process. Woven throughout this course
will be opportunities to examine current research on
"best practices" and time to apply course content to
each teacher's classroom setting. Count on a
highly participatory learning experience!
Participants in the
course will:
- identify the connections
between student engagement in discussion, active
learning, and student achievement
- explore strategies for
creating classroom environments that promote student
engagement and authentic classroom discourse
- improve skills related
to asking questions that promote higher levels of
student thinking
- practice a variety of
discussion strategies that bring greater student "voice"
into the classroom
- examine current research
on "best practices" and evaluate their own classroom
practice in light of those principles
- discuss the connections
between effective instruction and on-going assessment of
student learning
- practice a variety of
active learning strategies that put students at the
center of the learning process
- adapt strategies modeled
in this workshop to their own classroom practice
The Heart of Teaching:
Beyond Content
Presented by
Jennifer Abrams
Miami: 25-29 June 2008
Students learn so much more in our classrooms than
content and skills. Beyond the content, what do we
want learners to
take away from their time with us? A sense of
wonder? A positive
attitude toward learning? Some
actual 'learning
skills? There is compelling evidence that, in the
long term, the way teachers interact with students
may even be more influential than the actual content
they acquire. This course explores who we are as
teachers, the climate we create in the classroom,
and the dispositions and bigger learnings we hope
our students will take away from our schools.
Participants in this course will:
- explore 15 affective teacher behaviors that
shape classroom climate and promote
learner
acquisition of positive dispositions
- examine 16 habits of mind
which can be
taught and
assessed and greatly influence content/skill
acquisition
- practice ways to 'seize the moment', when a
learning opportunity in an international classroom (
racism, etc.) arises
- practice with a range
of strategies to
help learners become
more reflective,
independent
learners
- explore how those big goals of our
school's mission
are 'taught' and
assessed in classrooms daily
ESL Strategies for
the Mainstream Classroom
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Presented by Gini Rojas
- Miami:
1-5 July 2008
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- Every
international teacher is an EAL (English as an Additional
Language) teacher just by
virtue of the fact that the majority of students have
primary languages other than English! How can teachers
provide equitable academic programs to English Language
Learners in mixed-lingual classrooms? How can teachers
build a toolbox of instructional strategies to effectively
teach learners of English in the same classroom as
English-proficient students? Participants in this
course interactively answer this and other provocative
questions about providing a responsive environment with
specific pedagogical benefits for English Language Learners
which supports improved teaching and learning for
all
students. Participants will conceptualize and
apply:
-
principles of second language acquisition in an
international-school setting;
- equity
policies inclusive of other languages and cultures;
- knowledge of various program
options to use with English language learners;
- ways to
conduct assessment for the purpose of monitoring students'
language proficiency;
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partnerships between classroom and ESL teachers;
- a
standards-based unit of instruction which aligns content,
skills, and assessments;
- the
design of performance assessment tasks to use as evidence of
students' attainment of standards;
- the
design of criteria (e.g. rubrics, checklists) to use as
feedback tools for improving the linguistic and academic
performances of students;
- a
variety of scaffold strategies to support English language
learners including time-honored ESL strategies,
instructional frameworks (e.g. cooperative learning,
differentiation), and literacy strategies for developing
oral, reading & writing skills for all students; and
- ways to
continue professional development beyond the completion of
the course;
- the
design of performance assessments and criteria for feedback
Differentiation Strategies
Presented by Ochan Kusuma-Powell
London:
25-29 June 2008
In the
non-selective admissions environment of most
international schools, all teachers must learn to
differentiate instruction to meet the needs of diverse
learners. Participants in this course will develop a
framework for effective inclusive instruction by gaining
practical experience in applying the four major
conceptual keys of differentiation:
- knowing your student
- knowing your
curriculum
- developing a
repertoire of strategies
- learning to keep it
in a social context
Specifically,
participants will apply their knowledge in:
- data-gathering in
order to develop a deep understanding of students as
learners
- metacognitive unit
planning for instructional delivery
- acquiring
research-based strategies that support
differentiation
- learning and
practicing principles of adult and student
collaboration to enhance student learning
Technology
in the International Classroom
Presented by Mary Jeanne Farris
London: 25-29 June 2008
Research from many sectors points strongly to
the positive impact of the use of technology on student
learning. International schools are well positioned to
optimize the benefits of educational technology. This course
assists participants to become skilled at using computer
technology in the classroom both as a tool for instruction
and at assisting students to enhance their own learning.
Specifically participants will learn and practice how to:
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implement technology standards in
the classroom
-
plan
for student learning using technology, including
differentiation strategies
-
select the appropriate technology to improve
learning
-
assess software and
internet resources to teach
concepts
-
assess
technology learning effectively
-
keep current on the use
of technology in the classroom
-
make the best use of
a one computer classroom,
mobile lab, and drop in/teaching lab
This course focuses on how to use technology to
improve teaching and student understanding.
Participants in this course are required to bring a
laptop computer.
Classroom
Assessment Strategies
Presented by Elliott Asp
London: 1-5 July 2008
Research from a variety of countries has demonstrated the powerful impact of particular classroom assessment strategies in improving student achievement. These strategies are effective because they blur the line between assessment, curriculum, and instruction - they serve as instructional tools as well as vehicles for providing specific and useful feedback to students and teachers. In this course we will examine and apply a variety of classroom assessment techniques that have emerged from this research and explore how formative and summative assessment can be integrated to empower students to be full participants in their own learning. The concept of a learning-based system will serve as the context for our work and we will utilize tools
which paint a picture of a learning-based classroom and describe how to help students understand and take ownership for their learning.
Participants will:
- examine how to use classroom assessment to
build student ownership and understanding of their
own learning
- gain experience with a variety of examples of
effective classroom assessments from different grade
levels and subject areas
- apply a variety of assessment strategies to
provide feedback to students and inform instruction
- evaluate the relationship between classroom and large scale assessment
- distinguish between assessment
for learning and assessment of learning and use both to improve student
learning and
instruction
- put into practice the characteristics of
assessment design and quality assessment to improve
student learning
Skillful Teaching for
Early Childhood Educators
NEW!
Presented by Madeleine Heide
London: 1-5 July 2008
Teachers of young children have one of the
most important jobs in the world of education! A
positive experience during the early years of learning
has a profound effect on a child's self-worth and future
attitudes towards learning. The opposite is also
troublingly true. The misconception that young
children are easier to teach than older children and
that anyone can teach young children is eroding as
school communities come to realize the power of
high-quality early childhood teaching. Skillful teaching of the
youngest learners requires strong teachers who are
able to meet the needs of young children by
understanding their development, valuing their family
culture, utilizing a repertoire of differentiated
instructional and assessment techniques, and working in
partnership with their parents and other educators to
provide caring, engaging, challenging and supportive
programs.
This course is for individuals who work
in international schools with children ages 3-8 years old, including classroom
teachers, learning specialists, ESOL teachers, guidance
counselors, curriculum coordinators and administrators.
In the context of international schools, participants
will:
- examine principles of child development and
standards of excellent practice for early childhood
educators from various national systems around the
world
- explore four key areas of knowledge and skill - 1)
understanding the role of play; 2) understanding
emergent language and literacy development; 3)
scaffolding students with diverse needs; and 4)
developing effective partnerships with parents and
families
- share authentic challenging topics or situations
regarding various aspects of their experiences as
early childhood professionals and discuss possible
solutions within the context of standards of
excellence
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Additional
Courses (not offered in 2008) |
Brain Matters:
Translating Research into Classroom Practice
- Everyone agrees that what we
do in schools should be based on what we know
about how humans learn. However, until the past
few decades scientific knowledge about brain
structure and functioning has been limited.
Recent advances in technology and research from
cognitive science and the neurosciences have
greatly increased our understanding of the brain
and how it learns. This new information has
significant implications for those who would
make learning more meaningful and relevant for
students.
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- This four-day session will
provide an explanation of the most significant
of the research developments and actively
involve participants in an exploration of the
implications and applications of the research
findings. The focus will be on creating
classroom environments and structures that
result in an increase not only of students'
retention of information, but also in an
increase in their understanding and ability to
use that information in new, unanticipated
situations.
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Introduction
- Why Study the Brain? The Educational Shift
from Behavioral to Cognitive Science
- Technology - Increasing Our Understanding of
How the Brain Works
- Different Ways to Study the Brain
- A Multiple-Memory System for Understanding
Information Processing
Sensory Memory
- Initial Processing of Information
- How the Brain "Pays Attention" (or Why it
Doesn’t)
- The Role of Meaning and Emotion in Attention
and Learning
Working Memory
- Cocktail Party Effect
- Capacity of Working Memory
- "M-Space" and its Implications
- "Chunking" and Rehearsal of Information in
Working Memory
Long-term Memory
- The Biochemistry of Memory
- Toxins at the Synapse and Their Effects
- Neural Plasticity - It's Use It or Lose It!
- Creating an Enriched Environment for the
Brain
- Are There Critical Periods for Optimum Brain
Development?
From Research to Practice
- Reflecting on Current Practices: Major
Implications of the Research
- How Curriculum, Assessment, and
Restructuring are Being Affected by the Research
- Instructional Strategies that Match What We
Know About Learning
Teaching Reading in the International School
While international schools are unique in many ways, all schools
share the need to provide excellent reading instruction. In this
course, participants will explore and practice the effective
strategies resulting from a wide range of research, including:
- The five components of reading instruction: phonemic
awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, fluency, and
comprehension
- The links between reading, spelling and writing
- The role of early intervention and brain plasticity
- What curriculum should be taught at each grade level
- Warning signs, symptoms, and causes of reading
difficulties
- Methods of instruction for poor readers
- Best delivery modes for various types of readers
- How we can best measure success in acquiring literacy
skills
Writing is an
essential skill for critical thinking and clear
communication in all Middle School and High School
subject areas. Participants will experience, in order to
apply in their classrooms:
- writing as a process
from paragraph to IB extended essays
- writing for a
variety of purposes and audiences from narratives to
science reports
- writing as a tool
for reading and analyzing a variety of texts
- responding
effectively to students', colleagues', and their own
writing
- using the Six Traits
from ideas to conventions for instructional
strategies and assessment
- measuring and
monitoring writing improvement with benchmarks,
criteria, rubrics, exemplars, and targeted goals.
- sharing the most
recent research and resources on teaching writing
across the curriculum
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