Sunday, January 10, 2016

ECV PD Book Club Meeting 1/20/16 @ 7:30 in the Library

At our last meeting, we decided to complete our reading of Culturally Responsive Teaching by breaking up the final chapters amongst ourselves. Please come to our next meeting on January 20th ready to share your final thoughts on this text, or add your final thoughts in the comments section below. One thing we should think about: What should our next text selection be? Think about it. See you all soon!
  • Readers (summarize and share your insights):
    • Chapter 4: Sedore
    • Chapter 5: Millican
    • Chapter 6: Michelson
    • Chapter 7: Devine
    • Chapter 8: All group members
image source: http://uucch.org/Websites/uucch1/images/book_discussion_group.png

2 comments:

  1. What kind of text should we follow up with next?

    I'm very energized by George Couros' Innovator's Mindset, which I'm reading as part of another group.

    I also just started Most Likely to Succeed by Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith based on recommendations from Mike Skocko (Valhalla) and Dan McDowell. I'll read those no matter what we decide.

    Maybe we need to focus on a text that will help us think about the way we read and write across the curriculum? Something that will take the ECV Way to the next level?

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  2. Chapter 7:

    I have to admit that I wasn't very drawn to Gay's writing style in the first 3 chapters that we read together. For one, her writing was densely academic and impersonal. More than that, considering the moves we have taken to improve school culture and the way we embrace diversity at ECV, I felt like her message was preaching to the choir.

    That said, chapter 7 surprised me. Gay transitions to a more transparent discussion about her own practices and beliefs as an educator. She discusses the importance of sharing successes, failures, and learning within professional networks (physical and virtual). She advocates for personal learning opportunities, and choices, for students. While reading I kept thinking of the things we do at ECV that reflect some of the best practices she advocates for in this chapter: "We do that with Unity Days and Camp LEAD!" "That sounds a lot like the Your Story activity we do in our HOPE Summer Program!"

    I found myself agreeing with her frequently: student choice, grading to learn, culture of sharing, developing learning partnerships with students, take the mystery out of the learning process, and personal reflection. I especially like her statements about empowering students. She basically, on page 225, equates critical reading instruction with empowering students. I agree that teaching students critical reading skills is vital for empowering our students to be in control of what they believe.

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