Humanities 2012: what worked, what could be improved, goals for 2013

What worked? We have learned a lot about different teaching strategies like the “do now”, various forms of group work and pair work as well as ways of managing classroom discussions. We felt that videoing our lessons was very helpful because it enabled everyone to view the lesson and participate in the discussion afterwards. Video discussion is best facilitated by the teacher who presented the lesson because it gives them the opportunity to focus on various strengths and challenges of the lesson and ask for input from the group. We all liked the idea of sharing our expertise and we are excited about having this opportunity this year. What didn't work well for us? Not all lessons require “high prep” and comprehensive feedback. We should try share small strategies in the form of short clips. We often noticed the end result of learning that occurred in a series of lessons – so maybe shorter, significant clips over a couple of weeks in a “time laps” fashion might provide a different approach compared to videoing one standard lesson. What do we want for 2013? We are really excited about understanding how to use lesson scripts in our planning? Understanding more about how, why and when to assess? This might also inform our thinking about various methods of differentiation. Last but not least we also feel strongly about understanding the impact of the social curriculum on learning. Our immediate goal is to come together next week and bring ideas about how we can use iPad apps or other forms of IT to support us in a differentiated lesson. For now we are brainstorming how exactly we want to approach the various aspects that capture our interests.