TEA Collaborative Learning Group
Team Meetings

Foster
2002

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Date: 9-5-02
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Simmons Middle School Class A105
Parcticipants: Amie Foster, Carol Harrimon, Jim Henson, Roger Kaspar and Karen Morris

Goal(s) of Meeting
Decide on meeting dates Work on group goals

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
We discussed what we each wanted out of the collaborative learning experience. I portraited what was expected from the NSF and the TEA program. We discussed state credit. I informed them that I have an appointment with the district to work out a CPDU schedule for our meetings. We also dicussed writting a grant to help me get a laptop for the TEA field experience.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
We discussed what would be the best reforms possible to the exsisting science curriculum.

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
Discuss ideas and strategies regarding the BP grant because it is due 9-25-02

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?

Additional reflections:
We are trying to create a proposal for a lap top for me to take to the Arctic. We are also propsing cinstructing inquiry-based units to go with each of our 12 science texts and presenting these at a NSTA conference. We are nervous, but everyone is very excited to begin this project. We should know if we got the grant in Nov.

Goal(s) of Meeting
To discuss technology necessary/possible for the Arctic trip. Along with cost and availability.

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
We discussed the type of technology that we thought I'd need. Mr. Kasper was not that familiar with wireless transmitting nor which devices would hold up better in cold conditions, so we came to the conclusion that an expert was needed. We thought we'd wait until I was asigned to work on it further. We also tossed around the idea of a web cam live link, but again, we need to wait for my assignment. Mr. Kasper also showed me webquests that his students were doing and we discussed the possible role of webquests in our plan. We also discuss different software, both making and purchasing that would go with our units.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
Discussed what was meant by inquiry-learning and what role web quests and technology could play in that.

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
Work on BP Grant

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
Refined a plan for producing 12 units to go with our 12 science books. Wrote goals and outcomes for the grant. Wrote a misson statement. Put together a rough financialo outline

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
We discussed the content of the 12 books and how this program would meet them.

Additional reflections:
I have some great ideas, including going right to the Superintendent of schools to write the required letter of support for the grant but I will have to spend many hours on this as it needs to go out Tuesday. I want to get it as finished as I could then give it to the team to improve. They weren't sure if they all can get together on Mon. night to work on this.

Goal(s) of Meeting
Review grant

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
We re-read the grant as I had put it together. We re-did certain sections and made little changes to others.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?

Additional reflections:
I was very surprised, I have been trying to walk a tight-rope, by not asking them to do "too much" because I don't want to loose their interest, but they kept saying "and we should do this" and "we should also do that" It is going to be a lot of work, I hope we get the grant.

Goal(s) of Meeting
Discuss game plan after if grant doesn't come through Future meeting agendas

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
-We decided that we would seek to make the 12 units, whether or not the grant came through. We will begin with the parts that won't cost money an look for some alternative funding. -Also we agreed to study inquiry-learning to get a deeper understanding before writing units. -We decided to get the 12 books as reference material for the next meeting -It was decided that I would again seek an answer out of our district person in charge of professional-growth credit or die trying. -We decided to write one unit entirely together nad set perameters then break up into two teams of 2 people (with myself as a member of both) and write 6 units per group.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
To acquent the team with TEA web page and sign them up as TEA associates.

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
Looked through TEA page and signed up as associates.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
To familiarize all the teachers with the 12 science books used by District 131 and brain storm possible inquiry-based units to go with them.

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
We looked at science books (Prentece Hall Middle School series) and discussed possible inquiry based units. We realized that this was a monumentious tasks (In the one book, "From Bacteria to Plants", for example, there are many, many possiblities) I have been working on compliing a data base of previous/current TEAs and what their projects were, so we can pick units that go with different TEA adventures.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?

Additional reflections:
I need to: - Make a data base of the TEA website listing, TEA, type of science and proect for review by the team. - Review Inquiry based learning books and prepare to study with the team.

Goal(s) of Meeting
Continue to review Science books, perhaps decide on some units or pieces.

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
Mainly reviewed book. We also discussed a letter I got from district office stating that I would need to write this up as several classes per semester to get credit for my people and that 20% of our work would need to be gear toward students with special needs as per the State of Illinois guide lines.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
Discussed a web-quest component to the units. We decided to have the nexct meeting in Roger's classroom (the computer teacher) and we would walk through some webquests.

Additional reflections:
We had a debate about whether each unit needed to include a polar component or be entirely polar based or based on "me" as a TEA. My personal feeling is that we are trying to do good inquiry learning units and, polar or not, it should be reproducable and transeferable to other classrooms, not only in the district, but farther through the web page we are going to construct. This will only be possible if ithe units are more broad than being based in "me". They will also be more marketable to people who will look at entirely polar units and say "We don't have polar regions in our curriculum."

Goal(s) of Meeting
Assess wants of group for direction of mentoring based on categories of CPDU hours available. Work on polar learning unit. Eat dinner

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?

Additional reflections: