TEA Collaborative Learning Group
Overview of Plan

Foster

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Team Members:
Amie Foster
Carol Harrmon
Karen Morris
Jim Henson

What is your role within your team?
Facilitator/Active Parcticipant

What professional growth goals do you and your team members hope to reach through this partnership?
Professional Goals
1. Get a working group of collaborating teachers
2. Focus on implementing real research into classroom
3. Identify and plan ways to meet state and district goals through inquiry based learning
4. Share successful inquiry-based learning techniques with other teachers

I envision this collaborative group to enhance my teaching by making me more aware of my role as a facilitator of knowledge and a disseminator of information; also as a resource for my students in their learning instead of the absolute authority. I would like my collaborative group work to identify resources that might make more real-life learning possible for my students. I would like to have the support from colleagues and the resources, as an educator, to give my students control of their learning and the resources to ensure that higher quality learning is taking place.

How will you and your team reflect on these goals and on learning and classroom practice (e.g., pedagogy, the use of technology, content, the process of science)?
Defining a team plan
When I have a group of teacher’s on board my intention is to survey them and determine what topic they are interested in pursuing, and what personal goals they wish to accomplish and what they feel that they need to make themselves better teachers.

Milestones
Year 1
Develop a good working relationship with a collaborative team Refine goals to the interests and abilities of the group Plan ways in which school and community can be involved with my experience and follow the TEA program Visit a research facility Identify sources of funding for inquiry learning projects, apply and implement


Year 2
Plan ways to bring inquiry learning to other teachers Present at the NSTA conference Visit a research facility Identify sources of funding for inquiry learning projects, apply and implement


Year 3
Plan ways to disseminate the benefits of our collaboration to other teachers Visit a research facility Identify sources of funding for inquiry learning projects, apply and implement



First session outline
I would like to begin the first session by talking about what the purpose of the group is and what we need to accomplish, such as the 140 hours and the broad goals set forth by the National Science Foundation. I would like to have packets ready for my group members to give them the ideas I have and that have been suggested during my orientation. After they have looked through and discussed it, I would like to align their preliminary interests and goals with the program goals, and set and agenda for the next meeting involving establishing solid goals and a plan of action to achieve them. I don’t want to do this at the first meeting because I want to give them some time to digest all that they have been presented.

Mentoring Plan (Revised from Orientation)
Who I plan to seek out
While I wish to keep the group small, under 10 persons, I will first reach out to Simmons Middle School teachers. I also plan on making presentations at the other schools in our district.

How I plan to recruit
I am going to start with the Kane County ROE, to see if we can give CPDU’s for parcticipating in this program as an incentive. I am going to do a presentation to Simmons on the first day of school. I then hope to talk to the other principals about presenting at their teachers’ meetings. My goal is to have a working group by Oct. 1.



Sustaining Involvement
I want to have many small goals and milestones working toward a larger goal (to be set by the team members). In this way I hope to generate and maintain support and interest. Should I notice that team members are lagging, we can discuss what needs are not getting met or if changing circumstances in personal lives could be better addressed by changing meeting times, places, etc. I would like to revisit goals and activities at the beginning of every year to make sure that they are still meeting everyone’s needs.

Skills
I have a lot of endurance and single mindedness towards a goal. I feel that this will be a good rudder for my team. I have a willingness to listen and encourage others points of view. I feel these qualities will be an helpful in accomplishing this portion of my experience. I would like to develop my teaming skills and I feel the collaborative group work would be an excellent way to accomplish that personal goal.

Differing perspectives
Inevitably when two or more people are in the same room, they will not have identical goals. The best way to deal with this eventuality is to be prepared for it. When team member have different interests that the whole group I will encourage them to break off to work on the things they are interested in using the rest of the group for a resource. I also feel we all will have to compromise on some things. With a three-year commitment, it would not be difficult to take turns and accommodate some of each person’s interests.