ImagineIT Phase 2
Prosser Career Academy is a Chicago Public High School with 1500 students. I teach juniors and seniors. I have juniors who often don’t remember linear equations - a topic that I know they were taught Freshmen year. I wonder why is their retention so poor? Is it because they weren’t engaged during instruction and couldn’t make the connections necessary to deepen their understanding? I want to see my students transformed from “I’ve never seen this before” to “I sort of remember that topic, just remind me.”
The Prosser Career Academy Math Department Professional Learning Community will focus on sharing STEM lessons that engage the student in a real world context. We will share student work that will inform our teaching. Our PLC will develop resources that will assist other departments who wish to their own PLC. In addition, we will connect with our CTE (Careers Through Education) classes and use STEM lessons as a bridge to increase student learning. There are nine math teachers and two special education math teachers. In addition, there are ten teachers in our CTE or shop department.
The PLC will be addressing the level of understanding of our students and how this affects retention from year to year. The main question will be, “Will STEM lessons with their real world connections increase student retention of material?”
In early September, the PLC will meet and create SMART goals that will guide the PLC throughout the year. We will be using the CPS Framework for Teaching as a starting point. Math department teachers will be surveyed on the areas where they need the most help and then we will collaborate on STEM lessons to address those areas of need. For example, teachers might indicated that they would like support with high level questioning or with using assessment in instruction. STEM Lessons will be designed around those areas of focus. We will be meeting weekly to review student work and having those discussions inform our teaching. Different teachers will be presenting each week. However, Advanced Algebra teachers should still be comfortable participating in a discussion on a Geometry student’s work. Humor in the classroom and in the lessons will be discussed.
The STEM lessons will focus on being active learning opportunities where students can communicate and collaborate with each other. Critical thinking pieces as well as interdisciplinary experiential learning will be woven throughout.
Technology will vary from lesson to lesson. It could include Chromebooks, phones, or maker spaces based on the current lesson. This list will increase as the year progresses. Technology will be chosen so that it meaningfully connects with the lesson. Teachers will use Edmodo for teacher to teacher and student to teacher communication. However, later in the year, we will explore Google In the Classroom as it becomes available to us. Students and teachers will have access to new on-line resources for the new math program being purchased for our school.
Prosser Career Academy is a Chicago Public High School with 1500 students. I teach juniors and seniors. I have juniors who often don’t remember linear equations - a topic that I know they were taught Freshmen year. I wonder why is their retention so poor? Is it because they weren’t engaged during instruction and couldn’t make the connections necessary to deepen their understanding? I want to see my students transformed from “I’ve never seen this before” to “I sort of remember that topic, just remind me.”
The Prosser Career Academy Math Department Professional Learning Community will focus on sharing STEM lessons that engage the student in a real world context. We will share student work that will inform our teaching. Our PLC will develop resources that will assist other departments who wish to their own PLC. In addition, we will connect with our CTE (Careers Through Education) classes and use STEM lessons as a bridge to increase student learning. There are nine math teachers and two special education math teachers. In addition, there are ten teachers in our CTE or shop department.
The PLC will be addressing the level of understanding of our students and how this affects retention from year to year. The main question will be, “Will STEM lessons with their real world connections increase student retention of material?”
In early September, the PLC will meet and create SMART goals that will guide the PLC throughout the year. We will be using the CPS Framework for Teaching as a starting point. Math department teachers will be surveyed on the areas where they need the most help and then we will collaborate on STEM lessons to address those areas of need. For example, teachers might indicated that they would like support with high level questioning or with using assessment in instruction. STEM Lessons will be designed around those areas of focus. We will be meeting weekly to review student work and having those discussions inform our teaching. Different teachers will be presenting each week. However, Advanced Algebra teachers should still be comfortable participating in a discussion on a Geometry student’s work. Humor in the classroom and in the lessons will be discussed.
The STEM lessons will focus on being active learning opportunities where students can communicate and collaborate with each other. Critical thinking pieces as well as interdisciplinary experiential learning will be woven throughout.
Technology will vary from lesson to lesson. It could include Chromebooks, phones, or maker spaces based on the current lesson. This list will increase as the year progresses. Technology will be chosen so that it meaningfully connects with the lesson. Teachers will use Edmodo for teacher to teacher and student to teacher communication. However, later in the year, we will explore Google In the Classroom as it becomes available to us. Students and teachers will have access to new on-line resources for the new math program being purchased for our school.