PD Book Discussion Presentations

5/21/2014

The 2013-2014 Piedmont PD Book Discussion presentations are complete: Big takeaways from the short presentations are below. Book titles hyperlink to book summary and review:

Note: Handouts and ancillary materials are embedded below these summaries. If you liked the One Pager presented by Ms. Adornado's group and would like to use it in your class, go here -includes a related technique called "sketch notes"

Reign of Error- Diane Ratvich
Bernadette MacLeod
Jeffery Joyce

Takeaways:

Schools are not failing. In constant terms, children today are doing much better, there is a much smaller gap in achievement, and they are mastering more knowledge at a much earlier age than previous generation.
No empirical evidence that testing works, some argument that it does harm. They are not data points, they are children
Universal prenatal care and preschool and "wraparound services" that can support the entire community will do more to support student achievement than high stakes testing.
Reducing segregation and poverty is key.
.For profit corporations should not control public schools via profit based charters.

"Im not pro corporation, and I'm not anti-corporation either, I am what we all in this room are which is pro-kid and the question becomes 'are they'?"

Our children are learning at a breakneck pace with no downtime to connect the dots or foster creative thinking.

The Glass Castle – Jeanette Walls
Amy Joseph
Jackie Barone
Marie Delaney
Mona Madan
Clark Davis
Dawn Johnston
Julia Winegardner

Takeaways:

You don't know what you don't know about a child's life or their parents. Don't assume their choices or experiences. see Yellow question strips and compare your own answers to those of Ms. Walls

Sparks of Genius...the 13 Thinking tools of the World's Most Creative People – Root-Bernstein
Sara Suckstorff
Chris Clark
Colleen Burick
Amanda Kay
Karen Gorman
Natalie Czerwinski

See handout for creative thinking ideas. and embedded powerpoint below.

Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell

Thornburg, Maranda
George, Johnathan
Egnot, Robert S
Heitner Grossman, Caroline G
Kennedy, John C
Miller, Johnny E
Marshall, Sheila P
Palgut, Eileen Susie M

The thoughts of a multicultural man on his family's own successes and that of other "outliers" who succeed against the odds.

Takeaways:

the cultural role of proper communication requires overt training in culturally responsive teaching
What can we do to create opportunities toward the 10,000 hours of mastery and how can we minimize differences in students age and earlier advantages?
know that teaching gets more expert as we oursleves approach that 10,000 hour mark
the Roseto effect showed that the love and support of a close knit community makes a world of difference-even a lifespan difference. We need to stay a community.

House Rules – Jodi Picoult
Merdedith Hall
Lisa Giallombardo

The novel about a boy with Aspergers provides valuable insight into how to treat special needs students. What is our responsibility? What is the balance between providing a support and providing a crutch? Our discussion showed that we have teachers who feel strongly each way.

Takeaways:

not disabled but different ablity
What is fair is not always the same or equal
speak to students "I'm going to give each of you the support you need and it is not going to look the same for each of you. It is my job"
Teach the social pragmatics students will need for high school and beyond while supporting them now

Notice and Note – Kylene Beers
McCarthy
Lyttle
Bailey
Frilot
Milligan
Benfield
Brown
Hanson
Immel

Takeaways:
Close reading meant for reading teachers but with strategies applicable to all

Rigor is not comlpexity so much as offering students a chance to do their own deep thinking and questioning via simple signpost questions and deep discussion.
See the images for ideas that were handed out.

How Children Succeed – Paul Tough
Eric Tornfelt
Keith L. Harrell
Ronny N. Reddig
Matt B. Forbis
Elijah L. Ashley

Takeaways: Work ethic and social intelligence more important and desirable than academic intelligence; minimizing hardship hinderances to learning; Our role as teachers in helping support students at Piedmont in developing those qualities.

Now You See It - Cathy Davidson
Aaron Kollar
Paul Booth

Takeaways: Attention is selective, much is missed, by teachers and students. Are schools set up for creating factory workers and is our overt and hidden curriculum still the most important thing for students' futures in the new employment environment? Ways to restructure education including gamification, project based learning and real world tasks. See embedded video below.

Closing the Attitude Gap: How to Fire Up Your Students to Strive for Success - Barute Kafele
portions published online as Google book Wendy Adornato
Stacey Callahan
Angela Davis
Janet Delery
Cheryl Lamb
Rolly Parkins
Andrea Winston

Takeaways:
Somewhat controversial 'no excuses' take that is heavy on vignettes of the author's personal methods that led to his success with urban students. Focuses on the importance of knowing the student's story and of making learning relevant to that child. Culturally responsive. See the image below for "one pager" notes from the group.