Dani Davis

P3

March 27, 2004

 

This assignment was very difficult for me to complete, as there is no written plan for staff development activities for my school.  Every school is allotted eight day per year to conduct staff development activities. All of these days are used during the first half of the year.  I have chosen to write out a list of all of the staff development activities that we did this year.  Then, in March we have a human relations day, during this time we are supposed to do things that draw the staff together.  This year, we played games and walked the building together, but we also took the time to break into groups and discuss six different topics related to our best practices.

 

Staff Development Activities Schedule and Timeline 2003-2004

 

The following is the schedule for this year’s staff development meetings.

 

August 19th-21st          School startup activities binder and rules review were completed.

 

Staff members learned to use digital camera by taking staff pictures for identification badges.

                                   

                                    Staff received a Microsoft Word skills checklist to place next to                                                their computer.

 

Groups went to the computer lab to learn to write newsletters on Microsoft Publisher.

 

A meeting with your department chairperson was conducted.

·        Class roosters

·        New student information

·        Medical Needs of new students

·        Special Education department goals for the year

·        Paraprofessional duties

 

September 2003         Staff participated in MIClimb Standards and benchmarks software training.

  

October 2003              A staff member gave a software presentation on 1st class gradebook software.

 

                                    Staff members were given a form for placing a lesson plan that includes the MIClimb benchmarks standards, on the shared drive.

                                   

                                    Administrators discussed last year’s MEAP results.

                                   

                                    Staff members signed up to be on school improvement plan writing committees.

A meeting with your department chairperson was conducted.

·        Using DANAs

·        Upcoming online Medicaid billing training

·        Upcoming online Easy IEP training

 

November 2003          MEAP preparation was discussed.

 

                                    Staff members broke up into their assigned groups to write the school improvement plan.

 

                                    A staff member gave a software presentation on Microsoft PowerPoint software.

 

                                    Staff put a signature on their school email accounts and sent an email, including the signature, to the administration.

                                   

                                    Staff members were given time to write their lesson plan that includes the MIClimb benchmarks standards, and to place it on the shared drive.

                                   

December 2003          Improving MEAP scores was discussed.

 

                                    Upcoming school closing and possible layoffs were discussed.

 

                                    A meeting with your department chairperson was conducted.

·        Orton Gillingham training

·        Upcoming IEP dates

·        Schedule was given for Medicaid billing and Easy IEP training.

 

Staff members broke up into their assigned groups to write the school improvement plan.

 

January 2003              Final plans for MEAP test were decided upon.

 

                                    Hardcopies of the form for placing a lesson plan that includes the MIClimb benchmarks standards, on the shared drive were collected.

                                   

Staff members broke up into their assigned groups to write the school improvement plan.

 

Staff members were given the afternoon to work in their classrooms.

March 2003                Staff members broke up into six groups and spent the morning rotating through different stations discussing best teaching practices.

                                   

                                    Staff members from Northwestern Edison High School spoke to our staff about best practices in their school.

 

                                    Staff members met with the department chairperson

·        Student issues

·        Implementing Easy IEP

 

Staff members walked around the school or played board games together.

 

Follow-up and Support to Educational Technology Staff Development

 

The MIClimb train was followed up on by providing each staff member with a CD-Rom of the software.  By having this software, teachers are able to relate their lesson plans to the specific standards and benchmark covered within the lesson.  Using this software helps to ensure that all of the necessary standards and benchmarks are being covered at some point or another during the academic year.

 

As of the beginning of this month, the special education staff has implemented the Easy IEP online software to write student IEPs.  At this point, we are still in the learning process.  There are questions as to how to fill out certain parts of the form, as well as who in are departmentalized program is responsible for filling out certain part of the forms.  Since this process is also new to our department chair person, we are turning to the district special education leaders for support.  We also talk amongst ourselves for clarification and support.

 

The Medicaid billing is also completed on the same website as the Easy IEP forms.  Teachers did participate in the training, however because each student who receives the services only needs to be addressed once, the support staff who provide related services to the students are responsible for completing the billing information.  As of now, I have received no follow-up or support for this training.

 

The administrative staff provided support for the teachers as they placed their lesson plans that included the benchmarks and standards on the shared drive, by giving them time to complete the activity during staff development days.  Also, the knowledgeable staff members made themselves available to assist other staff members with placing their lesson plans on the shared drive.  

 

The administrative staff likes for the teaching staff to demonstrate the ways in which they implement technology in their individual classrooms.  The purpose of the software demonstrations is to give all teachers new ideas for using technology, as well as to encourage the computer-leery people to try using computers in the classroom.  When teachers require assistance with integrating what they have seen into their classroom, they are more then welcome to ask the others staff members for assistance.

 

As part of a technology grant the Special Education teachers were all given DANA laptops to use with students who have special needs.  The Paraprofessionals received training on the use of the machines and the teachers were given an instruction manual to help them troubleshoot any problems that may arise.  As proof that the technology was indeed being properly used, the Special Education Chairperson was required to submit a report detailing how the equipment was being utilized in the classroom.  Then, as follow-up, a representative from the grant committee visited every special education classroom to witness the technology being put to use.

 

Teachers are responsible for using the digital camera training, the Microsoft publisher newsletter writing class and the results from their Microsoft Word checklist as they see fit.  When there are technology questions teachers are always willing to help.  Often the teachers will ask questions of one another during the monthly staff meetings.  The administrators often use these questions to assist them in choosing topics for future staff development meeting and training sessions.

 

Plan of Action for Continued Support of Ed. Tech Staff Development

 

After Analyzing our current staff development activities, it seems the there needs to be more hands-on computer training provided.  The biggest need is for the acquisition of basic computer skills.  We could benefit from classes on using Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Word, Photo Shop, and FrontPage for designing a classroom website.  It would be great to have at least one staff development day devoted solely to learning to use technology more effectively.

 

During these sessions, teachers who are knowledgeable about the software will be assigned to a computer lab, where they will be responsible for conducting a tutoring lesson.  The teachers will choose two sessions to attend that day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  By the end of the day, each teacher will have a hardcopy of a finished product that they can tape to the community room wall to share with the rest of the staff, before being dismissed for the day.

 

I would also encourage the staff to continue asking questions of one another.  We can always benefit from the knowledge and best practices of others.  It is easier to glean ideas from other than it is to stumble alone through a path that has already been traveled by others.

 

Reference

 

TutorGig.com:  http://www.tutorgig.com/showgroup.jsp?index=1

This site not only provides software tutorials for teachers and students alike, it also provides academic tutorials for students.

 

Easy IEP:  http://www.pcgus.com/education/WEB%20PAGES/SPEDTechnology%20-%20IEPOverview.htm

This site provides support for creating online IEPs using Easy IEP.  There are answers to frequently asked questions, as well as demonstrations and examples of completed IEP documents.

 

Computer 101:  The questions you were afraid to ask: http://www.yourpcguide.com/

There is a downloadable ebook or a CD available for purchase at this site.  This site tutors individuals in basic computer skills.