NW+GLRS+Co-Teaching+Academy

==== **Welcome to the FY 11 NW Georgia Learning Resources System (GLRS) Co-Teaching Academy!** As you know, inclusion/collaborative instruction continues to be a critical focus for the Georgia Department of Education's Division for Special Education Services and Supports and NW GLRS. You have been selected to participate in the NW GLRS Co-Teaching Academy by your Special Education Director, Principal, and your School District Level Administrators to develop a // "Model Co-Teaching Standards-Based Classroom" //within your district as a //"Co-Teaching Model of Excellence".//====

====NW GLRS will provide you with a hybrid model of support which will consist of a combination of site-based face-to-face professional learning, classroom observations with feedback, and web-based on-going coaching and support with assignments that will focus on improving instruction, effective co-planning, co-teaching in a standards-based classroom, progress monitoring, and differentiating instruction using free 21st Century Web 2.0 tools in the areas of reading and math. You are expected to become local //Co-Teaching Experts// within your district to help build capacity as school/district level experts. Therefore, the FY 11 NW GLRS Co-Teaching Academy has been revised and updated to be //performance-based// to assist you with developing the skills you need to feature your co-taught classroom and your instruction as a "Co-Teaching Model of Excellence". Congratulations and welcome aboard!====


 * Be safe, be appropriate, be responsible and please make sure you remain professional and follow ALL your district policies and procedures. **

** Day 1: Getting Started With Online Coaching & Support: **
1. Sign up for a free //Google Gmail// account and email NW GLRS (cjohnston@nwgaresa.com) your name, GMail address and other contact information. Also download //Google Talk// and //Google Video Chat// as a means of conferencing with the instructors and other participants if necessary.

2. Co-Teaching Teams are to sign up for a free WikiSpace at: http://www.wikispaces.com/. Make sure you email the instructors your Wikispace address so a master list can be developed and shared with the other co-teachers. Also, add your instructors to your Wiki as a member.

3. Co-Teaching Teams are to create a Wikispace that they **__actually plan to use__** as : **A)** a co-teaching and co-planning tool in which the co-teachers will use to communicate, collaborate, plan lessons, differentiate instruction, decide on roles, duties, and responsibilities when teaching the GPS standards (in at least one content area in which they co-teach together, i.e. Reading or Math), determine which model of co-teaching will be used and who will do what, determine what type of formative and summative data will be collected and used to guide instruction, grouping, etc. **OR** **B)** create a Wikispace that is used by **BOTH** co-teachers and students as a teaching and learning tool for teaching the GPS while differentiating content, process, and/or product for SWD, struggling students, and/or all students. You are to make your Wiki is something you and your students can really use throughout the year to access and master the GPS standards using 21st Century Teaching Tools, which tend to be fun and motivating to students’ desire to learn, are interactive, and collaborative. Make sure the 21st Century tools are relevant to the GPS and are also rigorous. Please note that the research states that using 21st Century Teaching Tools appropriately tend to assist students with increasing their higher order thinking skills. 21st Century Teaching is akin to the Constructivist Model of Teaching and Learning. Constructivism is an approach to teaching and learning based on the premise that cognition (learning) is the result of "mental construction." In other words, students learn by fitting new information together with what they already know. Constructivists believe that learning is affected by the context in which an idea is taught, as well as, by students' beliefs and attitudes. Therefore, make sure your teaching and learning using 21st Century Tools to differentiate instruction is appropriate, rigorous and relevant to the GPS being taught.

4. Make sure your Wiki is updated in a timely manner so it reflects what you’re teaching in your co-taught class. Your Wiki will be tracked by the instructors on a monthly basis. For co-teachers who select Option B for developing their Wiki (which is preferred), they are to make sure they add a page or two that co-teachers will use to co-plan, collaborate, etc. (See Option A listed above). Make sure you add your instructors to your Wikispace. Visit the NW GLRS Wikispace at: http://nwglrs.wikispaces.com/ for additional information on how to create a Wikispace and to see other examples of teacher-created wikis used to provide instruction in their classrooms. Please remember, your Wikispace will evolve over the course of the year and should be completed by or before May 15, 2011.

5. Sign-Up for the NW GLRS Co-Teaching Google Blog as a Follower: []. Read the NW GLRS Co-Teaching Blog and introduce yourself to the instructors and the other co-teachers in the FY 11 NW GLRS Co-Teaching Academy. Instructors will post a comment on the Blog at least one time per month and each participant is to respond to the instructor’s post and to at least two other postings of their classmates. Remember to check the blog postings on a regular basis (ex. 2 to 3 times per month). This will help build a true Co-Teaching Professional Learning Community. Write about your experience with creating and using your Wiki for co-planning, co-teaching, and/or using it as an instructional tool with your co-teacher and/or students in the NW GLRS Blog at: []. Feel free to get creative and upload a podcast of yourself co-teaching, co-planning, discussing your Wiki, etc.


 * Make sure you follow your district policies regarding appropriate use of technology and posting a podcast of you co-teaching if students are visible in the podcast. **

** PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS CLEAN AND APPROPRIATE, BUT HAVE FUN!! **


 * // Specific Dues Dates for All Assignments TBD by Instructors and Will Be Posted on the NW GLRS Blogspot by District Cohort! [[file:FY11 NW GLRS Co-Teaching Academy Online Assignment Due Dates.pdf]] //**

** Day 2: Co-Planning and Models of Co-Teaching: Knowing When to Use Which Model: **
1. Sign in to your Gmail account. Co-Teaching Teams are to upload the NW GLRS Co-Teaching Lesson Plan Template and collaboratively develop one Reading or Math Co-Teaching Lesson Plan that they will teach, using the NW GLRS Co-Teaching Lesson Plan Template. Add your instructors as a collaborator in Google Docs. Teachers are to complete the Lesson Plan Template in Google Docs (LP-1). Once co-teachers have completed their lesson plan, they are to upload that lesson plan to the NW GLRS Google Blog at: [] and share their thoughts about how well the collaborative planning, instruction, and student learning went.

2. Discuss whether or not you think using Google Docs is an effective alternative to co-planning when co-teachers don’t have common planning time. Why or why not? Then, review at least 2 other co-teaching teams’ co-teaching lesson plans and provide feedback to them on the NW GLRS Co-Teaching Blog at []. Provide feedback on at least 1 thing you found to be a “GLOW” and at least 1 thing you found to be a “GROW”. Glows are things you really liked that will help both co-teachers and students demonstrate: what they know, understand, and are able to do. Grows are suggestions that you think might make the teaching and learning experience better for both the co-teachers and the students that will lead to increased student achievement. Pay special attention to “Differentiation” and how differentiation will assist students with disabilities (SWD) access and master grade level GPS. Feel free to get creative and upload a podcast of yourself co-teaching, co-planning, discussing your Wiki, discussing your experience with using Google Docs to co-plan, etc. ** Make sure you follow your district policy regarding posting a podcast of you co-teaching if students are visible in the podcast. **

1. Explore and learn how to use “Google Docs” at: []

View the 3 “Google Docs” Podcasts Below:

[] [] []


 * Make sure you follow your district policies regarding appropriate use of technology and posting a podcast of you co-teaching if students are visible in the podcast. **

** PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS CLEAN AND APPROPRIATE, BUT HAVE FUN!! **


 * // Specific Dues Dates for All Assignments TBD by Instructors and Will Be Posted on the NW GLRS Blogspot by District Cohort! [[file:FY11 NW GLRS Co-Teaching Academy Online Assignment Due Dates.pdf]] //**

** Day 3: Differentiated & Specialized Instruction - Part 1: **
1. Go to the NW GLRS WikiSpace http://nwglrs.wikispaces.com/ and go to the 21st Century Teaching Tools & Resources Page. Review the handouts, podcasts, and websites referenced under the “Differentiated Instruction Using Web 2.0 Tools” header. Then select 3 to 5 students with disabilities in your co-taught classroom who require specialized instruction in the area of Reading and/or Math. Based on each student’s individualized area of need, select an appropriate web 2.0 tool to use when teaching the GPS as a means of differentiating the instruction that will assist them with mastering the content. Create a document in Google Docs to progress monitor these 3 to 5 students in the area of Reading and/or Math throughout the year. Document results of formative and summative assessment and write brief notes that you and your co-teacher will use to “assess for learning” and adjust instruction as needed. Make sure you add your instructors as a collaborator in Google Docs. Then, briefly discuss in the NW GLRS Blog [], which web 2.0 tool you selected to use with each of these students and why. Discuss whether the tool was effective or not and whether or not you and your students enjoyed using the tool for teaching and learning. Feel free to use these web 2.0 tools or others to differentiate instruction for other students in your classroom as well. Make sure you document this in your lesson plan that you will post on the NW GLRS Blog. Feel free to get creative and upload a podcast of yourself co-teaching, co-planning, using a web 2.0 tools to differentiate instruction with your students, discussing your Wiki, discussing your experience with using Google Docs to co-plan, etc.

** Make sure you follow your district policy regarding posting a podcast of you co-teaching if students are visible in the podcast. **

2. Once co-teachers have completed their co-teaching lesson plans, upload the lesson plan to the NW GLRS Co-Teaching Blog []. (LP-2). Review at least two other co-teachers’ lesson plans and blog postings and leave a comment. Also, update us on the progress and use of your Wikispace. Remember, it’s a resource for you as a co-teacher to use to collaboratively plan, co-teach and/or use as an instructional tool to support the teaching and learning process of your students in mastering the GPS.


 * Make sure you follow your district policies regarding appropriate use of technology and posting a podcast of you co-teaching if students are visible in the podcast. **

** PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS CLEAN AND APPROPRIATE, BUT HAVE FUN!! **


 * // Specific Dues Dates for All Assignments TBD by Instructors and Will Be Posted on the NW GLRS Blogspot by District Cohort! [[file:FY11 NW GLRS Co-Teaching Academy Online Assignment Due Dates.pdf]] //**

** Day 4: Differentiated & Specialized Instruction - Part 2: **
1. Go “back” to the NW GLRS WikiSpace http://nwglrs.wikispaces.com/ and go to the 21st Century Teaching Tools & Resources Page. Review the handouts, podcasts, and websites referenced under the “Differentiated Instruction Using Web 2.0 Tools” header. Then select either the (same or different) 3 to 5 students with disabilities (SWD) in your co-taught classroom who require specialized instruction in the area of Reading and/or Math, and based on each student’s individualized area of need, select an appropriate Web 2.0 tool to differentiate instruction for these students that will assist them with mastering the content. Don’t forget to update your Google Docs progress monitoring data sheet so you and your co-teacher can use this information to drive instruction. Briefly discuss in the NW GLRS Blog [], which Web 2.0 tool you selected to use with each of these students and why. Discuss whether the tool was effective or not and whether or not you and your students enjoyed using the Web 2.0 tool for teaching and learning. Feel free to use these Web 2.0 tools or others to differentiate instruction for other students in your classroom as well. Make sure you document this in your lesson plan that you’ll post on the NW GLRS Blog. Feel free to get creative and upload a podcast of yourself co-teaching, co-planning, using Web 2.0 tools to differentiate instruction with your students, discussing your Wiki, discussing your experience with using Google Docs to co-plan, etc.

** Make sure you follow your district policy regarding posting a podcast of you co-teaching if students are visible in the podcast. **

2. Once co-teachers have completed their co-teaching lesson plans, upload the lesson plan to the NW GLRS Co-Teaching Blog []. (LP-3). Review at least two other co-teachers’ lesson plans and blog postings and leave a comment. Also, update us on the progress and use of your Wikispace. Remember, it’s a resource for you as co-teachers to collaboratively plan and teach and/or as a useful resource for your students to support teaching and learning.


 * Make sure you follow your district policies regarding appropriate use of technology and posting a podcast of you co-teaching if students are visible in the podcast. **

** PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS CLEAN AND APPROPRIATE, BUT HAVE FUN!! **


 * // Specific Dues Dates for All Assignments TBD by Instructors and Will Be Posted on the NW GLRS Blogspot by District Cohort! [[file:FY11 NW GLRS Co-Teaching Academy Online Assignment Due Dates.pdf]] //**

** Day 5: Implementing Standards-Based IEPS: **
1. Sign in to your Gmail account. Co-Teachers are to collaboratively develop one Reading or Math Co-Teaching Lesson Plan that they will actually use using Google Docs (LP-4). Once co-teachers have completed their lesson plan, they are to upload that lesson plan to the NW GLRS Google Blog at: [] and share their thoughts about how well the collaborative planning, instruction, and student learning went.

2. Discuss whether or not you think using Google Docs is an effective alternative to co-planning when co-teachers don’t have common planning time. Why or why not? Then review at least 2 other co-teaching teams’ co-teaching lesson plans and provide feedback to them on the NW GLRS Co-Teaching Blog. Provide feedback on at least 1 thing you found to be a “GLOW” and at least 1 thing you found to be a “GROW”. Glows are things you really liked that will help both co-teachers and students demonstrate: what they know, understand, and are able to do. Grows are suggestions that you think might make the teaching and learning experience better for both the co-teachers and the students that will lead to increased student achievement. Pay special attention to “Differentiation” and how differentiation will assist students with disabilities (SWD) access and master grade level GPS. Feel free to get creative and upload a podcast of yourself co-teaching, co-planning, discussing your Wiki, differentiating instruction using a Web 2.0 tool, discussing your experience with using Google Docs to co-plan, etc.

** Make sure you follow your district policy regarding posting a podcast of you co-teaching if students are visible in the podcast. **

3. Continue working on and developing your Wikispace and respond to the NW GLRS Blog at: []

Email NW GLRS the link to your final Wikispace by or before May 15, 2011 to: cjohnston@nwgaresa.com


 * Make sure you follow your district policies regarding appropriate use of technology and posting a podcast of you co-teaching if students are visible in the podcast. **

** PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS CLEAN AND APPROPRIATE, BUT HAVE FUN!! **


 * // Specific Dues Dates for All Assignments TBD by Instructors and Will Be Posted on the NW GLRS Blogspot by District Cohort! [[file:FY11 NW GLRS Co-Teaching Academy Online Assignment Due Dates.pdf]] //**

** Day 6: Wiki Completion and Blog Response: **
1. Continue working on and developing your Wikispace and respond to the NW GLRS Blog at: []

2. Email NW GLRS the link to your final Wikispace by or before May 15, 2011 to: cjohnston@nwgaresa.com

Congratulations!
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