Are you ready to be a literacy leader in your school?

Join us for a year-long cohort; learning and applying the science of reading to instruction!

LETRS 3rd Ed Volume 1 - Units 1-4 Training  20200025-11

LETRS 3rd Edition is a blended learning model that provides engaging professional development to teachers of reading, spelling, and related language skills. LETRS 3rd ed is comprised of two volumes. Participants will complete Volume 1 throughout the school year. This training will include 4  face-to-face sessions, online content and activities, Bridge to Practice application activities, and onsite and virtual coaching. The cost of the session also includes the required Volume 1 book and a 1-year license to the online content. Volume 1 is designed to explore the Word Recognition strands of the Reading Rope utilizing 4 units of study (The Challenge of Learning to Read, The Speech Sounds of English, Teaching Beginning Phonics, Word Recognition, and Spelling, and Advanced Decoding, Spelling, and Word Recognition). Participants must attend all face-to-face sessions and complete the online coursework to receive Act 48 hours and a completion certificate. Act 48 hours awarded after the course will include participation in the face-to-face sessions, online coursework, and coaching.  

TOTAL Act 48 Hours: 120 

CPE Option at an additional cost: Contact Erin McManamon for information 

 

Facilitators: Erin McManamon 

DETAILS

• Begins September 26, 2023
• Blended learning model with online activities, videos, and assessments
• Four face-face sessions required throughout the 12 month time frame
• Apply learning in your classroom through Bridge-to-Practice Activities
• Onsite and Virtual Coaching available
• For all K-5 teachers, Reading Specialists/Interventionists; Special Education Teachers, SLPs, School Psychologists

Unit 1: September 26,2023

Unit 2: November 30,2023

Unit 3: February 27,2024

Unit 4: May 2,2024

COST : $399 per person includes all materials, online content and face-to-face or virtual coaching.  CPE Credits available for additional cost and assignments.

Questions? Contact Erin McManamon emcmanamon@tiu11.org

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Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright, Jeff Remington

Description of Activity: Tier #1 Series Our goals are to begin conversations about the shift towards the new Pennsylvania Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Academic Science Standards (STEELS) that were fully adopted in June 2022. A series of ten interactive webinars will include an introduction to Phenomena-based science education, 3D teaching and learning, equity and inclusion, Science and Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, Disciplinary Core Ideas, Student Performance Expectations, PBL, Productive Student Discourse, Technology and Engineering Integration, 3D Assessments, and Reviewing and Critiquing for High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM.)  Sessions build upon knowledge, pedagogy and practices of the preceding ones. It is recommended that all are taken, in order, to develop a foundation for this shift in science education. You must select each session individually to be registered and receive ACT 48 hours upon completion.

Asynchronous work is required: pre-reading one STEM Teaching Tools Practice Brief, posted reflections regarding the readings, and applying what is learned to participants’ contexts.  Participants may join virtually in-person, work completely asynchronously or attend as a hybrid mix.

For a full list of sessions and dates, click on Fall '23-24 ENGINE 3D STEELS Educator CoP.

FYI: Spring Series: Tuesdays 1/2/24 – 5/7/24

Series closes June 31, 2024 for both series.

Recommended Prerequisite: read the National Research Council: A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas (2012), free download

“As our school district begins the journey to implement the new science standards for our teachers and students, this overview of the new STEELS standards and the great introduction to the resources available to us as teachers provides me with a solid place to start this new journey. “High School Chemistry Teacher, Attendee Pilot Year #1 January 2023 - May 2023.

****35 ACT 48 hours will be presented after completion of all sessions.You must select each session individually to be registered and receive ACT 48 hours upon completion. (If registration is closed for the session you want email cflaherty@tiu11.org)

Session 1 

Fall 9/28/23

Introduction and Phenomena-based teaching and learning

Session 2 

Fall 10/12/23

STEELS for ALL Students Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

Session 3 

Fall 10/26/23

3-Dimensional Learning: Science & Engineering Practices

Session 4 

Fall 11/9/23

3D Learning: Cross Cutting Concepts

Session 5 

Fall 11/30/23

3D Learning: Disciplinary Core Ideas

Session 6 

Fall 12/7/23

Student Performance Expectations: Teaching Practices and Administrators Look-fors

Session 7

 Fall 12/21/23

Project/Problem-based learning and Productive Student Discourse

Session 8 

Fall 1/4/24

Technology and Engineering Integration

Session 9 

Fall 1/18/24

3D Formative and Summative Assessments

Session 10 

 Fall 2/1/24

Selecting and Modifying Science Curriculum for High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM)

Fall 2023

Close Date

Final Live Session Date: February 1st, 2024

Close Date: June 30, 2024

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Join us for a year-long cohort of learning and collaboration applying the science of reading to instruction with a focus on language comprehension. This blended learning professional development will include access to an online learning platform for each unit as well as four, face to face sessions. Instructed by Erin McManamon, MS CCC/SLP

F2F Dates: 

Unit 1: 10-12-23

Unit 2: 12-7-23

Unit 3: 3-22-24

Unit 4: 5-3-24

Content:
Unit 5: The Mighty Word: Oral Language and Vocabulary
Unit 6: Digging for Meaning: Understanding Reading Comprehension
Unit 7: Text-Driven Comprehension Instruction
Unit 8: The Reading-Writing Connection

DETAILS:  20200024-11

Begins October 12, 2023

Blended learning model with online activities, videos, and assessments Four face-face sessions required throughout the 12-month time frame Apply learning in your classroom through Bridge-to-Practice Activities Onsite and Virtual Coaching available For all K-5 teachers, Reading Specialists/Interventionists; Special Education Teachers, SLPs, School Psychologists

COST

$399.00 per person includes all materials, online content and face- to-face or virtual coaching.

CPE Credits available for additional cost and assignments .

Questions:  contact Erin at emcmanamon@tiu11.org

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Title: SW-PBIS Curriculum Training Day 1

Who: MUASD Only

When: Monday December 4, 2023

            8am-2:45pm

Where: Mount Union Area High School Library

 

The goal of Day 1 is to establish the rationale for implementing SWPBIS. This training event is for Core Team Members only of MUASD Junior and Senior High School. Outcomes include acquiring an understanding of the rationale and foundational concepts of Schoolwide PBIS; understanding the roles and responsibilities of building-level teams; analyzing data to support implementation of SW-PBIS; and beginning the action planning process for implementation. 

 

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SAVE THE DATES!

ECRI COACHES' PLC 2023-24

OUR GOAL:

• To provide ongoing ECRI implementation support
• To provide collaboration time with other coaches
• To celebrate and problem-solve together!

JOIN THESE VIRTUAL MEETINGS FOR ANY OR ALL DATES! Please register for each session Individually in order to receive the Zoom Link.

DATES: 

December 7, 2023

January 4, 2024

February 1, 2024

March 7, 2024

April 4, 2024

May 2, 2024

TIME: 7:30-8:30AM

(ZOOM ROOM WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 9:00!)

For More Information:

ekruse@tiu11.org

emcmanamon@tiu11.org

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TIU is excited to announce a new advisory council and professional learning community dedicated to the administration and facilitation of online and blended learning in the TIU 11 region. Through this group, we aim to foster collaboration and innovation by providing a platform to discuss key topics, exchange valuable resources, take in-person and virtual tours of online learning programs in the TIU 11 region and beyond, and hear from experts in the field.

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This meeting will be the second in a series of 4 SEL Networking events to be hosted this year. 

Welcome back to our guest speaker, Ryan Klingensmith, creator of Shape the Sky. This is Ryan's second time as a guest speaker at TIU11 and you are in for a treat! Ryan's portion of the day will be in the morning, then there will be an opportunity to network with other Special Education teachers in the afternoon. We will also explore strategies for diffusing challenging behavior. Read below to learn more about our speaker. 

The Founder of Shape the Sky

Ryan Klingensmith, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), is the founder of Shape the Sky. Ryan started his career in 1994, where he worked at an inpatient psychiatric hospital for teens diagnosed with a mental health disorder. He also worked in residential treatment facilities, teen shelters, and group homes for children and teens. In 2010, Ryan began providing outpatient mental health therapy for youth, and he also began working in Student Assistance Programs (SAPs) in Pennsylvania to present about drug and alcohol prevention. When he was working with middle school and high school students, he noticed the mistakes and misuse of social media. Shape the Sky was born when he identified a need for comprehensive, ongoing education about social media for parents, school personnel, law-enforcement and mental health providers. 

With technology and social media usage growing, the need to educate invested adults is growing too. With Ryan’s background in mental health and knowledge of social media, he developed a series of training programs to inform adults about current youth culture online, the mental health implications of social media, and general misuse of technology by kids and teens. Once they have a better awareness and understanding of what’s happening online, adults can use their wisdom to keep kids safe.

The second part of the day will provide opportunities to network with local teachers as we have an introduction to Restorative Practices and Circles.

This event is free and open to all Emotional Support teachers and staff, Learning Support teachers and staff, Guidance Counselors, Social Workers, and any professional team member that works with students in need of enhanced social emotional skills training! Feel free to share the link and encourage your colleagues to attend.

Lunch will be on your own. You are welcome to pack a lunch or eat in town. There is a Sheetz within walking distance to the training room. Parking can be found behind the JCEL building on campus. Please look for burgundy colored TIU Training signs to help you navigate.

For more information contact Betsy Cox at ecox@tiu11.org

Register

 

Register Users

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Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright and Eric Yoder

 

Description of Activity: Why do we use these particular four practices?

 

Our main objective as science teachers is to change students’ thinking over time, so we need to know what our students understand about the target science ideas in the first place. This set of practices—eliciting students’ ideas—is used at the beginning of a unit of instruction. It is designed to 1) reveal the range of resources that students use to reason about a set of science ideas (working theories, everyday experiences, language), 2) activate their prior knowledge about the topic, and 3) help you to adapt upcoming instruction, based on how students reason about the anchoring event. Please note that this set of practices is about more than “hooking” students or temporarily capturing their interest.

 

In this session learn about the importance of Productive Student Discourse, using culturally relevant and their own words, to communicate, figure out and make sense of science concepts. 

 

During this session, we will focus on:

• Modeling eliciting students’ questions and ideas as well as activating prior knowledge
• Supporting students to represent their thinking publicly
• Science and Engineering Practice of developing and using models: students modeling as a technique for explaining student thinking
• Making student thinking visible

 

Highly Recommended: Visithttps://ambitiousscienceteaching.org/ to preview the website (Getting Started) and watch the Eliciting students’ ideas video,16;39. Also read Ambitious Science Teaching: Chapters 5-7, Appendix C

 

Prerequisites include:

• AST Session #1: (AST) Session #1 Introduction to Ambitious Science Teaching and Culturally Relevant Science Teaching
• AST Session #2: Practice 1 - Planning for Big Ideas

 

Note: Selected sessions will be recorded and made available for an asynchronous option. Asynchronous work to include pre-reading of the website and/or AST paperback, viewing AST videos, posted reflections regarding the readings and videos, and applying what is learned to participants’ contexts. Participants may join in-person, work completely asynchronously or attend as a hybrid mix. Please contact Peney at pwright@tiu11.org for complete details.

 

More

Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright

 

Description of Activity: Supporting on-going changes in thinking

 

Throughout any unit of instruction, students are frequently engaged in different types of activity. For example, students might do hands-on work with materials, use computer simulations, conduct observations of phenomena, design experiments, or collect and analyze different types of data. The purpose of this set of practices is to help students develop new ideas to use in revising explanations and models for the anchoring phenomena.

 

We want to make clear that this set of practices should be repeated multiple times throughout a unit. Multiple activities and multiple rounds of sense making are required to build towards a deep understanding of an explanatory model. A single activity is not enough to accomplish this.

 

Ambitious Science Teaching Practice #3 involves supporting ongoing changes in students’ thinking about scientific concepts. This practice recognizes that science learning is an iterative process that requires students to continuously revisit and revise their prior understandings and beliefs as they encounter new information and evidence.

 

In Session #4 we will delve deeply into meeting the Three Core Practices which support ongoing changes in thinking within an immersive experience:

• Introducing new ideas
• Engaging students in activity and sense making
• Collective thinking

 

Highly Recommended:  Visithttps://ambitiousscienceteaching.org/ to preview the website (Getting Started) and watch the Supporting on-going changes in thinking video ,21:52. Also read Ambitious Science Teaching: Chapters 8 - 11, Appendices D-E

 

Prerequisites include:

• At least one Tier #1 PL
• AST Sessions #1 - #4

 

• Note: Selected sessions will be recorded and made available for an asynchronous option. Asynchronous work to include pre-reading of the website and/or AST paperback, viewing AST videos, posted reflections regarding the readings and videos, and applying what is learned to participants’ contexts. Participants may join in-person, work completely asynchronously or attend as a hybrid mix. Please contact Peney at pwright@tiu11.org for complete details

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Title: School Counselor Network

Date: December 20, 2023

Time: 9 AM to Noon

Location: Virtual - https://paiu.zoom.us/j/4476176265

Department: Curriculum

Act 48: Yes

Description:  The School Counselor Network is an opportunity for school counselors from around the region to come together to get some professional development and converse with other counselors on the biggest topics in our area
 

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Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright, Jeff Remington

Description of Activity: Tier #1 Series Our goals are to begin conversations about the shift towards the new Pennsylvania Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Academic Science Standards (STEELS) that were fully adopted in June 2022. A series of ten interactive webinars will include an introduction to Phenomena-based science education, 3D teaching and learning, equity and inclusion, Science and Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, Disciplinary Core Ideas, Student Performance Expectations, PBL, Productive Student Discourse, Technology and Engineering Integration, 3D Assessments, and Reviewing and Critiquing for High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM.)  Sessions build upon knowledge, pedagogy and practices of the preceding ones. It is recommended that all are taken, in order, to develop a foundation for this shift in science education. You must select each session individually to be registered and receive ACT 48 hours upon completion.

Asynchronous work is required: pre-reading one STEM Teaching Tools Practice Brief, posted reflections regarding the readings, and applying what is learned to participants’ contexts.  Participants may join virtually in-person, work completely asynchronously or attend as a hybrid mix.

For a full list of sessions and dates, click on Fall '23-24 ENGINE 3D STEELS Educator CoP.

FYI: Spring Series: Tuesdays 1/2/24 – 5/7/24

Series closes June 31, 2024 for both series.

Recommended Prerequisite: read the National Research Council: A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas (2012), free download

“As our school district begins the journey to implement the new science standards for our teachers and students, this overview of the new STEELS standards and the great introduction to the resources available to us as teachers provides me with a solid place to start this new journey. “High School Chemistry Teacher, Attendee Pilot Year #1 January 2023 - May 2023.

****35 ACT 48 hours will be presented after completion of all sessions.You must select each session individually to be registered and receive ACT 48 hours upon completion. (If registration is closed for the session you want email cflaherty@tiu11.org)

Session 1 
Spring 1/2/24 Introduction and Phenomena-based teaching and learning 

Session 2 
Spring 1/14/24 STEELS for ALL Students Equity, Inclusion and Belonging 

Session 3 

Spring 1/30/24 3-Dimensional Learning: Science & Engineering Practices 

Session 4 
Spring 2/13/24 3D Learning: Cross Cutting Concepts 

Session 5 
Spring 2/27/24 3D Learning: Disciplinary Core Ideas 

Session 6 Spring 3/12/24 Student Performance Expectations: Teaching Practices and Administrators Look-fors 

Session 7 
Spring 3/26/24 Project/Problem-based learning and Productive Student Discourse 

Session 8

Spring 4/9/24  Technology and Engineering Integration 

Session 9 
Spring 4/23/24 3D Formative and Summative Assessments 

Session 10  
Spring 5/7/24 Selecting and Modifying Science Curriculum for High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) 


Close Date - Final Live Session Date: May 7th, 2024 
Close Date: June 30, 2024

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SAVE THE DATES!

ECRI COACHES' PLC 2023-24

OUR GOAL:

• To provide ongoing ECRI implementation support
• To provide collaboration time with other coaches
• To celebrate and problem-solve together!

JOIN THESE VIRTUAL MEETINGS FOR ANY OR ALL DATES! Please register for each session Individually in order to receive the Zoom Link.

DATES:

January 4, 2024

February 1, 2024

March 7, 2024

April 4, 2024

May 2, 2024

TIME: 7:30-8:30AM

(ZOOM ROOM WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 9:00!)

For More Information:

ekruse@tiu11.org

emcmanamon@tiu11.org

More

Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright 

Description of Activity: Tier #1 Session Professional learning for district and school administrators, curriculum directors, special education administrators, instructional coaches, science leaders and STEM teacher leaders across the region to build understanding of shifts in science education that can lead to more equitable, student-centered, rigorous science instruction. 

Instructional leadership and active support at the building and district level is an essential part of a successful outcome for teachers of science and for their students. This pathway experience will help building and district teams identify what needs to be in place to help this new vision for science education become a reality. 

Audience: administrators, principals or assistant principals, curriculum directors, STEM teachers, instructional coaches, science department chairs, science leaders, special education teachers, ELL teachers and guidance counselors 

Recommended Prerequisite: read the A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas (2012), free download

“I would encourage all administrators to attend [this professional learning] as we will be directly observing/supervising/assisting teachers on NGSS implementation.”  Administrator attendee, February 2022 

“I feel that this educational shift is overwhelming, but this [professional learning] offers clarification, modeling, and direction for next (baby) steps.” Administrator attendee, February 2022 

“[NGSX PLANS provides] support for the new science curriculum (STEELS) and how teachers should approach the standards in their classrooms.”  Administrator attendee, January 2022 

Act 48 credit will be awarded. 
 

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The Huntingdon County Transition Coordinating Council is a group of like-minded individuals that wish to support students with disabilities that are of transition age (14-21), as they work towards life after high school. The goal of the group is to strengthen their knowledge in the area of transition through training, resource sharing, interagency collaboration, and networking.  
Target Audience: Huntingdon County Special Education Teachers & Administrators, Outside Agencies/Providers, Local Business Owners, Guidance Counselors, School Social Workers, Parents, or Students 
 

*Virtual Meeting Link will be sent to participants upon registration 
 

If you have any questions please contact: 
Staci Young, TIU 11 Educational Consultant 
syoung@tiu11.org 
814-542-2501x1126 
 

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The Fulton County Transition Coordinating Council is a group of like-minded individuals that wish to support students with disabilities that are of transition age (14-21), as they work towards life after high school. The goal of the group is to strengthen their knowledge in the area of transition through training, resource sharing, interagency collaboration, and networking.  
Target Audience: Fulton County Special Education Teachers & Administrators, Outside Agencies/Providers, Local Business Owners, Guidance Counselors, School Social Workers, Parents, or Students  

*Virtual Meeting Link will be sent to participants upon registration 

If you have any questions please contact: 
Staci Young, TIU 11 Educational Consultant 
syoung@tiu11.org 
814-542-2501x1126 
 

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The Mifflin/Juniata County Transition Coordinating Council is a group of like-minded individuals that wish to support students with disabilities that are of transition age (14-21), as they work towards life after high school. The goal of the group is to strengthen their knowledge in the area of transition through training, resource sharing, interagency collaboration, and networking.   
Target Audience: Fulton County Special Education Teachers & Administrators, Outside Agencies/Providers, Local Business Owners, Guidance Counselors, School Social Workers, Parents, or Students  


*Virtual Meeting Link will be sent to participants upon registration  

If you have any questions please contact:  
Staci Young, TIU 11 Educational Consultant  
syoung@tiu11.org  
814-542-2501x1126 

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Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright

Description of Activity: Tier #1 Session  Full implementation of PA’s Integrated STEELS Academic Standards and revised PSSA Science Testing format will begin school year 2025-2026. In preparation for this 3-year roll out, we are offering an immersive experience for the look and feel of the shift in science pedagogy for all administrators and educators. Take away practices and protocols to begin implementing in your classroom or context the next day.

Please bring a laptop or other device.

Recommended Prerequisite: read the National Research Council: A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas (2012), free download

“This experience will directly impact how science is taught in the K-12 classrooms in relation to the new STEELS standards.” Elementary Teacher attendee, March 2023

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Nurses' Network #2

Title: Nurses' Network Meeting

Date: January 19, 2024

Time: 9 am to Noon

Location: Virtual - https://paiu.zoom.us/j/4476176265

Department: Curriculum

Act 48: Yes

Description:  The Nurses' Network is an opportunity for nurses around the region to get some professional development and to converse with other nurses on the latest topics in their field.  Specific topics for this meeting will be added at a later date.

 

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This course is ONLY for General Education Administration - Principals, and Assistant Principals. This 30-hour course aims to build upon principals’ working knowledge and skill sets needed to successfully innovate and program for students with disabilities. The growing field of research at the intersection of principals and special education yields evidence-based practices that support outcomes for students with disabilities.

The three professional development days (followed by a half-day of project presentations) are titled as follows:

• Day 1: Leading a Culture of Change
• Day 2: Being an Instructional Leader
• Day 3: Supporting Effective Behavioral Systems.

Please note, each instructional day requires the completion of 3 hours of pre- reading/activities.

Objectives/Skills/Knowledge to be gained from training event:

• Identify the necessary components to effect change

• Analyze and share their vision and mission statements

• Identify key principles of IDEA and Chapter 14 regulations

• Identify the roles and responsibilities of an LEA representative

• Analyze and implement the use of assessment data to guide instructional decision making

• Analyze data to identify patterns of behavior

• Identify alternatives to suspension and expulsion

• Identify organizational culture and core values to strengthen relationships with stakeholders

THE PULSE COURSE

The PULSE course is worth 30 hours of Act 45 PIL credit. 3.5 days training (3 full-day trainings with a half day dedicated to presentations). Eighteen (18) of these hours are direct instruction and 12 of these hours are extended learning via pre-readings/assignments and a work-based project.

Questions please contack Betsy Cox or Lisa Kruse at ecox@tiu11.org or ekruse@tiu11.org

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Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright and Eric Yoder

 

Description of Activity: Why do we use these particular four practices?

 

Our main objective as science teachers is to change students’ thinking over time, so we need to know what our students understand about the target science ideas in the first place. This set of practices—eliciting students’ ideas—is used at the beginning of a unit of instruction. It is designed to 1) reveal the range of resources that students use to reason about a set of science ideas (working theories, everyday experiences, language), 2) activate their prior knowledge about the topic, and 3) help you to adapt upcoming instruction, based on how students reason about the anchoring event. Please note that this set of practices is about more than “hooking” students or temporarily capturing their interest.

 

In this session learn about the importance of Productive Student Discourse, using culturally relevant and their own words, to communicate, figure out and make sense of science concepts. 

 

During this session, we will focus on:

• Modeling eliciting students’ questions and ideas as well as activating prior knowledge
• Supporting students to represent their thinking publicly
• Science and Engineering Practice of developing and using models: students modeling as a technique for explaining student thinking
• Making student thinking visible

 

Highly Recommended: Visithttps://ambitiousscienceteaching.org/ to preview the website (Getting Started) and watch the Eliciting students’ ideas video,16;39. Also read Ambitious Science Teaching: Chapters 5-7, Appendix C

 

Prerequisites include:

• AST Session #1: (AST) Session #1 Introduction to Ambitious Science Teaching and Culturally Relevant Science Teaching
• AST Session #2: Practice 1 - Planning for Big Ideas

 

Note: Selected sessions will be recorded and made available for an asynchronous option. Asynchronous work to include pre-reading of the website and/or AST paperback, viewing AST videos, posted reflections regarding the readings and videos, and applying what is learned to participants’ contexts. Participants may join in-person, work completely asynchronously or attend as a hybrid mix. Please contact Peney at pwright@tiu11.org for complete details.

 

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The local task force is a parent/family network group for families that have a child with a disability. Membership consists primarily of like-minded parents of school aged children residing in the TIU 11 area that wish to support their sons or daughters as they navigate through the special education process. Other members include educators and local agency representatives. The goal of the group is to support parents through training, resource sharing, and networking so that they can work with their Local Education Agency (LEA) in a positive, proactive manner.

Target Audience: Parents/Guardians, Special Education Teachers, Administrators, Agencies that support students with disabilities

More

Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright

 

Description of Activity: Supporting on-going changes in thinking

 

Throughout any unit of instruction, students are frequently engaged in different types of activity. For example, students might do hands-on work with materials, use computer simulations, conduct observations of phenomena, design experiments, or collect and analyze different types of data. The purpose of this set of practices is to help students develop new ideas to use in revising explanations and models for the anchoring phenomena.

 

We want to make clear that this set of practices should be repeated multiple times throughout a unit. Multiple activities and multiple rounds of sense making are required to build towards a deep understanding of an explanatory model. A single activity is not enough to accomplish this.

 

Ambitious Science Teaching Practice #3 involves supporting ongoing changes in students’ thinking about scientific concepts. This practice recognizes that science learning is an iterative process that requires students to continuously revisit and revise their prior understandings and beliefs as they encounter new information and evidence.

 

In Session #4 we will delve deeply into meeting the Three Core Practices which support ongoing changes in thinking within an immersive experience:

• Introducing new ideas
• Engaging students in activity and sense making
• Collective thinking

 

Highly Recommended:  Visithttps://ambitiousscienceteaching.org/ to preview the website (Getting Started) and watch the Supporting on-going changes in thinking video ,21:52. Also read Ambitious Science Teaching: Chapters 8 - 11, Appendices D-E

 

Prerequisites include:

• At least one Tier #1 PL
• AST Sessions #1 - #4

 

• Note: Selected sessions will be recorded and made available for an asynchronous option. Asynchronous work to include pre-reading of the website and/or AST paperback, viewing AST videos, posted reflections regarding the readings and videos, and applying what is learned to participants’ contexts. Participants may join in-person, work completely asynchronously or attend as a hybrid mix. Please contact Peney at pwright@tiu11.org for complete details

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Safety-Care is a training program for staff working with children, adolescents, or adults who may exhibit challenging or dangerous behavior.  Participants in the course learn a wide variety of prevention skills so that they can each contribute to a physical and social environment that encourages behavior patterns that are positive and safe.  Please note that this is a re-certification training. 1/2 hour lunch on your own. We need a minimum of 6 people in order to run the training. 

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Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright, Eric Yoder

Description of Activity: Tier #1 Session Full implementation of PA’s Integrated STEELS Academic Standards and revised PSSA Science Testing format will begin school year 2025-2026. In preparation for this 3-year roll out, we are offering a series of two workshop sessions. In session #1, participants will have an immersive experience for the look and feel of the shift in science pedagogy. Session #2 supports educators unpacking the new standards’ characteristics and format, focusing on student performance expectations, taking a deep dive into grade level and grade band STEELS 3-dimensional standards, reviewing productive student discourse in classrooms and discussing project-based learning pedagogy to meet student performance expectations; followed by district wide time for creating a plan of action for the district and curriculum mapping.

1. Teams will set goals and plan regularly scheduled meetings and IU check-ins.
2. Minimum of seven per team.
3. Act 48 
    

Strongly Recommended: Assemble a team of at least one district-level administrator, curriculum and instruction director, special education director, one building administrator, one K-2 teacher, one 3-5 teacher, one middle school teacher, one high school teacher, a STEM teacher, one or more special education teachers, one or more ELL teachers, an instructional coach, and/or guidance counselors.

 

Recommended prerequisite: School Leaders Establishing Foundations for the STEELS Academic Standards: NGSX PLANS

 

Recommended Prerequisite: read the National Research Council: A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas (2012), free download

 

Sessions Progression: Session #1 must be completed first, but any subsequent Session #2 workshop may be selected throughout the school year. They can be, but do not have to be, completed in close proximity.

 

“With the STEELS standards going with a new approach, this professional learning session has helped me better understand how this will look in our school and with our teachers.” Administrator attendee, March 2023

 

See additional PD opportunities to support the new standards: Ambitious Science Teaching (AST), Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs), Engineering is Elementary (EiE) and Engineering by Design (EbD)  

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SAVE THE DATES!

ECRI COACHES' PLC 2023-24

OUR GOAL:

• To provide ongoing ECRI implementation support
• To provide collaboration time with other coaches
• To celebrate and problem-solve together!

JOIN THESE VIRTUAL MEETINGS FOR ANY OR ALL DATES! Please register for each session Individually in order to receive the Zoom Link.

DATES: 

February 1, 2024

March 7, 2024

April 4, 2024

May 2, 2024

TIME: 7:30-8:30AM

(ZOOM ROOM WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 9:00!)

For More Information:

ekruse@tiu11.org

emcmanamon@tiu11.org

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Gifted Network #2

Title: Gifted Network Meetings

Date: February 9, 2024

Time: 9 am to Noon

Location: Virtual - https://paiu.zoom.us/j/4476176265

Department: Curriculum

Act 48: Yes

Description:  The Gifted Network is an opportunity for teachers who work with gifted students to come together to get some professional development and to network with other teachers about the latest topics in their field.  The specific focus of each PD session will be added at a later date. 

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Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright

 

Description of Activity: Pressing for evidence-based explanations

 

This final set of practices will help students construct a final, evidence-based explanatory model for an anchoring event. The goals of this practice are:

 

• Engage all students in authentic disciplinary discourse around using evidence to support explanations.
• Hold students accountable for using multiple sources of information to construct final explanatory models for the anchoring event (this accountability of course must be supported by scaffolding and guidance from you).
• Support students in using evidence to support different aspects of their explanatory models.

 

The goals are for educators to:

• Support students in using evidence to account for different aspects of their explanatory model.
• Hold students accountable for using multiple sources of information to construct final explanatory models for the anchoring event.
• Engage all students in authentic disciplinary discourse around constructing and defending explanations.

 

When we think about drawing together evidence-based explanations, we have to have a great deal of scaffolding and support to allow students to think across significant lengths of curricular time.

 

In Session #5, we will model and practice Pressing for Evidence-Based Explanations including:

• Co-constructing a “Gotta-Have-List”
• Synthesizing learning with Consensus Models and Summary Tables
• Pressing for Gapless Explanations
• Assessing for Understanding

 

Highly Recommended: Visit https://ambitiousscienceteaching.org/ to preview the website (Getting Started) and watch the Eliciting students’ ideas video,16;39. Also read Ambitious Science Teaching: Chapters 11-12, Appendices F-G

 

Prerequisites include:

• At least one Tier #1 PL
• AST Sessions #1 - #4

 

Note: Selected sessions will be recorded and made available for an asynchronous option. Asynchronous work to include pre-reading of the website and/or AST paperback, viewing AST videos, posted reflections regarding the readings and videos, and applying what is learned to participants’ contexts. Participants may join in-person, work completely asynchronously or attend as a hybrid mix. Please contact Peney at pwright@tiu11.org for complete details.

 

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