“When you know better, you do better.”
– Maya Angelou
In 31 days we welcome our staff back for another school year of Engage, Inspire, Empower! And two days after that we welcome our students back to the next adventure on their educational journeys. The summer is not the “104 days” that Disney’s Phineas and Ferb sing about … the summer for teachers and 
administrators is full of reading, conferences, webinars, planning, meeting, and growing professionally in anticipation of our awesome responsibilities. A little R & R is in order of course, as well! Some of our teachers and staff have gotten married, others have had children, there are many wonderful milestones staff have enjoyed this summer too.
In addition to “life,” many of our teachers have also been hard at work on curriculum, instruction, assessment, resource review, and planning for the best school year possible. This upcoming year marks the fifth year of a five year strategic plan as well as the third year of our Big 5 and the announcement of our Big 3.
The ‘Big 5’ have aligned our work for the past two years as it relates to the District’s Strategic Plan:
Common Core State Standards, Teacher Evaluation (evidence based), Technology, Organizational Culture and the Superintendent’s Task Force for Middle Level Education
The Big 3 are macro concepts under which the Big 5 and Strategic Plan operate:
Innovation – Engagement – Personalization
As we prepare for another wonderful school year we focus forward on the future lives our children will inherit and create. As we prepare for full day kindergarten, new and improved furnishings in those kindergarten classrooms, new science labs (link to a 360 degree view of the prototype labs) for our middle school students, new science materials for all students in grades K-5 … just to name a few highlights … we are gearing up for an amazing year!
The Departments of Teaching & Learning, Student Services, Finance & Operations, Technology, Human Resources and the Office of Superintendent of Schools continue to put forth great plans of action so that each and every child in our District can get a high level of educational excellence from some of the finest educators in the land. This year we plan to roll out some innovative professional learning ideas as well as personalized and digitized learning ideas!
“…With respect to the concept of personalization, this past year we visited some schools to our north in Wisconsin. At West Allis we visited Hoover Elementary school where we observed personalized learning practices in multi-age and straight grade classroom settings and at Waukesha we visited the FLIGHT Academy at Horning Middle School.
(Please take some time to visit the “FLIGHT” Academy website: http://www.horningmiddleschool.com/flight-academy.html)
During our visit we discussed and reflected on the differences among current educational topics known by these common terms:
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Differentiation
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Individualized Instruction
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Personalization/Personalized Learning
Differentiation and Individualized Instruction are teacher directed and teacher centered and Personalization/Personalized Learning is student centered. In terms of effective instruction, and in an ideal setting (the settings we are creating) we support learning environments with all three concepts embedded and in place.
The trends educationally are leading toward what we call scaffolded personalized learning pathways. There is a lot of work and a lot of learning that will take place before we have widespread personalized learning.
The transformative 1:1 digital learning environment entering its 2nd year in DPS109 is designed to change/transform instruction into highly engaged and motivating learning environments where student needs and interests are met.
We continue this exciting journey as this is the work that motivates us and inspires us! Stay tuned as we re-create learning in the formats demanded by the 21st Century and the Future Ready Movement!
The chart above holds a creative commons license. Click here or here to access the chart on the web.
The “connected educator” is a hot topic today. These are the educators and educational leaders who are learning and growing through multiple digital learning networks. These personal and professional learning networks allow people at various levels to share links, blogs, journals, research, tips, tricks, etc. These networks allow for virtual relationships to develop between and among professionals at many levels. These networks are the wave of the present and future — not the past. These networks are revolutionizing professional development and conferences. Now terms like “un conference” or “ed camp” are becoming the norm. Now “experts” — meaning professionals at every level — are facilitating sessions and sharing creativity.
