School Board presentation of Proposal procedures and timeline

The AUSD School Board will be presenting an update to the proposal procedures Tuesday night and the link below outlines the major updates and timelines for our consideration.

Board Agendized topic

Leadership Meeting 2

At this Leadership meeting we will be spending time looking at:

• Innovative Proposal and Writing Criteria
• 21st Century Skills and P21 Framework Definitions
• 21st Century Learner
• Arizona Technology Matrix
• Technology Integration Pilot slides presented to PTA 
• Possible Calendars and Schedules

We will be looking at how to task the writing work ahead of us. We will also plan our Staff Development Day discussion with the staff and how to provide information and involve everyone in the development of our plan.

Online Resources for our Plan

Here are some information and resource links that will help us all to learn more about the national movement of  21st Century Skills,  technology integration, and how they are essential for our students' future success in an increasingly digital world.

Framework of 21st Century Skills

FAQ about the Partnership for 21st Century Learning

Standards for the 21st Century Learner

ISTE Standards for Students

The Mile Guide: Milestones for Improving Learning and Education

P21 Framework Definitions

Arizona Technology Integration Matrix (TIM)

Five Characteristics of an Effective @21st Century Educator

I've been talking about 21st century skills with my fellow educators for quite some time now, and with our Innovative Proposal, 21st Century Learning is the central focus. This article from eSchoolNews, offers five major characteristics that each of us should reflect on as we consider our students and the curriculum and insgtruction we provide. Are we truly 21st Century learners ourselves?
Do we model for our students the behaviors we would like to see in them?

Do we anticipate the future?
Are we life long learners ourselves?
Do we foster relationships with and between our students?
Can we teach and assess all levels of learners?
Are we able to discern effective and non-effective technology for learning?

Click here to read the five characteristics of 21st Century educators shared by eSchool News readers...

Leadership Meeting 1

At our first Leadership we reviewed the Proposal and Update and started discussing possible Theories of Actions for the Proposal.

Proposed Theories of Action

• If  provided 21st Century skills that extend the curriculum beyond the state standards, students will develop critical thinking and problem solving strategies at higher levels, become motivated and engaged in their own learning, and develop a world view that will better prepare them for their future in an increasingly digital and global world.

• If project based learning activities are developed and implemented school wide, then students will deepen their understandings of essential content beyond minimal standards to higher levels of learning.

• If we develop and implement a modified year round calendar, students will benefit from consistent and balanced year round learning.

• If the school day is extended, then academic performance will improve from increased opportunities to remediate, enrich and extend core learning.

• If  Bay Farm School is reconfigured to K-6, K-8, the students performance will increase as a result of fewer transitions and deeper learning relationships.

• If  technology is infused into our curriculum, then students will access, synthesize, and create new knowledge anywhere, anytime, extending their learning beyond the school day 24/7.

Here are some background information links that will help us all to learn more about the national movement of  21st Century Skills and how they are essential for our students' future success in an increasingly digital world.

Framework of 21st Century Skills

FAQ about the Partnership for 21st Century Learning

Standards for the 21st Century Learner

ISTE Standards for Students

The Mile Guide: Milestones for Improving Learning and Education

P21 Framework Definitions

Arizona Technology Integration Matrix (TIM)

P21 Mission Statement

Partnership for 21st Century Skills Mission

P21 Mission Statement
"To serve as a catalyst to position 21st century readiness at the center of US K12 education by building collaborative partnerships among education, business, community and government leaders."

Twenty-First Century Children
Every child in the U.S. needs 21st century knowledge and skills to succeed as effective citizens, workers and leaders. This can be accomplished by fusing the 3Rs and 4Cs. 

There is a profound gap between the knowledge and skills most students learn in school and the knowledge and skills they need in typical 21st century communities and workplaces.

To successfully face rigorous higher education coursework, career challenges and a globally competitive workforce, U.S. schools must align classroom environments with real world environments by fusing the 3Rs and 4Cs.

The 3Rs include: English, reading or language arts; mathematics; science; foreign languages; civics; government; economics; arts; history; and geography.

The 4Cs include: critical thinking and problem solving; communication, collaboration; and creativity and innovation.

As the 3Rs serve as an umbrella for other subjects and core content, the 4Cs are a shorthand for all the skills needed for success in college, career, and life.

To read P21 FAQ click here