Class 5 -- April 21 -- Final Session

Present: Pam Wirtz, Lori Shinners, Nicki Dahms, Maggie Ferree, Shane Radosevich, Kristin Warner, Sarah Dupee, and Lynn Syverson.

Absent: Chris Thompson and Kristin Olson.

Guest: Eileen Depka, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services.

Sarah Dupee facilitated this session which was held in Kristin Warner's room. The first topic was a 3-2-1 Activity — three things participants learned, two ideas for further integration, and one suggestion for making the course better next time.

Three things we learned included:

1. Incredible value of meeting, sharing, and discussing with colleagues
2. New method of professional development through collegial study group
3. Validation that we are all struggling to find the time to create Notebook lessons
4. Good refresher and learning experience even for the most seasoned SB person
5. Feel we've become better/rejuvenated teachers having rethought what we do as we work to develop lessons utilizing the SB and Notebook
6. "Awesome" support potential for visual learners
7. How to capture existing files, web sites, graphics, etc.
8. Creating more interactive lessons
9. Converting music and then inserting as links
10. Fostering student independence/responsibility in tracking progress (Maggie's notebook -- variations)
11. Scanning overheads into Notebook
12. Using the gallery
13. Pinning pages and dual display
14. Random number generator for "picking" students
15. Linking sites, music, files
16. Using SynchronEyes in the lab with Notebook transfers to students
17. Learning from what others are doing in EDM in order to plan SB use for next year
18. You don't have to be a "techie" to succeed
19. Infinite cloner use
20. Lunch and attendance -- student completed
21. Many classroom management tools including the timers

Two ideas for further integration included:

1. Creating units verses lessons
2. Use for assessment
3. Focus on interactive aspects
4. Use for differentiation
5. Consider room setup to maximum positive outcomes
6. Organize files by theme
7. Use for center-based work
8. Further explore the Lesson toolkit
9. Explore the Recorder
10. Explore Video Player, especially with United Streaming subscription
11. Find time to explore resources
12. Further develop writing units

One suggestion for making the course better include:

1. Arrange classes around parts/tools of Notebook
2. Continue to have clear focus for each class (like this time)
3. Move class between rooms to experience different setups, etc.
4. Arrange classes around individual topics
5. Have grade level specific classes

Eileen thanked the group for sharing and offered her support of ongoing professional development focused on SB and Notebook within the curriculum, including CEUs. We reviewed the collegial study concept and emphasized it is participant-focused from approval request through facilitation. More information is expected on the process next Fall from Administration, but we can all be thinking now.

The group shared what they had tried new with Math based on the previous class and Sarah shared an Earth Day set of timely Notebook files through Scholastic. Pam also shared how she had incorporated the two fraction Flash files Lynn had shared into the study of note values. Lynn thanked the group for sharing files to be used the following day as examples at the Burleigh introductory trainings.

Thanks for all the great energy and sharing -- have a great 4th quarter!