Magnificent7_Week10

**PLC Group Name:** Magnificent 7  **PLC Meeting Location:** University of Houston  **PLC Meeting Time**: 11:30-12:30 Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010

//**ENGAGE **// As an anticipatory set for today’s lesson, please read the article “Getting "Inside Inquiry": Teachers' Questions Transform Their Practice“[]
 * Hour 1 **

//**EXPLORE **// Take a few minutes to explore one of the following websites.
 * []
 * []

//**EXPLAIN **//
 * Hour 2 **
 * 1) How do you feel about the online format of the inquiries?
 * 2) What are some different types of data you can collect to support your data?
 * 3) How is teacher inquiry similar to teacher reflection? Or do you feel that they are very different?

//**ELABORATE **// As a group, make a list of teaching strategies of your own about which you have a wondering. Reference this web page for ideas: [] You probably have things in common! Take turns selecting one to focus on and formulating a “wondering” about that strategy. Help each member to make a plan to initiate, analyze, and write-up this inquiry? What questions does each member have that the group can help sort out about the process?

//**EVALUATE **// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. As a group, reflect on what you have learned today about studying your own teaching practice. Why should teachers ask questions about their own teaching? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How would your job be different if you approach it with an inquiry stance versus approaching it with no intention to ask questions?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hour 3 **

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Teachers should ask questions in order to improve their own teaching, to learn what styles best fit with students learning needs, as well as to share what you have learned and to learn new things. Teaching will be more difficult in the long term if you do not reflect and adapt your teaching, in addition you will not grow as an educator.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 2. As a group, draft a brief statement (approx 1-2 paragraphs) of what you learned or new understandings you came to during this discussion. What did you agree with/about, and what did you not agree with/about? How do you KNOW you learned and grew?!

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You can find support from different sources, people and places all over the country. We also discussed our teaching and learning experiences that we have had so far; comparing these experiences we have found similiarites and differences. We know we've grown because we are now reaching out to each other in order to better ourselves for the present and the future. By trying new teaching strategies it can help students acquire new skills and differentiate instruction for all students. We know that we learned based on our discussion on new teaching ideas that would help benefit students.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 3. As a group, please look at the Assignments page for the description and grading rubric for the Inquiry #3 assignment. You will be selecting a teaching practice of your own to study. The format is the same as your other inquiries, and is detailed on the Assignments page for this assignment.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 4. Individually, please send your “PLC Check” as an email to Dr. Pierson and Ida (mpierson@uh.edu; idalkm@hotmail.com): <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> --What/Who worked well in today’s PLC meeting? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> --What/Who didn’t work so well in today’s PLC meeting?


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> This PLC check is due emailed by Friday (10/29) at midnight. **