Double D for Dummies

O.K. We got the Analysis down  at our 'garage sale' last week, so now we move on to developing learning objectives and designing and developing the plan. At CCTS we are very fortunate to have the best and the brightest people for our Professional Development through the vision of Kathy Hartford, Assistant Superintendent. A forward thinker who has been training us for years in Bloom and writing objectives and backward design, so I think much of this part of ADDIE we do, on a weekly basis.
There were some helpful ideas in the Dummies book like listing  all the learning objectives  and breaking them down to smaller parts. This is especially useful with our special population. Metering the contents for your learners  so it is just right.  I love the idea of designing ice-breakers to relate to the content.  Timing is another area to think about, for example, in any particular class there are students who zip right through and others who are painstakingly slow.  Pages and pages of ideas in Chapter 5 (summer reading ***).
I loved this class even though I was frustrated MOST of the time. Amy, it was an interesting ride with bonuses.
Looking forward to the Fall and our next challenge -Learning Theories.

Collaboration and Community with a Multi Cultural twist

All I can say is WOW!  If you were unfortunate enough not to attend the Brigantine Elementary School 2010
Arts Night, not to worry, I am going to give you a peek at what you missed.  With the help of Amy's gift of a Flip camera I was off and videoing some of these amazing children  and the unbelieveable things they accomplished . 
Arts was the platform, however there was so much more going on .  Having worked in school districts for over 15 years I have never seen what was was occuring in Brigantine.
Yes there was a theme. This year Eurasian Quest and the whole school was turned into foreign places-Ancient Greece and Rome, The Italian Renaissance, Germany, Poland ( the pierogies were great) , Austria, Hungary, Ukraine and Russia. As you moved through the building you were taken back in time. Students have been immersed in these cultures all year, each with their specific projects and cultures. This night was the very proud culmination of their learning and work.This is what we were treated to see.
What wasn't so obvious was the comming together and cooperation of an entire community. Ahh! if we could only bottle this.  It was obvious that a massive project such as this could not have happened without
the full committment of everyone from the Superintendent (very handsome by the way) a very nice man, and
all the way down to the children. Volunteers abounded. Parents participated and encouraged. One little girl
was to participate in the Austrian part, she came in a pony tail and another sudent reminded mom she was suppose to be in braids- the problem was fixed immediately.
I was embarrassed when I saw 3rd and 4th graders using technology. The made WIKIPIKIS  and were very willing to help those digital imigrants who needed it. That wasn't all, as we walked through the halls they
were Skyping to New Zealand  getting art lessons. Awesome!  I'm not sure if any of this is in the Principals
job description but Brigantine is very lucky to have Don Marrandino.
Enough of the chit-chat. Take a look.