AYP/STUDENT IMPROVEMENT

Summer Professional Development Opportunities

The AYP/School Improvement Service Provision recently completed a series of professional development workshops titled ‘Better Work, Better Schools.’ Information was discussed and shared around a variety of topics including: dates and information pertaining to MCA II test results, the adult learner, professional learning communities, and Minnesota’s Quality Indicators. Educators seem especially appreciative for opportunities to share and collaborate with each other. Schools are incredibly busy places, and allowing time for collaboration and reflection is highly valued.
Efforts are currently focused on providing the following summer professional development opportunities to all districts, in addition to individualized training dates tailored to address specific school’s needs:

Maximizing Achievement of Special Populations—Three Part Series

Part I: Maximizing Achievement of the Special Education Student—June 12, 2007
This workshop focuses on three weighty and distinctive special education topics: RTI, Differentiation & Intervention, and IEP Team Reflections.

Part II: Maximizing Achievement of the ELL Student—July 9, 2007
This workshop is designed for both classroom and ELL teachers with a focus on the instructional needs of the ELL student and the immigrant community. A grounding in research and numerous strategies positively linked to student achievement will be offered.

Part III: Maximizing Achievement of the Student Living in Poverty —July 24, 2007
This workshop explores our beliefs and assumptions around the impoverished, and begs the question of how educators can best respond. A simulation will cast participants into the roles of an impoverished family asking them to find their way through life’s financial and real-life experiences.

(These workshops are free of charge to districts on AYP—other districts may save $20 by registering now for all three parts of the series.)

Key Components of Math Strategy Instruction – August 7, 2007

This workshop is designed for any educator with any responsibility in math instruction. The workshop will offer numerous research based math strategies for all levels, effective instructional practices, interventions, and issues surrounding assessment in math.
On-line registration for these sessions is available at: www.mnscsc.org—click on AYP/School Improvement— then events.

> Next AYP/Student Improvement Article: Q Comp—Quality Compensation for Minnesota Teachers