ACES Hybrid Professional Learning Community, Meeting One

1. ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015 ACES Hybrid Professional Learning Community,Meeting One

2. Welcome! • Introductions – please tell us your name, and what and where you currently teach. ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

3. Meeting One Agenda • Introductions & expectations • ACES overview • The ideal ACES practitioner • Get to know the TIF (Transitions Integration Framework) • Learners & their long-term goals • Focusing in on 1 TIF category • The ACES process • Ready, Set, Go-To! • Wrap-up, questions, plans for Meeting Two ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

4. PLC Scope: PLC Webinar Meeting TWO: • Volunteer share-out of Outside Tasks #1 • Explore Evidence of Student Learning • Volunteer share-out of TIF-ed Lesson Outside Task #2 • Explore TIF-ing the Classroom Methods: • Routines • Norms • Learning task formats PLC Webinar Meeting THREE: • Volunteer share-out of Outside Tasks #3-5 • Explore the complete TIF: Sample Activity search • Self-evaluation • Review ACES Journey • Discuss What’s Next • Set a SMART Goal ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

5. Why a PLC? There is a ceiling effect to how much we can learn if we keep to ourselves… Personal mastery and group mastery feed on each other in learning organizations. People need one another to learn and to accomplish things. (Fullan, 1995) ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

6. Characteristics of an Effective PLC • Shared beliefs, values, and vision • Shared and supportive leadership • Collective learning and its application • Supportive conditions • Shared personal practice • What is the purpose of our PLC? • Read handout page 3… ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

7. Expectations for PLC • Engage in PLC activities • Complete Outside Tasks between meetings • Adapt materials, techniques, and knowledge to your own setting and students • Challenge yourself to take risks • Ask questions, go deep! • Provide positive and constructive feedback You read a brief description of Professional Learning Communities for today. Do you have any questions about what a PLC is, and why it’s an effective means to professional development? ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

8. Expectations for THIS PLC • Please see the hand-out with information about this specific PLC – meetings schedule, contact information, logistics, etc. Any questions from the group at this point? ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

9. ACES: Academic Career and Employability Skills ACES Purpose: To ensure that ABE programs are able to provide effective contextualized instruction integrating post-secondary education and training readiness, employability skills, and career readiness at all levels. ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

10. Brief history ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

11. Transitions Integration Framework TIF: Transitions Integration Framework Outlines the skills needed for successful transitions . Serves as a guide for integrating transition skills into instruction. Complete TIF contains: • Categories & definitions • Skills & sub skills • Sample activities ranging from simple to complex • Sample technology ideas to practice skills • Ideas to contextualize for community, school, or work ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

12. ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

13. TIF Categories ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

14. Who is the ideal ACES practitioner? • Given your own experiences and your reading of the CAELA Brief for today, generate statements with a partner/small group to complete these prompts: • The ideal ACES practitioner • knows about… • knows how to… • is committed to… ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

15. Get to know your TIF • Let’s focus on the 8 TIF categories for the moment. • In a small group or with a partner match the TIF category names to their definitions. • Then think of one thing you do in your classroom related to each TIF category. • With the larger group, share 1 definition and 1 classroom example. ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

16. Zooming in on 3 TIF categories: EC, SM, and CT • Form a small group or pair • You will be given a category from the TIF • Your pair/group task: • Read through the skills together • Read through the sub-skills together (on strips of paper) • Match the sub-skills to the correct skills • Check your work against the TIF-at-a-glance • Answer the questions on the next slide… • Cycle through each of the categories ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

17. A choice is coming… • Be advised! Before the end of this meeting, you will choose one category of the three to focus on for the duration of the PLC. You will also choose a PLC Partner to collaborate with for Outside Tasks. • After matching the sub skills to each skill in each category, discuss the following 2 questions with your group: • What skills do you already teach in this category? • What skills would you like to add? ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

18. My learners’ goals • Take out Pre-Task #3 • In a pair/small group, discuss your learners’ long-term goals and the steps they need to get there. • Label the final column of your worksheet “TIF Category.” • Together, consider (and jot down) which of the three TIF categories your students need to develop in order to take the steps they need to achieve their long-term goals. Focus Categories: • critical thinking • self-management • effective communication ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

19. Outside Task #1 • Before our next meeting, you’ll continue thinking about these students and their long-term goals. • Given the TIF category you are choosing to focus on for this PLC (have you made a decision yet??), note (on the observation handout) the TIF skills and sub skills from that category that this student already demonstrates and those he/she needs to develop. • Share your experience with your PLC Partner! OR • Add notes to our Google Doc! ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

20. Break ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

21. Choose a PLC Partner • Consider the matching activity and the learner goals discussion. CHOOSE one category to focus on • critical thinking, • effective communication • self-management • This will be your category of focus for the duration of the PLC • Find another person who will focus on this category. This will be your PLC Partner. You will return to this partner off and on during the duration of this PLC. Briefly tell the others: Why did you choose this category? ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

22. The ACES Process • Assess instruction/materials/curriculum to identify where TIF skills are addressed • Complement to intentionally integrate TIF skills • Evaluate outcomes after delivering lesson/using materials/trying the activity • Study and reflect • What else do students need? • What else do I need? ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

23. ACES Process: Assess a LessonSample “Pre-ACES” Lesson Let’s start with the Critical Thinking category… • Read and ASSESS the Pre A-C-E-S Lesson to identify the Critical Thinking (CT) skills/sub skills being addressed. • Look at each lesson component and identify its CT skills and sub skills. (Refer to the “TIF @ a Glance” CT category.) • Note the skills and sub skills in the “Assess” column for each lesson component (e.g. CT 1a, 2b) • Share out the skills and sub skills your group identified in the lesson. Remember, the ACES process can be used with textbook materials, learner plans, and other instructional resources and routines, not just lesson plans. ACES can work in any ABE context! ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

24. Pre-ACES Lesson PlanIntroduction: Pre-Reading Questions: • What does birth order mean? • What is your birth order? • How would you describe your personality? • If you have siblings, how would you describe their personalities?  Definitions: • birth order – the order of siblings by age • energetic – having a lot of energy   • aggressive – ready and willing to fight, argue, etc. • compliant – willing to do whatever you are asked to do • easy-going – relaxed and casual in style or manner ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

25. Pre-ACES Lesson PlanGuided Practice: Reading Personality and Birth-Order Theory by, Betsy Parrish • Birth-order theory is a sociological and psychological concept that describes the tendency for people born into a particular birth order in a family (oldest, youngest, middle, or only child) to have certain personality traits. It is believed that because parents treat children in each birth order differently, children develop distinctively different personalities. It is found that children from within each group often share some common characteristics. First Born Children • First-borns are oriented toward their parents and often share their parents' sense of values. As a result, they may be more conservative or traditional than other children… ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

26. Pre-ACES Lesson PlanIndependent Practice: Post-Reading Part 1: Reading Comprehension • What are the different birth orders described in the text? •  What are three characteristics of a first born child? •  What are three characteristics of the youngest child? • What are three characteristics of a middle child? •  What are three characteristics of an only child? • According to the author, why does birth order influence a person’s personality? Part 2: Writing • Write about your own birth order and how your personality compares and contrasts with what the text describes.  ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

27. ACES Process: Complement a LessonWhat about Effective Communication? • Take a look at the Effective Communication Category. Shout out: Which skills were addressed? • Check the skills you noted on your grid… ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

28. Pre A-c-e-s Lesson: Assess NA EC 1a EC 1a CT 1a-b, d, CT3.b NA

29. ACES Process: Complement a LessonSample “Post-ACES” Lesson • Now watch the video clip of the “Post-ACES” (TIF-ed) lesson: Developing Reading Skills for Intermediate/Advanced Learners Link: http://www.newamericanhorizons.org/training-videos • What Critical Thinking skills/sub skills were added? • Write them on the grid in the complement column ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

30. ACES Process: Complement a LessonWhat about EC & SM? • Take a look at the Effective Communication Category. Shout out: Which skills were addressed or could you add? • What about Self-Management? Shout out: Which skills were addressed or could you add? • Check the skills you noted on your grid… ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

31. Post A-c-e-s: Complement EC 1a EC 1a,e CT1b-c EC 1a-b,e CT1c,2c,4b-c EC 1a-b,e CT1c, 2c, 3b, 4b-c SM1a, 2a, 3e CT1a, 3b

32. Try it Out!! Outside Task #2 • Review the ACES Process • Discuss the directions around TIF-ing a lesson and/or materials • “TIF” a lesson or materials of your choice, focusing on your one TIF category. • Try this “TIF-ed” lesson out with learners. • Evaluate how it went. • Share this lesson with your PLC Partner before Webinar Meeting TWO. ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

33. ACES in ACTION Plan! Outside Tasks for Mtg. 2 Date: Fri. Oct. 31, 2-4 PM or Mon. Nov. 3, 3:30-5:30 PM 1. Outside Task #1: Learner Goals Observation Do by: Mon. Oct. 20 Share by: Wed. Oct. 22 2. Outside Task #2: TIF-ed Lesson Implementation Do by: Mon. Oct. 27 Share by: Wed. Oct. 29 Outside Tasks for Mtg. 3 Date: Fri. Nov. 21, 1:30-3:30 PM 1. Outside Task #3: TIF-ing the Classroom Do by: Fri. Nov. 7 Share by: Mon. Nov. 10 2. Outside Task #4: TIF-ed Lesson Implementation Do by: Wed. Nov. 12 Share by: . Nov. 12 3. Outside Task #5: TIF-ed Lesson Implementation Do by: Mon. Nov. 17 4. Complete TIF Preview: Do by: Wed. Nov. 19 Share by: Thurs. Nov. 20 ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

34. Ready, Set, Go-To!! • Who has attended a Go-To webinar training before? • What do you need in order to be ready for the webinar? • You will receive Go-To training info via email • Install Go-To-training prior to the day of the webinar. Check w/ your IT person at your site if you need help. • Any worries? Enter the Go-To training 20 minutes before so glitches can be worked out. ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015

35. Wrap-up Next Meeting: day, time, place • Tasks before we meet again? • Come ready to share! • Questions? THANK YOU!!! ACES PLC, ATLAS, September 2015