Program Seminar- "BIG Monday"
The BIG Monday CoT Seminar Group (which now meets on Tuesday, but too traditional/stubborn to change our name) is the only group that meets separately via distance ed. Part of our group meets in Bloomington, and the other in the IUPUI campus. We are linked weekly via video conferencing technology. The convenience of the distance ed is also the greatest challenge for this seminar group. It is difficult to both facilitate and sometimes stay engaged over a digital connection.
The dynamics of this group are different than the other groups. Second-career teachers in Bloomington could be easily dispersed among the other seminars, but those of us north of Bloomington desire and often request the convenience of the Indianapolis meeting option. Our group always seems to me to be a little bit older and therefore draws from a more diverse abundance of life experiences to tie into our teaching.
Every semester we plan the curriculum in advance by developing a semester theme, selecting reading/research materials, assigning facilitators and writing a semester syllabus. Like all other seminars, we take turns facilitating It seemed as though many of the second-career teachers. Below is a list of our semester discussion themes and some of the assignments that were assigned or chosen.
Fortunately the group meets once a month as a unified seminar together either in Indianapolis or Bloomington. These meetings help to build the community bonds necessary for a group like this to bond, trust and build relationships. I enjoyed the fellowship, learning, sharing, eating, learning, listening, etc. opportunities that naturally rose from the well-planned and meaningful discussion seminars. Each member over the three semesters has contributed a piece of themselves both to my learning and to my teaching.
I will miss the CoT experience and the members. If you are reading this, I wish all of you the very best in your teaching aspirations. Your friendship and the CoT experience have been invaluable in the completion of this portfolio and my development as a teacher.
It gives is great pride and distinction to have the CoT Program Director, Dr. Carrie Chapman as our Faculty Supervisor. Her personality, teaching style, experience, leadership and friendship have made BIG Monday and CoT models for teacher education.
SPRING 2006: Schools as Learning Communities
ASSIGNMENT: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL LETTER
ASSIGNMENT: SEMESTER GOALS
ASSIGNMENT: ASSESSING PORTFOLIO WORK (TRADE & GRADE):
With a partner, before submitting two expectations to the faculty, trade them and assess one another's work according to the CoT Portfolio rubric. Submit all four expectations (yours and your partner's) along with the peer assessments.
CHOICE ASSIGNMENT: TWO ARTICLE REVIEWS
by Peg Tyre, Newsweek; 1/30/2006
Related Stories:
by Susan Headden, U.S. News & World Report, 2/20/2006
Portfolio Development Night
FALL 2005: Assessment
This discussion theme was conceived and developed by me. I selected most of the readings, organized the syllabus and created assignments. The choice assignment below was introduced this semester and is now a required semester assignment of all BIG Monday members.
ASSIGNMENT: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL LETTER
ASSIGNMENT: SEMESTER GOALS
CHOICE ASSIGNMENT: ASSESSING PORTFOLIO WORK (TRADE & GRADE)
With a partner, before submitting three expectations to the faculty, trade them and assess one another's work according to the CoT Portfolio rubric. Submit all six expectations (yours and your partner's) along with the peer assessments.
SPRING 2005: Collaboration
ASSIGNMENT: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL LETTER
ASSIGNMENT: SEMESTER GOALS
CHOICE ASSIGNMENT: JOURNAL
