Saturday Curriculum Committee Meeting- MYP Units Grade 6

The Curriculum Committee braved a heat wave today with temperatures in the mid-90's as work continued on unit plans for Grade 6 MYP. Kate Dominique led the morning session with a detailed presentation on the next phase of the unit planning activity. We had a delayed start of 10:30AM today due to Senior Prom last night at the High School. The Committee continues to move forward in a very productive manner. The following are summaries prepared by teachers of the various subcommittees:


Members: E. Barfield, V. Cassesa, A. Gomez, K. Kelly-Ynoa, M. King, R. Meyers and V. Ramos.
Area: Language Arts Literacy Grade 6

The Language Arts Literacy group created a design for the sixth grade thematic units of “Families and Communities” and “Meeting Challenges.” For each of these units the group developed and organized a detailed unit plan that included established goals, enduring understanding, essential question, goals/rationale and assessment. The group was able to work effectively and productively as the group dynamic was positive and pleasant. Each member contributed consistently and as a result, a successful unit was developed.

Members: Kevin Metcalfe and Damian DeBenedetto
Content Area: Social Studies
Grade 6

Today Kevin Metcalfe and I worked on The "big ideas" and essential questions for social studies, completing September through October. Today was productive in that we feel we got a good grasp on the direction we are taking and will be able to proceed in a smooth and timely fashion. We also discussed the possibility of meeting prior to the summer session to get a head start on writing the curriculum for Social Studies and to get Chris Munoz up to speed.

Members: Janice Shikhman and Beth Tomlinson
Content Area: Physical Education and Health
Grade 6

Our group worked on drafting deigns from big ideas. Our first draft was planning a 4 week health unit on good hygiene. The next draft planned a 4 week unit on what is good sportsmanship and how how recreational activities can foster cooperative learning in all areas of life.

Members: Roseangela Perez
Content Area: Science
Grade 6

I just wanted to bring you up to date with what the group happenings. Today we focused on the outer space unit and developed a big idea from which to further our planning. We developed concepts, established learning goals and created new and innovative forms of assessments. Today was great because the group was able to produce a interdisciplinary connection amongst various subjects. The discussion was motivating and productive. At the current time we are ready to move forth with Dec. and Jan. topics and themes.


Members: Isabel Bruni, Tania Trinidad-Payamps, Geidy DelaRosa
Content Area: Language/Language B
Grade 6

On June 7, 2008, we drafted a thematic unit based on concepts of the Learning by Design Textbook. We applied those concepts to the MYP unit. We completed a unit for grade 6th. We explored and came up with our own: Established goals, Enduring understanding, Essential questions, Big ideas, Predictable misunderstanding and errors, Goals/rationale
We brainstormed the areas of interactions and we came up with areas of interactions for this particular unit. Also, we included the summative assessments and culminating activities. Lastly, we linked our unit to the NJCCCS in the following disciplines:World Languages, Technology, Social Studies, Health and Physical Education

Scholastic- SRI Reading Inventory Workshop

On Tuesday, representatives from Scholastic visited the district under the invitation of Jennifer Lopez (Reading First Coordinator and Dr. Anthony Petrosino) conducted a professional development workshop on the administration of the SRI Inventory. The SRI Inventory will be utilized with rising 4th through 7th graders as a diagnostic instrument focusing on students reading abilities. The SRI Inventory will allow the district to:

1) Monitor Progress—Fifteen new and enhanced reports, including the new Student Yearly Progress Indicator, will help our district evaluate student progress toward proficiency goals, measure reading growth, and meet NCLB requirements.

2) Assess Reading Levels—With SRI the district will be able to accurately determine student reading ability and incorporate reading levels into daily instruction.

3) Meet Student Needs—The district will be in position to target students for intervention and instructional purposes. SRI also provides personalized reading lists for every student.

4) Demonstrate Accountability—With full data export capabilities, SRI will enable the district to disaggregate student data to demonstrate accountability and monitor yearly progress for all students.

We anticipate that SRI will generate a wealth of criterion- and norm-referenced data for every student, including a percentile rank, stanine, normal curve equivalent (NCE), and a native Lexile measure- which will help facilitate specialized and differentiated instruction for our students.

The workshop participants included:

Scholastic - Maxine Dennis (Scholastic Rep)and Doretha Beckham (Trainer)
Calabro - Kelli Cudney Leon
Connors - Maria Morales; Catherine Mascis; Kevin Metcalf; Martin Shannon; Kelly Sogluizzo Wallace - Cara Killen
District, NCLB - Jennifer Lopez; Dr. Anthony Petrosino
IT Department - Matt Burakowski; Joseph Desantis

For more information please visit: http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/sri/overview.htm

Curriculum Committee Meeting-MYP Units

Today's Curriculum Committee Meeting centered on the development of units utilizing the IB MYP format. This was a continuation of the work begun last week and once again include Ms. Kate Dominique as the facilitator. Groups were divided into disciplinary units previously assigned and significant progress was made on the procedural aspects of unit development. The units will utilize the curriculumm mapping that was accomplished previously.

Hoboken Dual Language Project (HoLa)

Today a meeting occurred between administrators of the Hoboken School District and founding members of the Hoboken Dual Language Project (HoLa). HoLa has a sincere interest in improving the quality of education in Hoboken as well as increasing the number of choices available to our community. HoLa bring a range of experiences to their project including their common love of language, international travel, and cultural exchenage. The 30 minute meeting centered on the importance of immersion programs in the social, cognitive and cultural development of the child; curricula and pedagogical reforms currently under way in the Hoboken School District; the concept of Contract Schools, and a desire to meet again in a few weeks for a follow-up meeting.

Curriculum Committee Meeting- MYP

Today, with the leadership of Kate Dominique (Hoboken District IB Coordinator), the curriculum committee went over the basics of MYP for those who weren't at the institute day and didn't get to the unit planner. The committee conducted an activity to help them understand how the Areas of Interaction will be fluid throughout the curriculum, and then from 4-4:30 each domain group brainstormed the beginnings of a unit. Additional meetings will introduce the planner since it takes more time and is more involved.

The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) is designed for students aged 11 to 16. This period, encompassing early puberty and mid-adolescence, is a particularly critical phase of personal and intellectual development and requires a programme that helps students participate actively and responsibly in a changing and increasingly interrelated world. Learning how to learn and how to evaluate information critically is as important as learning facts. Curriculum documents are published in English, French, Spanish and Chinese but schools may offer the programme in other languages. The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is one of three programmes offered by the IB.

For mor einformation on the IB MYP program please see: http://www.ibo.org/myp/

NMSI Talk- Dr. Petrosino

On Wednesday May 21 and Thursday, May 22 Dr. Petrosino presented work on two courses he dsigned. One, Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science (with colleague Dr. Walter Stroup) and Project Based Instruction in Mathematics and Science. Much of this work is being incorporated in the work of the Hoboken School District's Curriculum Committee.

The conference is in response to an outpouring of national interest of educators interested in replicating the successful UTeach program for training math and science teachers May 20-24, 2008. More than more 230 participants from around the country will attend the three-day meeting, the largest national workshop since the program’s inception 11 years ago.

Attendees will learn more about the highly successful UTeach program and explore issues related to science and math education with university faculty, administrators, and others currently implementing UTeach programs across the country. UTeach is being replicated at 13 universities throughout the United States through the Uteach Institute and the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI).

The Austin conference attendees will include representatives from current recipients of NMSI-UTeach grants, including: Florida State University, Louisiana State University/Southeastern Louisiana University, Northern Arizona University, Temple University, University of Kansas, University of California- Berkeley, University of Colorado- Boulder, University of California- Irvine, University of Florida, University of Houston, University of North Texas, UT Dallas, and Western Kentucky University.

LitLife Presentation

Today ten district administrators met with representatives from LitLife to discuss K-8 literacy and reading professional development in the Hoboken School District. LitLife works in a diverse range of school communities to 1) Design and construct curriculum along a spiraling continuum, 2) empower students to exceed national learning standards by training teachers wisely and well, 3) give teachers practical strategies and management tools to create a differentiated classroom, 4) inspire a love of reading and writing in all children by motivating teachers, and 5) develop strategic plans for literacy achievement at all grade levels.

The program is in over 100 schools and has served thousands of teachers grades K-12. The basic premise of the program is a belief that "the key to an extraordinary, memorable, equitable education for all children is effective, systemic, and joyous teacher training.

The professional development centered on student self regulation and metacognitive processes is consistent with findings from the National Research Council's findings on "HOW PEOPLE LEARN".

Curriculum Meeting- May 14

The Curriculum Committee met today and discussed issues related around the development of hands on activities that incorporate basic principle of How People Learn. Specifically, the committee looked at three key issues: 

1) Reconsider developmental rationale for constraining middle school childrens’ science instruction
2) Effective structuring of clasroom environment for investigative activity via project based instruction preceeded by a meaningful problem
3) Emphasize working like scientists rather than functioning primarily upon students initial state of understanding

The Committee also examined design principles for effective instruction built upon the idea of reflection and revision. Specifically, theses Design Principles for Problems to Projects include:

1) Define Learning Appropriate Goals
2) Provide Scaffolds
3) Multiple Opportunities for Formative Self Assessment
4) Social structures that support participation and revision

The presentation by Dr. Petrosino focused on The Development of a Project, The Scaffolding of Student Activity, Opportunities to Reflect and Revise, The Use of Tools and Opportunities to Acquire Meaningful Content in Mathematics (Data/Measurement) and Science (Experimentation).

The challenge of this work is figuring out how to include detailed project based work like those demonstrated today while still being very conscious and aware of the existence of accountability testing and the educational, social, and political world they inhabit. 

Summer Curriculum Committee Meetings

The Hoboken Curriculum Committee will begin summer meetings on Monday July 14 and continue until Thursday August 14. The Committee will meet four days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) from 9AM to 3:30PM with a 1 hour lunch period (11:30-12:30). Additional times and dates may be arranged when appropriate and approved. The primary goals of the summer meeting swill be to provide and articulate detail to the District's system wide curriculum revision process. Meetings will take place in Calabro School.

Frank Sinatra Stamp Ceremonies

“I would like to be remembered as a man who had a wonderful time living life, a man who had good friends, fine family - and I don't think I could ask for anything more than that, actually.” - Frank Sinatra

The United States Postal Service is releasing 120 million copies of the Frank Sinatra stamp this week, featuring a young Sinatra wearing his signature fedora and his blue eyes sparkling. Sinatra was born on Monroe Street and raised in Hoboken. "What you have here is the child of immigrant parents who came to seek the promise of America from the Old World," said Sinatra Jr. about his father. Pointing to the Hudson River flowing past Pier A Park in Hoboken, where the ceremony was held, Sinatra Jr. added, "This is the river that brought his parents to where we are today. "Here was a kid off the streets of Hoboken, New Jersey, and now his face is being honored by a United States Postal Service stamp. If that isn't the finest expression of the American dream, I don't know what is," Sinatra Jr. said.

Hoboken Mayor David Roberts joined Sinatra Jr. at the unveiling, along with actor Danny Aiello, U.S. Rep. Albio Sires, D-West New York, Superintendent Jack Raslowsky and well over 100 Sinatra fans. By CARLY BALDWIN

Saturday Curriculum Meeting- May 10

The Curriculum Committee met for 6 hours today at Hoboken High School (9AM-3PM). The primary goal was to formulate a final version of the K-12 Curriculum Mapping for the new District Curriculum. For the first time this year we worked in content specific groups to address vertical alignment of the curriculum. Edits were made to previous drafts and some areas received significant reformulations. Content specific groups included Mathematics, Science, Language, Social Studies, and English. This leaves the areas of Music, Art, Physical Education and Career Education yet to be finalized. While we were all expecting to have this past us by this point, the involvement of many teachers across many grade levels is proving to be a major strength and deserves the time allocated. We are anticipating all mapping to be finished by the middle of May.

Red Bank Primary School Visit- Tools of the Mind

Over a dozen members of the Hoboken School District visited Red Bank Primary School in Red Bank, NJ today for a visit of the school's implementation of the Tools of the Mind PK-K curriculum. This was a follow-up to the March 4th visit (see post). Amy Hornbeck, coordinator of the Red Bank program, was on hand to lead visits to numerous PK and K classrooms as well as lead a Question and Answer period for principals and teachers following the classroom observations. Tools of the Mind is a research-based early childhood program that builds strong foundations for school success in preschool and kindergarten children by promoting their intentional and self-regulated learning. In a series of rigorous experimental trials, Tools of the Mind has been shown to have a significant impact on self-regulation of preschool children. The studies also found these gains in self-regulation to be related to scores in child achievement in early literacy and mathematics.

The Hoboken School District is currently assessing the viability of adopting the Tools of the Mind program to address the issue of self regulation among our youngest students in addition to streamlining the transition between the district's Pre K and Kindergarten programs. A decision will be made shortly.

A growing body of research indicates that many children start school not ready to learn not because they do not know their letters or numbers but because they lack one critical ability: the ability to regulate their social, emotional, and cognitive behaviors. Current research shows that self-regulation – often called executive function -- has a stronger association with academic achievement than IQ or entry-level reading or math skills.

District participants included:

Linda Erbe- Principal Connors
Elizabeth Falco-Principal Brandt
Susan Imorz- 21st Century
Jill Littzi- Kindergarten
Romy Marchesani-Kindergarten
Paula Ohaus- Arts
Linda Palumbo- Principal Calabro
Jessica Peters-Supervisor of Early Childhood
Dr. Anthony Petrosino- Asst. to Superintendent
Elizabeth Schwartz-2nd Grade
AnnaMaria Simone-Kindergarten
Katrina Sturdivant-Kindergarten
Charles Tortorella-Principal Wallace

For more information on Tools of the Mind visit: http://www.mscd.edu/extendedcampus/toolsofthemind/