Additional Staff Resources
PLC Presentations 14-15
CST presentation: CLICK HERE
Our video is about our investigation into Realtime, Haddon Township’s newly adopted Special Education Documentation System. Our PLC focused on examining the features of Realtime in order to successfully implement it across the district. The video is intended to be viewed by general education teachers, special education teachers and relevant administrators.
Pre-K presentation: CLICK HERE
Our group discussed the importance of collaboration at the elementary level. Our video highlights each of our classrooms and we showed how we worked our theme across all domains. In January, we used the theme of Snowmen and shared our pictures and activities with one another. You will see the different books we read, the differentiation in each class, and the fun we had!
The video would be helpful for other elementary teachers and show how wonderful collaboration is!
We studied all different teaching strategies and had to be introduced to different styles. We were able to think of activities across all domains of learning. With many personalities and ideas, we were able to understand how it important it is to be patient, listen to others, and we were able to see how awesome our lessons can be just by sharing with our co-workers.
Kindergarten presentation: CLICK HERE
Our video demonstrates the ability to integrate the SmartBoard into the kindergarten curriculum. The clips incorporate science, mathematics, literacy, social studies, gross motor development, and classroom management in all five kindergarten classrooms.
Audience
Our intended audience is early childhood teachers more specifically pre-k to first grade.
Description of PLC
Our PLC attended a workshop presented by Steve Chard overviewing uses of the SmartBoard in the classroom. We collaborated on uses of this new technology in our classes. We also shared strategies that we tried with each other.Elementary Instructional Support presentation: CLICK HERE
Dear Elementary Colleagues,
The past decade has seen a profound rise in the interest in what research says about fluency instruction. Based on our reading of Richard Allington’s, What Really Matters in Fluency, we learned that repeated readings of text produce increased comprehension, fluency and confidence on new texts.
Elementary Special Education presentation: CLICK HERE
The iSped Team decided to explore ClassDojo. ClassDojo is a behavior modification app that be can be used at all levels. This app allows students to create their own personal avatar (character). This character can then be monitored by the teacher throughout the class period for both negative and positive behaviors. The students and parents can log in and check their avatar’s behavior for the day. It allows for excellent communication and is a virtual behavior plan.
We interviewed teachers who used it in class and tried a few scenarios where we thought it might be effective. We found that teachers liked it for older students as a self-monitoring system and promoted ownership of their own behavior. However, some teachers found that it was too time consuming to be effective in short periods or when their were groups moving in and out of the class.
1st Grade presentation: CLICK HERE
This is an inventory of math apps our group explored to see if they
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Aligned with the Common Core
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Track student progress
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Crash easily
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Are available in a free version
This video is most appropriate for grades 1-3.
The goal of our PLC this year was to search for math applications that would supplement the Everyday Math curriculum to support the new Common Core standards. We were also concerned with finding apps that would track progress to help with the new report cards that are being developed in the district.
2nd Grade presentation: CLICK HERE
Teacherz2Studentz: Grade 2 PLC 2014/2015
The Haddon Township report card is changing to align with the Common Core Standards. Various
methods of assessment, both electronic and hard cop, are presented to aid the classroom teacher in
assessing individual student progress. Our PLC shared various methods of student assessments currently
being used in our classrooms and explored new apps. The presentation is intended to provide elementary
school teachers with choices of effective assessment techniques.
3rd Grade presentation: CLICK HERE
This year, the 3rd grade teachers of Haddon Township School District focused their PLC on useful apps in the classroom. We began in September researching a few apps we wanted to direct our focus on for the year. Each teacher was responsible for updating/informing the group about this app. We then created a 3rd grade blog (link attached below) where the group could post/reply anything new and interesting happening in the classroom that related to the iPads. Because we are not all teaching in the same building, this was a great way to communicate with one another and suggest ways to implement the iPads into our 3rd grade curriculum.
Our video highlights a few of our favorite apps used this year. While there were a plethora to choose from, we felt the following apps were ones we used frequently, easily, and could also benefit not just third graders. The video is primarily intended for elementary teachers; however, middle school and high school teacher could gain valuable ideas/resources from this presentation as well.
Third Grade Blog: http://thirdgradeapps.blogspot.com/?zx=cf0d01e65503a61
4th Grade presentation: CLICK HERE
For our PLC, the 4th grade teachers chose to discuss technology, specifically IPads. We spent some time in the beginning reviewing various apps we have been using in each of our classrooms. We talked about what apps we found beneficial and which were not as useful. After our research we chose to focus on the app, Edmodo. Edmodo is an online classroom, similar to Facebook. Using Edmodo teachers can upload homework assignments, poll students, assign quizzes and give assignments. It is a fun way for teachers to interact with their students. Teachers can differentiate assignments and groups. Edmodo would be beneficial for teachers in every grade where students have iPads. Therefore, all Haddon Township staff would benefit from viewing this presentation.
5th Grade presentation: CLICK HERE
Fifth Grade Finds Some Apps
This year in our PLC, we investigated and shared APPS that would be appropriate for use in fifth grade. Our video highlights some of the ones we found particularly effective.
Intended Audience: Grades 3 - 8
DISCLAIMER: Please excuse the fifth grade misspelling of Maria Tallchief on our PicCollage slide. (Great piccollage - just a common mistake!)
Warning: Teaching fifth grade for many years takes away your ability to spell correctly as well, soon you are spelling like a fifth grader!
MS Team 6R presentation: CLICK HERE
The purpose of the presentation was to illustrate the various educational apps and websites that have been introduced to the students on the sixth red team at R.M.S. Thankfully, the students embraced this golden opportunity to implement the iPad as an educational tool at various stages of a particular unit. Google classroom, keynote, and docs/pages have assisted the students in their daily classes with organization and meaningful note taking. In terms of preparing for assessments, the Remind app, which sends date notifications, and Quizlet have provided ways to be more aware and confident when tackling tests. Finally, Socrative, iMovie, and Pic collage have helped both teachers and pupils; checking for understanding becomes easier with teacher generated questions and digital exit tickets, and assessments become more engaging and incorporates all three learning styles. Teachers should attempt to explore these tools at their own pace in order to open up new doors to learning.
MS Team 6W presentation: CLICK HERE
Over the course of this school year, our PLC group focused on the importance of teaching digital citizenship and incorporating technology into student-led collaborative groups. Our video shows an example of a project that we completed in advisory. Students applied their knowledge of digital citizenship by creating a public service announcement iMovie with their iPads.
MS Team 7R presentation: CLICK HERE
MS Team 7W presentation: CLICK HERE
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Our video focuses on different formative assessments that were used in our classrooms over the year. We also explained what reflective practice is and how it can be used for improving our teaching skills. We used three different apps “ScreenChomp,” “Sock Puppets,” and “iMovie” to explain the topics of our video. All of these apps were used in our classrooms as a form of assessment throughout the year.
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Anyone who would like to learn more about the reasons for reflective practice and how to use it or anyone who would like to learn more about different types of assessment for the classroom. These assessment practices would be more geared for K-8.
- This year our PLC focused on Reflective Practice. Each time we met we focused on 2 of the 7 standards we need to meet for Stronge. We would each bring in an article for each standard and discuss the articles as well as reflect on our practices as teachers. We would discuss new ideas to bring to the classroom and share ideas that we were already using. Our discussions would end up focusing on how we could better our practices that were used on a daily basis.
MS Team 8W presentation: CLICK HERE
Our target audience includes any educator who may be less familiar with the advantages and functions of Google Classroom. The purpose of this P.L.C. video is to help instruct fellow teachers on how to incorporate Google Classroom into their daily instruction. In addition to the guided instruction included in the video, we have also included the pros and cons of the use of Google Classroom both from the perspective of the educator and student.
MS Team 8R presentation: CLICK HERE
As a newly-formed team at William G. Rohrer Middle School we felt the best way to
begin to learn about each other was to form a cross-curricular Unit Plan. Being a
part of a cohesive team at William G. Rohrer Middle School allows teachers to
collaborate and instruct students on topics across the curriculum. As a starting
point, we looked at the Middle Ages in Europe. The Middle Ages were a pivotal time
in the development of nations, as well as our modern-day societies, and is a major
component to the eighth grade social studies curriculum. We were immediately
drawn to the Calamitous Century in Europe and centered our focus on the Black
Plague. As an interdisciplinary team, each teacher worked within their core
curriculum standards to create a unit lesson with differentiated assignments in which
the students would work on activities focused on the Black Plaque.
Fine and Performing Arts presentation: CLICK HERE
Our K-12 group of ten teachers openly shared their knowledge and their needs within the topic of Technology in the Arts. Topics of interest included using Google Drive with students, exploring various music and art apps, working with the soundboard in the auditorium, and how we might utilize the iPads within our classes this year. We worked as smaller, grade level groups during the year to help ourselves reach our goals.
Our video demonstrates some of the skills we put to use, and shares pictures that summarize our PLC, and our teaching/learning experiences over the past year. During the planning of our video, we learned from and about each other through the PLC conversations. The audience for Technology in the Arts is everyone – because if you think you’re not creative…you need stop thinking and start doing!!
HS and MS Counseling presentation: CLICK HERE
For the School Counseling PLC, we chose to study the American School Counselor Association Model. Our PLC members: Brielle, Cristin, Frank, and Lori read the ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs. Upon reviewing this model we felt reassured that much of it is already incorporated into our current programs. If you are a teacher, educational specialist, or administrator interested in learning more about what school counselors do and how school counseling programs are organized, than this is a video worth watching.
Career and Technical Education presentation: CLICK HERE
Provide a short overview of the topic of the video: Our video discusses the capabilities and efficiencies of Google Classroom for all teachers.
This video introduces teachers to Google Classroom. It explains things that can be done with Google Classroom.
Describe your intended audience: (who from the HT staff might benefit from viewing it)
All high school or middle school teachers would benefit from viewing this presentation.
Give a very brief description of what your PLC studied this year:
Each of us learned how to implement Google Classroom within our various disciplines.
HS English presentation: CLICK HERE
Part 1: Video
The link to the PLC video is below. This video plays BEST on your iPad!
Part 2: Overview of Topic
This video gives a broad overview of the HS English teachers’ experiences with learning about, studying, and reflecting on PARCC.
Part 3: Intended Audience
Any teacher who is in a PARCC “tested” subject may find viewing this video to be beneficial.
Part 4: PLC Overview
For the 2014-2015 PLC sessions, the English Dept. at HTHS explored, analyzed and discussed the upcoming ELA PARCC exam. Their purpose was to educate themselves in order to impart their knowledge of PARCC upon their students. Ultimately, the teachers sought to understand PARCC so they could provide students with the opportunity to unofficially experience PARCC before the official test dates in March & May. They were met with some successes, as well as areas that leave further questions.HS Math presentation: CLICK HERE
For our PLC the math department felt it would be beneficial to go through the example assessment questions and see where we could use them in the curriculum, to give students practice and exposure to examples of the test. What we have learned is the test is not necessarily testing the math knowledge, but if the students can unravel the language of the question. The first part of the test is at the 75% mark of the year, so which 75% of the material is this? That can vary from book to book or teacher to teacher. The wording of the questions, along with the technology being used to take the test, are setting the students up for a frustrating experience that in no way is reflective of the education they have received here at Haddon Township.
HS PE and Health presentation: CLICK HERE
HS Science presentation: CLICK HERE
The project we created as part of our PLC for 2014-15 involved examining the use of academic standards in the design of lesson plans. We needed to consider the NJCCCS as well as the Common Core standards while developing our lessons. Soon the New Generation Science Standards (NGSS) will be implemented and infused into these plans as well.
We began by focusing on the integration of the common core standards from language arts and mathematics perspective. The standards were listed and highlighted within a power point. A voice-over was also used to walk the audience through our project.
All teachers created lessons that were common core based and a sampling of these is listed as well. We decided to use a lab focusing on osmosis and diffusion in Barb Frasco’s AP Biology course.
The presentation is also infused with video of students completing said lab activities. Students described their objectives and findings as well as demonstrated all lab techniques within the video.
The intended audience for this presentation is the Haddon Township High School teachers as well as elementary and middle school science teachers who are interested in how common core standards are embedded into science lessons.
HS Social Studies presentation: CLICK HERE
The Social Studies Department uses PLC meetings to share formative and summative assessment strategies. These “do-now” activities, end-of-unit activities, and research activities are used to check for understanding, modify teaching, and improve student progress. The video the department created exemplifies formative and summative assessments that work in our classrooms.
World Language presentation: CLICK HERE