Winter Institute 2004
The purpose of the ISA 2004 Winter Institute was to strengthen practitioners’ skills to create and implement instructional units or conflict resolution programs. To accomplish this, participants meet for three intensive sessions throughout the year to learn more about inquiry as applied to their discipline, or about mediation and negotiation models of conflict resolution. Participants are asked to develop their own inquiry-based units or guidance plans and share them with their colleagues on May 8, 2004.
Instructors with expertise across subject areas led seminars. Particular focus was paid to the context of teachers’ classrooms and how curricular units aligned with Regents standards.
Math
Project Based Learning in a Math A classroom
How can we make the learning of mathematics a meaningful experience? How can we engage students in the mathematics classroom?
In this seminar, participants discussed how to engage students in exciting learning experiences that support their success in demonstrating mathematical concepts. Participants examined projects that demonstrated The Golden Ratio, Number Theory and area. Participants also worked together to refine their own inquiry-based curriculum unit, and discuss the unit in relation to its implementation.
Science
Refining the Mini-Unit Plan
In this working seminar, participants organized and refined the mini-units on which they had worked. Teachers began by participating in a guided inquiry activity and learned Science-Technology-Society (STS) role plays. Drawing from work in the first session, participants reviewed the structure of inquiry plans and created both a concept map and a web for their unit, concluding the seminar with a discussion about teaching the unit to students and presenting their work to colleagues.
Literacy
Across Content Areas
In the literacy seminar, participants developed Inquiry projects with the assistance of the instructors. The session focused on structuring the inquiry as well as determining the materials that will support an inquiry-based unit. Participants spent time compiling resources and materials to support the successful implementation of the study.
Social Studies
Global History as Inquiry and the Regents as One Measure of Learning
Based upon what historical era and skill areas the teachers identified as the focus for their unit during the first meeting together, the participants shared their experiences to date using either the "backwards design" format, Richard Strong's "Floor Plan" or some
other structure of their choosing for designing the curriculum unit. Teachers developed a framework, a series of lesson plans, and alternative assessment tools for implementation, while facilitators provided models for a lesson plan format based upon benchmarks and key ideas from standard two of the Regents.
Conflict Resolution
Negotiation and Mediation with ICCCR
In this highly interactive session on conflict resolution,
negotiation, and mediation, participants reviewed and
practiced negotiating conflict constructively. As in the
prior session, emphasis was on theoretical frameworks
as well as the behavioral components involved in a
collaborative negotiation. Participants also reinforced
the behavioral skills learned earlier in negotiation within
the context of mediation. Activities focused on
transposing the learned theory and skills of these
workshops into a customized design and/or curriculum
of conflict resolution and mediation for the participants’
respective schools. |
