November+30,+2009

=Collaboration Meeting Agenda:=

Pick a name at random to write the minutes: [|random_name_selector_collaboration.ppt]

1. Improving Student Engagement
 * This has not gone away!
 * I need your help:
 * Someone to re-organize the page and categorize each engagement strategy (speaking, writing, reading--some strategies will be in more than one category, of course)
 * Members to continue to post links to pages that you create detailing how to implement new engagement strategies as you discover/use them.
 * Members to begin discussions, one member each week, in which we reflect on the strategies we used during the past week, what we used it for, how it went, and how to make it a better learning event. After creating the discussion, please e-mail the link to the discussion to everyone on the team so we can all respond.

2.  Expository Formative Assessment 3. ECAP 
 * We have agreed on the format, view last collaboration's minutes for clarification.
 * 2 before Winter Break, 2 after Winter Break, then the Benchmark Assessment
 * Use the entire rubric to give students their feedback.
 * Continue to use the 4-point scale when recording results (based on the overall score--see example)
 * [|Rubric for Expository Essay.doc]
 * Credit/No Credit in the Formative section of the Writing grade for the first 2, grading/scoring the final 2 the same way we did the Narrative.
 * Continue to grade samples from last year each week (who can bring samples for next week?)
 * What are the expectations?
 * Is the rubric based on standards?
 * Is the rubric easy to use?
 * Show the resource page.

=Minutes:= Cleophus will reorganize the Student Engagement page. Each member will post at least one more engagement strategy.

Expository Assessments: Remove week 5 writing prompt and use a practice test. Week 4 reading prompt will be removed. Students will receive full credit on first 2 formative assessments and rubric scale on last 2 and Benchmark. Approaching expository vs. persuasive: posting strategies and sharing in collaboration. Discussing the differences between rubric points. Pull student examples. Jenn will start a discussion page on teaching strategies.

Persuasive writing: possibility of teaching a Defend/Challenge essay (Pro/Con).

Grammar in reading classes: have students identify elements of grammar in the reading assessments. Cleophus will add a 2nd grammar key.

ECAP: see reference page on our PLC wiki. Use abridged Newsweek article. Reading teachers can identify elements of expository in the article and review it. Evidence powerpoint this week.