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Content Type: 3
Title: InterCom: August 9, 2021
Body:
Happy new school year to all! We hope that you have had a restful summer and are ready for the new academic year.
In honor of the beginning of school, we are continuing our series for educators dedicated to the cultivation of high-functioning professional communities. This week, we focus on developing collaborative resource repositories.
There are a few ways to get connected with us this week:
- Join our InterCom Live! session. We connect on Facebook every Monday at 11:00 am Pacific. To join us, open CASLS's Facebook page at the designated time. Can't make it? The InterCom Live! events are always recorded, and you can find them on our Facebook page.
- Check out the Activity of the Week. This activity guides departments and other professional learning communities in the creation and maintenance of shared resource repositories.
- Resource repositories are particularly invaluable for educators of less commonly taught languages. Check out these additional resources for said educators provided by the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition at the University of Minnesota.
Happy exploring! We are excited to continue engaging with you this week.
Source: CASLS
Inputdate: 2021-08-06 18:43:21
Lastmodifieddate: 2021-08-09 10:56:29
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Publishdate: 2021-08-09 09:15:03
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Content Type: 4
Title: Use Catalyst to Identify Strengths for Growth
Body:
This activity is designed for world language educators who wish to participate in professional learning communities. It utilizes Catalyst, a free, online, social portfolio for language teachers.
Learning outcome(s):
Teachers will be able to:
- Complete a self assessment using the Catalyst tool
- Identify one goal based on the continual cultivation of strengths
- Give and get feedback on goals
Mode(s): Not applicable
Materials: Identifying Strengths for Growth video, Catalyst account.
Procedure:
- If you have not already created a Catalyst account, go to https://catalyst.uoregon.edu/ to sign up. Set up your account.
- Watch the Identifying Strengths for Growth video. Then, if you are a new user, browse the video tutorials (under “About” on the left side of the dashboard). Alternatively, you may use this link: https://catalyst.uoregon.edu/tutorials.
- Once you are ready, complete the TELL Self-Assessment on Catalyst (it can be found by clicking “Quick Assess” under “My Progress” on the right side of the dashboard. Alternatively, you may use this link: https://catalyst.uoregon.edu/quick-assess/). It is recommended that you choose to complete this self-assessment only for the domains you find most interesting and/or relevant to your practice. No matter your approach, as you are assessing, think about which of the indicators is a strength of yours that you want to continue refining.
- Identify at least one strength as a goal within the TELL Framework by clicking the star icon as you self-assess. This selection will trigger a pop-up window that allows you to articulate your goal associated with the strength and your plan for achieving that goal.
- Next, find a peer to collaborate with. You may either work with someone you already know or search for people with the same goals and strengths by finding “My Community” in the center of the dashboard and clicking “Add Members”.
- Once you have connected with your peer, set up a 15-minute meeting to discuss the strength you want to refine and the goal you articulated in Step 3. Use a SMART goal framework to guide the meeting. The associated questions are below.
- Specific: What is the specific TELL Indicator you want to refine?
- Measurable: How will you measure success with that goal?
- Achievable: Are you sure your goal is achievable?
- Relevant: Why is the goal relevant to your practice?
- Time-bound: What is your timeline for achieving the goal?
- During the time period you defined in Step 6, Question 5, upload evidence of your practice toward your goal on Catalyst. Agree with your partner to provide feedback a set number of times during that timeframe.
- Meet again and reflect on how well you have grown your strengths!
Notes:
- Throughout this activity, and particularly in Step 3, it is okay if you realize that you are not implementing all of the TELL Criteria in practice. Remember, TELL describes the multitude of skills and characteristics embodied by model world language teachers. Every teacher brings a different skill set to the table.
- Catalyst is a collaborative project developed by CASLS and Professionals in Education Advancing Research and Language Learning (PEARLL). Additional funds provided by the National Foreign Language Center have contributed to the improvement of Catalyst for STARTALK programs.
Source: CASLS
Inputdate: 2021-08-13 14:01:09
Lastmodifieddate: 2021-08-16 19:30:41
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Publishdate: 2021-08-16 09:15:04
Displaydate: 2021-08-16 00:00:00
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Content Type: 3
Title: InterCom: August 16, 2021
Body:
Happy new school year to all! We hope that you have had a restful summer and are ready for the year that lies before you.
In honor of the beginning of school, we are continuing our series for educators dedicated to discussing the development of high-functioning professional communities. This week, we discuss identifying one’s strengths as a critical step in professional growth.
There are a few ways to get connected with us this week:
- Join our InterCom Live! session. We connect on Facebook every Monday at 11:00 am Pacific. To join us, open CASLS's Facebook page at the designated time. Can't make it? The InterCom Live! events are always recorded, and you can find them on our Facebook page.
- Check out the Activity of the Week. This activity provides guidance to educators related to identifying their strengths while working with Catalyst, a free, online, social professional portfolio developed collaboratively by PEARLL and CASLS.
- When considering our own strengths, it is important that we also provide feedback to our peers related to their own strengths. This article provides insight into how to successfully provide feedback in professional settings. The lessons in this article are also useful for applying to giving feedback in classroom contexts.
Happy exploring! We are excited to continue engaging with you this week.
Source: CASLS
Inputdate: 2021-08-13 14:17:39
Lastmodifieddate: 2021-08-16 10:55:43
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Publishdate: 2021-08-16 09:15:04
Displaydate: 2021-08-16 00:00:00
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Content Type: 4
Title: Professional Peer Observation
Body:
This activity was created for teachers wishing to engage in professional peer observation with colleagues. Teachers may choose to observe colleagues from the same discipline, or they may wish to work with colleagues from other disciplines.
Learning Outcome(s):
Teachers will be able to:
- Articulate a plan for observing a colleague using the Collaborate, Observe, Connect, Repeat protocol.
- Observe a colleague
- Debrief observations with the colleague
Materials: Professional Peer Observation video, 
Procedure:
- Collaborate: Find a colleague with whom you would like to engage in peer observations and watch the Professional Peer Observation video together. Set a time to observe each other for at least 20 minutes. Also, set a purpose for the observation. This purpose could be very general (e.g., input to help you realize and undestand your strengths), something specific related to an activity you are trying out or refining, or focusing on characteristics listed in an observation template.
- Observe: At the scheduled time, observe one another’s classes. As a reminder, make sure to spend at least 20 minutes observing. You may always observe longer, but you do not need to stay for an entire class period, unless the purpose you arrived at during Step 1 dictates that need.
- Connect: Set a time to debrief your observations. This time should be comfortable for both of you. For example, you may choose to use shared planning time. Alternatively, you may choose to have lunch or coffee together while you chat. No matter the venue, make sure to mention the strengths you see in one another’s teaching, one or two questions you have for each other, and one idea you have for growth or expansion.
- Repeat: At the close of this meeting, make sure to return to Step 1. Decide on a new time to observe one another and articulate your purpose for the next observation.
Notes:
- Colleages do not have to work in the same school in order to complete observations. Recorded lessons or lessons delivered via webcast are fine to observe.
- When engaging in Step 3, feel free to utilize your peer’s strengths as a jumping off point for your idea for growth or expansion. A proficiency-oriented focus is motivating and is, typically, quite effective.
Source: CASLS
Inputdate: 2021-08-19 15:17:36
Lastmodifieddate: 2021-08-23 11:03:21
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Publishdate: 2021-08-23 09:15:03
Displaydate: 2021-08-23 00:00:00
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Content Type: 3
Title: InterCom: August 23, 2021
Body:
To jumpsatart the beginning of school, this month, we are continuing our series for educators dedicated to discussing the activities of high-functioning professional communities. This week, we provide a protocol for engaging in professional peer collaboration.
There are a few ways to get connected with us this week:
- Join our InterCom Live! session. We connect on Facebook every Monday at 11:00 am Pacific. To join us, open CASLS's Facebook page at the designated time. Can't make it? The InterCom Live! events are always recorded, and you can find them on our Facebook page.
- Check out the Activity of the Week. This activity walks educators through a four-step protocol for professional peer observation. It also offers an example observation template.
- This resource by the Cambridge Assessment International Education Teaching and Learning Team provides a great overview of successful peer observation. Included in the post are the benefits of peer observation, a research overview, and a discussion of common misconceptions related to peer observation. Additionally, the resource walks practitioners through how to prepare before an observation, what to do during an observation, and what to do after the observation.
Happy exploring! We are excited to continue engaging with you this week.
Source: CASLS
Inputdate: 2021-08-19 15:40:26
Lastmodifieddate: 2021-08-23 11:03:21
Expdate:
Publishdate: 2021-08-23 09:15:03
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Content Type: 4
Title: Recognizing and Responding to Stress
Body:
This activity is designed to aid world language educators in the recognition of their stress responses and to support educators in cultivating a plan to mitigate stress.
Learning outcome(s):
Teachers will be able to:
- Identify at least one stress response they exhibit
- Articulate a plan for dealing with stress
Mode(s): Not applicable
Material(s): Recognizing and Responding to Stress video
Procedure:
- Ask to meet with a trusted colleague for roughly 30 minutes. Before, or during, the meeting watch the Recognizing and Responding to Stress video.
- Have an open conversation about one stress response you have noticed in one another. The response you discuss might be emotional (e.g., being easily agitated, feeling overwhelmed, and having negative feelings about yourself), physical (e.g., fatigue, GI issues, and pain), cognitive (e.g., worry, pessimism, and a lack of focus), or behavioral (e.g., procrastination, changes in routine, and changes in nutrition).
- Take two minutes to write a brief reflection on the stress response your colleague mentioned. Consider whether you notice the same response in yourself and the stressors that most contribute to the identified stress response.
- Share your reflections with one another. If you disagree with your colleague’s evaluation or are curious as to why they offered a particular stress response, ask clarifying questions. Collect more information about what motivated the colleague to mention it.
- Settle on the stress response you want to spend time addressing and unpacking. Feel free to offer a distinct stress response from what your colleague mentioned.
- Together, make a plan to deal with each of your stress responses. Consider (1) a daily promise to yourself designed to mitigate stress; (2) a way to remind yourself of the promise; and (3) a way to hold one another accountable.
- Some daily promises:
- Setting home/work boundaries (e.g., a point in the day at which you will stop looking at work email)
- Setting time to disconnect from your phone or other digital devices
- Scheduling a time to walk, run, or do something else to improve your physical health
- Scheduling a time for journaling or meditation
- Creating a plan to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet
- Some ways to remind yourself of your daily promises:
- Scheduling reminders on your phone
- Scheduling reminders on your digital calendar
- Writing your plan on sticky notes and putting them near to where you get ready in the morning, where you look while working through the day, and where you get ready for bed
- Putting an image that reminds you of your plan next to your workspace
- Creating a vision board about your plan
- Some ways to hold one another accountable:
- Sending a quick text or email when you complete your daily promise
- Scheduling a weekly coffee to discuss your progress toward your promise
- Using five minutes of an existing structure in your school day (e.g., shared planning time or lunch) to share how you are progressing toward your daily promise
- Meeting to do something you enjoy (e.g., explore new restaurants or wander farmer’s markets) to discuss your promise
Notes:
- Make sure to follow up with one another after completing Step 6. Be honest about what is working and what is not working for you, and adjust your plan and daily promises accordingly.
Source: CASLS
Inputdate: 2021-08-20 20:47:47
Lastmodifieddate: 2021-08-30 10:56:40
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Publishdate: 2021-08-30 09:15:02
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Content Type: 3
Title: InterCom: August 30, 2021
Body:
Happy new school year to all! We hope that you have had a restful summer and are ready for the year that lies before you.
In honor of the beginning of school, we are continuing our series for educators dedicated to discussing activities that contribute to the development of high-functioning professional communities. This week, we discuss how to recognize and respond to stressors.
There are a few ways to get connected with us this week:
- Join our InterCom Live! session. We connect on Facebook every Monday at 11:00 am Pacific. To join us, open CASLS's Facebook page at the designated time. Can't make it? The InterCom Live! events are always recorded, and you can find them on our Facebook page.
- Check out the Activity of the Week. This activity structures a meeting between two colleagues focused on identifying personal stress responses and articulating a plan to mitigate stress.
- This resource provides educators with some additional suggestions for mitigating stress. We particularly love the suggestions of practicing gratitude and forgiving yourself for past mistakes. It, along with the Activity of the Week, would be great to use within any professional learning community.
Happy exploring! We are excited to continue engaging with you this week.
Source: CASLS
Inputdate: 2021-08-24 14:00:09
Lastmodifieddate: 2021-08-30 10:56:40
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Publishdate: 2021-08-30 09:15:02
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Content Type: 1
Title: Music for Spanish Classrooms
Body:
From: https://twitter.com/SaezFajardo
Sara Saez Fajardo is a Spanish professor and Ph.D. student. She recently tweeted the database she created of songs to use in Spanish classrooms. The database is organized by artist, song title, year, and country of origin. It also includes YouTube links.
Visit: https://twitter.com/SaezFajardo
Source: Sara Saez Fajardo
Inputdate: 2021-08-25 16:35:11
Lastmodifieddate: 2021-08-30 10:56:40
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Publishdate: 2021-08-30 09:15:02
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Content Type: 1
Title: Learning Gains: Pandemic Edition
Body:
From: https://www.edutopia.org/article/lets-start-year-focusing-learning-gains
This article provides advice for structuring a classroom reflection related to processesing the past school year and the pandemic. Learners are encouraged to consider their development of both hard and soft skills. The approach discussed is a useful tool for starting the school year off with a focus on growth, the value of personal experiences, and the successes that learners have had even in unprecedented learning circumstances.
Visit: https://www.edutopia.org/article/lets-start-year-focusing-learning-gains
Source: Edutopia
Inputdate: 2021-08-25 16:39:26
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Content Type: 1
Title: Exploiting Texts
Body:
From: https://textivate.posthaven.com/exploiting-texts
Textivate is a website with which language learners or teachers can create practice and analysis activities for texts of up to 500 words. Once the text is “textivated,” the software automatically generates a variety of learning activities to accompany the text (e.g., matching, fill-in-the blank, and vocabulary activities). Users may also include commands to create activities (e.g., matching and gap-fill activities) with specific parts of the text.
Visit: https://textivate.posthaven.com/exploiting-texts
Source: Textivate
Inputdate: 2021-08-25 16:41:50
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