Standards+Question+4


 * Read the Case Study regarding Learning Communities on page 31 of the NSDC Standards text handed out in class. In your PLC discuss Discussion Questions 1-4. Have a record keeper in your group synthesize your group's responses to these questions. If your group needed more information, describe what you need to know and how you would go about discovering this information.**

1. What support can be accessed to ensure all students achieve at high levels? The students are comparing two different writing samples of one high -average and low-achieving to create a rubric that differentiate between the four levels of writing. The students will then to be trained to check their writing with a rubric to ensure their papers are at a high level.

2. What are strengths of teaching and learning in diverse situations? The successful educator conveys through various means, values and potential that is inherent in each student. They demonstrate understanding, respect , and appreciation of students' cultures and life experiences through their lessons and daily interaction with students and their caregivers. High quality staff development provides educators with opportunities to understand their own attitudes regarding race, social class, and cultures and how their attitudes affect their teaching practices and expectations for student learning and behavior. The teachers also appreciate the students' culture and background.

3. How can technology be used to support the implementation of this standard? Technology can help to support this standard by providing alternative methods of communication with non-English speaking parents. Students could help with the creation of rubrics, either on an IWB or possibly a wiki or blog set up by the class for the purpose of communicating ideas. Teachers need to be properly equipped with technology training to improve and lead technology based instruction with students. 4. Do all students in this school or district have access to a rigorous curriculum that asks them to use their minds well? All students are reminded regularly about high expectations. Students are trained to use rubrics to analyze and grade their own writing. There is constant dialog around the goal of achieving proficiency in writing. Since student input into the creation of the rubrics used to grade their work, the outcome (concrete and measurable) focuses on the quality of the work in front of them, not necessarily what was the intended lesson taught by the teacher. This can lead to work that exceeds even teacher expectations and demonstrates working toward a mastery of standards.