1. In the LtoJ seminars I suggest that
middle and high schools allow students
permission to create interdisciplinary
assignments. The simple concept is to
receive credit from multiple teachers for the
same assignment. Attached is a sample
interdisciplinary assignment form designed
by faculty at Santa Cruz Valley High School in
Eloy, Arizona, complete with the school
mascot. See the bottom of this newsletter
for the attachment.
2. I will again be presenting for the
Department of Education in Arizona on April
25-26 and May 1-3. The URL for
registration is http://www.ade.az.gov/onlineregistration/EventLocationSelection.asp?EventID=1311&EventDate=4/25/2007.
3. The following structure has
nothing to do with the LtoJ process, but may be
of interest to readers of this
newsletter: Elementary staffs
often consider departmentalization when
pressure for increased student learning is
applied. Many believe, however, that
separate teachers for each subject is not
appropriate for elementary children. One
alternative structure to consider is having
a three-person team composed of one 3rd, one 4th
and one 5th teacher (in a K-5 school). One
of the teachers would specialize in science, one
in social studies and one
in math. All would teach their own
language arts/reading. Each teacher would
have their home room in the morning to teach
language arts and their specialty. In the
afternoon, each teacher would teach their
specialty to two other groups of children.
For example, a fourth grade teacher with a
science specialty would teach language arts and
science to fourth grade students in the morning,
and science to 3rd and 5th in the
afternoon. Students stay with the team of
three teachers for three years. The
advantage is that students have the benefit of
specialists for science, social studies and
math, but only have three teachers over the
course of three years.
4. A question came in this month from
Lordsburg, NM in regards to LtoJ
implementation. The question was, "If we
supply a word bank for our LtoJ quizzes the
first semester, would it be OK to take away the
word bank second semester." The answer is,
"Yes." The only suggestion is to annotate
the graph at semester. Write a note on the
classroom chart that says, "Took away word
bank." Everyone who reads graph
would understand why there was a sudden drop at
semester.
5. To read a recent article I wrote
entitled "People Problem or System Problem"
click on the URL http://www.aasa.org/publications/saarticledetail.cfm?ItemNumber=8225
6. All prior newsletters and
attachments are now posted on the LtoJ
Consulting web site, www.ltojconsulting.com.
If you change e-mail addresses, please go the
web site and sign up as if a new recipient of
the newsletter. Please include name,
e-mail address and state, if USA, and country if
outside of the US.
Lee Jenkins, Lee@LtoJConsulting.com
