Group+Four+Planning+Design+Nov+3rd

=Group Four - Planning Design Nov 3rd=

This collaboration page is created for your group to use during your discussion today.

This can be seen as a "scratch pad" of your current ideas and ideas you want to learn more about. Our members are: Janet Markus, Mary Reid and Judith Burt,Mindy Pollishuke.

First thoughts: It appears that big ideas are more suitable to the elementary environment: essential questions seem to be more popular in the high school environment. We talked sbout the possible reasons for this...perhaps high school teachers feel more comfortable being able to stay focussed on specific content knowledge? The example given was at Glenpark: the big idea was "The Power of One."Every teacher translated their subject area into a way of pursuing and understanding the power of one. The culminating task for the whole school was a huge wall mural that expressed the rights of the child.

I wonder if our TC's can come up with "big ideas" on their own. It took me many years of teaching and reflecting to understand what they might be. This is like learning to play squash or going to a grocery store to make choices. 1) learn how to hold the racquet, the rules, how to swing the racquet properly, how to stand etc. The the student must go and play for awhile, and retunr again to get lessons to learn how to perfect their game.