November+4,+2009

=**Tentative Agenda**=

This PLC is an anarchic group. The choice of agenda items is up to us- please add items for our next meeting below.

__Theme__: **managing communication**

How about beginning the meeting with a discussion of issues around communication between you and students/parents- what are you doing well, what would you like to be doing better, what are your concerns? Sue has begun a conversation on emails between students and teachers on the Technology Discussions page. I'd like to continue a similar conversation in person.

We could then perhaps look at a specific technology tool. I was thinking that PowerTeacher might be a place to start. The copy assignment tool in the new gradebook program has worked well for me- I'm using it to add information about assessments for those who use the Quick Lookup on PowerSchool- students, parents, counselors, special ed department. Here's a brief look at how I'm using it. -Bill O'B

I have been given a set of books regarding internet safety, written by Linda McCarthy. She was recently a presenter at the Pop tech conference and left books with us hoping to get them into student hands. Could we take a quick look & maybe brain storm ideas on how to use them? Valerie

__Meeting Notes: 11-04-09__

Intro--Theme--**Managing Communication** about Classes and Kids and Course Info


 * Observations and Practices**: (1) Using the communication wisely--Sue commented on studious kids sending emails continually seeking help for the next day's work and trying to keep up with the flow; setting some kind of parameters around reasonable use/access NOT 24/7. (2) Margo finds herself more cautious about the amount and timing of communications--and not being so free to email all the time. (3) Lynne finds as much contact from parents, and feels many seek ongoing contact as the school year goes along. Judy O has had many emails seeking help for completing Common App online stuff . . . and wanting an immediate response. Bill said schools overseas impose a a 24 hr limit--wait--before re-contacting parents on email. Q: Should here be some clarity about responding to emails form kids/parents OUTSIDE a reasonable school day's hours. What could be a working expectation about how often/when to respond to emails--and that could vary between kids and parent contacts. Reasonable? Predictable?

What about the matter of class content/materials when students absent? Some use WikiSpaces and I-Cal to provide that constant updating--yet there are the emails from parents that seek info for homework that seem to overlook the other ways for things to be found from class. So you wind up emailing parents to tell their kids to look where they KNOW it is already.

Conversation around the use of email archiving parameters to find ways to better store email messages in a convenient way for later retrieval.


 * QUICK Look-Up in Power Teacher

Discussion about ways to better utilize this function for ways to get to info about a student. The categories can be used to more fully describe the major elements of the kinds of assignments that are being completed or projected. Provides more immediate info or at least a way to link that to a grade/category. ** Discussion merged into further ways to add comments to assignments, grades, etc and utilize the Copy Assignment function to more broadly distribute information. Looked at the 'Never Publish' option as a way to make an assignment out of 'information' that is specialized to a student--eg, 'wears contacts', etc.

We asked for better clarification about the data in 'Demographics' which may/may not mirror the ACTUAL data other places.

Quick discussion about the number of times/frequencies that students are accessing a **look** at their grades. Many seem to use this well beyond the usual anticipated amount of viewings. Do we need to find ways for students to see CATEGORY views rather than just day in and day out grades which often show too much fluctuation?

FUTURE Meeting ideas: How can attendance be better managed and stitched between classes and formats? Why no easy connections? Following up on methods of communicating with kids/parents.

Valerie had some samples of **//OWN YOUR SPACE//** by Linda McCarthy provided via Pop-Tech presenter. Is that a vehicle for kids to better be safe on the net? Chris wondered whether we could train students to assist others in the community in learning HOW to be more internet safe and savvy.

TMB 11-04-09