Thanks to all who responded. Your responses follow this message and the
original posting:
One vendor called me saying a colleague saw my posting on LM_Net and offered
me information on their website :-) My results so far: One Social Studies
teacher and the testing coordinator are working with me as a team. I have
another SS teacher, one Careers teacher, and one Spanish teacher interested
in the outcomes. Sadly for me, none of my English teachers were interested
in looking into something new.
lm
ORIGINAL POSTING:
TARGET: High Big6
We are being evaluated by the WOW (Working on the work) method. My team has
decided to try to institute the Big6 strategies with as many teachers as
possible for our WOW. I've gone to the website, the archives, and talked to
other in my district. Do YOU have anything to tell me about getting
instructors at the high school level excited about participating...maybe
excited is too strong a word...can you tell me anything to get high school
level people to buy into the Big6 program.
RESPONSES:
Sheila:
I, too, am trying to use the Big 6 with my teachers this year. I decided I
would just take the initiative and provide the framework or templates, if
you will, for the classes coming in to the library. I visit the teacher in
his or her classroom and invite them to come by the library at their
convenience to collaborate before their classes come in. Then I show them
the overall outline of the Big 6, the worksheets I will be going over with
the students, the websites and resources I will introduce them to, etc. So
far, the response has been favorable. One science teacher who was VERY
reluctant to bring in his freshmen, said he was seriously considering just
bringing in his AP students because he didn't feel his other classes would
take the research time seriously.
I explained that I would be introducing the Big 6 to them and he said he was
willing to try it. I told him it would be an experiment. The classes came,
we did the Big 6, and at the end of the first period, he was so impressed,
he asked to sign his classes up for another day! I have also tried this with
seniors in AP algebra II classes and met with success. Sorry, I took up so
much space here, but I just wanted to let you know that it just takes a
couple of times to convince teachers that students will be better focused on
their research and problem solving when they come in to the library, using
the Big 6.
*************************
Mary Ann:
Received lessons from CompanionCorp.
*************************
Maureen:
I think my teachers were more willing when I showed how it isn't really
"new," but simply codified what we had *always* wanted the kids to do. So
often no one verbalizes the 1st step and when the kids start out they
haven't really defined their own task, so they wander aimlessly and waste a
lot of time. By having the kids define the task right after giving an
assignment the teacher knows that they either get it, or not. Kids won't
always realize they don't know what they have to do; if we require that they
re-write the assignment in their own words, and can identify what they have
to find our in order to complete the assignment, then the teacher can
clarify. This is the part my teacher like a lot.
Many of us are teachers because we were good at school ourselves (by no
means all, for sure, but many). What many of us did intuitively we find we
have to teach kids how to do. That's what the Big6 does. It really helps to
have all the teachers using the same vocabulary for the parts of a task. Now
when I ask kids if they have defined their task, they know what I'm talking
about. The evaluation is also a part that many kids don't do, unless it's
part of the schema.One of my teachers has the kids write a short evaluation
of the product and process at the end of each major project., and keep that
in their file so can look at it before they do the next project.
Some are learning not to make the same mistakes again.
*************************
Cecelia:
FEED THEM!!!! I did the Big 6 banana split lesson on one of our early
release days for the Social Studies and LA teachers. The Science teachers
wanted it for a meeting 2 days later! Now, I don't know how much they use it
in their rooms, but they know the students use it here, and at least they
are aware of it.
*************************
Sarah:
I don't use Big 6 at my school, but we do have a research method that we use
and really, our teachers DO get excited!! How?
I work with other librarians in the district (ms and hs) to get everyone "on
board" and vertically teamed so that 7th grades have a chance to learn the
same skills and language and hs expectations aren't such a shock I do
trainings with another librarian for teachers for clock hours. During the
trainings, we go through the research method on something they are
legitimately, personally interested, to show them that the method works for
anything and everything!
I go to meetings with teachers I have collaborated with, and they share
testimonials of success. When others see the student work improving, they
quickly buy in.
Good Luck!
*************************
Again, THANKS TO ALL WHO RESPONDED!!!!!!!! XXXXXXXXXXXX OOOOOOOOOOOO
Lynette "LYNN" Mitchell
Media Specialist
Citrus County Schools
Crystal River High School
1205 NE 8th Ave.
Crystal River, FL
Phone: (352) 795-4641 Ext: 271
Fax: (352) 795-4519
EMAILS:
work: MitchellL@citrus.k12.fl.us
home: JoMomma@TampaBay.RR.com
business: ChefLynn@TampaBay.RR.com
Future Director and Pampered Chef Consultant
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