Section 7: New Directions for Instructional Design and Technology

1)  Distributed Learning:
A. Course Enhancement
At this level, instructional technologies can be embedded in traditional classroom settings to enhance residential learning. For example, a professor who teaches an introductory level biology course may use images from her plant biology image database during her PowerPoint lectures. These lectures may be available for students to consult before or after class sessions via the course Web site. This component of the course model would make learning less dependent upon time and location, and allow students to go through the lectures at their own pace.

B. Hybrid Delivery
At a more advanced level of distributed learning implementation, a faculty member might present the introductory materials, such as terminology for a biology course, as a Web-based multimedia lecture. Students would be required to view these online lectures before attending a particular class session. These multimedia dictionaries can also be made available for use in other courses by other faculty, multiplying their usefulness as teaching tools.
C. Virtual Classrooms
The next level of distributed learning realizes the "any time, any place, at any pace" principle of distributed learning. At this level, learning is independent of time and place, and different students often absorb the material at different times. For example, the aforementioned biology course can be packaged on a CD-ROM, including the prerequisite online lectures and the PowerPoint presentations coupled with audio for distance learners. In this form, the course will lend itself to both residential and distance delivery.
D. Elementary Settings
Distributed learning in an elementary setting would look much like distributed learning anywhere, simply modified for the level of the students. For example, younger students who have yet learned to read or write could use tools like voice thread to record their voice as they share their knowledge. Instead of individually blogging a class blog might be created where student’s thoughts are entered by an adult. Photos and scans of student work could be posted for other’s to learn from. In general the distributed learning would be much more visual and auditory and less text based.
E. Secondary Settings
Finally, with the pressing need to learn languages other than English, students in world language classes could carry on discussions practicing their speaking skills with students in other countries not only learning the language but also studying the culture of that country as well. The limits with distributed learning only can occur with the limits we place on our imagination and students’ imaginations. The role of the teacher moves from the front of the classroom, to one of a facilitator and participant in his/her students’ learning.
2)  Reusability:  I can only think of one course I have previously taken that had poor reusability characteristics.  It was an online course for my Masters degree that researched Gifted and Talented models, and the information discussed had no relevance for my position as an elementary teacher.  The course consisted of researching a person who had an impact on the gifted and talented program and answering questions pertaining to their theories.  I feel that the gifted and talented program is essential in schools, but I feel that the theories we were researching were outdated.  The course could have been more interactive and allowed us to use current theories in the classroom setting and then share our findings with the class. 

3)  Rich Media:  The following video demonstrates the rock cycle.  This is a hard concept for students to grasp.  Its surface features include background music, vivid pictures, and animated diagrams.  These features were extremely helpful.  The functional feature it contains is it a learning tool.  It gives the students a clear picture of the rock cycle in its entirety.

4)  Nanotechnology:  I found a nanotechnology rap that emphasizes the importance of this technology in our everyday lives.  I feel nanotechnology could improve every aspect of my life, especially teaching. 

5)  I lean towards the broad and inclusive road.  This allows for more opportunities to improve the advancement of instructional design.  The straight and narrow road doesn't allow our minds to branch out and be accepting of innovative thinkings.  Just imagine what type of world we would live in if people only followed the straight and narrow road.  There would not have been breakthroughs in the field of instructional design.

Section 6: Getting an IDT Position and Succeeding At It

1)  Search 3 positions that are of interest

A.   Workday Instructional Design Consultant
Description

Are you looking to join a company that promotes a culture of “We are the industry leaders"? Do you want to be part of the world’s fastest growing industry where you’re the leader and not the follower? Do you want to establish a career where you will be far ahead of the curve on utilizing contemporary HCM/Payroll technology? Then this is your opportunity to join one of the strongest Workday partners and get in early for the explosive growth we have planned.

OneSource Virtual HR and its partner Workday are the leading organizations who have successfully built and changed the traditional ERP solutions industry. Workday and OneSource VHR is built from the ground up, utilizing contemporary technology to solve our client’s problems plaguing them with a traditional ERP system. By rethinking enterprise applications and Human Resource solutions and addressing the way that people work today, OneSource VHR is equipped to change, grow, and innovation for our client’s business.
 

Summary:

OneSource VHR is seeking an Instructional Design professional with experience designing training on Workday HR and Payroll system. We are seeking instructional designers with proven experience in ERP training design to support our client’s Workday implementation. This position is responsible for designing and developing courses using a variety of delivery methods including: instructor-led, self-paced web-based and downloadable reference materials.

The Instructional Designer provides guidance on adult learning theory and approach to ensure that product designs are educationally sound, based on current research, best practices, pedagogy, and the performance needs of the target audience. Critical to success in this role is the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with a wide range and diverse group of people.

Duties:

Identify and analyze business needs and requirements.

Create and develop functional designs and specifications.

Follows an established instructional design process in authoring key deliverables including:

Design documents

Content outlines

Storyboards/Scripts

Classroom/Webinar materials (Presentations and Instructor/Participant Guides)

Print materials

Coordinates development of courses with production team.

Communicates with client and design team Project Manager to ensure project stays on budget and on time.

Other duties as assigned.

 Requirements

• Business Degree in Management, Management of Information Systems or Communication preferred.
• Previous experience working with either Workday, PeopleSoft or other ERP HR/Payroll systems/applications.
• Five or more years experience in Instructional Design or Technical Documentation.
• Proven experience on Instructional Design projects within an enterprise environment.
• Experience with PeopleSoft and/or Oracle is considered a plus.
• Experience with User Productivity Kit (UPK) and/or User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is a plus.
• Advanced knowledge of and experience with standard software (Word, Excel, etc.) and ability to learn new applications.
• Possess an advanced knowledge of IT design principles, practices, and theory by providing guidance to others in functional design processes, and completing functional HR/Payroll design docs.
• Working knowledge and language of the following business areas: Human Resources, Benefits, and Payroll.
• Candidate must be organized, detail-oriented, and have strong written and verbal communication skills.

I would obviously not be qualified to take this position, considering I do not have a business degree.  I do feel that I possess the last requirements referring to organization, details, and strong communication skills.


B.  Instructional Designer

Job Description 

We are seeking a self-motivated, innovative, outside-the-box thinker as an Instructional Designer at our corporate headquarters in Plano, Texas.  This newly-created position reports to the Director of Business Office Operations Training and will work closely with subject matter experts (SMEs) to create and develop engaging, effective learning solutions and implement new technologies in support of our end users.

  Description: 

· Apply adult learning theory and instructional methodologies (e.g., storyboarding, content mapping, information mapping) to design learning solutions that emphasize active, task-centered learning.

· Engage in active dialogue with SMEs to determine requirements and create training to meet their needs; assist with analysis to determine appropriate instructional technologies and implementation strategy to achieve optimal learning.

· Produce learning resources in a variety of formats including print, graphics, audio, video, and other technologies.

· Conduct webinars/online training to support team/company initiatives.

· Create courses to load into the company's Learning Management System (LMS).  Use the LMS to train and track student progress.

· Develop and maintain content on the team’s internal Sharepoint websites; provide basic document control on these sites.

· Support end users of the LMS and on the team’s internal Sharepoint websites.

· Deliver regular status updates.

· Assist the Director of Business Office Operations Training with other projects as required.

Job Requirements 

Minimum Experience:  1-2 years
Preferred Experience:  3
Requirements: 

· Bachelor’s degree and 1-3 years work experience in Instructional Design, Training & Organization Development, Education, Communication, Graphic Design or a related field.  Associate’s degree with additional work experience will be considered in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.

· Adobe Photoshop 4 or 5 (required)

· Adobe Captivate 4 or 5 (strongly preferred)

· Audacity, Sound Forge, or other audio editing tool (required)

· Corel VideoStudio ProX4 or other video editing tool (required)

· MS Office 2007 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) (required)

· Information/content mapping experience (strongly preferred)

· CBT development experience (strongly preferred)

· Microsoft Sharepoint 2007 or 2010 (desired)

· Strong technical competency and team orientation are absolute musts!

I feel I am qualified to apply for this position for all requirements except 1-3 years work experience in Instructional Design.

C.  AT&T Instructional Designer

This open position is for an instructional designer supporting Technical Support and Service Monitoring.

Design, develop and maintain instructional training materials in various formats including but not limited to instructor-led, self-paced web- based, distance-learning and computer-based technologies. Project management that is of moderate complexity. Identify support requirements, project and deliverables with requestors, subject matter experts, and vendors. Determine performance standards, skill/knowledge requirements and training objectives. Perform task analysis to identify appropriate training resources and procedures. Courses are designed for entry level through management levels in various disciplines. Conducts follow up to determine applicability of course material. Also, responsible for producing design plans targeted to client based performance needs, developing courses and learning interventions, & integrating a variety of adult instructional techniques. Uses a systematic design process & support tools to select appropriate media & to develop storyboards, job aids, scripts, & instructor led as well as self-paced materials. Assesses instructional curricula/products for purchase & makes recommendations. Receives guidance only on unusual complex problems or issues.

This designer will be required to deliver training occasionally. Therefore this person should have both design and delivery skills. This is a unique position where the successful designer applies training and communications skills to convey the client's strategic message while also ensuring deliverables are instructionally sound. The designer develops training materials using a variety of instructional techniques and media including leader-led and web-based training and performance-support materials such as job aids and simulations. This is a deadline-driven environment where constant change is the norm. This is a position for a creative, flexible problem-solver who enjoys rapid design and development, is comfortable delivering training when called upon, and prides her/himself on producing quality training deliverables in a fast-paced innovative environment.

Requirements:

·  3+ years of relevant work experience as a Instructional Designer and/or Technical Writer.

·  Demonstrated experience designing and developing training. Work samples are required.

·  Excellent PC skills with Microsoft products.

·  Problem-solving skills and the ability to follow the problem through to resolution are essential.

·  Must possess excellent oral and written communication skills.

·  Must be a self-directed, self-starter who works well with a team.

·  Effective project management skills are critical for success.

·  Ability to assemble effective training curriculums in a fast-paced and innovative environment.

Desired:

·  MS in Instructional Design or Master's degree in Communications, Marketing or related field.

·  Previous experience designing training for wireless telecommunications, broadband, and/or monitored services is a strong plus.

·  Demonstrated application of the ADDIE model in instructor-led or web-based training.

·  Experience with a variety of instructional delivery methods and media including virtual and face-to-face ILT, PowerPoint, Lectora, Adobe Presenter, and Adobe Captivate.

·  Experience with scripting and recording training videos and/or detailed interactive simulations.

·  The ability to partner across multiple stakeholder groups and consult with a variety of organizational levels is sought after.

·  Experience working in a constantly changing, multi-layered, highly complex work environment is a plus.

Once again, I feel I possess the previous skills required to obtain this position except for the relevant work experience.

2)  I visited Career One Stop and the top three career matches for the skills I possess are an elementary school teacher, a counselor, and a middle school teacher.  I can only assume that I was born to teach and have chosen the right career.

3)  Professional Organizations:

A.  ATPE (Association of Texas Professional Educators)

Mission

ATPE is the preeminent public educator association in Texas and makes a difference in the lives of educators and schoolchildren. In partnership with all stakeholders, we are committed to providing every child an equal opportunity to receive an exemplary public education.

Professional Development

ATPE has collaborated with the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) to provide ten FREE webinars during the 2011-12 school year

Publications

ATPE News quarterly magazine

E-newsletter Essentials

Cost

Membership dues range from $10 to $145, depending on the membership category. The categories are professional ($145), first-time professional ($90), associate ($70), teacher trainee (engaged in student teaching) (free), college student (not engaged in student teaching) (free), retired ($10) and public ($10). The Board of Directors has reduced public membership dues to $10.00 to reach out to educators affected by reductions in force(RIF).

Conferences & Meetings

The ATPE Summit will take place July 14–17, 2012, at the Austin Convention Center. During the summit, ATPE members will have the opportunity to participate in association governance, elect state officers, participate in exciting leadership training and much more.

B.  TCTA (Texas Classroom Teachers Association)

Mission

The Texas Classroom Teachers Association is the leading teacher association in Texas, with 50,000 members statewide. TCTA has been protecting the rights of teachers and advocating on their behalf since 1927. TCTA is an independent nonprofit, nonunion professional association for educators with no labor union affiliations.

Our mission has never wavered. TCTA represents classroom teachers and other instructional personnel who are not classified as administrators.

· TCTA provides one of the highest levels of professional liability insurance coverage available to Texas teachers as well as the professional counsel of an expert team of nine staff attorneys.

· TCTA passionately represents Texas teacher issues at the federal and state levels and is recognized as a key partner in legislation development and advocacy.

· TCTA provides teachers relevant professional development, up-to-date information and a host of other services designed specifically for a classroom teacher.

Professional Development

 Since 1999, TCTA has offered a convenient free option for earning continuing professional education credits through our online sessions. This page is home to a variety of free professional development courses that you can experience on your own schedule and from any Internet-connected computer.

Publications

             

Cost

Our annual dues are affordable, at $90 for new members and $140 for returning members. And all your dues dollars stay in Texas to support Texas teachers and classrooms

Conferences & Meetings

Annual conventions are held addressing various topics.

Professional Publications:

A.  Education Week

Seeking over the years to build strategically on Education Week’s reputation as the single “must read” news source for K-12 leaders and policy experts, Editorial Projects in Education has extended its reach through a host of print and online offerings that complement its flagship publication and position the organization for sustainable success in the 21st century. This Website may include a variety of features, such as discussion forums, blogs, chats, webinars, calendars, and comment sections, which allow feedback to edweek.org and real-time interaction between users. EPE also uses social media services, including but not limited to Twitter and Facebook, to enable feedback and real-time interaction.  The following are the submission guidelines:
Aspiring contributors should write Commentary essays on issues that affect K-12 education and are of interest to a broad range of people. Our diverse readership includes school administrators, policymakers, and teachers, as well as scholars, lawmakers, government officials, business leaders, professionals, parents, and community leaders.
Submissions should be no more than 1,200 words long. There is no minimum length, and shorter essays are welcome. On rare occasions, Education Week reprints articles, with permission, from other publications, but as a rule, we do not accept manuscripts that have been published or accepted elsewhere.
Submissions should be opinion essays, not scholarly articles, and must present a clear point of view on a specific topic. No footnotes, graphs, or illustrations should be included. We ask that writers avoid using subheadings and bullets; if you must include them, please use as few as possible. Keep quotations brief—your essay should discuss your views, not summarize other people’s opinions. You should provide sources of quotations and factual references for copy-editing purposes and to validate your statements, but we do not publish footnotes.
We acknowledge all Commentary submissions by email when they have been processed by our staff. You will be notified separately only if your submission is under consideration for publication. If Education Week decides to publish your essay, you will receive a contract to sign and return to the Commentary staff. With the exception of occasional specially commissioned essays, Education Week does not pay Commentary contributors.
Please note that we cannot provide frequent updates on the status of submitted pieces that are still under consideration. We discourage repeated messages regarding submissions, as they tend to slow down the deliberation process.
All submissions accepted for publication are subject to editing for clarity, accuracy, length, and conformity to Education Week style. If substantive changes or fact-checking are required, the Commentary editors will contact the author. The editors will make minor revisions at their own discretion and without consultation with the author(s).
The Commentary editors will decide where an essay will be published (in the print edition of Education Week and/or online at edweek.org), as well as when it will run. We strongly discourage authors from submitting their essays to other publications until after they have appeared in Education Week or on edweek.org.
Authors retain the right, however, to publish their essays subsequently. Any reprint requests from other publications will be referred to the writer(s).

B. 
The Journal for Research in Mathematics Education (JRME), an official journal of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, is devoted to the interests of teachers of mathematics and mathematics education at all levels-preschool through adult. JRME is a forum for disciplined inquiry into the teaching and learning of mathematics. The editors encourage the submission of a variety of manuscripts: reports of research, including experiments, case studies, surveys, philosophical studies, and historical studies; articles about research, including literature reviews and theoretical analyses; brief reports of research; critiques of articles and books; and brief commentaries on issues pertaining to research.
The Journal for Research in Mathematics Education is published five times a year—January, March, May, July, and November—at 1906 Association Dr., Reston, VA 20191-1502. An index for each volume appears in the November issue.
The publications of the Council present a variety of viewpoints. The views expressed or implied in this publication, unless otherwise noted, should not be interpreted as official positions of the Council.  Publications have to be submitted through the JRME Online Manuscript Submission and Tracking System.

Everything that I have researched dealing with professional organizations and publications is vital to my career.  I am a member of the first organization I chose, ATPE.  The publications allow me to keep current on events and issues in education, and especially the field of mathematics.

4)  If I was responsible for identifying criteria for a performance technologist, I would refer to the information in the tables presented in the chapter because they are proven to be effective.
Domains

1. Design
2. Development
3. Utilization
4. Management
5. Evaluation

Competencies

1. Focus on results
2. Look at situations systematically
3. Add value in how work is done
4. Collaboration
5. Systematic in assessment
6. Systematic in analysis of work
7. Systematic in design, development, and implementation of solution
8. Systematic in evaluation of the process and results

Section 5: Trends & Issues in Various Settings

1)  An example of rapid prototyping in the field of education could be the adoption of our new curriculum that was implemented three years ago.  CSCOPE is our district's answer to solve lesson planning problems and implement all classroom objectives.  It is the source for an all-in-one approach to a quality curriculum system.  It is also a comprehensive, customizable, user-friendly curriculum management system built on the most current research-based practices in the field.  In addition to the curriculum, CSCOPE encompasses resources for the implementation, monitors the curriculum and establishes an accountability process to ensure a quality implementation.  Lessons are all aligned with the TEKS and each lesson meets the highest standards of rigor and relevance.  Teachers have access to Instructional Focus Documents, Unit Tests, and Exemplar Lessons, as well as Vertical Alignment Documents.  As a result of this rapid prototyping of the curriculum, our district's scores have dramatically increased.  The following is a link to training videos on how to implement and use this curriculum.

http://www5.esc13.net/cscope/video.php

2)  If hired as a consultant for the military with little or no electronic access, I would revert back to times when technology was not the driving force behind learning.  Classroom settings, pencil and paper activities, blackboards or whiteboards, and many hands-on activities would be used to train the individuals.  People can still be taught concepts using the traditional teaching methods prior to technology implementation.

3) To teach both methods to my staff during professional development, I would begin by bringing the entire staff together.  This meeting would introduce each method and give an overall description of each model.  I would then design video modules for each step of the models that can be viewed online.  Each grade level team would be responsible for completing the modules together.  The modules would describe, in detail, each step of the method using video clips, research-based data, and other pertinent information from districts who have successfully implemented the models.  After all modules were completed, the staff could follow-up with their findings in round table discussions.

4)

California State University:

· Faculty development

· Center for Innovative and Engaged Learning Opportunities (CIELO)

· Course design and individual consultation, faculty development grants, small group instructional design

· Faculty book groups are held twice a month; engaging lectures are held once a semester

Bellevue University:

· Faculty development, professional growth

· Human Resource Department

· Technical assistance, center for academic excellence, student engagement

· Monthly Saturday faculty development days are held; online faculty meetings are offered once a semester

Salem State University:

· Faculty training, teaching development

· Human Resource Management

· Faculty learning communities, faculty roundtables, hands-on workshops, Facebook page updates about upcoming events

· 4 week online mini courses covering online course design, weeklong programs for the Center for Teaching Innovation (CTI)

SECTION 4: HUMAN PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGY

1)  "The vision of HPI is relatively simple: achieve, through people, increasingly successful accomplishments that are valued by all organizational stakeholders: those who perform, their managers and customers, their peers and colleagues, shareholders, regulatory agencies, and ultimately, society itself" (Reiser & Dempsey 134).
     With the implementation of this current year, our campus has experiences drastic changes, including a new principal, new teachers, and new positions, all due to budget crisis.  I feel as if our campus is not one unit and could use increased support in building our team back up to the closeness we all once felt.
     I chose to use Thomas Gilbert's Behavior Engineering Model to try and achieve this goal.

CELL 1: ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION	CELL 3: ENVIRONMENT INCENTIVES	CELL 5: INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY
·         Team building activities and opportunities are crucial to the success of the campus ·         Teachers must be willing to participate in activities that will better the cohesiveness ·         Monthly meetings with grade level team leaders and administration to evaluate effectiveness	·         Assign teachers a secret buddy to get to know better discreetly and have a big reveal at a holiday party ·         Each teacher could receive a paper chain link for each action taken to build the team together; the teacher with the longest chain at the end of the year, could be rewarded with a special surprise	·         Couple veteran teachers of the campus with newer teachers to the campus to collaborate on issues and compile new ideas together
CELL 2: ENVIRONMENT RESOURCES	CELL 4: INDIVIDUAL KNOWLEDGE	CELL 6: INDIVIDUAL MOTIVES
·         Schedule weekly collaboration activities and include a book study on Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson ·         Implement components of Rachel’s Challenge among staff ·         Grade level team leaders will be responsible for leading the book study for their team	·         Hold meetings to discuss effectiveness of implemented ideas and allow teachers to voice their opinions on the issues ·         Allow teachers to organize an activity they feel will benefit the group as a whole	·         Self-appreciation and the cohesiveness of the campus will be each teacher’s motive ·         Each person works together to better themselves, in turn bettering others, and eventually the campus will be one unit

The following table is the same as above, but it wasn't viewable because of the font colors, so disregard!

CELL 1: ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION	CELL 3: ENVIRONMENT INCENTIVES	CELL 5: INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY
·         Team building activities and opportunities are crucial to the success of the campus ·         Teachers must be willing to participate in activities that will better the cohesiveness ·         Monthly meetings with grade level team leaders and administration to evaluate effectiveness	·         Assign teachers a secret buddy to get to know better discreetly and have a big reveal at a holiday party ·         Each teacher could receive a paper chain link for each action taken to build the team together; the teacher with the longest chain at the end of the year, could be rewarded with a special surprise	·         Couple veteran teachers of the campus with newer teachers to the campus to collaborate on issues and compile new ideas together
CELL 2: ENVIRONMENT RESOURCES	CELL 4: INDIVIDUAL KNOWLEDGE	CELL 6: INDIVIDUAL MOTIVES
·         Schedule weekly collaboration activities and include a book study on Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson ·         Implement components of Rachel’s Challenge among staff ·         Grade level team leaders will be responsible for leading the book study for their team	·         Hold meetings to discuss effectiveness of implemented ideas and allow teachers to voice their opinions on the issues ·         Allow teachers to organize an activity they feel will benefit the group as a whole	·         Self-appreciation and the cohesiveness of the campus will be each teacher’s motive ·         Each person works together to better themselves, in turn bettering others, and eventually the campus will be one unit

2)  Wikipedia's definition:


An Electronic Performance Support System (EPSS) is any computer software program or component that improves user performance.   


The Free Dictionary By Farlex defines an electronic performance support system (EPSS) as:

A system that provides electronic task guidance and support to the user at the moment of need. EPSS can provide application help, reference information, guided instructions and/or tutorials, subject matter expert advice and hints on how to perform a task more efficiently. An EPSS can combine various technologies to present the desired information. The information can be in the form of text, graphical displays, sound, and video presentations.

     I prefer the Free Dictionary version because it includes all aspects of the term.  Wikipedia's definition is not a complete definition of EPSS because there are many programs designed to improve user performance.  EPSS are specific to user needs to better themselves in the field they choose.

     I believe that EPSS haven't been widely used in the past because of fear of the unknown and obviously the cost to run such programs.  People are almost afraid of technology and the constant changes that evolve.  I think EPSS are likely to become more prevalent in the future as people accept this change and realize that with technology, the possibilities are endless.

3)  As an elementary math teacher for the entire 5th grade, it is difficult for me to keep up all of my students' performance.  Previously, I would evaluate their averages, benchmark scores, and previous year's TAKS results.  This was extremely time consuming and I had so much information to analyze and became increasingly overwhelmed.  Our district has focused on combining all of this information into one program.  DMAC (Data Management for Assessment and Curriculum) is a component that exists to supply Texas educators with the tools and services necessary to develop and improve the quality of education provided to students.  This software provides reliable and current information for each of my students.  I utilize the program for data disaggregation, benchmarking, assessments, student achievement/ progress monitoring, curriculum, and planning.  I consider this tool to be the codification component of knowledge management.

     After reviewing and retrieving all of my students' current data, I can use the collaboration with my principals and interventionists to address the areas of concern where my students are struggling.  Direct instruction is offered and given to these specific students.

     The access component combines both the previous components, codification and collaboration.  I implement this component by keeping an ongoing tracking sheet for each of my students.  Their progress is monitored and updated frequently.  I use color coded keys to differentiate relevant information for each student, such as ESL learners, students who have been previously retained, or any student that has failed a state assessment prior to the current school year.  This tracking sheet is referenced during student intervention team meetings, collaboration meetings, ARD's, and parent conferences.

4)  Six years ago I was approached by my school principal, and he forcefully asked if I would be willing to represent our campus to help train teachers from our district on how to effectively implement Madelaine Hunter's Lesson Cycle in the classroom.  I felt an extreme amount of pressure to comply, but after much hesitation, I agreed.  Little did I know that I would forever be a changed teacher and person.  The other five teachers from different campuses and a principal from another elementary campus, and I met together to begin discussing our plan.  None of us were really sure what was expected or how would people would view training from peers.  We all divided up the material into sections and devised an outline of how our week long session would be implemented.  We entitled the training, TILT: Teacher Instructional Leadership Training, and began preparing our lessons and gathering supplies, materials, props, technology, furniture, decorations, and food.  When the training was first introduced to the district, people were hesitant to sign up.  As a matter of fact, we had no attendees.  So, the campus principals were forced to choose 5 members from their campus and to offer a stipend for them to attend.  After continued reluctance from the few that were chosen, day one of TILT began with our 30 forced members.

     Never would I have imagined that bringing together all facets of education into one room could have such a profound impact on everyone.  We bonded, laughed, cried, and shared so many aspects of our lives, ranging from education to personal issues.  We were all in agreement: we were there to become better teachers for our students because they deserved it.  We better prepared each other to become more successful teachers.  We gained a commadre that will never be broken.  After the first year of TILT implementation, we had overwhelming requests from teachers and administration to continue the training.  We TILTed every teacher in our district and then began a TILT 2 program that focused on differentiated learning.  The informal learning I shared with my peers will always remain a part of who I am.