Comm Skills
B. Skills
Activity 1: Developing a group definition of “effective communication” via brainstorming. “Effective communication and collaboration are complex topics that mean different things to different people. To gain insight and promote teamwork, we will brainstorm examples of effective communication and collaboration using MyWebspiration www.mywebspiration.com to record ideas and make meaning of these essential skills.
Activity 2: Awareness of Instructional Strategies: “During this module, we will be using and identifying several collaborative strategies. Click the link below to download this handout. Refer to them today and access them later when return to your classroom. (Our goal is not for you to try to adopt numerous new strategies that will be difficult to implement; focus on one or two new techniques that suit your teaching style and content area.)” Instructional Strategies
Activity 2: Awareness of Instructional Strategies: “During this module, we will be using and identifying several collaborative strategies. Click the link below to download this handout. Refer to them today and access them later when return to your classroom. (Our goal is not for you to try to adopt numerous new strategies that will be difficult to implement; focus on one or two new techniques that suit your teaching style and content area.)” Instructional Strategies
Activity 3A: Personal assessment: “Take time to reflect on how you communicate and collaborate with your students. Use the graphic organizer provided to describe how you communicate with your students AND how your students communicate and collaborate with each other. Click the icon below to download an electronic version of the graphic organizer.”
Activity 3B: How Collaborative Is Your Classroom? “Visit this web site, complete the survey, and view your results. Use File > Print… to PDF to (name and) save your survey results.
Reflect on the results. How do the web results compare to your self-assessment in Activity 3A? Are they accurate? Do you agree with your rating? Review all of the survey statements and select three you think are the most important to practice in the classroom.
Share your ideas with your “elbow partner” as you talk about the survey/assessment implications for you and your students.
4) Activity 4: Viewing, reflecting on and discussing the Three Steps Video
- “A “Pre-movie” Active Engagement Exercise:
Having students watch a video can be either a powerful learning experience or opportunity for a good nap. There are specific techniques that can help viewers stay engaged and learn from a video and these have been described in detail by the National Teacher Training Institute (NTTI).
As you watch this video, be on the lookout for possible answers (or examples) to the following questions. Feel free to take notes as you see and hear answers and / or ideas you wish to discuss or explore further.
What are some new ways to communicate and collaborate?
Why are communication and collaboration so important in today’s world?
What are the three steps?
- Round Table Activity Reflection After the Video:
We will use a Round Table strategy to reflect on what we saw in the video. First, you will have two minutes to complete the table below. Then you will pass the information on to the person on your left and add one piece of new information in each column onto the form you just received. Then you pass the form again to left and add another piece of information. When everyone gets back their original form, the first part of this activity is over.
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What is positive about promoting communication and collaboration in the classroom? |
What are the negatives or challenges in promoting communication and collaboration in the classroom? |
What is interesting about promoting communication and collaboration in the classroom? |
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1. Were you surprised by the number of items that ended up on your form after it went around the group?
2. Was it difficult to add new things when you exchanged papers for the third and fourth time?
3. Share with your table partners how you might you use this type of activity (“Round Table”) in your classroom.
C. Do Something (link to HCPS Action Plan document here…)
D. Reflection and Return with Data to Share (preview of a collaborative norm)
