I've just returned from an eventful trip to San Antonio for the State Cscope Conference where I learned a great deal of useful information. I will be transitioning to a new district where they are implementing Cscope in the upcoming school year. However, I am leaving a district where we implemented Cscope 2 years ago. So....I am well aware of the bumps, bruises and fire I am walking into. I am not one to dwell upon the negative, so bring it on! It's going to be nice to walk into familiar territory once again.
Thoughts from Alamo City...
* What a great setting for a conference! Good food, everything within walking distance and so much culture!
* 4000 people at one conference...man, Cscope has gone bigtime!
* The keynote speaker was Ron Clark. Absolutely amazing educator and individual. He has truly impacted students and education around the world. Stay tuned for a book review. I cannot wait to get my hands on his books.
* STAAR is coming and it's going to change the face of teaching. Instead of being a skills mastery test like TAKS, it's going to assess Academic Readiness. Think Application and Synthesis at it's highest levels. A mind shift needs to occur...students need to be ready for learning future concepts, not just responsible for current mastery of objectives. I will post more as I hear and learn about STAAR.
* EOCs will cause a whirlwind of change in secondary land...just saying.
* Cscope, once often discussed as a very rigid, strict curriculum, is now being told to adjust and make supplemental changes as you use it. I hear teachers cheering across Texas! Cscope is good, but it can't be the be all, end all for teaching. You must adjust, you must supplement, you must think of it as a living, breathing process.
* You CAN use Cscope with Web 2.0 tools, guided reading, vocabulary work and everything else.
* Word of the day...adjust!
* Successful implementation of Cscope is centered around teacher dialogue...hence, PLCs. I attended a fabulous session on PLCs and Cscope from a crew in Stafford, TX. The essential piece - getting through it together and all working for a common goal.
Would I go back to the State Cscope Conference again, absolutely!
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