There were many more takeaways than I can capture here after a full day of thought, however, there were some essential resources and points I want to share.
One big takeaway came from Lauryn Wild, California Commissioner and Board of Education advisor, who led us through a number of exercises to deconstruct the Common Core. Her advice was to unpack the standards by focusing on concept first, then skill (the verbs), and after that task. She demonstrated how this approach lends itself to greater depth with CCSS teaching and result.
Both Lauryn and UClass chair, Jessica Lura, introduced me to Karin Hess's research and Web's Depth of Knowledge (DOK). Later we spent a considerable amount of time discussing the intersection of Bloom's Taxonomy and DOK in connection to deeper learning.
Earlier in the day we had the chance to get to know one another as well as pose questions about UClass's mission and vision. After that, we were introduced to UClass's platform's development ideas.
As we focused on learning design throughout the day we revisited the UClass rubrics for effective design, studied the role and process related to images, and discussed the process of writing lessons and collaboration around those lessons with a focus on quality.
My notes from the day are thick, and in the days to come I'll use the notes to revise, enrich, and create lessons for UClass's use and my students' benefit. All in all, the UClass work and my efforts related to their focus are a win-win for the classroom and me since I'm honing my skill and knowledge when it comes to optimal lesson design and delivery--an important aspect of teaching children well, and an important focus that I look forward to sharing with others through UClass.
