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NGSS Q&A with Dave Beedy

By Arlin Peebles posted 04-27-2015 10:12 AM

  

We were very fortunate to have Dave Beedy (STEM Coord., Elmhurst D205) present on April 16, 2015 on the topic "NGSS: Planning the Transformation in Your District." Below are the questions that he was unable to get to during the LIVE event. For any additional questions please contact Dave Beedy at [email protected]

Do you think backward design is the best model to support NGSS?
I think the idea of being backwards designed is exactly what we want in any standards-based curriculum development. Developing the summative assessment, aligned with the core ideas, science and engineering practices, and cross cutting concepts in the performance expectation, is a key part of the process and should occur BEFORE instructional activities are developed. However, I often find that we go back and revise and change the final assessment in light of appropriate instructional activities as long as the changes are still aligned with the performance expectation outlined in NGSS.

Are there suggested sites/companies that supply materials that would be needed to complete hands-on activities? Working for an impoverished district, we are limited the materials for lab/experiments.

I think you can develop and implement an NGSS curriculum with the material resources that you have. We are asking students to explain and explore their world, and we can use the materials around us to get students there. More materials means more options, but constraints often breed creativity leading to high quality learning experiences.

Activate Learning has a series for middle school called IQWST that I highly recommend to help get you off the ground. The units are not yet 100% aligned to the core ideas and grade levels of NGSS, but the teaching strategies and three-dimensionality are there.

Do you have recommendations for who we could bring in to train staff on sample lessons?
Send me an email with a request for contacts in your area and I can send you some names and emails of ISBE-trained NGSS curriculum developers near you.
I am using Michael Novak in Elmhurst, and I would highly recommend him if you can get him. [email protected]

How do you recommend addressing the high school standards when students have not had the k-8 standards yet?
As with any curriculum transition, there will be a period of adjustment when students will need extra support. Until students have had an NGSS-based middle school experience, High schools will need to plan to supplement the high school curriculum with requisite middle school Science and Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Cross Cutting Concepts. In many instances, these will overlap and can be addressed in the same unit with a little more time.

No district should expect students to reach the new standards at every grade level for at least a few years during this transition. Students and teachers will need time to adjust.

Why is it a certification problem? a secondary science teacher is allowed/qualified to teach all content areas at the standard level , and the area of their designation at the AP level.
The restriction applies to more than just AP courses. The school code specifies that any courses designated as "honors" by a school or district require a teacher with a specific endorsement in that subject. (Illinois Administrative Code, Section 25.100 Teaching Endorsements on the Professional Educator License) To teach Honors Biology, under current ISBE code, you need a Biology endorsement to be highly qualified. If a school restructures their courses to include content from multiple disciplines, the lines begin to blur, and I am yet unsure how ISBE will handle these situations. If you have other answers from ISBE, I would love to hear them.

Is there a fee to have these people come train science teachers?
Typically, out-of-district presenters will charge a fee of at least $1,000 a day + expenses to help guide your staff through the process. The money is well worth it if you plan the time well. Often you can record the sessions and get that learning out to more than just the attendees. Bigger name presenters will charge considerably more.

ISBE may be gearing up to provide free training to interested parties over the coming year, but I don't have any official word on that. I am basing this assumption on the work they did to support the Common Core adoption and the money they invested in creating NGSS units and training state leaders. Keep an ear to ISBE communications to find out more. Hopefully, the new State Superintendent will provide a regular email to the state like his predecessor.


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