Introduction:
This paper will focus on using the Concerns-Based-Adoption Model (CBAM) to approach cooperative collaborations with two teachers at my school. “The strength of the concerns model is in its reminder to pay attention to individuals and their various needs for information, assistance, and moral support” (CBAM, p. 2). In both cases, the goal is to find a way to support the teacher’s use of digital and physical reference materials from the school library and help to evolve their practice.
Teacher #1: Audra
Grade: 6
Level of Use: Routine
Routine: Team members are making few or no changes and have an established, comfortable pattern of use. Little preparation or thought is being given to improving (CBAM, n.d.).
Intervention: Study and research to deepen content knowledge in focus area, application of learning to the classroom, examination of student work, development and use of formative assessments (CBAM, n.d.).
Scenario and Learning Outcomes:
Audra has been doing planet posters for 5 years now as a project in her Science 6 curriculum: components of our solar system and the research portion, has become stale for her. She used to rely heavily on the internet for student research, supplemented by a few old books that still named Pluto as a planet. Some of the reliable websites are no longer available and she finds that most of the time she is having to manage the students who wander off topic into the abyss of the internet.
Objectives:
Audra wants to bring in some focused digital and physical references that the kids can use for their research as a way to keep her students on task. She is also looking to support her students who have a lower reading level than the rest of the students
Recommended Reference Resource (Information Skills):
Instead of letting the students research in the wild, we will direct them to National Geographic Kids where their research can be streamlined and safe. This website is very bright, colourful and easy-to-use so the students interest will be piqued and maintained.
I have also recommended a set of books by Heos and Fabbri (2014) and it depicts what it would actually be like if you were to take a vacation to the Milky Way. The planets that are included are: Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Uranus, The Moon. The reading level is a bit low for this grade, but Audra has many students who would benefit from a resource that is easier for her students who struggle with language.
Students are trying to research characteristics of their individual planets and this resource lays all of that out for the kids in a clear and fun way. The intention is that these books will supplement any additional research that the students will do, but it will also give them a book that they can practice referencing using a citation generator. The advantage here is that they can physically see the information that they need in order to reference the work properly inside of the book, rather than copy and pasting from the internet.
Activities and Design Collaboration:
As a fresh spin on her old poster project, Audra and I have been planning a to-scale replica of the planets. Using measurements to distance the planet group from each other, the students will physically represent each planet. The presentation will be outside along a large biking path that is near the school. The other classrooms will be invited to come for a “Galaxy Tour” where each group will present their research findings.
Evaluation:
Audra has always used posters as the final product, but we decided to give the students more variety of choice for them to represent their learning. The final product for this project will be a brochure, a trifold board and a diorama. The students will hand in their research checklists, as a formative assessment, so that we can see they have done the leg work and that they have the information they need to perform their presentation during the gallery walk. The other classrooms will be invited to take part in the walking tour and act as an audience for each group.
Teacher #2: Trevor
Grade: 8
Level of Use: Preparation
Preparation: Team members have definite plans to begin participating and are learning the processes and skills needed for successful implementation (CBAM, n.d.).
Intervention: Guided overview of tools and materials, advice and tools for management, modeling and practice with teaming strategies, consensus on area for team focus (CBAM, n.d.).
Scenario and Learning Outcomes:
Trevor is organizing a unit on Truth and Reconciliation in his grade 8 social studies curriculum specifically on colonization and indigenous civilization (gov.bc.ca). He is nervous about it because he himself is not First Nations, he is new to the city and he feels that his knowledge is limited.
Recommended Resource:
Trevor is seeking guidance from a local author and intending to use the textbook, Speaking our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation by Monique Gray Smith. https://www.orcabook.com/Speaking-Our-Truth
Along with purchasing the textbooks, we also bought a digital copy of the Speaking our Truth Teacher’s Guide written by Tasha Henry from Orca Publishing. This is the support and guidance that Trevor needs to tackle the content that he wants to present to his students. One of the first things that the Teacher’s Guide asks when taking on this important content is if you have consulted with any local First Nations. The author, Monique Gray Smith, is local to Victoria so we would also be able to reach out to her to potentially come and speak during Trevor’s unit.
Activities and Design Collaboration:
We are using Leading Learning standards to evaluate and facilitate our instructional design. At this point, we are at the Evolving Stage of Instructional Partnerships because we will, “cooperatively develop units of instruction that engage learners in inquiry learning” (Leading Learning, 2014).
The first inquiry experience will be one where the students investigate the Medicine Wheel. We are endeavouring to have the various corners of the classroom set up with information about each directional value and for the students to take notes on each one by moving around the room (Smith, 2020). This is the first step into the content, and the students will come back to this initial exploration throughout the mini-research projects along the way.
Evaluation:
The culminating assignment will be a First Person Historical-Fiction Letter (Henry, n.d.) using all of the knowledge that has been gleaned over the activities and lessons during the unit.
Conclusion:
Teacher time for collaboration is limited and so it is best to have digital and physical resources that they can easily take with them from your planning sessions, along with some quick and easy lesson ideas. Leaving the door open to them as a place where they can find support is very important so that they do not feel alone in their efforts.
Works Cited
Building student success – B.C. curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2023, from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/science/6/core
Henry, T. (n.d.). Speaking our truth teacher guide. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://www.orcabook.com/Speaking-Our-Truth-Teacher-Guide-P4026
Heos, B., & Fabbri, D. (2014). Do you really want to visit Saturn? Riverstream Publishing.
Designing learning environments to support participatory learning. Leading Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca/learning-environments/
Levels of use – concerns-based adoption model. Google Sites: Sign-in. (n.d.) Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://sites.google.com/site/ch7cbam/home/levels-of-use
Planets – national geographic kids search. National Geographic. (n.d.). Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/search?q=planets&location=srp&type=manual
Smith, G. M. (2020). Speaking our truth: A journey of reconciliation. W. Ross MacDonald School Resource Services Library.
The concerns-based adoption model (CBAM): A model for change in individuals. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/731/2015/07/CBAM-explanation.pdf