Developing our understanding of the MYP by Danica Gjurevski https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl Action Plan in the Making en-us 2020-10-12 17:41:06 UTC 2025-11-08 07:39:43 UTC hello@padlet.com How did it make you feel going into the situation? How did you solve any unforeseen problems that arose in the situation? What might have been different if you had remembered to plan? danicagjurevski https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822412374 Danica: I try hard not to find myself in a situation where I do not know what to do with the students but it has happened on a few occasions and I always think what we did last class and use students' creativity to guide the dynamic of the class in the direction of deeper understanding of the concept we have learned in the previous class. I would not have felt as anxious if I had planned. 
*Bojana: It has happened to me on a few occasions, as well. I felt really bad for not having planned a lesson for my students. Since I'm teaching an EAL subject, it's always a good idea to ask the students what they learned the previous class and go over the things one more time. Then, you can further develop their understanding by going more in-depth of the material you've covered the previous class. All in all, it was a bad and anxious experience for me.
Anastasija: I always have back up plans, for when I do not have an actual plan. Like a secret stash of worksheets I can use in an emergency or bookmarked links for an online activity. However, at times even with a ready plan it seems that nothing goes according to it.]]> 2020-10-12 17:45:08 UTC https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822412374 Create your own team development plan with regard to implementing the MYP in your level or subject group. danicagjurevski https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822415032 *What do you need to do? (What is the area of growth?)
Bojana: EAL, as a subject, focuses on developing the students' reading, speaking, listening, and writing skills in the second language that they are learning. I'm sure that Danica will agree that this is our primary goal. Since most of the students are beginners in the second language, the school, having adopted the MYP program, should draw its attention to exploring local and global contexts that are appropriate for the level of the student. We understand that students progress differently. Making accommodations and providing differentiation on the same topic that we explore in class, leads to the development of the students' critical and creative skills that they can later express in the objectives, that us as teachers, focus on.
*Danica: I completely agree with Bojana in regards to the area of development that the students are guided towards. In addition, the main goal for the students I work with, who are native English speakers and/or EAL and students with learning difficulties, is to apply decoding and encoding reading and writing strategies which will enable them to reach their grade level for reading. Another essential reading goal towards which students are guided is reading and spelling accurately and fluently with the ability to manipulate the phoneme-grapheme correlations to the level of automaticity.
Anastasija: Academic Writing focuses on developing students' writing skills. In my classes I make differentiations for all of my students according to their abilities and knowledge of the English Language. My primary goal is for them to at least acquire the basics of academic writing. I want my students to be able to express their opinions and ideas and support them with actual evidence, to carefully choose their sources and remain objective.]]> 2020-10-12 17:45:58 UTC https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822415032 What Action is required? danicagjurevski https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822417759 *Bojana: Teachers should accommodate the teaching material for the students, so that they don't feel frustrated if something is unclear. Providing vocabulary lists, teaching context clues, and or simply showing images about the concepts we explore in class, are just a few examples that we need to focus on. By easing the process of the language acquisition, students will feel more relaxed about the "abstract" terms that they explore in the classroom for the first time. Adjusting the curriculum with the MYP criteria, developing the ATL skills in class, and common planning time (so that everyone is on the same page of what they teach), leads to better students' understanding of the topic.
*Anastasija: Encouraging students to use writing tools. Dedicating parts of my lessons on technological literacy. Making additional accommodations for my students, providing them with a safe environment where they can express themselves free of judgement.
Danica: Explicit, systematic, sequential teaching of spoken and written language concepts, supported by the Science of Reading is what I found to be most successful when prevention or intervention must take place in order to teach students to apply reading and writing strategies. As my two colleagues mentioned above, accommodations and modifications to the instruction, content and assessments are essential for my students to gain the fundamental strategies which are of vital importance for the students' academic progress and to the building of self-confidence and self-advocating.]]> 2020-10-12 17:46:47 UTC https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822417759 Who? danicagjurevski https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822418790 Bojana: The change starts with ourselves, the teachers. But, we're not the only ones who needs to implement these changes. The curriculum coordinator, should always be there to support us when we do the horizontal and vertical alignment.
Anastasija: I agree with Bojana. We as teachers should start the process of inclusion and improvement. We are the ones creating the units and implementing the curriculum. However, we need guidance as well. The curriculum coordinator should support us, advise us, and encourage collaboration.
Danica: We as teachers are the students' advocates but primarily supported by parents and administrators. Without this essential support, our role will be diminished. Students also play a vital part in acquiring and applying the necessary knowledge and skills and without their willingness to collaborate with teachers and peers, the learning process will be troublesome and ineffective.

]]> 2020-10-12 17:47:05 UTC https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822418790 What budget or resources is needed? danicagjurevski https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822420133 Bojana: Having a budget limited to English Language Arts/EAL/Reading Intervention is important so that teacher feel comfortable purchasing resources which are needed for the students. Various websites are quite necessary for language acquisition/reading, but you need to subscribe and purchase them. Apart from the extended list of online resources, we need to have a guided level reading program and levelled books, so that students can develop their reading skills by reading a "just right" book. Also, the school should focus on one writing program that will be implemented by everyone, so that teachers don't have to find their own resources to teach writing.
*Anastasija: Each department should have a budget at their disposal. The resources should be updated regularly and distributed equally. Teachers should have the liberty to choose the program/books/materials most suitable for their students and subjects. Especially when teaching writing, as Bojana mentioned, we should be following the same writing program so we are teaching the students the same principles and practices. Academic Writing should be an enrichment to their already acquired knowledge, not a class where their previous knowledge needs to be annulled because someone had an idea of how an essay looks like.
Danica: In general, there is an improvement in regards to the resources available every year. As of last year, myself and the present primary curriculum coordinator have been able to purchase reading and writing prevention programs, mainly for primary and partially for secondary school. However, we can't stop here. Having a variety of resources means we can reach more students with different needs more effectively. To this I must add that professional development and/or attending specific training is crucial for teachers so that they apply any resource available to them with fidelity and high level of effectiveness. To the utmost importance is to be able to have access to a variety of decodable books and high interest-low level books so that all needs and interests of the students are met. ]]> 2020-10-12 17:47:29 UTC https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822420133 By when? danicagjurevski https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822421537 Bojana: Ideally, next semester. :))
*Anastasija: As soon as possible.
Danica: This is a question that I can't give an exact answer to. The implementation of the MYP criteria must be in correspondence or at least very close to the students abilities and primarily having met their reading needs, would then be able to say to what extent would I be able to implement MYP criteria. ]]> 2020-10-12 17:47:55 UTC https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822421537 What evidence will demonstrate achievement? danicagjurevski https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822422456 Bojana: Creating formative and summative assessment (using the MYP criteria) should demonstrate students' achievement . Anything from writing an essay focusing on a global context learnt in class, to creating a presentation that tackles some real-world issues should be enough to provide evidence.
*Anastasija: I completely agree with Bojana. The formative and summative assessments should demonstrate the students' achievement. Our achievement can be measured through the reflections on our unit plans or through constructive discussions within the subject department.
Danica: Any spoken, written or visually presented evidence that demonstrates independent understanding and application of MYP criteria, whether that would be formative or summative should be considered valuable.]]> 2020-10-12 17:48:11 UTC https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/822422456 This is how teachers feel when they forgot to plan. The struggle is real, that's why common planning time is of great importance. bojanakodjasinska https://padlet.com/danicagjurevski/5hu4ptzx686k04wl/wish/824063491 Anastasija: I relate to the meme. We should all support each other so we can better support our students. We should remain creative and have different assignments for our students, but we should work on our subject units together. Sharing is caring. 

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