NAAE Region VI, musings of a newbee at Summer Conference

Our Sara Cobb, the CASE Online Learning Coordinator got us started Sunday afternoon.  Nice colorful printouts on quality paper!  She got us started by looking at the process of note-taking, how to get students to improve their note-taking skills, and how Inquiry-Based Learning works.  We looked at the first AFNR activity, through the lens of a student.  Long story short, my group will be well dressed in our graves... only 1 of us will eat, and we have no shelter!  Bad if we are Algonquin in the winter.  Sara helped us look at the Purpose more carefully, by having us focus on the words the students should know coming in, and might struggle with due to their complexity of meaning.  She also had us look at reading strategies to get students to focus on materials and actions.  Students don't like to be just handed worksheet packets; so this will be good for me, because I'll have another tool in my toolbox to hold them accountable, and verify they really understand the point of the assignment, as well as how to go forward as a group!  The metacognition activity, ISU Inquiry Workshop Activity 1.1.2 Student Worksheet, is loaded with ways to think about what the teacher and what the students will be doing during the lesson.  A great discussion on how you tie this activity to the community, esp. discussions of hunger.  My inquiry based question? What would my life be like if I had to provide for all of my food, shelter and clothing needs?  Why do I teach CASE?  Glad you asked....