One Kid at a Time: Big Lessons from a Small School, by Eliot Levine
	The Power of Their Ideas,by Deborah Meier
	Habits of Mind, by Arthur L. Costa, Bena Kallick, David Perkins
	Smart Schools, Smart Kids: Why Do Some Schools Work? by Edward B. Fiske
	The Disciplined Mind: Beyond Facts and Standardized Tests, the K-12 Education That Every Child Deserves, by Howard Gardner
	Educational Alternative for Everyone: A Handbook for Educators, Families, Politicians, by Don Glines
	Unlocking Your Child’s Learning Potential: How to Equip Kids to Succeed in School & Life, by Cheri Fuller

Conference Journal

Friday, Oct 18, 2002

7:50 — 8:30 Welcomes, found out something about what the student panel and the teacher panel will be. Talked with a bunch of people I had Thursday about a variety of things. 8:30 — 9:30 Teachers Panel - Teachers as Leaders. The discussion was about how teachers help each other with responsibilities and helping students and how and why this is done and ending on standardized testing. 9:30—10:15 Student Panel - We were asked questions like: what we liked about our school, are we more engaged, are we a better student because of our school, what we missed about past schools, and what is our take on standardized testing. I had a lot to say about every question and apparently gave interesting answers because I then after had a lot of people come talk with me. 10:15—10:40 Talked with students and staff from El Colegio about their school and ideas I have for the Edvisions Cooperative between students and a few details of their school. 10:40—11:45 Motivating Students no Matter the Age or Teaching Environment. We started off with introductions of name, school, and stating our favorite teacher, and a reason why. I came up with 4 or 5 for a few different qualities: Miss McCosh for how she never gave up on me, and she also let us know her as much as she knew us. Mr. Schluter for his creative approaches at math. Miss Farmer because again she let me know her, and so I let he know me, and as I struggled through the 2500-word paper for good standards she struggled through with me. And finally Dee, because she never gave up, and has treated me as an adult and equal more than other so called equals (staff). We then came to the conclusion the best teachers are who form a personal relationship and creatively deliver the content and that is the “Art of Teaching.” 11:45—12:30 During lunch I sat with three of the staff of El Colegio and talked more about the details of their school and a few other education orientated things. 12:30—1:00 Ole and Lena, it was pretty good, great way of presenting serious, real topics with an ignorant-humorous-like angle to things that “Ed Visions” deals with. 1:00—2:00 Talked with Dee and David form HS of RA about school design and education, went to HS of RA, got a small tour from David, but there were “issues” that had to be dealt with, so I got a fuller tour from a student, and got some details of the curriculum and how the school was day to day, and came back with Tony and 3 students for the next breakout session. 2:00—2:20 Creating International Culture - I only made it for the last parts of this, when I entered, the discussion was on finalization, and how to judge a project as done and a final project other than a 5-page report, I told them think of what’s in a “normal” report, if they can present that info in an oral speech, or create a test, or a variety of ways and it is recorded in some way that is good enough or better than a report, and they basically agreed, though it was also the end of the session. 2:20—3:50 Joint Programming and Cooperation - This was a presentation of HS of RA projects, how the school runs, and their trip up to Troll Lake Camp with students from London and the relationships they have developed. This gave me some great ideas for the Edvisions Cooperative. 3:50—4:15 Talked with Joan about some ideas I had for the Cooperative about my consultant firm idea, student exchange, and usage of other schools’ sites. 4:15 — 6:00 Ride home talk with Dee, about the conference and the school and personal life of hers and mine and problems and solutions of the school.

ACS/EdVisions Cooperative/CSC Moving Forward: Focus on Educators October 17th & 18th, 2002 Day Two Bandana Square — St. Paul, Minnesota    Friday, October 18, 2002 8:00 — 8:30 Breakfast 8:30 — 9:30 Teachers as Leaders Panel Discussion 9:30—10:15 Student Panel 10:30—11:45 BREAKOUT SESSIONS Motivating Students No Matter The Age Or Teaching Environment Joan Sax, EdVisions Cooperative Turbo-Charged School Designs Randy Fielding, DESIGN Share, Inc. Immigrant Language Issues and Special Education Video David Greenberg, El Colegio Charter School Building A Community Network Jaci Lageson, RiverBend Academy Integrating Art Into the Curriculum Marg Rozycki, Alyssa Sommer & Kevin Ward, Avalon Charter School 11:45 — 1:00 Lunch — Special Guests — “Ole & Lena” 1:00 — 2:15 BREAKOUT SESSIONS Creating Intentional Culture Gretchen Sage-Martinson, Valerie McLagan & Marg Rozycki, Avalon Charter School Expeditionary Learning Deb Otto Teaching licensure Update Richard Wassen, CFL Board of Teaching Facilities Technical Assistance Linda Sorden & Norm Chaffee, Charter Schools Technical Assistance Program Demystifying the State Profiles in Any Setting Joan Sax, EdVisions Cooperative 2:30 — 3:45 BREAKOUT SESSIONS Parent Involvement Becky French, Community Learning Center & David Alley, Designs for Learning Neuro-Technology Program Michael Joyce, New Visions Charter School Road To Retirement: TRA Information Upate Dean Lind, MNCS Joint Programming and Cooperation Tony Simmons, HSRA Mission-based Sponsorship Justin Testermann, VOA

Learning levels essay

I believe I deserve level three for the learning levels. I fulfill all of the requirements of level three and more. I [participated] in the process of creating [the] learning levels, and most of my input was based on myself and the expectations and responsibilities I complete regularly (or looked to start completing). I respect everything about this school and everything within it. I have recently and continually [been] creating and using individualized documentation of time and learning. I also have been beginning to get back on track; I know I can’t honestly say I’m on track, because I was supposed to graduate last year, but I am working hard towards that goal this year. I consistently, and for the most part, clearly exhibit creative passion and critical thinking.

I make a positive contribution and encourage respect to other students, staff, and visitors. When I see students being less than respectful, I call them on it. If I see a staff member attempting to settle a student [argument], I’ll try to help out where I can. I respect the staff and most of their requests, when they are reasonable. I know there are times that I may not agree with staff and the decisions they make, [but] I will continue to try to work through them. I take every chance I get to speak to visitors and to [make] the school-and the idea of the school—come across as positive[ly] as I see it. . .

. . . I contribute and encourage respect of school, staff, and student property. This summer, when I was in for orientation, Jim and I cleaned out all of the garbage cans. This was not asked [of us], and I was actually the one who instigated it. It was not that fun, but I saw that it needed [to be] done. Since then, I have encouraged, and at times demanded, [that] students to do a better job of cleaning around the school, because I don’t want it to appear unrespectable.

. . . I have been completing documentation of time and learning, and creating individualized documentation for each project I am working on. . . I honestly do not document daily; I try to at least two times a week to make sure I keep up. I know I need to work on this, because at times I do forget what I did a day before. . .

. . . I believe there needs to be more to the learning levels—close to as much [detail] as there originally was; the form that is in use at the moment, I do not agree with what is on it. I think there could be more to it; I do, however, continually complete everything on the current form. If we as a school plan to add [to] or adjust the current form, I would also like to participate in [that] process. I think there should be more on the aspects of giving back, and also more definitions somewhere. I know that there are definitions to each section; however, they are not clearly defined and therefore [can] be taken many different ways by staff and students. [This] create[s] an inconsistent standard that will create conversation and controversy.