I have been working with the Strategic Instruction Model™ (SIM™)
since 2004. I worked for Botetourt
County School System during this time, and we were one of the initial sites
chosen for the Content Literacy Continuum™ (CLC™). As a chosen CLC site, we implemented the 5
levels of CLC school-wide and within these levels we utilized SIM Learning
Strategies and Content Enhancement Routines.
During this time of implementation, I witnessed student gains that both
CLC and SIM provided, and I decided to become a professional developer for
the Learning Strategies Curriculum. I
received my certification, and I then transferred to work for the Virginia
Department of Education T/TAC at Virginia Tech. T/TAC at Virginia Tech allowed
me to continue to work with SIM in multiple school divisions in Regions 6 and
7 of Virginia. It is here where I continued
to grow with SIM, and I decided to become dually certified and obtained my
certification in Content Enhancement Routines.
Having dual certification has allowed me to work with school divisions and schools that are in need of school reform. I have found that with each school we are working with to implement change for enhancing student learning, the Strategic Instruction Model™(SIM™) has either a strategy or a routine to help assist with what their data is show casing. I have included several documents to show how we are committed to a long-term process. The Region 6 & 7 Map and the SIM VT Quarterly Report shows how we have implemented SIM in multiple divisions. Additionally, a sample action plan for a middle school, and a sample teacher leader agenda from that same school has been provided. Furthermore, I have included an agenda that has been utilized for our monthly meetings within my department that also utilize SIM while working with school divisions and schools. We titled these monthly meetings, SIM Meeting of the Minds. This agenda shows how we continue to share and grow with each of the sites we are coaching, and how we learn from one another. Finally, I have included a link to an email blast that I wrote for educators in our regions on reading strategies http://eepurl.com/bMM7nP .
I continually keep my yearly subscriptions to a number of well-known organizations. I am currently a member of the Strategram, SIM™ Network, ASCD, Ed Leadership, ADDitude, Education Week, and Learning Forward. Additionally, I frequently research the latest pertinent developments in education, as well as participate in relevant book studies. This research is obtained and gathered through white papers, newly published books, Internet, and published reports.
I actively peruse the KU Center for Research on Learning website for updated information and resources that I can utilize during any of my upcoming professional development or coaching visits with schools. This site has been valuable to me for locating materials that I could have easily misplaced if they were a paper copy. Additionally, I read all questions and updates through the SIM™ Network via email. This network has provided me with great ideas to use, as well as with information regarding any new strategies or routines being published. As an office, we purchase these new strategies and routines, and update ourselves with the latest publications. In return, if I have information to provide to a network member regarding a question he or she has posed, I email them directly with what I have to offer.
Link to Documents mentioned in paragraph 2: https://drive.google.com/a/vt.edu/folderview?id=0B4lEgx9hs7rHNEYyMHBySllrbnM&usp=sharing
Having dual certification has allowed me to work with school divisions and schools that are in need of school reform. I have found that with each school we are working with to implement change for enhancing student learning, the Strategic Instruction Model™(SIM™) has either a strategy or a routine to help assist with what their data is show casing. I have included several documents to show how we are committed to a long-term process. The Region 6 & 7 Map and the SIM VT Quarterly Report shows how we have implemented SIM in multiple divisions. Additionally, a sample action plan for a middle school, and a sample teacher leader agenda from that same school has been provided. Furthermore, I have included an agenda that has been utilized for our monthly meetings within my department that also utilize SIM while working with school divisions and schools. We titled these monthly meetings, SIM Meeting of the Minds. This agenda shows how we continue to share and grow with each of the sites we are coaching, and how we learn from one another. Finally, I have included a link to an email blast that I wrote for educators in our regions on reading strategies http://eepurl.com/bMM7nP .
I continually keep my yearly subscriptions to a number of well-known organizations. I am currently a member of the Strategram, SIM™ Network, ASCD, Ed Leadership, ADDitude, Education Week, and Learning Forward. Additionally, I frequently research the latest pertinent developments in education, as well as participate in relevant book studies. This research is obtained and gathered through white papers, newly published books, Internet, and published reports.
I actively peruse the KU Center for Research on Learning website for updated information and resources that I can utilize during any of my upcoming professional development or coaching visits with schools. This site has been valuable to me for locating materials that I could have easily misplaced if they were a paper copy. Additionally, I read all questions and updates through the SIM™ Network via email. This network has provided me with great ideas to use, as well as with information regarding any new strategies or routines being published. As an office, we purchase these new strategies and routines, and update ourselves with the latest publications. In return, if I have information to provide to a network member regarding a question he or she has posed, I email them directly with what I have to offer.
Link to Documents mentioned in paragraph 2: https://drive.google.com/a/vt.edu/folderview?id=0B4lEgx9hs7rHNEYyMHBySllrbnM&usp=sharing