​Teachers from across the Cattaraugus-Allegany region participated in Day #2 of our 6-8 Math CLC.  Karen Insley and I walked our participants though several hands-on, cooperative, and challenging activities.  The activities included looking at PBL (Project Based Learning), structures for teachers to use with their students, including cooperative grouping activities, being sure to stress the importance of student to student collaboration with mathematical content. 

Teachers were given a task (project) and were asked to work on the beginning stages of it.  They saw how this type of learning could be incorporated into their lesson planning, and how PBL could look in a mathematics classroom. Teachers saw the structures modeled, and then discussed how they could use the structures in their own classrooms.  Many ideas were shared, including ideas for extension for advanced students, as well as modification for students who may need more scaffolding. 

Teachers were given time to create lessons, and materials they could use in their classrooms immediately, as well as in the future.  They walked away with over five different structures to use with their students.  The day was successful, and teachers could collaborate and learn from each other as well as from the facilitators!  Our next 6-8 Math CLC is on March 14, 2017.  

By Kathleen Agnello, CA BOCES Professional Development

At the end of the year districts are asked if they'd like to contribute money towards an Eisenhower fund where the money is pooled together for the following school year.  When the new year starts up, these districts meet to discuss possible options to maximize these funds- called Eisenhower Funds.  This year the participating schools decided on sending teachers to learn and receive either Hummingbird, littleBits kits or to learn about Project Based Learning.  The photos above are from the littleBits training held at the Barn Teaching and Learning Center in Olean on Leap Day (February 29th) and were tweeted out using the hashtag #myCABOCES. 
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The reason for the importance of these days was to explore more about the “Maker Movement” where people look to ‘make’ something to help fix a problem, help others or just because they want to make something!  The importance of Hummingbirds and littleBits in that process is because they offer students a chance to easily ‘make’ or build their own ideas.  After exploring different projects like creating a doorknob, a flashlight and a bubble maker, these teachers looked at finding  ways to incorporate littleBits into their classrooms and spaces they have back in their district.  As with the Hummingbird training in January, all of the teachers left with creative ideas for their students.  We at CABOCES Professional Development can’t wait to see and hear all the neat products that the students create.

​By Mark Carls, CA BOCES