Realizations- CBA edition

I'm in the midst of evaluating our CBAs. I'm reading their work (most of which are powerpoints), checking their self-evaluations (OSPI rubrics), and providing feedback. The process is somewhat tedious, and certainly frustrating. Why? There isn't a way for us to go back and make changes to improve them is one reason. The second is that many of the errors are a result of revision, or lack thereof. Items on the graphic organizer that didn't make it into the presentation.

Ultimately I have some changes to make to the process. First, we'll start it in April instead of late May. We'll have an outline of the days, and what work will be done each day (at least at the start).

• Monday 4/5- Research using search terms- find one article on elibrary/print
• Tuesday 4/6- Research using search terms- find one useful website/print
• Wednesday 4/7-Deciphering research- what to use.

While we had our specific days, with explicit purposes for each, some of the points were lost in translation. Ultimately the goal is to ensure that they are successful, which providing some of those scaffolds will do.

We'll also do another WCYDWT sort of thing. That, to me, was how I started off the CBA. We started with an image and talked about it, wondered about it, gathered more information, then started on a trajectory towards putting something together. We struggled with the process of utilizing our research to the fullest extent possible. Using pictures, particularly current events stuff, is right up the "what can you do with this" alley. Kids want to know more, and want to try and make sense of the world around them. They just need the tools to do it, which requires reading, writing, and research. If I had a rewind button I'd be hitting it, putting it on 5x fast.