Monday, July 18, 2011

Nueva School Hosts Innovative Learning Conference

Nueva School in Hillsborough, California will host an Innovative Learning Conference on October 20-21, 2011.  The line-up of presenters includes Norman Doidge, David Kelley, Dean Ornish, Denise Clark Pope, Michael Thompson, and many more.  Nueva, a founding member of ICG, is a grades PK-8 school that is recognized nationally for its leadership in implementation of design thinking.

Visit the conference web site for more information about the Innovative Learning Conference. 

Sunday, April 10, 2011

ICG Announces National Assessment Project

During the 2011-12 school year, the Independent Curriculum Group will sponsor a national conversation about best practices in assessment.  Member schools will host regional meetings to examine assessment of Critical Inquiry, Creative Problem-Solving, Oral Communication, and Collaboration/Group Work. 

The National Assessment Project
Developing and Sharing Assessments of 21st Century Skills

Overview

Assessment of student work is among the greatest challenges facing schools today.  As schools strive to foster authentic learning, they face the challenge of developing assessments that do justice to the complexity of higher-order skills while honoring the importance of student agency.  Such assessments must provide meaningful benchmarks for student growth while setting the stage for further learning. Traditionally, teachers developed classroom assessments with an eye toward student mastery of course subject matter.  More recently, many schools have initiated institution-wide discussions about aligning classroom assessments more closely with school mission and enhanced emphasis on “Twenty-First Century skills.”  The best of today’s classroom assessments serve both purposes while promoting the transition toward authentic life-long learning.  ICG’s National Assessment Project will provide a forum for schools to share their best thinking about the next generation of assessments.

The Project

During the 2011-12 school year, ICG schools will host regional working groups to share, critique, and develop assessments of four major skills.  Groups are currently being formed in Albuquerque, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC., and additional cities based on interest. Each group will devote a single meeting to assessments in each of the following areas:

1) Critical Inquiry - The Ability to Ask Good Questions
2) Creative Problem-Solving - Facility with open-ended, asymmetrical problems
3) Oral Communication - Expression, participation, and engagement
4) Collaboration - Group projects
In all four areas, metacognitive understanding will be a key point of evaluation. Do the assessments lead students to understand the role of the relevant skill in their own development as learners?

The parameters of the project are as follows:

* Each working group will plan a series of four meetings in 2011-12.  The dates of the four meetings will be determined locally by participating schools.

* At least one academic administrator from each school will attend all four meetings.  Unlimited numbers of additional faculty may attend one or more meetings.

* Participating schools will bring examples and/or descriptions of two assessments to each meeting which represent the school’s best thinking and practice. Where practical, schools can also bring samples of student work related to the assessments that may shed light on their effectiveness.  Participants will discuss how the assessments align with the goals of the course and the mission of the school, and where relevant, consider broader issues related to assessment and curriculum.

* Each group will forward copies of assessments and notes from each meeting to ICG, which will create an online resource area dedicated to the project and distribute a national report on each of the four areas.  ICG will also facilitate electronic communication among the groups. 

* Host schools may engage experts to facilitate, as desired.

* Participation will be free to ICG member schools.

* Participation will be available to non-member schools for $495.00. 

Schools interested in joining the National Assessment Project should contact ICG  

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Annual Meeting Set For NAIS Conference

The Independent Curriculum Group will hold its Annual Meeting in conjunction with the National Association of Independent Schools Annual Conference on Wednesday, February 23 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Hampton Inn & Suites National Harbor, Harbor Room, across the street from the Gaylord National Convention Center. All educators are invited to attend. The program will include a discussion of ICG’s priorities for the future and information about membership. For more information,

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Sunday, December 19, 2010

Assessment Conference Begins Collaboration

Twenty schools were represented at ICG’s conference on new directions in assessment at Riverdale Country School on Friday, December 17.  The morning featured pump-priming keynotes from Deanna Kuhn (Teacher’s College), Veronica Boix-Mansilla (Harvard Project Zero), and Grant Wiggins (Authentic Education).

Though each explored different facets of assessment, all highlighted the extent to which traditional grading is out-of-step with today’s understanding of how students learn. In the afternoon, participants explored the prospect of working together to share best practices in assessment, and perhaps, to collaborate on designing new assessments.  Riverdale Head of School Dominic Randolph, the prime mover behind the conference, will follow-up with participants about possible next steps in working together. Work will continue at ICG’s East-Coast summer conference, also at Riverdale, on June 23-25. Anyone interested in joining ICG’s work on assessment should contact ICG Executive Director

Monday, December 13, 2010

Brimmer and May, Nueva, and Trevor Day School Join ICG

Three of the nation’s most innovative schools have joined the Independent Curriculum Group as founding members. Brimmer and May is a leading PK-12 school in the Boston area whose signature programs include Global Studies, a Senior Thesis Defense, and a rich variety of off-campus and experiential learning programs.

Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, The Nueva School is renowned for an innovative program that emphasizes integrated studies, creative arts, and social-emotional learning. Trevor Day School, one of the most dynamic schools in the New York City area, offers a Nursery-12 program. Trevor’s hallmarks include a commitment to experiential learning, active respect for diversity, and an emphasis on creative communication through technology.  For information about membership in ICG, contact Executive Director