Social Studies: questions are as important as answers

Humans are naturally inquisitive. Young children tend to ask an abundance of questions, yet the volume of questions posed by students often dwindles in middle and high school. Learners at all grade levels benefit from the opportunity to devise questions and seek answers.  If students are taught how to ask questions they will learn how to learn. Students frequently hear there is no such thing as a bad question, yet some questions are better than others. How do we help students learn how to ask good questions?

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Academically productive talk in science

There is no shortage of talking in classrooms, yet academically productive talk is far different from the standard teacher-directed questioning strategy to elicit singular correct responses. In the academically productive talk classroom, the teacher serves as facilitator for discussions that help the students grapple with concepts and reasoning that will deepen their understanding of topics. There is an element of “letting go” that is difficult for the classroom teacher who has been conditioned to “stand and deliver”; however, students will learn more as they debate and wrestle with the questions that they arrive at after they have had opportunities to observe and manipulate phenomena.

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Annotating a text: close reading with a pen

Annotation is the act of marking a text with words, symbols, illustrations, or other meaningful notes. Annotating a text supports close reading practices, helps a student engage with a text, and provides teachers with an efficient form of formative assessment. Annotation is more than just taking notes; it is a way to record a conversation with the author, characters, or the text itself. Marks and annotations made within the body of a reading create a reference point for a reader when rereading. Annotations also create a road map to support comprehension and analysis during reading.

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MEA for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy Grades 3-8 Portal

The following Priority Notice was sent Monday, February 29

The eMPowerME Portal https://maine.measuredprogress.org/ is open with access to the following features:

  • District Assessment Coordinators can login with their recently mailed usernames/passwords, reset their account profiles, and begin to establish their other User Roles (set up ITC and STCs).
  • Client Kiosk is ready and available to be installed on devices (the iPad app will be ready on Saturday, March 5, 2016).
  • Work Station Readiness tests can be started.
  • Kiosk-based practice tests can be run, once installed on student devices using the same browser-based username/passwords (MaineMath/practice & MaineReading/practice).

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Parental Consent Required for SAT Questionnaire

The following Priority Notice was sent on February 26, 2016 

The College Board provides an optional Student Data Questionnaire for third year high school students taking the SAT in Maine. In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Maine Department of Education is requiring all schools participating in the April 12, 2016 SAT School Day Administration to have Informed Parental Consent prior to issuing the Student Data Questionnaire to any student.

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Commissioner’s Update – February 25, 2016

From the Maine Department of Education

The Maine DOE is replacing its current student information system (SIS), Infinite Campus State Edition (ICSE), with Edupoint Synergy. The change will take place over the next two years, and the new Synergy computer system will have little or no impact on the student data system currently in use in Maine’s school administrative units (SAUs).

Maine has been doing business with the same vendor since 2007, and last year the Department identified needed improvements and what is available in the market place for the handling of student information from SAUs.

The requirements for a replacement system were assembled into a Request for Proposal (RFP) that was publicly released in November. The requirements call for improvements in the flexibility of the system along with quality, availability and security improvements. All of this was to be accomplished with little or no impact on the student data system currently in use in the SAUs.

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Notices and Reporting Items

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News & Views

MEA Alternate Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy

The MEA Alternate Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy assessment known as the Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) is moving forward. | More

Maine DOE seeks reviewers for 21st CCLC grant competition

The Maine DOE is seeking qualified peer reviewers to read, assess and score competitive grant proposals for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Program. | More

Maine DOE’s expertise grows with new specialists

The Maine DOE is pleased to announce new specialists who will be working in Augusta and in the field assisting you on a variety of fronts. | More

Maine DOE and NESSC webinar supports proficiency diplomas

The Maine Department of Education and the New England Secondary School Consortium (NESSC) hosted a webinar early this month featuring RSU 2’s collaborative efforts. | More

Schoolwide Annual Review submission no longer required

The recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended by ESSA places the schoolwide annual review in transition during 2016-2017 school year. | More

State agency clients returning to their parental home

Beginning April 11 a state agency client who is returned to the family home will lose state agency client status on the date that the child resumes residence. | More

Comments sought on Maine’s IDEA Part B application

The Maine DOE is seeking comments from the public on its annual application for federal funds under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). | More

Maine seeks feedback on IDEA Part C application

Maine is seeking input on its application for the Part C (birth to age three) early intervention program. | More

MaineCare Seed payment adjustments made; report review by March 25

The 2015-16 subsidy checks for General Purpose Aid for local schools will reflect adjustments for MaineCare Seed payments. | More

Proficiency Council Preliminary Report presented to Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs

The Maine DOE and the Proficiency Council recently presented the Proficiency Council Preliminary Report to members of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. | More

A challenge to participate in National School Breakfast Week next month

Full Plates Full Potential and the Maine DOE’s Child Nutrition program are challenging schools to increase school breakfast participation during this year’s National School Breakfast Week. | More

Nature based education summer institute

The University of Maine at Farmington is excited to announce registration is open for a first-of-a-kind Nature Based Education Summer Institute June 24 and 25. | More

Maine’s Read to ME Challenge has become a ritual

Maine’s Read to ME Challenge became a household activity for the Veneziano family in Hermon this past month. | More

Tyler Technologies’ Maine App Challenge 2016

It is called, “an awesome opportunity for a student;” the Tyler Technologies’ 2016 Maine App Challenge.  This is a contest for Maine high school students to design, develop and demonstrate Android mobile apps. | More

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LATEST DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Maine DOE seeks reviewers for 21st CCLC grant competition

The Maine DOE is seeking qualified peer reviewers to read, assess and score competitive grant proposals for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Program.  This federally-funded grant program provides opportunities for schools and communities to develop “community learning centers” that serve children and youth during out-of-school time. Maine currently has 37 grant recipients operating 64 individual centers in communities across the state.  The Department anticipates receiving applications for new, expansion, and continuation awards as a result of this competition.

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Maine’s Read to ME Challenge has become a ritual

Maine’s Read to ME Challenge became a household activity for the Veneziano family in Hermon this past month. The television public service announcements for the campaign that kicked off February 2, are of Jodi and her twins Donnie and Frankie reading. Aside from assisting the Maine Department of Education in producing these PSAs, this family took the challenge seriously.

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Proficiency Council Preliminary Report presented to Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs

The Maine DOE and the Proficiency Council recently presented the Proficiency Council Preliminary Report to members of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.

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