SAMPLE APPLICATION ... Proposal Application Form: Individual Applicant ....
generated by an electronic archive and/or quantitative measures – surveys)?
SAMPLE APPLICATION
Teacher Learning and Leadership Program Proposal Application Form: Individual Applicant To be completed by teacher applicant and sent to director of education/supervisory officer of school authority by November 30, 2007
Section 1: Applicant Information Please attach a copy of the applicant’s certificate of qualification (can be downloaded and printed from the Ontario College of Teachers’ public register at http://www.oct.ca/PublicRegister/Default.aspx?lang=en-CA) Applicant Name: T.P. Knotch School Phone #: 123-456-7890 School Email Address:
[email protected] Alternate Email Address: Current Teaching Assignment: Grade 4 classroom Current Contract Type (select one): Full-Time Total Years Teaching Experience: 20 Name and Address of Current School: A1 School, 123 This Street, Anytown, ON M7A 1L2 Name of School Board: Ideal DSB
Section 2: Project Proposal 1. Name of Project: The Boys Only Zone 2. Briefly summarize your project topic: I have experienced the “Grade Four Boys’ Slump” phenomenon in my classroom with boys who struggle with the transition from learning to read to reading to learn. In order to help address, and perhaps prevent, this slump and reduce the gap in boys' literacy results in Grade 4, I want to develop a "Boys Only Book Club" strategy to engage and motivate low-achieving boys in this grade through a targeted set of resources and strategies delivered in a gender-homogeneous work zone. 3. Describe the background and experience you bring to this project: I have taught Grade 4 for five years and have completed all three parts of the Reading AQ. I have participated actively on my school's divisional team and have explored with my colleagues what we have called the Grade 4 slump in boys' literacy results. Through readings on this subject, I have come to believe that strategies targeted specifically to boys and delivered in a gender-specific setting can help to address and/or prevent this slump. This project could help me put this theory to the test.
Section 3: Learning 4. What are the professional learning goals of your proposed project?
- increase my professional knoweledge around literacy instructional strategies targeted to boys in junior division achieving below the provincial standard - try out some of these strategies in a regular classroom and thus improve my teaching skills in this area - share my knowledge with other grade 4 teachers and thus become part of a community of practice in this area 5. Please provide a rationale for pursuing these professional learning goals (i.e., what needs do the goals address?): After teaching Grade 4 for five years, I feel this type of professional growth would improve my knowledge and skills as a teacher, contribute to my school and board improvement plan by helping students succeed, and provide me with a welcome challenge. 6. Describe the specific activities you will undertake during this proposed project in order to achieve your professional learning goals (please include approximate timelines): In order to increase my knowledge in this area, I would research any new findings in this area through the International Reading Association. I would also consult with other teachers in my school and board as well as the Faculty of Education Staff who taught me my Reading AQ courses. I would specifically look into the use of male author studies, graphic novels and nonfiction books, and boys' book clubs (April 2008 to September 2008) In order to increase my skills in this area, I would then create a "Boys Only Zone" where I could systematically apply my new knowledge to a targeted group of boys in my own class through techniques such as a boys' literacy circle. I would identify (up to 10) boys whose EQAO Grade 3 results indicate that they are at or below a level 2 in Reading and Writing. One afternoon a week, I would need to have an occasional teacher replace me in my classroom while I worked with this targeted group. (September 2008 to December 2008) Strategies for sharing this learning are explained in further details in number 10 of this application. (January 2009 to June 2009) 7. How would the outcomes of your proposed project contribute to increasing student learning and development? By targeting boys whose results are below the provincial standard, by creating a motivating area for boys to learn and by applying new and varied strategies to the teaching of reading and writing, I believe I will succeed in improving the achievement levels for these students. By further sharing and modeling my strategies, I believe I can multiply the effect of this project throughout the junior division of my school. 8. How will you determine if you have met your professional learning goals for this project? My increased knowledge base, my students' results and the interest of fellow teachers will all be ways of assessing the impact of this project on my professional goals. 9. How are you going to measure your learning and sharing outcomes (e.g., qualitative measures – peer reviews of journal articles, feedback on portfolio, questions and observations generated by an electronic archive and/or quantitative measures – surveys)? • Use anticipation guides to measure the impact of workshops for other educators (one in my school, one at a board session, one as a guest speaker at a Reading AQ course) • Ask for and incorporate peer reviews by 3 colleagues before posting activities and strategies that worked well with the “Boys Only Zone” group and a summary of my learning 2
on the Ministry website 10. Identify the supports you will need in order to undertake the above activities and their estimated costs. You may wish to consult with your school principal, other teachers, school board finance and/or curriculum staff to estimate these supports (e.g., the amount of release time you will need, the board’s rate to cover occasional teacher costs, the cost of resources and technical training, etc.). If more space is required, attach a separate sheet. Type of Support: Estimated Cost of Support: 5 days release time to research effective $1000 strategies Resources to support my research $200 14 x 0.5 days release time to implement the $1400 "Boys Only Zone" in my own classroom Choice of resources for the "Boys Only Zone" $500 22 x 0.5 x 2 days release time to model the $4400 "Boys Only Zone" for other teachers in my school Total $7500
Section 4: Sharing 11. Describe how the learning from your activity will be shared within or outside of your school/board/other jurisdiction (e.g., written resource, teacher/school kit, working with other teachers in their classrooms, working with teachers or school teams in another school/board, facilitating workshops; podcast, webcast, video conferencing, wikis): The skills and strategies would be modeled for other Grade 4 teachers in my school by having them (individually) bring in a small group of their boys whose EQAO scores were below the provincial standard to join us in the "Boys Only Zone". After two sessions where I model the strategies, I would organize a debriefing and collaborative planning session with the teacher in order to learn from each other and plan some next steps. This would take place one afternoon a week. 12. Briefly describe any training or experience you have had that would prepare you to work in an adult learning setting: I have participated on my school's divisional team and have hosted sharing sessions during an inter-school initiative at the board level. 13. Identify additional training you would need to support the sharing of your learning with other colleagues (e.g., writing effective resources, presentation skills, facilitation skills for an adult-learning context, coaching/mentoring): I would mostly need help in facilitation skills, coaching/mentoring skills and collaborative planning and teaching skills.
Section 5: Declarations Applicant: Should this proposal be successful, I declare that I will comply with the 2007 – 08 TLLP Program Guideline and will carry out the project as described. I will ensure that the activities and materials produced do not infringe on any third party intellectual property or copyright. 3
______________________ Applicant Signature
_____________________ Date (dd/mm/yy)
Principal*: I am aware of this proposal and that it will be submitted to the school board for consideration. __________________ Principal Name (please print) ______________________ Principal Signature
_____________________ Date (dd/mm/yy)
*Applicants working in more than one school must attach a declaration from the principal of each school. For applicants who are daily occasional teachers, this declaration should be signed by the person they report to at the board.
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