Journal features Challenger Middle School

Professional learning wiki deemed model for other teachers

Teachers at Challenger Middle School are showing that adults must constantly learn new things -- just like their students. The Challenger faculty developed CMS Professional Learning, to collect and share tips about using technology in the classroom. Because of this innovation, the school is featured in the latest issue of the Working Toward Excellence journal.

Working Toward Excellence, the journal of the Alabama Best Practices Center, is published in print and online formats to help professional educators adopt the best ways to teach. The latest edition, "Alabama's 21st Century Schools Are Blazing Trails Through Cyberspace," focuses on Alabama teachers who are changing the way they teach to better prepare their students to succeed in life and the digital economy.

Find the online version of "Alabama's 21st Century Schools Are Blazing Trails Through Cyberspace" at www.abpc21.org.

Challenger Middle is one of 40 schools that participated in the Alabama Best Practices Center’s 21st Century Learning Project, underwritten by Microsoft Corp. and the Wachovia Foundation. This project does two things for teachers: helps them understand what students need to know to be successful in our ever-changing world, and provides them with the skills and tools to effectively engage their students.

Challenger Middle, a Huntsville City school, won notice for developing a wiki, a type of Web site that is easy for multiple people to add to or edit. Teachers compiled how-to's and examples for using technology tools from podcasts to digital storytelling to Skype, a free online phone service. CMS Professional Learning (http://cmsprofessionallearning.wikispaces.com/) was a collaboration of teachers Alicia Driskill, Barry Leshinsky, Crystal Wright, Jessica Depew and principal Edith Pickens.

"Challenger Middle School is a pacesetter in this work. Team members have worked hard to expand their use of effective teaching strategies that not only help students learn more, but get excited about learning!  This project is about teachers sharing what they've learned and encouraging each other to try new techniques," said Gassenheimer. "In this Digital Age, in addition to the basics, children will need a broad range of skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving and how to effectively collaborate with others."

Other Huntsville-area schools that participated in the 21st Century Learning Project are Blossomwood, Terry Heights and Montview elementaries; Discovery Middle, and Buckhorn and Bob Jones high schools.

The A+ Education Foundation in Montgomery is home of the Alabama Best Practices Center, which receives major support from Microsoft Corp. and the Wachovia Foundation. Since 1991, A+ has advanced policies, programs and initiatives that result in high achievement by every child in Alabama's K-12 education system. A+ believes Alabama's economic future depends on strong public schools.

KEY LINKS

CMS Professional Learning, http://cmsprofessionallearning.wikispaces.com/

Digital version, Working Toward Excellence journal: www.abpc21.org

FIND IT FAST
These articles mention Challenger Middle School http://www.abpc21.org/blazingtrails.html and http://www.abpc21.org/classroom20.html.

PDF (449 Kb) of the Working Toward Excellence journal's 16-page print edition, www.bestpracticescenter.org

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