IS+339+TMI+Grant+Application


 * TMI Application for //Writing Matters or Voices and Choices//**

The Office of Instructional Technology is proud to announce its support of Teaching Matters’ web-based curricula and professional development series designed for middle schools. For a preview of these two programs go to [|http://www.writingmatters.org] or http://www.teachingmatters.org/social_studies.htm

The OIT and TMI have secured partial funding to offer this matching grant opportunity to //all// our iTeach/iLearn schools. Schools that take part in this **three-way match** will be responsible for a payment of $6,676 to Teaching Matters which represents a savings of more than $10,500!

In order to qualify for this additional support, please complete the following questions and email your responses to jcondliffe@teachingmatters.org with “iTiL Matching Grant” in the subject line. **The email must come from the account of your building principal.**

The deadline for response is **Friday, November 9th at 5 PM.** Confirmation will be made by Teaching Matters by November 14th, 2007.

School Name:CIS 339 School DBN: 09x339 School Phone: 718-583-6767 Grades Served: 6-8
 * School** **Information**

Principal Name: Jason Levy Principal Phone: 718-583-6767 Principal Email: Jlevy@schools.nyc.gov Tech Coach Name: Christina Jenkins Tech Coach Phone: 718-583-6767 Tech Coach Email: cjenkins@schools.nyc.gov


 * Application**

1. __What__ literacy curriculum does your school currently implement? (If “Balanced Literacy”, please explain how your program works.) We use the Columbia Teachers College Workshop, which falls under the umbrella term of "Balanced Literacy." ELA instruction is broken down into two basic components (or "Workshops") one for reading and one for writing. Each class receives 90 continuous minutes of ELA instruction every day, 45minutes of reading and 45 minutes of writing. These two workshops take the form of consecutive but INDIVIDUAL lessons, each with their own aim, mini-lesson, guided practice, and independent practice. While generally we try to coordinate our reading and writing units, the system does not require that the topics be related.

Another key element of the workshop model is that reading workshop instruction is based primarily around students reading (in class) independent reading books of their choice and applying skills modeled by the teacher on a whole-class mentor text to their individual (different and thus differentiated) texts. While our teachers are allowed to deviate from the workshop format on special occasions, this cycle of model, guide, independent application is the norm in our classrooms.

2. What are the most common challenges in teaching writing/social studies in your school? - English as a second language - A lack of prior knowledge, and thus context, in our students' thinking. - A lack of basic, functional, writing skills, ranging from grammar to basic organization. As a result, we are constantly trying to scaffold skills into assignments that require high-level conceptual thinking.

3. Briefly explain at least one way your school currently integrates technology with core instruction. All teachers have an iBook, projector and SMARTboard to use in their classrooms. Teachers use interactive media, powerpoint and SMARTboard software to deliver lessons. In addition, all 8th grade students have their own laptops in the classroom and students use Web 2.0 applications (like Google Docs and blogs) to interact with their teachers and peers.

4. Please indicate school progress in achieving the professional development goals of the iTeach/iLearn initiative.

Professionally, teachers collaborate with each other in teams at daily meetings and collaborate online via Google Docs, Gmail and Wikispaces. We have weekly tech PD on Mondays, which 25 teachers attend consistently. We also send our teachers to off-site iTiL PD for their content areas, and we have a fully functioning MOUSE squad that supports teachers in the classroom.

5. List names of literacy or social studies teachers and coaches (up to five) who will participate in this project if your school receives this award. For coaches, write “C” for grade.

Name Grade Email 1. Christina Jenkins - Coach - cjenkins@schools.nyc.gov OR jenkins.christina@gmail.com (preferred) 2. Lillie Stuart - 8th grade Social Studies teacher - LStuart339@gmail.com 3. Jennifer Kaelin - 8th grade Social Studies teacher - Kaelinjl@gmail.com 5 David Mello - 7th grade Social Studies teacher - davidjmello@gmail.com 5. Dwane Protho - 6th grade Social Studies teacher - dprotho@gmail.com

6. Please indicate what TMI package you would like to bring to your school.

Greece Constitution Today Civil Rights
 * NB: The full-day teacher institute is an essential feature of the program and your participation requires that teachers be available to attend. The Institute for //Response to Literature will// be held on November 29th at Teaching Matters. The Institute for Voices and Choices will be held on either January 9th or 10th.


 * Costs associated with hiring substitute teachers will be absorbed by the school.


 * Principal Sign-off**

If my school is accepted into the program, I will arrange for teachers to attend the full-day professional development institute that precedes implementation and will cover the costs involved. I understand that the onsite professional development that teachers are provided will be at no cost to the school.

Sending this application under the school principal's email account confirms that I understand that if my school is accepted into the program, I will arrange for teachers to attend the full-day professional development institute that precedes implementation and will cover the costs involved. I understand that the onsite professional development that teachers are provided will be at no cost to the school.
 * Principal Sign-off**

Thank you for your interest.

Submission Directions This application must be completed and emailed from the building **principal’s** email account with the subject “iTiL Grant” to jcondliffe@teachingmatters.org by **Friday, November 9th at 5 PM.**

Contact Jane Condliffe if you have questions concerning the program or the application itself.

Contact Information: Email: jcondliffe@teachingmatters.org Phone: 212-870-3505