Our ACP CFG met for the first time last night, November 16, from 5:30-8:30pm at Challenge Early College High School. Present were Kristian, Nasreen, Ashley, AiMee, Kaitlyn, Stephon, Adam, Jessica, Leenette, Janet, Holly, Makeeta, Terri, and Donna. Two members were not there.

Our agenda included
*Welcome/Sign-in/Announcements
*Introductions—Name Tent Metaphors
*Developing Ground Rules/Agreements
*Article “Toward a Process for Critical Response” discussed with “Save the Last Word for ME” protocol
*Thinking ahead
*Reflections

For the icebreaker, I asked everybody to fill in this prompt: I am my best as a teacher when I am like a ________________. We drew a picture of our metaphor on our name tents and shared with a partner. Then we introduced ourselves to the whole group with our name, work assignment, and the good side and shadow side of our metaphors. I wish I had taken pictures! Some of the metaphors included a wishing well, a laptop, a kid, a chameleon, a cheerleader, a mad scientist, a captain, a coach, a conductor, Edward Scissorhands, a puppeteer, and a surfer.

Terri led the discussion about Ground Rules by first asking everyone to journal about what we need to do our best work in a group. What is going to replenish you? What do you need? We compiled a list of ideas and then combined some of the similar ideas. As of now, our list of agreements is
• Be open and honest, even if it’s tough
• Maintain confidentiality for a safe place to bring work
• Be professional/ respectfully disagree
• Honor everyone’s contributions
• Allow for evolving perspectives
• Practical applications
• Try things out
• Focus on positive solutions, not just problems
• Nurture engagement (leaders will plan a variety of activities, participants will focus on the work)
• Silence is OK

We will post these agreements at each meeting and hold each other accountable for them with gentle reminders.

After the discussion about the ground rules, I passed out the article “Toward a Process for Critical Response” by Liz Lerman. We took 20 minutes to read the article and have a break and then we split into two groups to discuss the article using the “Save the Last Word for ME” protocol. Terri and I led our groups in slightly different ways. Terri kept very strict time—if somebody finished their response within the one minute or three minute allotment, the group waited in silence until the time was up. On the other hand, I interpreted the directions as up to one minute for the responses and up to three minutes for the last word. I allowed 3-5 seconds of wait time and then went on to the next person in the round. As a result of this difference, we got to have a discussion about the blessing of silence and appropriate wait time.

Our next meeting will be on Monday, December 7. Adam, Makeeta, and Ashley all graciously volunteered to bring work to get feedback on. Reflections from the November meeting are in the extended entry.

On December 7, our ACP CFG met at Challenge High School. All but one person was present. After opening the meeting and making announcements, we did the Warp Speed team-builder to work on learning everybody’s name. We then looked at the Zones of Risk, Safety, & Danger and talked about how the most productive place to be is the Zone of Risk.

We spent the bulk of the meeting looking at student work. Ashley, Adam, and Makeeta brought work for us to examine. The questions brought before the group included “How do I improve vocabulary instruction?” “What can I do to improve the work that groups produce?” and “What kinds of grading policies and procedures will maximize engagement and achievement for essay-writing assignments?” I was very proud about how the group was very brave about bringing work and very engaged in the Tuning Protocol and Consultancy. This bodes well for the future of our group.

Reflections are in the extended entry.