The focus of the “TEAM TEACHING IN THE MIDDLE GRADES” strand at the Middle Grades Summer Institute is individualized consultations and facilitation of project work. Teams should come with ideas to work on and/or student work to examine together. Educators will work with an experienced facilitator, will spend extended planning time together, and will attend sessions of other strands at the Institute that are pertinent to their work.

There are small group discussions and a variety of special events, including some with visiting teams and students. Every effort is made to model best middle level practice throughout the Institute.
In the past, both newly-forming and veteran teams of grades 5 - 9 educators have attended this strand. Some projects have involved the development of the coming year’s curriculum through curriculum mapping and identification of common themes, and in-depth work in the area of classroom assessments. Still others have centered around the initial design of team-building activities and collaborative work.

*New TEAMS or teams adding new members
*TEAMS that have been in conflict who are looking for help in resolution for next year’s planning
*Experienced TEAMS who are looking to take the “next step” in coordinating curriculum and    instruction within the team
*Partial TEAMS who share a common interest
*INDIVIDUALS who are interested in teaming

* as 45 professional development hours
* as a three credit course from Saint Michael’s College or University of Vermont

The purpose of this retreat is to provide a private, semi-structured environment in which teams can do the planning they seldom find time for during the school year. We call it a “retreat” because you will have a minimum of 21 hours of uninterrupted time together to:

* Build a new interdisciplinary curriculum together
* Work out kinks in your team’s working relationship
* Bring a new team member on board
* Reflect on the recently completed school year & find ways to improve in the coming year
* Coordinate curriculum with same grade teachers of other teams
*Work with a colleague to improve each other’s practice

The retreat will be held as one strand of the Middle Grades Summer Institute. A required one-day final class session will be held November 26, 2008 when teams will present their final project.

The participants in the “TEAM TEACHING IN THE MIDDLE GRADES” will live on campus for the week and join the other strands for meals, morning meetings, and evening programs. However, the main thrust of the retreat is TIME...to work together. The Institute faculty, which includes both teacher educators and middle school practitioners, will be available to move the process along and provide guidance to the extent that it is needed. For those earning graduate credit, a product, such as a fully developed unit plan, will be due to the instructor in November.

Team Name & Grade level (s) ________________________________________________

SCHOOL Name______________________________ School Phone ( _____) ___________

Team Member _______________________________________________ M____ F ____

Home Address___________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip __________________________________________________________

home phone: ____________________________________________________________

e-mail address__________________________ ________________________________

Graduate credit from: ____St. Michael’s College ____UVM ____NO Graduate credit

Team Member _______________________________________________ M____ F ____

Home Address___________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip __________________________________________________________

home phone: ____________________________________________________________

e-mail address__________________________ ________________________________

Graduate credit from: ____St. Michael’s College ____UVM ____NO Graduate credit

Team Member _______________________________________________ M____ F ____

Home Address___________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip __________________________________________________________

home phone: ____________________________________________________________

e-mail address__________________________ ________________________________

Graduate credit from: ____St. Michael’s College ____UVM ____NO Graduate credit

$1300 per person for VAMLE members. - ____persons X $1300 = $______________

$1375 per person non-VAMLE members. ____persons X $1375 = $______________

$950 per individual for Non-Credit participants. ____persons X $950 = $______________

$1475 LATE REGISTRATION for any registration received after June 1 , 2008 $__________

Teams will receive pre-Institute materials in the mail.
If you HAVE NOT received anything by June 1, contact VTMGPDC immediately

• E-MAIL vtmgpdc@pshift.com