Communities of Practice—Classroom Stories
What Are Classroom Stories?
Classroom stories are the anecdotes and admonitions you share with other teachers after school, while waiting for parents to pick up the students. Classroom stories reflect truths about learning that apply to teachers and students.
Why Submit a Classroom Story?
Every teacher remembers classroom experiences that illustrate concepts that could be of special importance to other teachers. This "Classroom Stories" forum provides a way for others to benefit from those experiences.
The Publication Process
New
This phase places the first draft of your story in review.
Under Review
This phase provides other community members the opportunity to make comments on your story. These comments provide perspectives that can enrich your story and broaden the impact.
Waiting for Revision
This phase provides you the opportunity to "tighten up" your story and summarize your peers' comments.
Revised
This phase provides the facilitator an opportunity to make further suggestions. Your story is nearly ready to publish.
Published
Your story has become a permanent part of the Community's Library. Any member of the Community, regardless of his or her home room or Community of Practice membership, can benefit from your experience.
The Role of the Facilitator
The facilitator advises you throughout the publication process. Work diligently with the facilitator to make your story as comprehensive and comprehensible as possible.
E-mail Notifications
You will be notified via your regular e-mail address when your story requires your attention.
Reading Stories
Members can read new, under review, and published stories. Stories under revision and nearing publication can only be viewed by the facilitator and author.
Follow the instructions for "See Entering a Community." located in Communities of Practice — Selecting and Joining.
Click on "Classroom Stories." You can click either the link in the top menu or the title of the section labeled "classroom stories."
Click on the story title to read the story.
NOTE: You may read any story in any community, but to submit a story or make a comment, you must join the community. Follow the instructions for " See Joining a Community. " located in Communities of Practice - Selecting and Joining.
Commenting on Stories
Sharing constructive comments on stories may broaden and deepen the relevance to other members. To make comments on any story, you must join that community.
Click on the "Add a Comment" link located at the bottom left of the story.
NOTE: If you have not joined the community, this link takes you to the "join" or "cancel" option as shown below.
Otherwise, the link opens the page for you to add your comment.
Add your comment in the "Comment" text box.
Click the "Submit" button.
Once you click the "Submit" button, your comment appears in the list of comments below the story.
Submitting Stories
Every teacher remembers classroom experiences that illustrate concepts that could be of special importance to other teachers. This forum provides a way for others to benefit from your experiences.
Click on either the "submit a new story" link or "Submit Your Classroom Story!" link on the classroom stories page.
Type your title in the "Title" text box.
Type your story in the "Story" text box.
Click the "Submit Story" button.
Your story now enters the review process.
Editing Stories
You may edit your story while there are no responses by clicking the "edit" link below your story.
Click the "edit" link below your story.
Edit your story.
Click the "Save Changes" button.
Revising Stories
To assure consistent quality throughout the Community, all materials permanently published to the Community's Library (such as Classroom Stories and Lesson Plans) must meet standard requirements of spelling, grammar, etc. Your peers and your facilitator may suggest ways to improve your submission.
Revisions provide you the opportunity to enhance your story using your peer's and facilitator's comments and summarize those comments. The system sends you an e-mail when your classroom story is ready for revision.
Click on "Classroom Stories."
Click on "Revise."
Read the comments on your story.
Revise your story.
Summarize the comments on your story.
Click "Submit Revised Story."
NOTE: If you click "Revise Later," any changes made to your story will NOT be saved.
Your story is now noted as revised and awaiting approval for publishing.
Published Stories
The system publishes stories that have successfully gone through the publication process to the Library, where all members may view and benefit from the documented experiences.
In Library
Click on "Library" located on the sidebar on the left side of the screen to view all classroom stories in the library.
Adding to Your Personal Library (My Library)
Maybe you would like to include a classroom story in your personal library (My Library).
From the Library
Click on the title of the Community of Practice containing the classroom story you wish to add to "My Library."
Click on the title of the classroom story you wish to add to "My Library."
Click on the "Add to My Library" link above and to the left of the story title.
Click the "Add To My Library" button.
Your personal library now contains the story.
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