The author: Julie Tollefson, director of communications, Center for Research on Learning. A version of this article originally appeared in the September 2001 issue of Stratenotes, a newsletter for SIM Professional Developers.
SIM Trainers in Michigan have teamed with their state Department of Education in an ambitious effort to improve the learning experience for all students.
Calling themselves the Michigan SIM Connection, this group of trailblazers has spent the past year working with the Michigan State Improvement Plan/State Improvement Grant (SIP/SIG) to lay the foundation for statewide implementation of SIM. Key components of their plan are
The Michigan program joins strong statewide programs already in place in Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, South Carolina, and West Virginia. SIM Trainers elsewhere, including Louisiana and California, are organizing or rejuvenating statewide efforts as well.
Michigan SIM Connection's first task was to develop and publicize SIM Awareness Workshops. These workshops feature an overview of the Strategic Instruction Model and one learning strategy or content enhancement routine.
During the 2000-2001 school year, Michigan SIM Connection members presented 10 awareness workshops for a total of 300 people. A three-day workshop in June offered three strands for participants. Each day included an overview session, as well as a variety of learning strategy and content enhancement routine sessions.
Michigan SIM Connection members expect to present workshops to many schools and districts throughout the state during the 2001-2002 school year. The group has analyzed its capacity to serve the state and, as a result, its primary goal is to increase the number of SIM Trainers in Michigan so that all teachers who want local training will be able to get it.
The group has received support and guidance for its endeavors from SIP/SIG, which has prominently featured SIM in its publications. One article in Newsline, which is published nine times a year and mailed free to 21,000 subscribers, described the SIM philosophy and components as one of its "promising practices and programs." The article was paired with another by SIM Trainer Rebecca Shankland, a teacher at Forest Hills Central High School in Grand Rapids, describing the school's success with SIM and its plans for the future.
Along with developing common expectations for the awareness workshops, Michigan SIM Connection members have set up a statewide SIM network that helps them keep in touch with each other and that pairs veteran SIM Trainers with novice SIM teachers.
Michigan SIM Connection members established a statewide mentoring program to increase implementation of SIM among novice teachers. To provide some initial guidance for the program, they developed a list of specific support they thought mentors could provide. The following are some of the functions they envisioned for SIM mentors:
The group also proposed encouraging each new SIM teacher to set a long-term goal and to share it with his or her coach as a foundation for discussions throughout the year. The group believes these goals will be useful in measuring the effectiveness of the mentor program.
In addition, the group set goals of its own for this program. By the end of the first year, members wanted to see the following:
Woodruff, who has been instrumental in organizing the Michigan effort, said the group is ready to build on its first-year accomplishments.
"We have a clear focus now, and we are developing our mission statement/vision. This first year has been spent getting to know each other and discussing some very basic issues," she said.
Among the issues settled in the first year were formally filling two leadership roles: SIM Trainer Larry Bemish of Northville is the group's official liaison with the SIP/SIG hubs and with KU-CRL, and Shankland is the group's liaison to MALDE. Both Bemish and Shankland have been attending monthly hub meetings.
Other Michigan SIM Trainers who have been instrumental in the effort include Sherrel Lee Haight of Mount Pleasant, Pam Leitzell and Janette Cochran of Holland, Cyndi Gibson of Grand Rapids, and Monica Harris of Tecumseh. Joe Fisher, Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, has been instrumental in helping the group procure free meeting space. Several other SIM Trainers and potential trainers are involved in the effort as well.
Woodruff's advice to others thinking about implementing a statewide program is "hang in there."
"It may take some time, but by coming together and talking about a vision, you can make it happen!" she said.
"When I step back and look at what we've accomplished since September, I have to marvel," she said.
"All of this commitment stems from the fact that there are several of us who know in our hearts that the Strategic Instruction Model is what is good for kids. We know that it is powerful and can make a real difference. When our group gets together, it is really exciting. You can feel the synergy, and it is exhilarating."
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