Protocol Overview and Instructions: 
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​​The Ottawa Area Intermediate School District’s (OAISD) futurePREP Program is the strategic implementation of our community’s
vision that all students need (1) to graduate with two “transcripts” . . . academic skills and career readiness skills . . . and (2) a system
for measuring their progress toward those goals, and (3) robust opportunities to attain them.

Skills for Success Protocol Instructions

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​Educator Thoughts:
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Focused on paraphrasing to “anchor” our feedback in the comments made by others.  Students worked in groups to describe an article they read by answering three questions: Why is this interesting? Why is it newsworthy? Why does any living thing need oxygen?  As each group answered, members of the next group were randomly selected to paraphrase their answer (Question 1), agree or disagree with their point, by referencing a detail from their answer (Question 2), and ask a probative question using some detail from their answer (Question 3)

Communication is about more than just “saying your thoughts.”  Even if you are questioning or challenging the thoughts of another, starting with the comments or details that they actually said can show you were listening, maintain focus in the discussion, and motivate people to engage in the discussion.

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Student Quote:
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“Answerer” after a “responder” paraphrased an answer incorrectly, then disagreed with their stance… “Well, that’s not exactly the point I was making, so in reality, I think we actually AGREE!”


Teacher Quote:

Teacher… “‘Because we need it to live,’ is not why living things need oxygen.  I want you to explain HOW living things use the oxygen.”

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Meet the Educator:

Chad Miller has been teaching for 27 years at Hamilton High School (and West Ottawa, Elk Rapids). Chad teaches Biology to mainly freshman.

     I love the idea of PBL or anything where the “work” becomes the learning.  Rather than have the learning “out of the way” and then do some “work” using what you’ve learned, I like when kids are doing the work and find themselves learning something.  This engages them more and shows applicability of the material, too!  ​