Gratitude

I am going to try my best to use my blog as a place to get my thoughts together about teaching and learning...which is truly my job.  I love everything about school and learning and I am excited and grateful that I have another year and another chance to do what I can to make school a better place for everyone.

This year is bringing a host of challenges...CIITS, ASSIST, TPGES, etc.  Acronyms everywhere!! I am overwhelmed so I am sure the teachers feel that way too.  Hopefully my blog can help me get my thoughts organized and help anyone else who wants to chime in on my thinking and ideas.

Format Matters

FORMAT MATTERS

Lemov, in Teach Like a Champion, says  ”In school, the medium is the message: to succeed, students must take their knowledge and express it in a variety of clear and effective formats to fit the demands of the situation and of society.“ 

Correct format in communicating with others at the appropriate time and place is an important skill that we have to teach our students.  

Students need to know when it is okay to use slang, texting and informal communication skills and when they need to use the more formal skills that are necessary to be successful in school, work or other situations where they will be judged (fairly or not) on how they communicate with others in oral, written or symbolic presentations.

As teachers, we must set the standard of what is accepted format and communication in our classrooms.  Students must learn how to vary sentence structure, rules of capitalization and punctuation, and the mechanics of writing.  

I can remember the dreaded "Do Over" written in red on the top of a draft...that is not what I am suggesting.

I am suggesting feedback and support to help a student achieve the standard we have set...in all classes and at all grade levels.

Marzano

This link will take you to a discussion of Marzano's Nine Essential Instructional Strategies...can't hardly argue with Marzano!

http://www.middleweb.com/MWLresources/marzchat1.html

Reflecting and Recharging

Starting our second semester is a perfect time to "recharge" and reflect on our career.  In a profession as challenging as teaching, honest self-reflection is key. Self-reflection provides the opportunity to focus on those areas we are succeeding in, and those we need to concentrate on.

Use these questions to get started!

• What do I enjoy most about my normal work day?
• Where did I fail as a teacher in the past? Where did I succeed?
• What is my top teaching goal for this year?
• What can I do to make my teaching more fun while adding to my students' learning and enjoyment?
• What can I do to be more proactive in my professional development?
• What types of students do I tend to ignore or do I need to spend more time serving?
• Which lessons or units am I only continuing to perform out of habit or laziness?
• Am I being a cooperative member of my grade level or content team?
• Are there any aspects of the profession that I am ignoring out of fear of change or lack of knowledge? (i.e. technology)
• How can I increase valuable parental involvement?
• Have I done enough to foster a productive relationship with my administrator?
• Do I have a colleague that I consider a "Critical Friend?"  If not, who could be that person?
• Do I still enjoy teaching? If not, what can I do to increase my enjoyment in my chosen profession?
• Do I bring additional stress upon myself? If so, how can I decrease or eliminate it.
• How have my beliefs about learning and pedagogy changed over the years?
• What minor and/or major changes can I make to my academic program in order to directly increase my students' learning?

One of the best things about teaching is that every school year and even every semester means a "fresh start." Make the most of this new beginning - any time of year! - and move ahead with the confidence that you are mindful and motivated to be the best teacher you can be!

Formative Assessment

Use this link to view a .pdf of Formative Assessment Strategies and a description of each.  Be sure to post suggestions of other strategies!

http://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/file/view/03+-+Formative+Assessment+Strategies.pdf

Curriculum Notebooks

What should go in our Curriculum Notebooks?

We are in in a time of transition in terms of curriculum and assessment.  That is why your Curriculum Notebook is critical to being organized not only for 2010-2011 but also for our school years to come.  Check this post because this list will be revised as we get closer to implementing the new standards in 2011-2012!

Here is a list of documents, materials and resources that should be in your Curriculum Notebook...if you need help with any of these, please let me know!

1.  Core Content for your Content and grade level or the Combined Curriculum Document that contains the Program of Studies.

2.  College Readiness Standards (middle and high school teachers)

3.  New Common Core Standards for your Content and any deconstructions you have completed.

4.  Formative Assessment Strategies

5.  Assessments you have administered

6.  Any curriculum map or framework that you are using ( e.g., HS Social Studies Framework)

7.  Lesson Plans for this year

8.  Learning Targets

Right is Right

Mission: to set and defend a high standard of correctness in your classroom.

Sometimes as teachers we respond to almost-correct answers our students give in class by “rounding up.” That is, we will affirm the student's answer and repeat it, but add some detail of our own to make it fully correct even though the student didn't provide and may not know or did not give the RIGHT answer.

Here is an example:

When studying Romeo and Juliet, a teacher asks a student about the relationship between the Capulets and the Montagues. The student says, “They don't like each other.” The teacher, wanting more elaboration, might say: “Right, they don't like each other and have been feuding for genearations.”

The student hadn't included that detail. That is “rounding up.”

Sometimes the teacher will even give the student praise for not providing all of the desired information, as in, “Right, what Kiley said was theat they don't like each other and have been feuding for years. Great work, Kiley!”

Either way, in this scenario, the teacher has set a low standard for correctness and has basically told the class that they can be right even when they are not. She has also crowded out the student's own critical thinking, doing the cognitive work for him.

When answers are almost correct, it is important to let the students know that they are almost there, that you like what they have done, that they are getting close to the right answer, and they have made a great start.

Here is something the teacher might say,, “ Kiley, you said the Capulets and Montagues didn't get along. Does that really capture their relations? What do you think they might say about each other?”

In holding out for RIGHT, you set the expecation that the questions you ask for and the answers students give truly matter....and they do!

Hold out for all the way....praise them for their effort but don't confuse effort with mastery.