The Roundup
A gathering space for educators
December 2019
Reading
Author: Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson & the Olympians, often shortened to Percy Jackson or PJO, is a pentalogy of fantasy adventure novels. This book series will extend your love for historical fiction into fantasy.
Ideal Gift For: Young adventure readers
Recommended by Christine Janssen
The Speed of Trust
Author: Stephen M. R. Covey
Stephen M. R. Covey, widely known as one of the world’s leading authorities on trust, asserts that it is “the most overlooked, misunderstood, underutilized asset to enable performance. Its impact, for good or bad, is dramatic and pervasive. It’s something you can’t escape.” Thankfully, it’s is also the thing that can dramatically improve your personal and professional success.
Why trust? The simple, often overlooked fact is this: work gets done with and through people. The Speed of Trust offers an unprecedented and eminently practical look at exactly how trust functions in every transaction and every relationship—from the most personal to the broadest, most indirect interaction. It specifically demonstrates how to establish trust intentionally so that you and your organization can forego the time-killing, bureaucratic check-and-balance processes that is so often deployed in lieu of actual trust.
Ideal Gift For: Teacher leaders, building principals, special education supervisors and superintendents
Recommended by Cheryl-Marie Manson
Frankly In Love
Author: David Yoon
Frank Li has two names. There's Frank Li, his American name. Then there's Sung-Min Li, his Korean name. No one uses his Korean name, not even his parents. Frank barely speaks any Korean. He was born and raised in Southern California.
In this moving debut novel—featuring striking blue stained edges and beautiful original endpaper art by the author—David Yoon takes on the question of who am I? with a result that is humorous, heartfelt, and ultimately unforgettable.
Ideal Gift For: Young Adults/High School (discusses racial issues as well as generational conflicts regarding traditions and culture, along with other very relevant and mature topics).
Recommended by Kearney Miller
Author: Keith Faulkner
From the Okefenokee Swamp comes a frog with a wide mouth that he just loves to use. He's particularly interested in the eating habits of other creatures found in the great outdoors--that is, of course, until he comes upon a big green one with lots of teeth who finds wide-mouthed frogs simply delicious.
Ideal Gift For: children, parents of young children, teachers Pre-K through second grade
Recommended by Jennifer Bloomfield
Daily 5
I-Charts
Stamina Goal
Checking In
Literacy PD Opportunity
Supporting Paraprofessionals in the Classroom
This professional learning will be a full day event with lunch provided. The focus will be on giving paraprofessionals an overview of Daily 5 and CAFE with some some deeper learning on I-Charts, 3 Ways to Read a Book and I-PICK strategy. The afternoon will provide insight on providing support for math and social-emotional learning and behavior.
Audience: Paraprofessionals
Cost: $25
Donation Website
Share far and wide! The school that raises the greatest amount per child will receive a free book for every child in the school from Scholastic. 100% of donations will go to the selected school district.
VBISD Literacy Coach/Consultants
Geanice Miller - gmiller@vbisd.org 269-271-9813
Melissa Wierenga - mwierenga@vbisd.org 269-599-7259
Several years ago our math curriculum team of teachers read Mathematical Mindsets (2016) by Dr. Jo Boaler, a professor of mathematics at Stanford University. Her work has focused on how brain research and our “mindset” influences student learning in the area of math. This book relies on research by many brain scientists and researchers, including Carol Dweck - whose books on mindset have changed the way we think about learning. I’m sure you’ve heard of “growth mindset”, meaning we believe our intelligence increases with hard work and experience. Research overwhelmingly shows that students with a growth mindset out-perform their fixed mindset peers. We need to remove the idea that some students are “math people” and some just aren’t… it is so damaging to our kids.
As teachers of mathematics, not only do we want our students to have a growth mindset, but we need to believe in each student's potential as well (and our ability to help them grow!). John Hattie’s research on effect sizes continues to be updated every few years, but consistently near the top for the highest effect sizes on student learning are both “Teacher estimates of achievement” and “Teacher collective self-efficacy” (J. Hattie, 2017, visible-learning.org).
To grow both teacher and student mindsets in the area of mathematics, Jo Boaler has provided some excellent resources on her website www.youcubed.org. Here are links to my personal favorites she has to offer:
- https://www.youcubed.org/resource/ted-talks/ Watch her Stanford TED talk to give yourself a quick introduction to her work in math mindsets and the potential for all students to access mathematics.
- https://www.youcubed.org/resource/parent-resources/ This link is to short articles that can be used as parent resources… but I found them useful both as a teacher and parent myself.
- https://www.youcubed.org/resource/student-resources/ These are videos you can share with your students as you build your mindset together in math. Some are cheesy (but funny) and all reference the undeniable science behind the value of a growth mindset. “Four Boosting Messages…” is a great introduction for upper elementary and beyond.
Meghan Travis
Math Instructional Specialist
Mattawan Early Elementary
VBISD Cultural Understanding Committee
Immigration 101
Learn about immigration law and rights of children who have immigrated unaccompanied. Some topics include:
- intersection of family and immigration law
- the rights of unaccompanied immigrant children
- immigrant eligibility for public benefits and programs
- civil rights.
Intended Audience: all school staff who work with students
Cost: FREE (please register)
Special Education Early Intervention Teacher
Cultural Understanding Committee Member
The American Prospect High School Essay Contest to Engage High School Students on How to Create a More Inclusive Economy
The American Prospect magazine, in partnership with Omidyar Network, announces the first annual American Prospect Essay Contest.
Many Americans are considering how to create a more inclusive economy. This competition will give high school students the opportunity to read and reflect on one of four renowned books exploring how the economy works in terms of poverty, race, markets, and democracy. The students’ essays will explore where the economy falls short and what we might do about it.
Prizes total $30,000: First place for juniors and seniors is $10,000; second place $5,000; third place $2,500. First place for freshmen and sophomores is $5,000; second place $2,500; third place $1,000. Forty honorable mentions will be awarded at $100 each. The Prospect will publish the winning essays at Prospect.org and feature a selection in the print edition. The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2020. For further information, go to Prospect.org/EssayContest.
Behavior
Self-Care for the Holidays
The holiday season is upon us. Therefore, we will be focusing on how to survive the holiday season without losing your mojo. As adults we often give to others; our children, parents, friends, students, coworkers and siblings, forgetting that we need to care for ourselves too. It is necessary to refill and recharge. No one can pour from an empty cup. The following are 7 things you can do to not only survive but thrive during this holiday season.
1) Know your limit. Give yourself permission to say “No.” This is a necessary boundary to not
become over committed or find yourself doing activities that you really don’t want to be
engaged in. You don’t need to offer anyone an explanation. A polite, “Sorry I can’t make it” or
“I’m going to have to pass this time but thank you for thinking of me” is all that is needed.
2) Stick to routines. If you exercise regularly, keep doing it. Now is not the time to slack off. If you don’t have an exercise routine perhaps adding a brisk walk or a short yoga session could feel supportive. Make sure you are to bed and awake about the same time you usually are. Eat your meals about the same time as typical. Be mindful of your sugar and alcohol intake. Too much of either can leave one feeling sluggish and depressed.
3) Eat Healthy! It’s advised that 85%- 90% of your diet is healthy and colorful. Lean meats, veggies and fruits should be your mainstay. It’s ok to enjoy your favorite holiday treat, just don’t over indulge. This isn’t the only time of year to enjoy cookies. Choose which treats are your favorites and really savor the first few bites of those. Pass on the treats you don’t absolutely love.
4) Laugh!! Laughter is indeed good medicine for the soul. Spend time with those that lighten your heart and nurture your soul. Watch a funny movie if you don’t have funny people in your life.
5) Have a grateful heart. Being grateful makes us healthier, more energetic, less stressed and
anxious and is scientifically proven to reduce depression. Challenge yourself to find 3 things to
be grateful for each day and watch your heart lighten.
6) Take advantage of quiet time. Take a nap, listen to music you love by candle light, read a book simply for enjoyment, get a massage, facial or a mani/pedi, go for a walk in the woods to forest bath, hunt, build a model train, plane or car, or enjoy the flicker of a warm and cozy fire.
7) Reduce your screen time. Hallmark movies are fun but make sure you don’t lose an entire day to the television. Be sure that you are having face-to-face conversation with real people. If the only conversations you are having is proceeded by a ding, adjust. Call someone you are close with and invite them to meet with you. Connection to those we love repairs telomeres. Telomeres are protein caps at the end of each chromosome in the body. They fray and shorten as we age. Connection with others (healthy food and exercise) helps keep them from shortening, which keeps us looking and feeling young and healthy.
We at Instructional Services wish you happy holidays!
Paula Kana'an
Mental Health Clinician
Van Buren ISD
Heidi Hall - hhall@vbisd.org
School IMprovement
MICIP Update
December Continuous Improvement Tasks:
Continue to look at process and perception data One popular recommendation is the School Climate Survey. Get ready to complete Comprehensive Needs Assessment in March Check out the following link for the official video from MDE relative to MICIP.
VBISD Instructional Services Department
Location: 490 South Paw Paw Street, Lawrence, MI, USA
Phone: 269-674-8091
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VBISDinstruction/
Twitter: @VBISDIS