MIS Navigator
October Edition
Our Goal: To help you navigate all the strategies and tools we have available within MGSD and Mooresville Intermediate School!
Instructional Highlights
October's M-Powerment Strategy: M2
"Rigor is more than what you teach and what standards you cover; it's how you teach and how students show you they understand. True rigor is creating an environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels, and each student demonstrates learning at high levels (Blackburn, 2008)."
Create an environment that is conducive to growth. Rigor is about achieving at a higher level, but that doesn't happen immediately. Focus on progress, on the small steps that gradually show student growth. Encouraging students not to give up, using language that shows students you know they can learn, and celebrating the positive will help you create an environment to support rigor.
Focus on high expectations. The CCSS are reflective of higher expectations, but you have to reinforce that belief. How can we put high expectations into practice? By not allowing the word "can't"—not from students and not from ourselves. By continually reminding students you know they can do it. A friend of mine says that sometimes you have to believe for your students until they believe in themselves.
Support students so they can learn at higher levels. This requires scaffolding within a lesson. Focus on prior knowledge, model the thinking process, and provide support for gaps that occur between students' current knowledge and the new standards. Some students will need extra help outside of class.
Allow each student to demonstrate learning. Provide a variety of ways students can demonstrate understanding. It's fine to use questions that are similar to the final assessment, but also provide opportunities that play to students' strengths. Allow students to show what they know through technology, drawings, projects, etc. In addition, as you use formative assessments, incorporate strategies that require each student to participate. Using whole group instruction and asking one student to answer does not accomplish this goal. Use think-pair-shares, clickers, dry erase boards (or a whiteboard app for the iPad), or thumbs-up thumbs-down strategies so you can see if each student is understanding each part of the lesson.
What does this look like at MIS?
- Create an environment for personal growth (student goal setting)
- Promote, model, and nurture a growth mindset using the power of "Yet"
- Allow time for student feedback
- Use higher level vocabulary in your classroom
- Differentiate for all learners in your classroom using the jigsaw strategy, socratic seminars, tiered assignments, menus and choice boards, and student surveys!
An interesting read!
"The Power of High Expectations: Closing the Gap in Your Classroom"
Additional Resources
Instructional Strategy Spotlight
If so, share which strategy you used and how it went on the padlet linked below!
Brain Break
Tech Tool Spotlight
Share the link with students or provide them with the grid code.
Try it below!