Sipley School Weekly Howl
Week of Monday, September 26, 2016
"You must make it a priority to ensure a welcoming climate and culture for the sake of your students' academic success. The mood of your classroom affects whether or not your students can learn at optimal levels - what your students see, hear, feel, and experience in your classroom will determine academic outcomes." So how do we acquire a lens for which to determine whether or not our individual actions and behaviors contribute to such an environment?
LOTS OF INFORMATION
Synergy and the Flywheel Effect
Book Room and Classroom Libraries
I sent out questions regarding our book room. Does it still serve our staff a purpose or is it best to disperse the books into classrooms? Many would like to keep the book room, which we will do, however, I want to share more as to where this question came from and an encouragement to grow classroom libraries over time.
As we have shifted to the Readers Workshop Model, the classroom library plays a larger role, in my opinion, than it did in Balanced Literacy Models of instruction. Within the Readers Workshop Model students need books at their level and within various genres that are being taught, which lend themselves well to reading strategies that are practiced. Students need an abundance of books at their ready. Again, the importance of a quality classroom library is enormous within a Readers Workshop Model. So what is a quality classroom library?
Let's start with quantity or volume. As part of the Workshop Model, Lucy Calkins suggest that a 1st grader has a week's worth of books in his/her book bag (repeated reading of books is encouraged). That is quite the number of books! She suggests a 2nd grader has about 6-7 books in their book bag for a week of reading (repeated reading of books is encouraged). In grade 3, students should have about 3-4 books for a week. In grades 4 and up, 1-2 books are fine per week. Of course these numbers vary as schools have readers reading below grade level and may require more books at their ready. So how many books should we find in a classroom library with similar enrollment numbers as us? Calkins suggests:
Kdg - About 700
1st - About 700
2nd - About 625
3rd - About 600
4th - About 600
5th - About 600
6th - About 525
Good news is that in most cases, we have around that number of books in our classroom libraries. We can benefit from growing our libraries in other classrooms.
In terms of how classroom libraries are organized, there are a number of ways. Many suggest that a classroom library is organized by input from students as they are the ones using it. To level or not to level is the great debate. Below is a good article that shares multiple perspectives on classroom libraries. In my opinion, our classroom libraries can use a little TLC in the months and years to come.
Lexia Usage
Learning Labs
Learning Labs will open on Monday, October 3, 2016! The goal is to give teachers a voice and an opportunity to best meet the needs of students.
Times:
Lexia Learning Lab - 9:40 - 10:10
Read Naturally Lab - 12:25 - 12:50 or 1:20 - 1:50
Math Lab - 12:25 - 12:50 or 1:20 - 1:50
Who can attend?
Any approved student in grades 1 - 6. Staff must submit a request for a lab to me by September 29. Send me a request for placement into a lab via e-mail with the title "Teacher Name and Learning Lab."
Will we get all Lexia licensed students into the Lexia Lab? No. We can only take about 20 students during that time. Other students using Lexia will need to do it in the classroom or in another agreed upon location with adult supervision. The students in the Lexia Lab will have the greatest amount of adult support, when needed. Submit requests for the Lexia Lab only if that time works for your students and for those who must have adult support.
What does Read Naturally support?
Fluency and Comprehension
Here is additional information - https://www.readnaturally.com/product/read-naturally-live
What does Lexia support?
- Phonemic awareness, phonics, structural analysis, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension (refer to corresponding levels found on website – follow link below)http://www.lexialearning.com/products/core5/scope-sequence
What happens in the Math Lab?
- We will focus on math fact fluency with an understanding of place value and number sense
Next Steps?
- I will approve requests and assign students to a time on September 30.
- Teachers will inform parents of the decision to place the child in a lab.
A letter will go home to parents making them aware of their child's placement in the lab.
Students will bring their Chrome and headphones with them for the learning labs (Title I Room).
We will review the need to continue the lab on November 18 (after 6 weeks of instruction).
Mid-Day Collaboration
Our mid-day collaborations have been spent on our book study on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. This left time on Monday and Friday to read the book or to collaborate with grade level partners or other staff in the building. I thought this time was well spent and I look forward to seeing us grow from this body of work.
Next week we will meet on Thursday, September 29 from 11:25 - 11:45 to talk about our individual and collective changes that we will make based on the book and Principal Kafele's visit. Angela had a great suggestion of recording our instruction to learn more about our words, behaviors, and body language when we are teaching, which will provide us with another lens into our work. Without action, reaction, or change, it was as if the learning never took place. What will we commit to based on this book? What will individuals commit to based on this book?
We will shift to collaboration on October 4. Staff will meet on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Staff will meet with a special area group (ELL/SPED/Gifted) or they will meet with their grade level team. See the schedule sent via e-mail on 9/21.
Beginning on November 1 staff will focus on formative assessment, aligned to our school improvement goals.
We will reassess our mid-day collaboration wants and needs in late November for the month of December.
Title I Parent Night
I am looking for staff to take part in a Title I Parent Night for reading and math. So far I have:
Reading - Don, Rachel Manjarres, Rhonda, Angela, and Nicole Dorsey.
Math - Don, Rachel Manjarres, Rhonda, Julie, and Angela.
Anyone else interested? I will begin working with interested staff to decide on a date, a purpose, and a plan.
Please e-mail me in you are interested.
Mongolian Barbecue Staff/STP Event
Mongolian Barbecue where our staff cooks for guests with proceeds going to the STP will take place on Tuesday, October 11. I have Nicole Dorsey, Ryan, Kathy, and Don who will attend.
If anyone else is interested please let me know.
Friday, September 23
A Glance at the Days Ahead
Thursday, September 22 - I will be out of the building all day. Rhonda will be available for assistance, if needed. Paul Scaletta will be our go to person for any administrative matters.
Friday, September 23 - Principal Kafele will be here from 8:00 - 11:15. All Sipley Staff will be at Sipley for Principal Kafele's session.
Saturday, September 24 - Kathy Siran's Birthday!!!
Monday, September 26 - Grade 2 Math Curriculum Meeting (AM)
Monday, September 26 - Grade 1 Math Curriculum Meeting (PM)
Monday, September 26 - Monday Meeting - Certified Staff
Monday, September 26 - School Board Meeting - Kdg. will lead the Pledge of Allegiance
Tuesday, September 27 - I will be out of the building all day - Admin and Leadership Mtg.
Tuesday, September 27 - Grade 4 Math Curriculum Meeting (AM)
Tuesday, September 27 - Grade 3 Math Curriculum Meeting (PM)
Tuesday, September 27 - After School Session 1 Begins
Wednesday, September 28 - Grade 6 Math Curriculum Meeting (AM)
Wednesday, September 28 - Grade 5 Math Curriculum Meeting (PM)
Thursday, September 29 - Mid-Day Changing the Attitude Gap Talk
Friday, September 30 - Spirit Wear Day - Break out the You Make A Difference T-Shirts!