JWL Weekly Update
Volume 7 * Issue 13 * week of October 8, 2018
Instruction Focus
1. Effective instruction
2. Classroom management with student engagement
Effective instruction has to be planned with a targeted direction; thus, we frame our lessons. Once well framed and then taught step by step, one must check for understanding throughout the lesson, not just at the end.
Lesson Structure and Pacing: BME
Per the TAP Educator Handbook, one of the LSP descriptors states, "The lesson's structure is coherent, with a beginning, middle, end, and time for reflection." This coincides with the previously discussed PIC descriptor of "logical sequencing and segmenting."
The handbook also explains, "The segmenting of the lesson relates to the pacing of the lesson. An effective teacher will provide sufficient time for the introduction of the lesson, the instruction within the lesson, the student activities, and closure. Although these may be embedded within each other during a given lesson, the segmenting of the lesson allows sufficient time for each to take place so that students can have opportunities to master the learning objective."
Edutopia reporter Rebecca Alber writes, "Pacing a lesson so its nearly seamless takes expertise and practice -- and can be one of the greatest challenges for new teachers. For those more seasoned out there, here's a scenario many of us can relate to from the early days: way too much time for one learning activity, while not enough for another and clunky transitions in between."
In her article, "Instructional Pacing: How Do Your Lessons Flow?" from December 17, 2012 she continues, "So let's take a look at the essentials when it comes to pacing the lesson and the learning:
1. Create a Sense of Urgency. The true art of pacing lies in creating a sense of urgency and also not leaving your students in the dust. Think diligent pace but not frantic. This pacing feels just right to most learners in the room.
Using a timer on your desk (or try this one) can help create that "we are on the clock" feeling -- while moving steadily ahead proving ample wait/think time along the way. If a teacher question is asked of the whole group, don't expect an answer the first second or two, or three. Count to five when asking those particularly challenging questions. Sometimes we need to slow down in order to move the learning in the room forward.
2. Make Goals Clear. One way to avoid a clunky lesson pace is to make sure the learners know exactly what they are learning and doing for the day. "Our mission today is to discover... . We will be doing this by... ." Keep students focused as you transition from one learning activity to another, announcing how much closer they are to accomplishing the day's goal.
3. Have Smooth Transitions. Speaking of transitions, good ones demonstrate purposeful pacing and knowing next moves. Be thinking two steps ahead of the next activity, and begin setting up for the next activity without finishing the last. While students are completing one piece of the learning, pass out any materials, set up the projector, or have instructional notes in place so that there's little to no dead time between one learning activity to the next.
4. Be Sure Materials Are Ready. Doing this will let you keep the flow going. Have handouts, markers, scissors, and construction paper all in place. Many teachers create small supply containers of materials that include glue stick, scissors, highlighters, sticky notes, etc. and place it in the center of each collection of desks or team table. Each group can elect a Supplies Captain who keeps inventory and rounds up contents at the end of class time.
Photocopying can be the bane of the teacher's day. Do you really need to have the quiz or the writing prompt on individual copy paper? Can it be displayed on the projector screen instead? Can there be just one copy on the group table for all to look at? (Less passing out and collecting saves time and keeps the focus on the task at hand.)
5. Present Instructions Visually. This helps keep that pace uninterrupted. For each set of instructions, write them ahead of time on the board or have a slide in your PowerPoint or Prezi. If you are relying on giving oral directions only, think of those students that have poor listening skills: "What are we doing again?" What do we do after this?" The energy and time you take to make the instructions visible will pay off.
6. Check for Understanding. Taking time to see where your students are during the lesson and adjusting accordingly means formative assessments play a key role in pacing.
Pair and share creates energy in the room following direct instruction. Keep it in short spurts, breaking up every five to seven minutes of new information with "turn and talk with your elbow partner." Walk around the room and listen in to gauge understanding. These pauses for students to talk with each other can be as brief as 45 seconds. Also, use non-verbal quickies like thumbs up/thumbs down to see where students are and assess if more time or re-teaching is needed.
7. Choose Most Effective Type of Teaching. How will I get this new information to my students? Teachers must ask themselves this question continually when lesson planning. Sometimes new information is so new that students need to first see a visual representation and then require some information directly from their teacher to think about. Other times, it's best to set up a situation connecting to student schema and then group work to follow. Deciding the instructional mode (direct, student-centered, or facilitation) can be as important as choosing the content.
When that pacing seems off, is it time to switch the mode of delivery? Do they need a mini-lecture to clarify some misconceptions? Might a re-energizing activity be necessary, like a choral reading or class A-Z line up? Use a variety of activities with different formats to keep that flow and rhythm in the room.
How do you set up lessons so they flow?"
Classroom Management
Teach Like a Champion Techniques continued . . .
Technique 34, Seat Signals, helps teachers avoid disrupting their lessons by having students use nonverbal seat signals for certain requests. When teachers allow the use of seat signals, students can non-verbally ask to use the bathroom, request a pencil during a lesson, or receive a tissue without interrupting the teacher’s train of thought.
Evidence says that seat signals are a great way to produce an efficient classroom environment. Time is always a factor in a classroom and unrelated questions during a lecture are things that could sometimes distract the whole class.
One of the main things that can cause information to get stopped at working memory (before being stored in long-term memory) is interference. Interference is when someone or something distracts a student while he/she is concentrated on something else. When students are using silent and non-disturbing motions to ask common questions that could interrupt lecture, the amount of information going into long term memory increases.
Technique 42: NO WARNINGS – Too often, teachers give a warning when addressing a student’s behavior. However, giving a warning is not taking action. Warnings tell students that misbehavior is tolerated a few times first. This does not mean that a consequence needs to be given every time a student does not meet your expectations. As mentioned earlier, consequences are overused and teachers can respond by breaking down the directive (WHAT TO DO) or having students try again (DO IT AGAIN). However, when it is time to deliver a consequence, teachers should have a scaled system of incrementally larger consequences. For example, first have a student repeat an action more appropriately, then require him to apologize, next take away a small privilege, then take away an entire privilege and make a phone call home. While doing this, be calm and be private.
Attendance
Goal: 98%+ Attendance
Weekly Attendance Percentages:
K: 92.91% (EEK!)
1: 97.12% (Little decrease...)
2: 95.15% (Decreased by 2% points.)
3: 97.19%** (It's a slight decrease, but you're the highest again!) You've earned the yellow belt!
4: 95.39% (Decrease from last week.)
5: 96.27% (uh oh...decreased again.)
JWL: 95.64%
We did not meet our 98% goal as a campus. Let's try again this week!
**First grade you were only .07 points away from 3rd! Will you upset their streak next week?
Remember, "cooties" are going around, so remind students to wash their hands often.
Belt status:
White:
First grade: Week of August 20
Fifth grade: Week of August 27
Third grade: Week of September 17
Yellow:
Fifth grade: Week of September 3
Third grade: Week of October 1
Gold:
Fifth grade: Week of September 10
What's Your Mindset?
Heads Up
Six Weeks Awards
In years past we hosted assemblies during lunch times so parents could take their lunch break to come and celebrate with students; however, we are unable to host during lunches as grade levels overlap this year.
So, this now requires some brainstorming and change.
As a grade level discuss and make a suggestion for an alternate format. Here are some ideas that have been shared so far . . .
- Host awards in individual classrooms
- Hold grade level assembly during second recess time in afternoon
- Combine K-2 and 3-5, or K-1, 2-3, and 4-5, and schedule six weeks assemblies in either morning or afternoon the week after report cards go home (future; not this six weeks)
The Fridge
We want to celebrate students' effort and growth. Teachers, you can recommend a student's piece of work be added to the fridge to show off! (Due to FERPA, you cannot have the students' grade posted on the front with the kiddo's name, so don't put their grade on front or put a sticker over the grade instead."
To be celebrated, have the student come down with their assignment to the office. The student will receive a certificate in exchange for their assignment. After some time, we'll take down the posted work and return it to the child, so you may want to make a copy of the work to keep or send home in the meantime.
Pre Conferences and Fall Observations
We will hold a pre-conference at the date/time your Google invitation states.
At the pre-conference you will need to be prepared to tell us what lesson we'll be coming to observed and then you'll walk us through your planned lesson. We will offer coaching points as needed to help strengthen the lesson as all indicators will be scored.
After the observation, you must complete a self reflection and submit to your appraiser. We'll set up a post conference time where we will reflect upon the lesson observed. Then the overall scores for the lesson will be shared.
Tutorials
- Number students participating : I'm using our sign in sheet to determine this, so if you aren't having your students complete the form each session, then you need to do so ASAP.
Kinder . First . Second . Third . Fourth . Fifth
How have tutorials been going? Have students been showing progress?
This time is to be included on the IAP to show your extended support time for these students.
TBSI due 10.12.18
Here is the link for the modules:
https://www.escweb.net/tx_esc_04/search.aspx?&SearchCriteria=TBSI%20training
Lexia usage
Weekly usage for JWL: 51% of students met usage . . .
- Bass (95%)
- Bosak (100%), 2 weeks in a row @ 100%!
- Robb (95%), Welcome to the list!
- Stack (94%), Welcome to the list!
- Farquhar (95%), Welcome to the list!
- Stevenson (93%)
I am challenging 4th and 5th grades to be represented on this list next week! . . . Think stations, Golden Ticket morning sessions, etc.
All teachers, you can encourage students with access to get on at home as well!
Dreambox Usage
Golden Tickets
Grade levels, you distributed the Golden Tickets to your Tier 3 students to use as passes for their morning computer time from 7:30 - 8:10am. This time, as you will recall, is for students to utilize Lexia and Dreambox as additional support time. The Golden Ticket is like a "fast pass" for the breakfast line and a hall pass to go to the computer labs/library.
Those on duty in these areas: please be sure students are signing in with the Google Form. (see below)
K & 1: Pardoe in Lopez's computer lab
2 & 3: Harvey in Harvey's computer lab
4 & 5: Snow in library with COW cart
Teachers: If you see that your students are not attending, please ask them why. Let's verify if there are valid concerns (ie, transportation issues) or if they are "skipping".
Parent Communication
The same teachers are showing to be active participants each week. Thank you!
We did have 4 homeroom teachers last week that did not send a message via Remind.
Remember, each user (homeroom, special interest group, etc.) is to send at minimum one message each week to parents informing them of weekly ongoings, curriculum topics of focus, and/or special projects. Please stay connected with families; they are our partners in educating their kiddos.
This Week's Ongoings:
Monday
- Columbus Day
- Fair Day
- HOLIDAY
Tuesday
- PLCs
- Big Kahuna Delivery Day
- SST @ 7:30am
- SALT @ 4:15pm
- First Grade Lending Grant Parent Meeting, JWL Cafeteria, 6:00pm
Wednesday
- SST @ 1:20pm
- Grade Level Meetings, 4:15pm
Thursday
- PLCs
- SST @ 7:30am & 4:00pm
- Fire Drill @ 2:45pm
- PTO meeting, 4th grade presentation @ 6:00pm
Friday
- 4th Grade Math Unit Test
- ARD @ 9:45am
Calendar & Upcoming Events
September Tigers of the Month
Brittany Bosak
- ...for making 1st grade a cohesive, fun, positive, and supportive team.
- A great team lead!!! Thank you for always looking out for the first grade team!! You're awesome!! :)
- Bosak has been so helpful to the needs of 4 new team members. Her heart for others, the students, and the community of JW Long is evident in her smile, her enthusiasm, and her desire to serve others.
- You guys amaze me! Each of you jump in to help in every capacity and without question. Your hard work and love for your students is evident.
Gina Dominguez
- Always ready to help in any way she can!
- Always taking initiative and being a problem solver.
- JWL has been blessed by her dedication and support.
Staff Shout Outs!
Ms. Barton
Love the way she is with kids
Mrs. Esquivel
My students had so much fun at the library! They loved the stations!
Sara Stroud and Sheree Piper
They have jumped right into the SPED team! They are team players, awesome teammates, exceptional teachers l, and the kids adore them! Love you both!
Mr. Hambric
He is always so positive and encouraging with the kids and teachers. I can tell he has authentic love and compassion for each student he encounters.
Mrs. Pardoe
You are awesome, thank you so much in supporting both my students and me! Your help partnership and friendship truly means the world to me!
Lori Bass
You are a rock star of a mentor! You are so knowledgeable of all things kinder and your passion for teaching littles shines!