News for New Teachers
You've made it through the first quarter! Congratulations!
"To teach is to learn twice over." - Joseph Joubert
By now you've likely figured out that no training is better than being in your own classroom. Before you get too far into the school year, think about taking time to jot down notes about what you'd like to do differently the first quarter of school next year.
Take a few minutes to read tips and words of encouragement from various KCS staff members. We are grateful for the work you are doing every day and want to support you to continually bring your students a valuable experience for the 18-19 school year.
A Note from Superintendent Thomas:
Hello new KCS educators,
I hope that you have all settled into your classrooms and schools and I am so grateful you have chosen to work with Knox County Schools.
I know that you spent some time at the beginning of the year utilizing the resources of the New Teacher Academy, but want you to know that the support available from the district doesn’t stop there. The Office of Curriculum and Instruction has many avenues available to help you with every aspect of your school day, and this newsletter is just one of them. The district has a vested interest in your success and the impact you will make on students for years to come, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help or guidance. We are here to support you and want you to do well.
Thank you again for choosing to work with Knox County Schools. I am so appreciative of all you have already done to help improve public education in Knox County.
Sincerely,
Bob Thomas
CFU
Technique 1: Reject Self Report: Replace functionally rhetorical questions with more objective forms of impromptu assessment.
How are you checking for understanding (CFU)? Challenge yourself to rephrase any "yes" or "no" questions with questions that drive students to respond in a more thoughtful manner. It is often as simple as asking students to justify his or her thoughts. A quick and easy CFU question to use is "What questions do you have about what we just covered?"
Support
Science
Professional Learning Opportunities for Science and Technology
See below for upcoming science and technology professional development opportunities.
*Note: There are a variety of other trainings available including some in other content areas. You can find something to suit your learning needs in My Learning Plan.
Making Modules Happen in Grade 6-8 Science:
Location: Sarah Simpson Center (Knoxville, TN)
Dates: 11/15/2018
Engage in Textbook Resources, Science and Engineering Practices, and Task Development for upcoming modules. Learn a planning strategy that you can use all year long to help plan your phenomenon-based instruction to pull all the resources at your fingertips together for an engaging series of lessons. What does student-centered science look like in our classrooms with the new standards? Work with other 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade teachers to explore engaging lesson-creation using the 3-dimensional learning called for in our new standards.
Location: Sarah Simpson Center (Knoxville, TN)
Dates: 11/12/2018
Tips for using Technology to increase your productivity.
Please remember to browse your November 6 District Learning Day Program of Study to identify Professional Learning sessions to meet your needs. Registration on My Learning Plan should be completed on or before November 2.
Contact Information
Email: casey.robison@knoxschools.org
Website: www.knoxschools.org
Location: Knox County, TN
Phone: (865) 594-1800
Facebook: www.facebook.com/knoxschools/
Twitter: @KnoxSchools
Would you like to win a goodie bag?
Submit your thoughts here: http://bit.ly/NewTeacherSuccess