Elementary Principals
January Newsletter
Using Data to Improve Learning, Stay on Target & Keep Focused
Midyear Checkup!
1. Are you keeping track of progress towards your school improvement goals? What are ways that you are measuring your goals? Good time to take a quick check to make sure your staff remain focused on the activities and strategies that are school wide.
2. Are students keeping track of their own progress? Have them keep track of spelling, tests, quizzes, completion, progress towards learning targets, etc...
3. Are you meeting with your teachers who need to have a Midyear Progress Meeting? Reviewing their IDP to see how things are coming along is another example of looking at the data mid year. Is what they are doing working? Do goals/support need to be adjusted?
4. Are you tracking progress for students that are struggling? Using your MTSS plan--how are those interventions going? Using the strategies presented by Jodie Kruse, have a data day to review how things are going. Better to find out midyear than wait and find out there is not enough time.
5. Finding pesky behaviors trending from students and/or staff? Get it identified and come up with a plan to nip it. Behaviors, if left unchecked (in both adults and students) and cause bigger problems down the road.
6. January is a good time to review your goals What did you want to accomplish for the year? Personally and professionally? How are you making progress? What do you need to stop, start and continue?
MI School Data Links
MiSchoolData Website:
MiSchoolData Training Evaluation:
http://surveymonkey.com/s/MISchoolData_session_evaluation
January PD Activities to Jumpstart the New Year!
1. 30 minutes: Use the MASSP team-builder from the January checklist with your staff
2. 45 minutes: Here's What? Now What? So What? Data Protocol
2. 60 minutes: Defining and Describing Student Engagement 4-square
Focus on: Student Engagement and Motivation
It's Not Just About Being Busy...
Questions for the Principal to consider during classroom observations:
- What is the standard/learning target being taught?
- What is the depth of knowledge?
- Does the activity/assignment match the depth of knowledge?
- Are students active in their learning?
- Is the teacher planning for and monitoring for active participation?
Classroom Engagement "Look fors....."
Favorite Books and Articles on Motivation & Engagement
How the Student Brain Learns
Funny...and so Accurate!
Ask Your Students!
Read Grant Wiggins blog that includes student survey results on boredom and engagement.
The Highly Engaged Classroom
"Sit and Get" Won't Grow Dendrites
Total Participation Techniques
Identifying Engagement
What do Students Value?
The Puzzle of Motivation
Staff Discussion Starters and Activities on Engagement
Get the Discussion Started... 4 Square Activity
I. Ask each participant to fold a piece of paper into 4 parts and label each square:
1. Definition
2. Students would be...
3. Teacher would be...
4. Engagement would NOT be...
In each box, ask staff to take a few minutes to describe how they perceive student engagement and share with two or three table partners.
II. Have them look at this collection of resources on student engagement (or an article on student engagement of your choice).
III. With table partners, develop a common definition of student engagement based on their discussion and add any new ideas from the article to their initial thoughts.
IV. Invite small groups to share out with the whole group. What thoughts were validated from the article? What was new thinking?
Staff Engagement Resource Hunt
- Articles
- Books
- Videos
- and other information
2. List 3 things that they learned about student engagement that stood out to them and share.
3. What information gained could be used in their classrooms? What would it look like? How would increased engagement support other initiatives (school improvement)?
Our beautiful Winter Professional Development Edition is ready for your staff!
COMING SOON:
January Professional Learning Highlights
SAVE THE DATES!
Adaptive Schools Training
Mark Your Calendars Now!
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2014, 08:00 AM
GISD Davis Center
Rick Wormeli
Monday, May 19, 2014, 08:30 AM
Holiday Inn-Gateway Center, Gateway Center, Flint Township, MI, United States
Education and Learning
Email: mbehm@geneseeisd.org
Website: www.geneseeisd.org
Location: 2413 West Maple Avenue, Flint, MI, United States
Phone: 810-591-4408