Update From THIS I.F.
Do YOU Believe in NO LIMITS???
WE ARE LEADERS...
No Excuses--ALL of our students CAN and WILL Grow beyond our expectations because we DO NOT SET LIMITS. We as educators can see potential that others miss--we KNOW they can find the stamina, the knowledge, or the effort with our leadership.
Dates to Know
Next Week PLCs
October 9th
9-10:30 1st Grade: You will use this time to get Tier 2 paperwork complete. You can do this in the literacy room if you would like in case you have questions.
2-3:00 3rd Grade: We will need to meet to do the following:
- Discuss Reading Groups and Intervention (Bring Mclass Data, a device and the current groupings or info to discuss)
- Be trained on Portfolio Passage use for RTA.
- We will not have time to create Tier 2 paperwork but we will revisit Tier 1.
October 10th
9:40-11 Kindergarten: we will meet to look at PM data. Please bring a device with you and PM calendars.
October 11th
9:40-11 EC PLC: Terri and Cassie can plan together. I would like to meet with Heather to further look at student data for planning. Heather bring your schedule and if you have a digital list of your students--will you share with me?
1:00-2:00 4th Grade: You will have this time to review Tier 2 drafts and begin creating Tier 2 paperwork for conferences, We will look at PM data while you work.
2:00 SST Meeting
October 12th
9:40-10:30: Second Grade will have time to work on Tier 2 paperwork for conferences. You may work in literacy room so I am available for questions.
1:00-2:00 5th Grade will look at PM data that is available and discuss interventions. I will come upstairs if you want so we can look at student data that may be necessary. Have a device.
I will begin walkthroughs this week to gain baseline data (like last year) on school wide goals before Dr. Curry's full day visit on October 26th. She will be here to gather data on TES--what we are doing well and making suggestions of ways we can improve.
October 16th Mclass Training for new teachers for all new K-3 staff---- If you have not turned in your leave request for this--please do. Curriculum is the funds source. If you are unsure if you should attend--see me.
CFA
Academic Language
If you have not completed this--please fill this chart in for your grade level--I need first quarter info (a rough draft.)
I HAD ASKED FOR THIS TO BE COMPLETED BY THIS WEEK. PUT THIS ON YOUR TO DO LIST AND GET A DRAFT OF WORDS BY OCTOBER 9TH. THIS GIVES YOU THE EARLY RELEASE DAY IF NEEDED. YOU CANNOT HAVE SPECIALS AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS HELP YOU REINFORCE IF YOU DO NOT PROVIDE FOR THEM YOUR NEEDS.
Curriculum WoWs in the Building!
- Shout out to Heather W. for holding rigor for all students. Students in her room applying 4 block to word problems using white boards. They were thinking independently, talking to partners and most of all applying a difficult skill using word problems. Students were learning the process and feeling proud of themselves while stretching their math abilities! AWESOME! Thank you!
- Continued Problem Solving of new ways to helps students. Emily Durmire and Jessica Herman both trying to figure out ways to help new students. Finding new ways to approach a problem can sometime be the solution. Thank you!
- Collaboration between Terri and Heather W.---bringing two students together for academics and social support. LOVE that you all are trying new things to reach students in ALL areas of need.
- Math problem solving procedures--4 Block and RDW both which require students to think through a word problem, show their work and most of all systematically approach a problem to break it down. I have hyperlinked an explanation to these strategies in case you are not using a systematic thinking process. If you want to see this in action--we have lots of teachers using them--let me know and you can go and visit!
- Routines in all classes! I know you have waited patiently to get groups started. Love that you keep tweaking until they are right! Keep looking at data and move students and routines as needed.
- Cassie--I sat in your IEP meeting recently and WOW! You ran it like a rock-star! So proud of you!
Remember: You must believe our kids can do it--so they know they can! I believe in YOU with all my heart SO I know YOU CAN DO IT and hope you feel that way! Please remember my job is to PUSH you--I am never OK with "average" because at TES---WE ARE ALL EXTRAORDINARY!
Weekly Blog
Resources From OLD UPDATES
Summarize to Increase Engagement
We all know that Engage NY is tough because it is requiring students to sit for a long period with information that is VERY RIGOROUS. To combat this--have students constantly summarizing, talking to a partner, sharing learning, explaining problems, defending ideas, etc.
We have some teachers who have been teaching Engage for three years and have learned how to break up the monotony with these strategies--If you want to visit one of them to see how they do this...please let me or Mrs. Lingle know and we will help make that happen.
Good example in an older class--skip to about 1 minute to start.
Rug Partners--this could be done at their desks if you have pre-designated partners.
I am very proud of the thinking students are doing! Please do not break up the rigor because it is hard--scaffold learning with partner discussions, think pair share, turn and talk, etc. These techniques will help extend learning for some and support others while still exposing them to the rigor.
Resources to Follow Up MTSS Training
TES Goals--Plan with these in mind!
- Increase student to student interaction in conversation, summarizing, and discussion of content
- Vocabulary through student talk and rigor of text
- Complexity of Text
- Increase questioning of deep comprehension with all reading groups at each level. Do not wait for a student to be reading on a level for them to answer questions on that level orally.
- Application of phonics to multi-syllabic words in 2-5 and strong emphasis and mastery in K-1
- Growth Mindset and STAMINA
Growth Mindset Resources
Think on this information:
- Family income is a strong predictor of achievement.
- Growth Mindset exhibits a strong relationship with achievement across all socioeconomic levels.
- Lower socioeconomic students are less likely to hold growth mindset than wealthier peers.
Growth Mindset CAN buffer negative effects of poverty on achievement.
Google Drive to Materials (Add to this if you have any good resources)
Kelly This
Email: kthis@alexander.k12.nc.us
Location: Taylorsville, NC, United States
Phone: 8282922293
Twitter: @This1This