Mustang Musings
September 15, 2019
ARC Focus of the Week
This week we will continue to focus on building relationships with our readers and making sure our routines and procedures are solid. The time we put into making sure our students are engaged readers for the full 30 minutes of reader's workshop will pay off for the rest of the year (and quite possibly) the rest of our student's lives.
IWCS Reading Goal
We want every on level student to make at least 1.00 year of growth.
Students who are at risk will need to make at least 1.25 (one year and 2 and a half months) years of growth.
Students who are in emergency will need to make at least 1.50 (one year and 5 months) years of growth.
This is tomorrow!
I will be making Williamsburg bread for the snack:) Hope you can join us!
On Target for IRLA Reading Level
Once you begin leveling your students, you will find that there are items in the entry-level section that are worth points in foundational skills. Let me know if you need help!
HES creates readers!
1hour of reading each day equals more than 2.66 years of growth without any other interventions. This is the REAL reading and not the FAKE kind:)
On Target for Reading Practice
Right now, we have 100% of our students on target for reading practice! When a student is absent, what is our plan for helping them make up the steps? Are they going to read during morning work time? Are they going to read at the end of the day? What works best for you and your students?
Teach the Teacher
Is engagement still a problem? Maybe the books are not "just right"!
That's Powerful!
Powerful moves are effective routines, procedures or actions that have a positive impact on instruction. This year, I would like to highlight the powerful moves that I see in the classrooms at HES. I am not going to include names, but feel free to adopt these powerful moves for your own classroom! Let me know if you need more information or help to implement these gems!
- Having a student be the book shopping monitor- The student makes sure that each student only checks out the number of books that they returned. If you only bring back 2 books, you can only check out 2 books. This helps prevent the "ARC home library" that can occur when a student keeps taking home books and not bringing any back!
- A review of the expectations for student behavior before the start of independent reading. Staying seated, eyes on the words and "Read, Read, READ!"
- The teacher walking around, monitoring the students for REAL reading
- Stopping the class as soon as "off-task" behaviors begin. Nipping those behaviors in the bud!
This quick video from Edutopia has 5 great ideas to help keep your students focused! If you have lost their attention, does anything else matter?
Great ideas for building those routines and procedures that bring success!
Call it like you see it!
Focus on the positive...
Everyone needs to know the WHY behind what they are doing.
What can I do for you?
- Modeling
- Side-by-side coaching
- Coaching and modeling of using the IRLA
- Round up resources
- Assist with differentiating lessons or materials
- Cover your class so that you can observe a colleague's class
- Cooperatively plan a lesson or series of lessons that meet best practices
- Serve as another pair of hands for a lesson
- Offer strategies for classroom management
- Help you connect with other teachers in the district
- Lend an open ear for a topic of your choice
- Reflect on student learning in your classroom through conversation and observation
- Work collaboratively to bounce ideas off one another to address a concern
- Evaluate new students to guide instruction
Hardy Elementary School
We are creating students who are lifelong readers!
Email: lhenk@iwcs.k12.va.us
Website: http://hes.iwcs.k12.va.us/
Location: 9311 Hardy Circle, Smithfield, VA, United States
Phone: 757-357-3204
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hardy-Elementary-School-205065852892284/
Twitter: @Mrs_Henk