The Hero Focus
Heritage Staff Newsletter - November 28, 2016
Why Should We Use Formative Assessments
"Formative assessments are ongoing assessments, observations, summaries, and reviews that inform teacher instruction and provide students feedback on a daily basis. (Fisher & Frey, 2007) While assessments are always crucial to the teaching and learning process, nowhere are they more important than in a differentiated classroom, where students of all levels of readiness sit side by side. Without the regular use of formative assessment, or checks for understanding, how are we to know what each student needs to be successful in our classrooms? How else can we ensure we are addressing students' needs instead of simply teaching them what we think they need? Assessment for learning - formative assessments - support learning during the learning process. " Judith Dodge
Assessing for Learning includes:
understanding in advance the learning targets that students must hit
informing students of those learning targets with each lesson
using classroom assessments to build student confidence
translating classroom assessment results into feedback so students know how to improve.
adjusting instruction based on classroom assessments
students can become part of the process and see themselves grow
The Assessment Handbook from the Master Teacher
Building Relationships With Students
- greeting them at the door
- morning meetings
- smiling often
- I noticed statements
- spending 3 to 5 minutes with each child
- giving 4 positives to every negative
- sending them off each day with a hug, handshake, or high five
- just to name a few.....
December Character Quality - Caring
Updates and FYI's
- Nov. 28th: Please review the holiday AR that will be sent out. Thanks!
- Nov. 28th: NetSmartz during Co-Curr
- Nov. 28th: Community Storehouse Toy Drive begins
- Nov. 29th: Severe Weather Drill 2:00
- Dec. 2nd: Fire Drill 11:45
- Dec. 5th: Spelling Bee
- Dec. 6th: CEIC Meeting 3:30 Library
- Dec. 9th: PTA Polar Express movie night on Dec 9th - Be sure you have grade level representation
- Dec. 10th: Staff Holiday Party 6:00-9:00
Upcoming Events to have on your radar:
- March 24th - 12 hours of EQ time due
Progress Monitoring
Because progress monitoring is so essential to the RtI process we will be increasing our most needy students' progress monitoring time frames. Stay tuned for more information.
PLC's, Coaching, and Meetings
- Nov. 29th and 30th: Amber Richards on Campus - Focus on mastering Number Talks - ask her to model or observe you and provide feedback
- Nov. 29th: - PLC's (we have teachers and admin at training/meetings on the 30th, so we are moving this week's PLC to Tuesday) We will be completing data analysis on the CBA's that were just completed. Please bring student assessments.
- Dec. 1st: Faculty Meeting
- Dec. 7th: PLC's
- Dec. 8th: VIP Meeting
- Dec. 14th: PLC's
- Dec. 15th: Dream Teams
Think Like A Rookie
“When the world is changing quickly, experience can become a curse, trapping us in old ways of doing and knowing, while inexperience can be a blessing, freeing us to improvise and adapt quickly to changing circumstances.”
― Liz Wiseman, Rookie Smarts (Enhanced Edition): Why Learning Beats Knowing in the New Game of Work
Faculty Meeting - Working Agenda - December 1st
- Celebrations
- Quick review of the Holiday AR
- Read and Review of Chapter 1 "Six Steps to Avoid in Formative Assessments"
- Conferring - Share and Learn: Please bring your system and examples of the Conferring Notes for Reading and/or Writing Workshop. You will be given time to share best practices and ideas for this very essential strategy of formative assessment in the reading/writing workshop.
- Social and Emotional Learning
Thank you!!!!
Support Paula Olson!
Come out and support Paula Olson and her fight with breast cancer during Spirit Night Dec. 1st 5:00-9:00! Please mention “Paula” when ordering. Dine in or Drive thru at Chic Fil-A. VALID AT BOTH PRESIDIO TOWNE CROSSING & ALLIANCE TOWN CENTER LOCATIONS.
Thank you for your support!!!