JWL Weekly Update
Volume 7 * Issue 1 * June 21, 2018
Welcome to our Tiger Family!
Our new additions:
Anjelica Vasquez
Renee Layman
Amber Robb
Tealey Farquhar
Katelynn Barton
Jeanna Allen
Heads Up:
Summer PD
7/9: 1st & 2nd ELAR Station Creation (8:30 - 3:30)
7/10: 1st & 2nd Math Station Creation (8:30 - 3:30)
7/11: ALL K-5 ELAR Balanced Literacy (8:30 - 3:30)
7/12: 3rd - 5th Make & Take (8:30 - 3:30)
7/16: Gr 2 - 5 Structures Training (8:30 -3:30)
7/17: Kinder ELAR& Math Station Creation (8:30 - 3:30)
7/17: "Get Students Thinking" hosted by our own Lisa Phillips (8:30 - 3:30)
Remember all teachers are to earn 3 flex days for use in November. The above list is what is offered here in TISD. You will need to reference Region 10 for other sessions. Their website is located at https://www.region10.org/
Summer Training Certificates
You will be responsible for turning in ALL required certificates at one time. (If you don't them all printed, don't bring any to Mrs. Anita.)
Thanks for your compliance in this matter.
2018-2019 Theme
Academic Ninjas!
Ambition and Attitude
As educators we get the esteemed privilege to model how to be a life long learner. Students need to see how we meet challenges with grit and determination. They need to be shown how to "get back up again" when we are not successful. These are behaviors that not only need to be modeled but we need to discuss when we have "teachable moments."
"Growth Mindset" has grown in popularity. Author, Carol Dweck, published her work regarding the growth mindset in her book titled, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
You can follow some of the Growth Mindset items I've pinned on my Pinterest board: Mindset. Please share your own as well. Academic Ninjas cannot be stifled by a fixed mindset. Open your mind and success awaits you!
Here are a few other links to peruse:
- We Are Teachers: 8 classroom growth mindset phrases mini poster
- English/Spanish Mindset Tri-fold
- Growth Mindset for Parents
Global View
The shifting from modeling to shared learning to guided groups to independent practice to demonstration of mastery is crucial to increasing student achievement.
ELAR:
We MUST inspire students to want to read. We have to introduce and expose them to a wide array of genres and authors. We have to give them opportunities to read choice books. We have to talk with them about what they are reading. We have to celebrate their growth in literacy... their improved vocabulary usage, reading higher level books, and well-versed writings.
Math/Science:
We MUST inspire students to find numbers intriguing. We have to show them how numbers are part of everyday life. We have to provide opportunities to use manipulatives to master conceptually. We must listen to them as they explain their thinking/processing as they solve questions. we have to celebrate their growth in learning difficult skills... their improved mental math, knowledge and use of academic terms, solving more difficult questions, and being able to explain their thinking aloud.
Goal Setting
- limited academic vocabulary
- not addressing ELPS consistently
- lack of specific feedback (admin to teachers and teachers to students)
We also need to target specific areas/practices and not spread ourselves so thin; we address a plethora of "things" and thus we see general growth but not targeted progress. Please review the basic/minimal skills required for each grade level below. (reading; math)
- K & 1: Phonemic Awareness & Phonics; Foundations of numbers
- 2: Fluency with Prosody; Number Relationships
- 3: Fluency & Comprehension Foundation; Fluency (Mental Math)
- 4 & 5: Comprehension; Problem Solving & Process Skills
- K-5: Academic Vocabulary & Thinking with Discussion
These are the skills that will be tracked regularly. (More info to come in August in staff development.)
And, we must address time. We have to be more intentional about how our time from 7:30am when the students enter the building to 4:00ish when the last one leaves.
What are our Cycle 4 goals and strategies?
Cycle 4 Goals & Updated Data
K-2 Reading:
By the end of the cluster cycle, all students will increase their teacher made pre to post test score by at least 20%, using strategies that focus on DRAWING CONCLUSIONS.
Strategies: Question stems & Graphic organizers
Rubric Focus: QU
EOY DRA Goals:
K: 75% at or above DRA 6 **Update: 22% at or above DRA 6
1st: 75% at or above DRA 16 **Update: 53% at or above DRA 16
2nd: 75% at or above DRA 30 **Update: 46% at or above DRA 30 (55% @ DRA 28+)
3-5 Reading:
By the end of the cluster cycle, all students will increase their teacher made pre to post test score by 20% using strategies that focus on INFERENCING.
Strategies: Think aloud & Student discussions
Rubric Focus: QU & TH
STAAR Goals: (State Avg)
3rd: 48% at Meets **Update: 20% at Meets (56% at Approaches)
4th: 43% at Meets **Update: 19% at Meets (44% at Approaches)
5th: 45% at Meets **Update: unsure of cumulative meets % (61% at Approaches)
By the end of the cluster cycle, all students will increase their teacher made pre to post test score by at least 20%, using strategies that focus on Editing: 4.20A (parts of speech), 4.20B (subject/predicate), and 4.22A (spelling) .
Strategies: DOL Daily & CUPS | ARMS
Rubric Focus: FEED & ACT
2018 WRITING STAAR GOAL: 70% | (63%) at Approaches
**Update: 14% at Meets (32% at Approaches)
K-2 Math:
By the end of the cluster cycle, all students will increase their teacher made pre to post test score by at least 20%, using strategies that focus on PROBLEM SOLVING.
Strategies: VISA/ # & Labels and Multiple-Step Word Problems
Rubric Focus: QU
EOY Benchmark Goal:
K & 1: 90% at Meets Standard
2: 75% at Meets
3-5 Math:
By the end of the cluster cycle, all students will increase their teacher made pre to post test score by 20% using strategies that focus on MULIT STEP PROBLEM SOVLING.
Strategies: VISA
Rubric Focus: Problem Solving
Overall Score Goals by STAAR:
3rd: 50% at Meets **Update: 21% at Meets (62% at Approaches)
4th: 48% at Meets **Update: 32% at Meets (62% at Approaches)
5th: 50% at Meets **Update: unsure of cumulative meets % (77% at Approaches)
By the end of the cluster cycle, all students will increase their teacher made pre to post test score by 20% using strategies that focus on COMMUNICATING CONCLUSIONS (5.4E-G).
Strategies: Demonstrate, Communicate & Construct
Rubric Focus: QU
Overall Score Goals by STAAR:
5th: 80% at Meets Standard **Update: 30% at Meets (69% at Approaches)
Upcoming Events
- June 26 & 27 STAAR Round 3 Rdg & Math for 5th grade (testing at THS)
- 7/2 - 7/6: District closed
- 7/11: ALL ELAR teachers K-5: Balanced Literacy Staff Development Session @ PDC; sent email with registration link on June 19th
- Teachers will not be able to work in classrooms until end of July due to our hosting summer school. Specific date TBD.
- July 24 & 25: Revolutionizing Learning Conference in Royse City (8:30am - 4:00pm); Previous email sent from Julie Fisher and resent by me.
- August 1 & 2: New Teacher Orientation at J.W. Long
- August 6: All teachers return to campus
- August 9: Back to School Fair @ THS, 5-8pm (plan on attending for a portion of time this evening; we'll sign up for specific times closer to event)
- August 16: Meet the Teacher Night, 5 - 7pm
Book recommendation: Focus by Mike Schmoker
In this book, he addresses our need to get to the basics.
My take away was READ....DISCUSS....WRITE. He has a chapter in the book for how these three practices look in each content area.
Also on my summer reading list:
The Best Class You Never Taught by Alexis Wiggins
- How spider web discussion can turn students into learning leaders
The Formative Five by Thomas R. Hoerr
- Fostering Grit, Empathy, and Other Success Skills Every Student Needs
JUST BECAUSE/PERSONAL:
Finding Rebecca by Koin Dempsey
- A man seeks companion from childhood in concentration camps of WWII.