Happy New Year!
Let's Make 2017 Amazing!
It's Research Project Time-
Here is a link to "Scaffolding Research-Based Writing" that shows an incredible example of 6th graders going through the stages of research.
(You may have to scroll down to the video part...)
Professional Development Days Coming Up!
Standards-Based Report Cards & HOW Scores
All departments have submitted their 'Power Standards' and some have made incredible progress on the learning targets that correspond with each 'Power Standard'- a not-so-great example would be if the standard is that "Runner will be able to complete a marathon", the learning targets that would be 'under' this might be 'athlete will apply and extend physical fitness by incrementally increasing mileage each week'. Again, this isn't perfect, but it illustrates the idea that our learning targets will be smaller steps to build upon to achieve the bigger/overarching goal.
The goal is for BMS to distribute its first standards-based report card next December. The report card will have a key (what is a 4, 3, 2, or 1), the 'power standard' for your course and a separate 'Habits of Work' rubric. Teachers have asked if all of their standards will be visible even if the content has not been addressed yet- and the answer to that is most likely yes, but will be greyed out or have a symbol used to communicate that the standard has not been presented yet.
'Habits of Work' will be a completely separate score that is earned by each student in each of his or her courses. The conversation as to how these will be used is on-going and exciting. Let's shift our thinking away from the traditional "comments" that many times do not have a ton of significance. The purpose of HOW scores is a notion that came out of Harvard Graduate School of Education. The question of "How do you know when your school is successful?" was posed. While we may quickly say high test scores, college acceptance, low discipline problems, etc., but the argument was presented that our success as educators is more a question of whether or not we have productive and happy citizens. We must teach students to read, write, and calculate; those goals should form the floor, not the ceiling of education. HOW scores allow us all to step back and look at what is needed to achieve success in the world, not just in school (The Formative Five, Thomas R. Hoerr, ASCD 2017).
HOW scores can be used to determine privileges, athletic eligibility, and club participation.
We need time!!
All of this work requires time, so the weeks of January 30-February 3 and March 15-21 will be dedicated to professional development. Each department will meet for one school day during those weeks and we'll hash out some of this stuff!
Monday 1/30 and 3/20: ELA and Reading
Tuesday 1/31 and 3/21: Unified Arts
Wednesday 2/1 and 3/15: Social Studies
Thursday 2/2 and 3/16: Science
Friday 2/3 and 3/17: Math
We will still have March 24th as a PD Day for continued work!
Deliberate Practice: Clear and Focused Tasks
PLCs and Department Meetings
Even though the schedule has built-in periods to meet, it's always a challenge to get everything done! As the implementation of a standards-based report card stares at us, we will be more intentional with what we want to accomplish during these meetings. Terry and Megg will be sitting in on more of these to help as much as possible. Our goals will start with establishing and communicating learning goals. This will include the heated topic of formative vs. summative assessments as well as examining our levels of rigor using a version of this taxonomy: http://wiki.westminsterpublicschools.org/mediawiki/images/f/f9/Bprtc_Marzano_taxonomy_verbs.pdfShow Me the Money!
A 'peer challenge' has been set up called "BMS Let's Move Together"- if you would like to be added, please let Wendy or Megg know. To do this, you have to set up a free account on the health tracker website called "VIVERAE". Go to: www.schoolcare.org and then click on the Good for You! link which will bring you to www.myviverae.com- from there jusst click "New User Registration"- voila! You're now on your way to cashing in & feeling great.
We will provide some resources that will be in the main office copy room if you are interested- this is a judgement free zone! Hopefully we can join together to make 2017 a really happy and healthy year!
Fun Stuff-
Transition time games: http://www.greatgroupgames.com/middle-school-group-games.htm
While you're waiting or have a sub: http://www.studenthandouts.com/study-games/printable-games/brain-teasers/
Curriculum Fair/Expo is March 22, 2017
Here's a couple of really cool examples:
Emergency Response Team
Barrington Bulldogs
Email: mlynch@sau74.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/sau74.org/bms/
Location: 51 Haley Drive Barrington, NH 03825
Phone: 603.664.2127
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Barrington-Middle-School-BMS-Barrington-NH-407593242631099/