JWL Weekly Update
Volume 7 * Issue 10 * week of September 17, 2018
Get Ready.
Get set.
GO!
Instruction Focus
1. Effective instruction
2. Classroom management with student engagement
Effective instruction has to be planned with a targeted direction; thus, we frame our lessons. Once well framed, we then teach the lesson step by step.
Presenting Instructional Content
As per the TAP Handbook on page 23, ". . . a teacher must first clearly define the learning objective for the lesson and then maintain the focus of the lesson on this objective, which may require teachers to redirect students’ comments. The sequencing of the lesson relates to the sub-objectives that are taught within a lesson. Sub-objectives should be taught or reviewed in an appropriate sequence for the grade level and ability of the students. The segmenting of the lesson relates to the pacing of the lesson. An effective teacher will provide sufficient time for the introduction of the lesson, the instruction within the lesson, the student activities, and closure. Although these may be embedded within each other during a given lesson, the segmenting of the lesson allows sufficient time for each to take place so that students can have opportunities to master the learning objective."
This in short refers to the lesson cycle:
- The introduction of the lesson piques the students' curiosity for the topic (anticipatory set) and sets the purpose for the lesson (objective).
- Then the teacher instructs and models using examples, visuals, and concise communication. Guided practice follows to see how students are processing the taught skill(s). Teacher asks how the objective is being evidenced in their tasks/learning.
- Independent practice begins to round out the lesson so that the teacher is able to determine level of mastery for each student. This may be a quick check, observation with notes, or an exit ticket; at times, it may be a graded task/assignment.
- To come full circle, the lesson's closure refers back to the objective and students are asked how the objective was met in today's activities/tasks. (Link provides how teachers and students use closure with 22 creative closure activities from an Edutopia article.)
As we've discussed before, don't forget to reflect upon this question:
What impact does referencing the lesson frame/objectives at the beginning, throughout the lesson so that students make connections to how & what they are doing relates to the objective/standard, and at the end to close?
In regards to chunking, or segmenting . . .
In an article for ASCD's Educational Leadership, Robert Marzano wrote,
"To help students process information that is essential to understanding specific content, teachers can use an effective strategy that involves the following five elements.
Chunking
Chunking means presenting new information in small, digestible bites. This requires carefully examining the manner in which students will experience new content. If the teacher intends to present content in the form of a lecture, he or she needs to determine the crucial points at which to pause so students can interact with one another [FSGPT] about the new information.
For example, for a lecture on the topic of theoretical probability, the teacher might decide to make her first stop after she has discussed some basic differences between theoretical and experimental probability. If she's using a videotape or a video clip she's downloaded from the Internet, she might decide to stop the video about two minutes into the discussion of how theoretical probability is used in games of chance. This idea of stopping so that students can digest the information also holds true for demonstrations, exhibitions, guest speakers, reading content in a textbook, and the like."
Read more on the other 4 elements. . .
When segmenting, or chunking, a lesson to help students process and retain their learning, think of how FSGPT (frequent, small group purposeful talk [video link]) can be implemented to support thinking and engagement. Also determine how critical writing [video link] will be an asset to their learning. I'm eager to see your examples of this in the well-designed and crafted lessons you'll be facilitating!
Teacher Radar
Excerpt below taken from Teach Like a Champion blog post. (Link below)
Radar is our term for your capacity to see your class accurately for what it is. It’s a critical teaching skill. Decision-making always starts with perception–the more accurate the perception the better the decision.
The psychologist David Berliner has studied this among teachers and found that novice teachers observing a classroom often fail to perceive them accurately. They see random or illusory details. Veterans literally see the room more accurately. This is a key part of their expertise.
A related skill is something we call Be Seen Looking. The idea is that being observed changes people’s behavior.
This short blog post and video show pretty clearly how that works. (Click link)
If you can use understated nonverbal moves to subtly remind students that you are aware of their decisions in the classroom, they will likely choose more wisely and more productively. You will keep off task behavior from happening.
View the link above for a video that models two of these "dance moves," or nonverbal ways, used to keep students aware that you are ever mindful of their attention to task. (Dance moves include the Disco Finger and the Quarterback.)
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- Stand strategically: Stand at a vantage point in the room where you are able to be seen and where you can effectively scan the entire room
- Give observable directions: When giving directions, be clear and concise. The directive being given needs to be an observable behavior, such as, "Open your book to page 29 and begin reading;" or "Get out your pencil and annotate your thinking in your journal."
- Look for follow through: "Pastore's Perch" is the area of the front of the room where you walk and perch at corners to scan and determine if all students are following directions as seen in the picture below.
- Be Seen Looking: Make it clear to students that you’re looking. Use "Dance Moves" as found HERE to show students you are looking.
- Back It Up: Be prepared to deal with students who haven’t done what you’ve asked.
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In short,
How to get students to do what you asked:
1) Give a clear, concise direction. (What to Do)
2) Stand where you can clearly see whether they do it. (Radar: “Pastore’s Perch”)
3) Watch to see whether they do it. (Radar: Scan/swivel)
4) Use non-verbals actions to make it clear to students that you are watching for their follow through—that you see and care if they do it. (Be Seen Looking Dance Moves)
5) Recognize them—simply and sincerely with acknowledgment but not praise when they do it.
6) Get to work learning
So that’s: What To Do + Radar + Be Seen Looking + Acknowledgement + Teaching– a simple and powerful recipe that you can see via video it in action in the able hands of Edward Brooke East Boston’s Rue Ratray here.
To practice your teacher radar, script your observable directions for each of the following classroom situations:
- Asking for raised hands
- Transitioning out of FSGPT
- Starting independent work
Spend a few minutes practicing delivering each direction then scanning for follow through by walking Pastore's Perch and using a "dance move."
Swivl Accounts
Go to www.swivl.com/login. Go to the bottom and click "Sign Up Free" if you don't already have an account.
We will have iPads that we can loan you to record your lessons of choice to "view tape" and self reflect on your teaching practices. There will be times when we ask you to record a lesson so that we may share a lesson clip with others in the building who want to see how others are utilizing specific teaching strategies. Please know these clips are not for evaluation purposes; they will be used for coaching purposes.
Attendance
Goal: 98%+ Attendance
Weekly Attendance Percentages:
K: 96.55% (Yea! You increased by 1.5!)
1: 97.06% (Oh my! You increased by 1.6!)
2: 95.25% (Uh oh . . . this was a decline.)
3: 97.27% (That's an increase!)
4: 95.67% (Slight decrease this week)
5: 97.58%** (Even with a decreased percentage, you were still the highest.)
JWL: 96.58% We did not meet our 98% goal.
What can we do to help promote attendance in each grade level?
PTO did approve to help us with purchasing incentives for perfect attendance.
**Congrats again to fifth grade for highest weekly attendance rate. You've just earned your gold attendance belt! That's 3 weeks in a row!
Which grade level is going to upset the streak this week?
Belt status:
White:
First grade: Week of August 20
Fifth grade: Week of August 27
Yellow:
Fifth grade: Week of September 3
Gold:
Fifth grade: Week of September 10
What's Your Mindset?
Heads Up
Signing of Strive Forms
Lexia & Dreambox
Lexia:
We should be able to hit a minimum usage goal of 80% as a campus; our true goal is 100% of students meeting usage weekly. Last week we only had 49% usage. This must increase. Remember, one of your ELAR stations is to be Lexia on your Chromebooks.
Second and Third grades had the highest usage percentages: 74% & 71% respectively.
There are many intervention lessons needing to be taught and documented. Remember, this can be done during interventions and tutorials.
Dreambox:
Students' usage goal is 60 minutes per week. We had 7 classes that had an average minutes per week greater than 60 minutes; the three highest classes were Payne (70min), Layman (73min), and Holloway (76min).
DB also recommends that there be a minimum gain of 5 lessons per week; 10 classes met that recommendation last week. The top two classes were Bass and Bosak; both classes gained 9 lessons last week.
Golden Tickets
Grade levels, you distributed the Golden Tickets to your Tier 3 students to use as passes for their morning computer time from 7:30 - 8:10am. This time, as you will recall, is for students to utilize Lexia and Dreambox as additional support time. The Golden Ticket is like a "fast pass" for the breakfast line and a hall pass to go to the computer labs/library.
Those on duty in these areas: please be sure students are signing in with the Google Form. (see below)
K & 1: Pardoe in Lopez's computer lab
2 & 3: Harvey in Harvey's computer lab
4 & 5: Snow in library with COW cart
Teachers: If you see that your students are not attending, please ask them why. Let's verify if there are valid concerns (ie, transportation issues) or if they are "skipping".
Parent Communication
- Individual teacher: Mrs. Robb
- Most participation|conversations: Ms. Vasquez
- Teams: 1st, 2nd & 3rd grades had 100% of teachers using Remind!
This Week's Ongoings:
Monday
- ARDs
- Fire & Lockdown drills, 9:45ish
Tuesday
- PLCs
- Taco Cabana Night, 4-8pm
Wednesday
- ARDs & 504
- Faculty Meeting
Thursday
- Coffee with the Principal (parents)
- PLCs
- BOY SBDM Committee Meeting
Friday
Calendar & Upcoming Events
Friday Feedings
- September 21: Pop's Chicken....thanks to our PTO!
- September 28: STUCO is hosting Caffination Stations (hot cocoa, coffee, &/or tea selections available). Sorry no lunch planned for this date; however, you will have been paid on the 25th!
Staff Shout Outs!
Layman, Stack, Bosak, Vasquez
...for making 1st grade a cohesive, fun, positive, and supportive team.
Amber Robb
She is a great tribute to the first grade team!! :) Full of ideas and ALWAYS willing to help.
Brittany Bosak
A great team lead!!! Thank you for always looking out for the first grade team!! You're awesome!!
Bosak has been so helpful to the needs of 4 new team members. Her heart for others, the students, and the community of JW Long is evident in her smile, her enthusiasm, and her desire to serve others.
Gina Dominguez
Always ready to help in any way she can!
taking initiative and being a problem solver
Perish Hambric
Making himself available as a mentor and positive role model for our students. He's been there to hear me talk out problems and solutions for our campus.
Lyndsey Harvey
Taking on new responsibilities and maintaining a positive attitude about it. She's playing a vital role in keeping our instructional programs up and running.
First Grade Team
You guys amaze me! Each of you jump in to help in every capacity and without question. Your hard work and love for your students is evident.