Monday Memo October 19, 2015
Inspiring Passionate Learners
Important Dates
10/21- Braswell High School Spirit Day- Wear Red and Black
10/23- Progress Report Information Due by 5:00PM
10/26 to 10/30- Red Ribbon Week
10/26-10/28- Fifth Grade Science Camp
10/27- Picture Day- Make-up Day- 12/1/15
10/27- Progress Reports Go Home
10/28-11/4- Turn Reflection's Entries into Front Office
10/29- Staff Celebration Meeting & Assessment Literacy Learning- 3:10-4:10
10/30- Fire Clown Safety Program for K-2
10/30- Wild Things Parade @ 2:15
11/03- Meet Ms. Catherine Bell at the Re-zoning Meeting- PCE Cafeteria 7:00
11/06- End of Second Six-Weeks
11/09- Beginning of Third Six-Weeks
Rezoning Meeting
There's another new school coming our way! Catherine Bell Elementary is projected to open next school year. Please join us for the rezoning meeting at 7:00 p.m. on November 3rd. Members from each 380 school choir will perform a song honoring the legacy of Ms. Bell.
By attending the meeting, you will have first hand information regarding the PCE Falcons who are projected to begin at Bell Elementary. Parents will likely come to you first regarding any questions they have. Your attendance will be a great way to show support for our families as they experience another rezoning.
Cafe/Daily 5 Tips from the Sisters
The Power of Informal Assessment
By Joan Moser
Students make stronger progress when we are able to identify and meet their individual needs. This includes knowing when they understand a concept and need to be taken further or finding they lack the acquisition and need more guided support.
Math Daily 3 is the structure we use to meet the individual needs of our students. Just like Daily 5, it helps manage the math block, providing an opportunity to work with small groups and individuals.
I was working with a small group of math students who were reviewing the concept of adding fractions. As we sat on the floor together, I asked the group to get started, letting them know that I would watch and know how to best help based on where they got stuck.
Because Chris finds some math concepts difficult, his confidence often wavers. He looked up with relief and said, “You mean if I get stuck, it's okay?” I told him that watching where he struggled helped me know how to best help him. He went to work with a gusto I had not yet seen.
As the small group worked, some students struggled with the addition of the fractions when the result was greater than one whole. Others completed the practice page with ease, ready to move into addition of mixed fractions. Taking out my online conferring notebook, the CCPensieve, I recorded my observations of each child.
After a few minutes of practice, I had the small group check in with their Math Daily 3 choice and head out to join the rest of the class. I began to move among the students scattered throughout the classroom. Using my previous observation notes taken on the CCPensieve as my guide, I began to hold individual conferences.
I went to Chris first to follow-up on our small-group interaction. On the way, I grabbed a small dry-erase board and a baggie of fraction pieces. Sitting next to him, I wrote the addition fraction sentence ¾ + ¾ and watched as he used the fraction pieces to illustrate and solve the problem. After he put the six ¼ pieces together, he saw the result was one whole circle with an additional ½. His face lit up as he grabbed the marker and wrote = 1½ on the dry-erase board.
After going through a few more problems and using the fraction manipulatives, I moved on to confer with other individuals, letting my CCPensieve notes guide my teaching.