The DCMS Bat Signal: 9/17/18
Super me, super you, everyday heroes make dreams come true.
Have You Moved Your Classroom Procedures to Routine?
rou·tine - ro͞oˈtēn/
noun
a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program.
If you haven't established key procedures in your classroom, it is not too late. The key is to explicitly teach your expectations, practice them with students, and then reward and hold accountability as needed. Please reference pages 351 - 377 of your Teach Like a Champion 2.0 book.
Reflect on your established routines and procedures now. What do you expect in the following areas? How long does each of these take to complete in your room?
- Entry Routine - What is expected for students to do upon entry of your room? ...stand and talk, run around the room, or get started on Do Now?
- Asking/Answering Questions Routine - What is expected for students to do when help is needed? ...use a hand signal, raise hands, use a prop to signal, or yell out?
- No Materials Routine - What is a student supposed to do if he or she does not have an assignment, book, or writing utensil? ...do nothing, ask another student, share a book, complete a think sheet, get a pencil from a donation bin?
- Getting Out of Seat Routine - Are students allowed to get up whenever or have you set expectations for when it is appropriate to throw away trash? Do students need to ask for permission? Should they ask for permission?
- Turning in Work Routine - Do all students leave their seats to put work in a tray? Do you use row leaders, have a student assigned to the job of collecting?
- Distribution & Collection of Materials - Do students get dismissed by section/row and have a traffic pattern established? Do students get up and walk the long way around taking precious instructional time with them? Do you get all the supplies back and neatly put away?
- Helping Students Maintain Organization - Do you expect they write down their homework or objective somewhere? Where do they put notes?
- Shared Reading - Do you use Control the Game? (pg 72 of TLaC)
- Correcting Teacher Errors/Other Student Errors - How are you creating a culture of error?
- What to do if they Finish Early - Do students sit and talk? Do you have extension activities planned? What is acceptable to you?
- How to Mark up Text - Do students highlight everything? How do you teach them to identify the important?
- Habits of Discussion - How are students to engage with one another to enhance the learning of all students in both large/small group and paired discussions? Have you explicitly taught ground rules for when someone is talking (Track the speaker, using follow on and follow on prompting, or sentence starters). What do you expect to hear when listening in on group conversations?
The whole goal of teaching routines and procedures is to remove the excuses so that readiness to learn is expected, learning time is maximized and preserved for all students, and supplies and materials are well managed so that we continue to have them available for student use. Tight transitions between learning activities are evidence of excellence.
Thank you for all you do. Our staff is an amazing staff. You are appreciated!
Upcoming Events
- Picture Retakes for Staff & Students – Friday, 9/21
- College Go Week - Dress up days 9/24 through 9/28 - See Laura Tice's email for deets.
- School Board of Trustees Mtg - Monday, 10/8, @ 6:30 PM at South Elementary cafe
- Band Concert - Tuesday, 10/9, @ 7 PM in the MS gym
- Quarter 1 IC Window Opens to begin Posting Grades - Wednesday, 10/10
- End of Quarter 1 - Friday, 10/12
- Quarter 1 Grades Due for Posting - Monday, 10/22 @ 3PM
- Fall Break (No School) - 10/15 - 10/19
- Parent-Teacher Conferences - (2 Evenings) 11/1 & 11/8, 4:30 - 8 PM
Teach Like a Champion Quick View & Growth Guide
Each technique has a quick, easy to understand explanation by it in the table. More importantly, there is a growth guide to help you reflect on your own practice. Use of the TLaC strategies is simply good teaching!
Upcoming Meetings
- PLC – Wednesday, 9/19, in The Bat Cave @7:25 AM
- MS BST Mtg - Monday, 9/24, @ 3:30 PM in the Admin Conference room
- Department Mtg – Tuesday, 9/25, @7:25 AM in locations TBD by Department Heads
- PLC – Wednesday, 9/26, in The Bat Cave @7:25 AM
- PLC - Wednesday, 10/3, in The Bat Cave @7:25 AM
- Faculty Mtg - Tuesday, 10/9, in The Bat Cave @7:25 AM
- PLC - Wednesday, 10/10, in The Bat Cave @7:25 AM
- Department Mtg - Tuesday, 10/23, @7:25 AM in locations TBD by Department Heads
- PLC - Wednesday, 10/24, in The Bat Cave @7:25 AM
- NO PLC on 10/31 to allow for Parent-Teacher Conference Preparation
When You Need a Substitute
Marsha Webster: (317) 607-3000
Dave Rector: (317) 443-6308
Tisha Lucas (317) 644-9543
- CALLING IN SICK: If the absence is determined the night before the school day, please have sub plans in your “DCMS Sub Folder.” Your subfolder should be located on top of your desk. It should easily be identified or found if needed. Provide Mrs. Lucas with the location of you sub-folder.
PREARRANGED ABSENCE: If your absence(s) is prearranged or is a professional leave absence, please have sub plans in your “DCMS Sub Folder.” All sub plans should be completed and your sub folder should be left with Mrs. Lucas before leaving the day prior to your prearranged absence.
It is not appropriate to contact the district substitute coordinator directly. Thank you!
Regarding...
- Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming. Reminder! This year each Core teacher will schedule his or her individual parent-teacher conference time slots to ensure all parents get an opportunity to meet with a teacher. For one or two really tough kiddos, it is appropriate for more than one teacher to participate when meeting with parents; however, the norm should be one teacher with a parent/parents. Related arts teachers will make positive calls again this year for students who are making all A's and B's and whose parents do not schedule a conference. Plan time for covering student progress, student strengths/growth areas, ways to improve, resources available, and share the ILEARN parent infographic. Infographic found here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rgYteKtBpN06MG4EBB9ln0ALh-iJKssP/view?usp=sharing. The big key is for parents to sense that you know and care about their child. The Book Fair will run from PT conference night to PT conference night. Please mention this to parents also. If any teachers have any parent meeting between now and conference time, feel free to count that as your parent/teacher conference. Please just document the meeting. If you want Heather, Laura, Dave, or Marsha to attend any of your conferences, then let us know. Marsha will provide dinner for the Teachers on 11/1 and 11/8. Please bring your own drinks.
- PT Conference Scheduling - We will use signup.com again. More information will be coming with expectations for scheduling your conferences.
- Cell Phone Violations Procedures are found here at the following link. Please familiarize yourself with the process. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yo87qFzgaYYG4L5Tw6LKFdpQ7d_OHymU4UId1rL2qlI/edit?usp=sharing
- Friday School / Detention Supervisor Sign-Up – Please sign up to supervise a Friday School or Detention for the good of the school culture using the links below. Detentions will now be on Thursday AM and Thursday PM.
Detention - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xz-cAK_wEAroQymY6EMxUSFs8afMLCGJ0g0UpOcnbHY/edit?usp=sharing
Friday School - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AZ7wto6mePwKuZMiJKTMSHRL7as4EjSdTHnyIUvj91s/edit?usp=sharing
About Us: Mission & Collective Commitments
We are a collaborative group of educators committed to ensuring high student achievement.
We commit to…
- Focusing on student proficiency of Indiana College & Career Readiness standards, not just coverage of material.
- Working collaboratively to benefit all students with a focus on results.
- Join forces to learn by doing on a daily basis.
- Using frequent common assessments that inform and drive our instruction.
- Providing intervention and enrichment based upon the formative data.
- Furthering a culture that uses value-added language, encourages one another, and celebrates successes.
Email: mwebster@danville.k12.in.us
Website: https://www.danville.k12.in.us/Domain/9
Location: 1425 West Lincoln Street, Danville, IN, USA
Phone: 3177455491
Facebook: facebook.com/DCMSWarriors
Twitter: @DCMS_Warriors