WEEKLY STAFF BULLETIN
January 20-24
WEEKLY STAFF BULLETIN
Good morning,
I hope you had an enjoyable three day weekend. This weeks starts the Pro-Core B testing. On Wednesday a couple of high school students want to meet with the students about Science Fair. They will meet with 5/6 at 10:00 at the elementary cafeteria and 7/8 at 1:45 at the high school cafeteria. Next Monday we will be having the Pep Assembly to celebrate our sports teams and to kick off the Great Kindness Challenge.
Aim High and Dream Big!!
Trish
What's Going This Week
This week is ELA
Monday- NO SCHOOL
Tuesday- Pro- Core Starts
Wednesday- Science Fair Meeting; EH - Focus teams
Thursday-
Friday-
Upcoming
January 27- Pep Rally
January 27- 31- Great Kindness ChallengeJanuary 28- The Escape Room Challenge
January 29- Scheduling Fair
February 6- Parent Teacher Conferences
February 14th- PD Day
February 17- No School
February 21- Energy Guy Presentation
Friendly Reminders
Submit Weekly Team meeting notes.
Articles/pictures/newsletters for Parent Newsletter
Professional Development
PD TIP
TALK MOVES
Teacher Talk Moves are classroom conversations improve students' understanding. This type of talk can address students’ misconceptions and allows them to see the variety of methods to solve problems. Students learn how to think flexibly. The following categories are organized around the purpose or goal of the discourse/talk moves. The categories are one way to organize the thoughts expressed in the research available and the examples are not meant to be a comprehensive list.
Click a category below to see Talk Moves with examples:
Clarifying Student Thinking
Students Listen & Think with Peers
Reasoning
Provide Time to Think
Student Talk
Clarifying Student Thinking
1. Revoicing
“So you’re saying…”
“Are you saying…?
“Let me see if I understand. You are saying...?”
“So first you…”
“So you used...”
2. Prompting students to share or say more
“Can you say more about that?”
“What do you mean when you say…?”
“Can you give us an example?”
“I’m confused. What do you mean when you say…?”
“Can you explain your thinking while we watch you do that?”
Students Listen to & Think with Peers
3. Repeating (teacher asks students to restate someone else’s reasoning)
“Can you repeat what he just said in your own words?”
“What did your partner say?”
“Who can repeat…?”
4. Adding On (prompts students for further participation)
“Would someone like to add something more than this?”
“Did someone think of the problem in a different way?”
“Can anyone say more about this model?”
“ Are there any more strategies that we can use to…?”
5. Explaining what someone else means
“Who can explain what ____ means when she says…?”
“Can someone use the models to explain ____’s strategy?”
“Who thinks they can explain how ____’s solved the problem?”
Reasoning
6. Asking for Evidence and Proof
“Why?”
“Why do you think that...?
“What’s your evidence for...?”
“Why does that make sense?”
“How did you figure that out?”
“What made you think…?”
“Do you think it always works that way?”
“Would we get the same answer if we…?”
“What if we changed the model to show..., would we get the same answer?”
“Would it be better if…?”
7. Students apply their reasoning to another’s reasoning
“Do you agree or disagree, and why?”
“Explain how your answer is the same or different than ___?”
“How do “student A’s” strategies connect to “student B’s” strategies?”
“What do you think of ____”s question?”
“How does what ___ said fit into what ____ said?”
8. Revising
“Has anyone’s thinking changed?”
“Does what ___ just said make you want to consider revising your thinking?”
“Would you like to revise your thinking?”
“Does what we just discover change your thinking?”
“I hear you saying____ but what about____?”
“Will ___’s idea work?”
Provide Time to Think & Refine Thinking
9. Wait Time
“This question is important. Let’s take some time to think about it.”
“Signal when you think you are ready to share.”
“I will wait for everyone to think this through.”
“Let’s give everyone time to work this out before sharing.”
“Does anyone want more time to think about what ___ just said?”
“Let’s pause to think about that.”
10. Partner Talk
“Tell your partner….
“Explain to your partner why you think….”
“Tell your partner how you know____?"
“Work with your partner to….”
“I can see that many people have ideas, let’s begin by sharing with our partners.”
11. Writing or Building
“Make a model that shows….”
“On your white boards, write...”
“Write a sentence that tells...”
Student Talk
Click a category below to see examples:
To Understand
To Build
To Summarize and Support
To Make Connections
To Ask for Justification
To Contribute
To Understand
“What I heard you say was… is that correct?”
“Could you explain…?”
“I don’t understand…”
“I am not clear about…”
“Can you repeat that for me?”
“Can someone help me understand…?”
“Can you give me an example so I can understand?”
“I could not hear you, can you repeat what you said?”
“Can you explain that another way?”
To Build
“I want to add to that idea.”
“Another way to think about ___’s idea is…”
“I would like to build on what____ just said.
“Another strategy is…”
“What you said makes me think…”
To Summarize and Support
“What I heard is…”
“So you are saying….”
“I agree with ___ because…”
“I disagree with ___ because…”
“My strategy is like yours because…”
“I know my answer is correct because…”
To Make Connections
“This reminds me of….”
“This is just like...”
“If you ______ then it is just like____”
To Ask for Justification
“How did you decide to ___________________?”
“Why did you use that strategy?”
“I like what you said about _______ but…”
“How did you ___?”
“I wonder why…?”
To Contribute
“Based on my strategy, I think ___”
“Based on my model, I think ___”
“I think ____ is important because….”
“I noticed you ___”
“My strategy is ____”
“I know a different way.”
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References
Adapted and based on the following:
Michaels, S., O’Connor, C.. Talk Science Primer, TERC 2012
(Supported by the National Science Foundation, grant #0918435A.)
Kazemi, E., Hintz, A. ( 2014) Intentional Talk: How to Structure and Lead Productive Mathematical Discussions. Steinhouse
Chapin, S., O’Connor, C., & Anderson, N. (2009). Classroom Discussions: Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn, Grades K-6 (second edition). Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions Publications.
O’Connell, S., & O’Connor, K., (2007). Introduction to Communication, Grades 3–5. Heinemann
Video showing how a teacher uses Talk Moves in her classroom
THOUGHT STARTERS
- How do talk moves encourage students to make connections with each other?
- Which talk moves do you use in your classroom?
- Which could you add?
- What can you learn from Ms. Simpson about encouraging students to change their minds?
Yearbook Photos
BETTER LEARNING THROUGH STRUCTURED TEACHING DISCUSSION FORM
TLC
Week of 1-20 (No School) to 1-24 W,F- 2:15-2:30
Go over weekly agenda
Set goals for the week
Talk about Winter Break
Discuss ways they have used their strengths and what strengths they can work on
Gratitude, Bravery, Perseverance and/or Honesty journal each day
1-21 (Tuesday)
Honesty worksheet provided. Answer questions.
What 3 things show your honesty?
Why is it important to be an honest person?
Write 3 classroom rules that help everyone to remember to be honest.
What consequences should be in place for not being honest?
If somebody isn’t being honest with you, what can you do?
Make a poster about being honest and truthful. Hang them in the hallway.
1-23 (Thursday)
How Honest Are You?… scenarios given where students look at the positive and negative consequences of actions.
There are three different scenarios for students to complete. Start by hanging up enough of each poster so there are only a couple students per group. Place students into groups and have them travel around to each of the three different scenarios.
After students have visited all three scenarios, have them think of a scenario where dishonesty might be a temptation for you. Have each student complete the graphic organizer provided.
If you have any new students that haven't taken the VIA survey, please find a time this week that they can take it. Here are the survey links:
* Password: FelicityTLC19> *
5th grade URL: https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/classes/Register?classCode=FFMS5
> * 6th grade URL: https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/classes/Register?classCode=FFMS6
> * 7th grade URL: https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/classes/Register?classCode=FFMS7
> * 8th grade URL: https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/classes/Register?classCode=FFMS8
STRENGTH SPOTTING
Please use this form to nominate fellow staff members who do extraordinary things! We will draw from these nominations to raffle gift cards throughout the year. Teachers who submit a strength spotting will also be in a drawing.
This weeks teachers nominated were:
Marie Pollitt- for showing Bravery, Leadership and Teamwork.Marie volunteered to stay after school 5 hours a week to help our student get caught up on missing work/concepts. She asked what I needed for him to do in math as he can earn a HS credit in that course. Thank you Marie!!!
Bridgit Sharp for showing Leadership. Bridget spends much of her personal time doing things so our kids have a reason to want to come to school. She does things that others will not and makes the staff's lives easier. Thank you Bridget! I wouldn't want to be here without you!
Michelle Turner- for showing Creativity. Michelle is always coming up with creative and neat things in her classroom to benefit and interest her students. I admire her creativity and effort!
Shelley Nooe for showing Creativity, Hope, Leadership and Prudence. First of all for creating the opportunity for our grade to provide community service to our school, reading to the Kindergartner's and our Felicity community members with the Garrison Place visit for our students. I am so impressed by Shelley's innovation every day! She thought of giving the residence of Garrison Place care packages using extra supplies in the Cardinal Closet! She also has a positive attitude and looks on the bright side of situations! Thank's Shelley!