RANGER STAFF NEWS
September 7, 2015
MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL HOLMES
Happy Labor Day! I hope everyone is enjoying this day and are able to spend time with family and friends.
In the coming weeks you will begin collaborating with your campus committee teams. Campus committees are a vital function to the success of any campus. The committee groups set the stage for students' achievement beyond the classroom.
One of the first steps you will take in your committee groups is to determine your purpose and goal for the group. Key questions to think about are: 1) What would you like to see our school become as a result of your committee? and 2) What would you like to achieve this school year? From that you can begin truly building your actions and activities.
I am grateful for all of your positive efforts and commitment to students' success. I recognize that change is difficult, but I try to think of it in terms of Frederick Douglas's words..." without struggle (or even change) there is no progress". As educators, we should be reflective in our practice and able to adapt to change. Our change focus is to adapt our individual and combined experiences for students' success. Students' success is measured in different ways and the actions that we may have done in the past may not lend itself to the achievements of today/tomorrow.
In our Leadership Launch we were asked the question: 'Why do you do what you do? What is your why?' I believe our why is all about what is in the best interests of our students. Why we change is for our future not our past.; our students are our future.
Fundamental Five-Framing the Lesson and SIOP
In the last issue of The Ranger Staff News the instructional focus was The Fundamental Five. The first component focuses on Framing the Lesson for instruction. Not only is the objective written, but should be stated at the start of the lesson and restated throughout the lesson.
As you create your objectives this week, reflect on your expectations for what and how students will learn and how you want to see the evidence of what/how they are learning.
Words to be mindful of when creating your objectives:
'learn' as in We will learn to read (obj 1)
'use' as in I will use a book to read (obj 2)
Please know that it is not wrong to use these words (learn/use) in writing objectives. The point is to bring clarity/refinement to your expectation when including these words.
(obj1) How do you know a student has learned to read? Was there a particular strategy that you taught and the student practiced in order to read?
(0bj 2) How do you want the student to use a book? What do you want him/her to read?
You may see these terms in PCG or even in the TEKS. However, it is important to know that the function of PCG and TEKS is to act as a Curriculum guide. The instruction is teacher planned and led. Therefore, please exercise care in copying TEKS or activities from PCG/TEKS. Classroom objectives are a direct reflection of the instructional expectation that is or will take place.
Remember the triangle of education is Curriculum--Instruction--Assessment. Curriculum (what we teach), instruction (how we teach), and assessment (how we know students are learning). All work together for students' academic growth and development.
Sheltered Instruction Defined
Content Objective Defined
We will...to start Content Objective
Learning Walks
Learning Walks are an opportunity for administrators, campus specialists, colleagues, and district personnel to gain perspective of what we are doing well and areas that we need additional assistance.
This year we have specific areas of focus based on district initiatives. The focus does not take away from your talents and/or achievements, but provides direction for planning professional developments and snapshots of how we are progressing with increased expectations of state standards in all grade levels.
This week our Learning Walk will continue to focus on objectives and lesson plans. Therefore, it is imperative that your objectives are clearly written, student friendly, and follows the SIOP (language/content objectives for bilingual/ESL classrooms and The Fundamental Five...all classrooms).
The Learning Walks at this time are not evaluatory in nature, but a means for us to gain perspective of how we are doing in relation to increasing expectations/standards. The perspectives we are gaining will set the stage for our Professional Learning Communities. I would encourage you to take all feedback as constructive not only for you, but for the success of your (our) students. Ultimately, everything connects to the students...students are WHY we do what we do each day.
COMING EVENTS
8 Principal's Social 8:30 AM in the cafeteria (parent meeting)
9 Grade Level Team Picture Day
11 T-TESS Self-Assessment/Goal-Setting due to Holmes by 5:30 PM
14 2nd and 3rd Grade FRED Logs due to Riley
Fall Picture Day (schedule will be sent out this week)
16 Title I and Open House Rescheduled to this date