RNNE Team and Family Launcher
Goal-oriented and Intentional.Intervention.Authentic Team.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." - African Proverb
Let's continue to strive for success, achievement and building a lasting legacy for our students as an authentic team as we enter into week 8.
As we close out week 7 and enter into week 8, think back to all of the great progress and wonderful things you've accomplished in your classroom this year so far! Don't forget to take time to step back and recognize your progress! That's the power of your work. That's the power of an authentic team.
Remember "Great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a team of people." - Steve Jobs
Love you all always,
Christa
Focus Areas: Academic
Circulate during Independent Practice - "Targeted Teaching Time"
-Now that we are entering the 2nd month of school, it is important that we begin to close the feedback loop for students by identifying their errors in their independent work during our time with them so that we can work to rectify their misconception as soon as possible. Practice does not always equals success. PERFECT practice = success. Circulating ensures that our students aren't practicing the wrong way without having some level of teacher intervention.
In order to do this, for the next two weeks, we are going to focus on strategically circulating to check student work anytime they are working independently. This will be our school-wide focus for the next two weeks (9/25). Our school-wide goal is for every teacher to be at a 3+ on the Targeted Teaching Time row of the RSED Intellectual Prep Rubric by 9/25.
There are several strategies that can be used, but one way that is efficient and allows you to maximize your time in the right way, is by employing the "dot around" method.
This can be found on pages 185-186 of your Teach Like A Champion books.
1. You assign students independent work (do now, stop and jots/response to questions during guided notes, You Do).
2. As they are working, you circulate to each student to observe their work based on the targeted questions you're looking to observe. Use this chart (or one that works best for you to record information you receive as you circulate) to note student mastery levels. We have ordered this clipboard for each teacher to carry as you are circulating during this time. It has a compartment to hold pens, markers, stickers, etc. to reinforce student work. Clipboards will arrive next week. The Support Staff member assigned to your grade level will deliver them to your classroom.
3. While observing them, if you notice an error, just simply place a dot on their paper/next to the question item.
4. After you have finished circulating, make an announcement to the class similarly to this: "If you have a dot on your paper, this means that you need to go back and restate the question in your answer." "If you have a dot on your paper, this means that you need to go back and explain how you arrived at your answer."
To help build your muscle with becoming strong in strategic circulation and identifying student errors, I have created a chart here with a quick example of what error analysis and correction could look like. Keep this/something like this with you while you're circulating so that you can refer back to how to respond and help a student with their error.
*You will need to preempt students for this by telling them in a similar fashion "I will be walking around while you are working independently to check your work so that I can see just how much your brain is growing! If I place a dot on your paper, continue to work until I tell you what to fix so that your brain can grow even more! I'll do this by making an announcement to the class."
There are many different ways to employ the "dot around" strategy. Check out the link above and here for other ideas on how to make this unique in your classroom space.
Your coach will be following up with specific ways to further your development using these tools throughout the next two weeks.
Focus Areas: Cultural
Student Joy and Engagement
Student Response to Correction
Student Tracking (teacher and peer)
Our school-wide goal is for 100% of teachers to be at a 3+ on each rubric row for the three areas as outlined on the RSED Student Culture Rubric by 9/25.
Student Joy and Engagement
3:
1.Most students seem to be joyful and excited to be in school
2. 80-90% of students are engaged in classroom activities
3. Older students internalize and model behavioral expectations with minimal teachers supervision
4. 90% of students exhibit professional posture
- bring in humor/jokes into class
- class chants: check out this Book of Joy of many different class chants/songs to use. Cameron has a student lead "I Know I Can" for the class to get hyped for the day!
- nicknames for students
- dancing: in class with UNF yesterday, Claudisha did a little dance each time a student figured out the correct answer when she was circulating in class yesterday! I also used to give a quick 2 minute dance break to students if we hit a certain level of mastery during class.
Student Response to Correction
3:
1.Fairly quick
2.Silent
3.Teacher correction is nonverbal (tap on the desk, hand signal, etc)
4. Neutral/ Respectful
5. Behavior does not reoccur within the same period
Student Tracking
3:
1.100% tracking of teachers
2.80% tracking of peers
Universal Breakfast
Until we receive from Rev Foods the trays that are packaged with every food item in them like we had at the beginning of the year, you may continue to use student helpers to assist with passing out breakfast. We know that passing multiple items for up to 33 students can be a large time suck for you.
However, once we receive the pre-packaged trays, we will have to stop using student breakfast helpers per the new universal breakfast regulations.
Tennessee State Board of Education - Charter Appeal
On September 30th at 1:00pm, there will be a public hearing to appeal to the state. Both RNNE and RUA are planning to charter busses to transport parents/families to show support at the hearing. They could possibly have the chance to provide a statement of support for the new school, but it is not required that they do so. Our goal is to rally as many families as possible to show support on this day.
Final logistical details will be provided to me by Shaka by early next week, but I wanted to give you all a heads up about this. I'll send out details and flyers from the regional team will go home to families next week as well. You'll also have the information that you need to share with families during Parent/Teacher Conferences next week.
We will provide parents/families with 6 Parent/Family Partnership Hours for participating on this day.
Thursday PD OFF
Attendance Submission Deadline
Parent Teacher Conference Schedule
The sooner you have the information in this doc available, the sooner Mrs. Rogers and Ms. Vega are able to assist with scheduling conferences as they are in contact with families throughout the day. Having access to your schedule will allow to know which days/times you are available.
The deadline to have all of your conferences completed is by EOD Wednesday, September 23, 2015.
If there is a conference that you would like a school leader to join, please don't hesitate to reach out your grade level manager, your instructional coach or me to schedule times.
Here is the sample conference agenda that Adam mentioned during his session yesterday. I have forwarded the report cards for this year to you as well.
Humanities Resources: Leveled Texts
Check out the following resources to pull leveled texts for students:
Reading A-Z (we purchased an account for each grade level); for passages, search for "comprehension packs".
Read Works - reading passages with questions
Engage NY Common Core Passages (3rd and 4th)
PARCC (closely aligned to what TN Ready will look like) (3rd and 4th)
DePaul Center for Urban Education (2nd-4th)
Visit the Guided Reading Room upstairs - room 206 - for actual books that you can provide students to have in hand that are leveled by STEP already!
Math Night
Encourage parents/families to come out to learn about the structure of math this year for their Rocketeer as well as ways to support them.
Family Partnership Hours will be given for attendance to this event.
RNNE Network Walkthrough
Weekly Inspiration: Football Season is Here!
Mrs. Johnson - the Falcons v. Saints Hype Video is for you... :) and YES, I named the Falcons first! I just can't with the Saints. Just no.
Katelynn - Russell Wilson has turned me into a Seahawks fan. I'm still a hardcore Falcons fan, but I now get hyped about the Seahawks because of Russell Wilson. #sohandsome