Principal Walder's Monday Memo
For the Week of August 26, 2018
"Bubbles and Pretzels" while working on Standards
While in classrooms this first week of school, I heard some great writing from 1st Graders, observed brainstorming from 2nd Graders, and watched organized, independent play from Kindergarteners. All the while, the teachers in these classrooms guided the students on appropriate expectations for the classroom. Throughout the school, teachers were busy redirecting and modeling appropriate behavior expectations in the hallways and the classrooms, but still working on content.
As you work through lesson planning, I encourage you to consider what students need prior to engaging in the content for learning- not just a supplemental curriculum or remedial support, but the routines and procedures that were forgotten over summer. The routines, procedures, and established acceptable behaviors are essential for providing students access to the curriculum. (This is why good teachers will never be replaced by computers, no matter how many algorithms are written for the latest and greatest new learning application.) Below is a progression of four questions that you can ask yourself as you combine skill/ standards alignment and behaviors.
1) What are the skills I need to teach and how do kids master it today?
Think: Standards and curriculum alignment of lessons
2) What kind of behaviors do I need the kids to master in order to get my content?
Think: Behavior Expectations, Understanding applications, routines, and procedures
3) Who do I need to give extra support?
Think: Differentiation for specific students
4) What mastered skill can I link this lesson to?
Think: Scaffolding/ Activating Prior Knowledge
These four questions will help you with not just the "what" of lesson plans, but also the "how" that makes all the difference. The majority of evidence for this part of the Teacher Summative Evaluation comes from your lesson planning process and reflections as a practitioner.
The following aspects of Domain 1: Planning and Preparation can be addressed with the above reflection questions:
1a: Demonstrating knowledge of content and pedagogy
1b: Demonstrating knowledge of students
1c: Setting instructional outcomes
1e: Designing coherent instruction
Here is the link to the Danielson Group Framework if you are new to TASD and South Dakota's Teacher Effectiveness Model. We will be reviewing this after Labor Day as we will start observational pieces in September.
The videos below are of Jill Jackson (her website is linked). She is pretty no-nonsense and talks about lesson planning as well as the importance of educators defining instructional strategies.
Thank you for all you do for our Titan students. This is going to be a great year!
Mrs. Walder's Schedule
Monday:
- 4th Graders begin Announcements
- 10:00- 11:30 Assessment Phone Call with SD DOE
- 1:20- 2:05 1st Grade PLC in Mrs. Westhoff's Room
- 2:10- 2:55 Kindergarten PLC in Mrs. Snell's Room
- 4:15 Admin Meeting at DEC
Tuesday:
- 9:30- 10:15 4th Grade PLC in Mrs. Rhead's Room
- 10:20- 11:05 3rd Grade PLC in Mr. Westhoff's Room
- 3:30- 4:00 Crosswalk Attendants' Meeting with Officer Steinberg (Mr. Bullis is leading this.)
- 3:45- 4:15 Lesson plan Seminar (Using Planbook) in Mrs. Holtz's Room
Wednesday:
- 9:30- 10:00 JK PLC in Mrs. Nelson's Room
- 12:30- 1:15 2nd Grade PLC in Mrs. Walder's Room
- 3:30- 4:00 Lesson plan Seminar in Ms. Maka's Room
Thursday:
- Teacher Meeting 7:30 am to 8:00 am in Ms. Rederth's Room
Friday:
- 7:30- 8:00 Individual Teacher Meeting in Mrs. Walder's Office
Important Shared Docs:
Contact Mrs. Walder
Email: Samantha.Walder@k12.sd.us
Website: https://www.teaschools.k12.sd.us/
Location: Tea, SD, USA
Phone: 6058817381
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeaAreaLegacy/