Curriculum Newsletter K-5
October 2019
Active Engagement
Of course, we want students to be engaged in the lessons we deliver. That is not always an easy task. Even if we develop an amazing high energy lesson with all the bells and whistles, we can’t measure their engagement without proof. We are often satisfied when students seem on-task but we need them to be actively engaged - proof they are taking on the learning.
On-Task is good but not enough to assure students are taking on new ideas and concepts.
Active Engagement requires students to be actively processing information -listening, reading, thinking, making and/or communicating information -speaking, performing, writing. Learning should be visibility because it is evidence of engagement and understanding. It also holds students accountable for their learning. We can then provide feedback and support to students who need it.
Try out one of these active engagement strategies.
Active Engagement at Tecumseh
Creating Common Formative Assessments to Guide Powerful Monthly TBTs
Data should be quick and easy to collect. Your common formative assessments should take students no more than 1 class period to complete. Assessment data is only valuable if (1). you are actually willing and able to collect it and (2). you can act on it promptly.
Create assessments and criteria for success at the same time. This should be done with colleagues that teach the same subject/grade level. Set clear expectations for what is required from students.
Assess ONLY the most essential learning targets. Don’t waste time assessing and grading standards the students are not struggling with.
Ask at least 3 questions for each learning target that you are assessing. It takes at least 3 questions to determine if students have mastered a standard.
Focus on 3 to 4 learning targets a month. Doing so makes remediation after an assessment doable.
Write or find questions that mimick the AIR. This is most aligned to how students are expected to think.
Free professional development workshop: Using INFOhio’s digital text to build preK-5 literacy
INFOhio has partnered with Scholastic, the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio, Stark County Educational Service Center and the Great Start for Great Futures Coalition to offer a day of free professional development for teachers, administrators, curriculum directors, school librarians and other educational staff working with preK-5 students.
Join fellow educators in activities that include exploring best practices, learning more about resources that support Ohio’s Learning Standards, discovering how to use and integrate Scholastic’s resources into the classroom, and preparing to build literacy and engage students with ready-to-implement strategies. Lester Laminack, read-aloud expert and author of more than 17 academic books and seven children’s books, will be the opening keynote speaker.
Sessions are designed for preK-5 literacy educators. Individuals have two opportunities to take part:
- Monday, Oct. 28, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., ESC of Northeast Ohio, Independence; and
- Tuesday, Oct. 29, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Stark County ESC, North Canton.
GRIT: It Matters More Than You Think!
Beth Moore
District Test Coordinator
Email: beth.moore@tecumsehlocal.org
Phone: (937)689-9703