Weekly Coaching Communication
26-30 October 2015
On the Standards Front . . .
PEAKS:
- Growth Mindsets -- Teachers are able to use ongoing formative assessments as a way to guide classroom instruction and evaluate if what they are teaching is really meeting the needs of the students. Students are not penalized for not knowing. Both teachers and students can embrace risk-taking as part of the learning process.
- Quality Curriculum and Assessments -- Work realizes that the unwrapping of standards to assure that his teaching is aligned with the assessments requires a lot of work; however, he feels more involved with his own curriculum.
- Clear Communication -- Parents and students have a better understanding with where the student excels and needs more practice and instruction. No longer does behavior or weighted percentages obscure a student's knowledge and or performance.
PITS:
- Teaching Responsibility -- Just as we contemplate this "pit" of SBG, Work tells his parents, "that we are trying to encourage students to value persistence and appreciate effort in order to reach higher levels of achievement, which will benefit them into adulthood."
- More Time? -- Work acknowledges that SBG definitely requires more time in and out of the classroom for teachers; however, he tries to utilize as much class time as possible for students to reassess and others to stretch their learning. At least we have STORM lunch.
- Remaking the Wheel -- Work acknowledges, that some of the resources handed down to him or he previously created "were very well designed but did not effectively offer the opportunity for students to demonstrate proficiency of content standards. I believe that after this year, I will be able to reflect on and fine tune my new assessments without having to redesign entire curriculum units."
I'm sure as you skim through this posting, you are recognizing the same "pits" with SBG, and even perhaps at a different level of intensity than Work offered. However, I encourage you to look more closely at the "peaks" SBG offers. We are doing some really difficult work with curriculum and assessments, but like Work, I hope you feel more involved in your curriculum than you have ever been and are seeing the connections of your teaching with the outcomes for student learning.
Quick Clicks
Tools (to Use or Peruse)
Usually I offer a technology tool here, but since I used my "Suggested Reading" column to offer a TED Talk video, I'm going to slide the article "Five Strategies for Questioning with Intention" and call it a questioning tool.
The article showcases the kinds of questions to get students thinking deeply and critically and provides the purpose behind asking with intention.
Suggested Viewing
Career analyst Dan Pink examines the science of human motivation, particularly the dynamics of extrinsic motivators and intrinsic motivators. The solution, if it exists at all, is surprising and not obvious.
Trending Tweet
3 Questions to Help You Become a More Effective Teacher http://buff.ly/1k8EYxA
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Quote of the Week
As you look to close this first term and move to the next, please feel free to contact me to help in the planning or implementation of your standards, units, chapters, activities, etc. The opportunity to reflect is afforded to all of us, but sometimes, the walls are not good listeners or may not ask the right questions. I want to help you find and develop new understandings of your work and to put those new understandings into action.
COACHING SCHEDULE -- SEE GOOGLE CALENDAR FOR SPECIFIC "BUSY" TIMES **SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE**
Monday, 26 October
Serve Teachers & Students
Classroom Observations
Research & Resources
Tuesday, 27 October
Serve Teachers & Students
Classroom Observations
Research & Resources
Meeting w/ Erikka Vosmek 2:00-3:00 PM
Mentor Meeting 3:30 @ Primary Building
Wednesday, 28 October -- 1st TERM FINALS
Morning Staff Meeting 7:45 -- All Staff
Serve Teachers & Students
Classroom Observations
Research & Resources
Thursday, 29 October -- 1st TERM FINALS
Serve Teachers & Students
Classroom Observations
Research & Resources
Friday, 30 October -- 1st TERM FINALS (end of 1st Term)
IC/Principal Meeting 7:30 AM -- Libolt & Popenhagen
Serve Teachers & Students
Classroom Observations
IC Team Meeting 11:30 AM -- Primary Building
About Me . . .
Email: epopenhagen@cpuschools.org
Location: 145 Iowa Street, Center Point, IA, United States
Phone: (319)849-1102 (9)1015
Twitter: @Epopenhagen