Week 12 Peer Discussion
Collaboration-Reflection-Growth
Cutting Corners with Interactive Notebooks
As you grade the formative assessments in your students' interactive journals, cut off the upper right hand corner. This helps you to see what you have graded, who still needs feedback, and it also helps your students find the next page in their journal. If you implement this strategy, you can say bye-bye to those frustrating skipped pages in the journals!
Tips for Cutting Corners:
- It's important that students NOT write name (or anything important) in the upper right corner.
- *Depending on campus expectations, you might use the left side of the notebook for teacher Information given and the right for what students learned.
- As you circulate around the room and check assigned task (in journal), cut the upper right corner so it's ready for the next task.
Vocabulary Self-Assessment using Interactive Journals
Have students glue three envelopes into their journals. These can be titled, "? Words", "Learning Words", and "I Can Teach Words". At the beginning of each week,, students can sort the newly introduced vocabulary words into envelopes, depending on the level of comfort that they feel about the word. As the week progresses and students have more understanding, the words will be moved.
Throughout the week, engage students in interactive activities so that they can practice the words. For example, if they have words in the "I Can Teach" envelope, they can explain their definitions to peers as the class engages in a Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up.
At the end of the unit, students can move the vocabulary cards into a ziplock bag, which is kept in their desk for future review.
Throughout the week, engage students in interactive activities so that they can practice the words. For example, if they have words in the "I Can Teach" envelope, they can explain their definitions to peers as the class engages in a Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up.
At the end of the unit, students can move the vocabulary cards into a ziplock bag, which is kept in their desk for future review.
Student Engagement Strand
If you have time, use the PPfT Instructional Rubric and reflect on the indicators from the Student Engagement strand as you view this Whole Brain Teaching video. Which indicators are supported and evident? Are there any take aways?
Whole Brain Teaching: Grade 1 Classroom
Assessment and Feedback: Learning from our Mistakes
The video below is a great example of how the teacher uses mistakes to quickly clarify concepts in a whole group setting. On the PPfT rubric, this is an example of a "system" for checking for understanding which guides instruction during the lesson. The video is of a middle school class, however the strategy can be used in elementary as well.
Identify the Function
As you encounter a behavior issue, try to identify the function of the behavior. Is the student wanting peer attention? Your attention? Is the student avoiding work or what they might perceive as a difficult task? Is the student seeking something tangible, such as a kindergartner hitting a classmate because he wants a toy? Or, might the function be sensory related, such as a student who is unable to sit still on the rug?
There is a really helpful training on December 3rd at Baker. #STM.34 Intensive Behavior Strategies for Struggling Students
There is a really helpful training on December 3rd at Baker. #STM.34 Intensive Behavior Strategies for Struggling Students
Amy Bassett-Wells / EEIP Peer Observer
I'm available to meet with teachers who have 4+ years of experience for PPfT observation planning. Also, if you are working on a specific goal and you would like some feedback, let me know! I can video-tape lessons for your own reflection as well.