The Roundup
A gathering space for educators
January 2019
In the Instructional Services department at Van Buren Intermediate School District, supporting teachers and administrators with instruction is the heart of our work. It is our hope that this monthly newsletter will help capture upcoming events and important information to support your work in your districts, schools, and classrooms.
January is a month where we have the opportunity to recenter and refocus ourselves for a new year. In this same month, we have the opportunity to honor and reflect on one of the greatest civil rights leaders, Martin Luther King, Jr. It was Dr. King who taught our nation to believe in all people, regardless of the color of their skin. Public education is rooted in this belief and has broadened this to promise access to quality education for all students, independent of socioeconomic status, trauma, disabilities, race, ethnicity, or religion. In order to support teachers and administrators in this work, our instructional services department is striving to improve it’s offerings and consultation and coaching services. Our recentering and refocusing for this year will be around this important endeavor.
MTSS Connections
For Cohort A, “Day 3” MTSS leadership teams will learn how simple it can be to create assessments using their current resources and assessments. It is imperative that we find natural places for this work to fit in. The easier it is to do the work, the more likely it is to be implemented!
The Day 3 professional learning also includes a stronger focus on behavior. There are two types of misbehaviors that students can exhibit and it is important to know the difference! These are ACADEMIC misbehaviors as well as SOCIAL misbehaviors.
What is the difference??
Academic Misbehaviors:
Not paying attention
Not completing assignments
Missing class
Poor study habits
Poor attendance
Social Misbehaviors:
Acting out
Using inappropriate language
Engaging in physical confrontations.
For those students who are exhibiting ACADEMIC misbehaviors, educators might consider the following:
Time Management Teach students time management including: planning, allocating time for tasks, setting goals, monitoring, organizing, scheduling and prioritizing.
Organization Students are more successful when their desks, paper assignments, and binders are carefully organized.
Note Taking Students are more successful when they understand HOW to take notes, both in terms of determining what to note and how to structure notes.
Goal Setting Students are more successful when they can set long-term goals and understand how to set short-term goals that will lead to achieving long term goals.
Self-Motivation Students are more successful when they are consistently and highly engaged--that is, when they are intrinsically motivated. Intrinsic motivation does not come from grades, but rather form the pleasure of working on a task or the sense of satisfaction in completing it.
Simplifying Response to Intervention: The Four Guiding Principles (Mattos, Buffum, Weber) 2012
MTSS Facilitator for VBISD
Cheryl-Marie A. Manson - cmanson@vbisd.org 269-330-2668
Reading
Celebrating Diversity
Essential Instructional Practice #8 highlights our work as we move into 2019. As we explore and understand more about model classroom libraries we want to ensure our text selections are "windows and mirrors" and represent not only the students in our classrooms, but also students across the world. Research states that when we give this type of access in our classrooms it is a significantly positive predictor of grade comprehension scores (Hoffman, et. al, 2004). Learn more about the research and practice in this video.
The Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature just released their Best Books of 2018 list! This website can give you more ideas on how to expand your libraries and ensure that students have access to books that continues to deepen their engagement with culturally rich text.
Here is another great list of 50 Multicultural books all children should read!
Redwood Elementary Celebrations
Photo 1: Students at Redwood Elementary proudly display their books!
Photo 2: This student is enjoying her book in a cozy reading corner.
Thank you to Literacy Coach, Susan McLemore for sharing these photos with us!
Resources
- Essential #1: Deliberate, research-informed efforts to foster literacy motivation and engagement within and across lessons.
- Essential #8: Abundant reading material and reading opportunities in the classroom.
Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids
The Book Whisperer
Every Child a Super Reader
Literacy Learning Opportunities
Responsive Teaching Institute
The 2018-19 institute focuses in on applying culturally relevant pedagogy across content areas. Participants will also examine how the integration of content areas can further engage students in the learning.
When: January 17, March 14, and May 2
Where: Eastern Michigan University
Cost: $35 for out of Washtenaw County
The Reading Now Network is proud to welcome Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp for our Third Annual Reading Now Network Symposium. We will spend the day exploring ways to foster literacy motivation and engagement in classrooms, schools and communities.
When: March 5, 2019
Where: Western Michigan University
Cost: $75 --Breakfast, lunch, SCECHs and the book Game Changer is included in the registration fee. See below for more details.
VBISD's Early Literacy Coach/Consultants
Geanice Miller - gmiller@vbisd.org 269-271-9813
Melissa Wierenga - mwierenga@vbisd.org 269-599-7259
Math
GELN's Pre-K to 3rd grade "Math Essentials" (currently in draft)
The Early Math Task Force (EMTF) has been hard at work since the Fall of 2016 preparing for the release of an evidence-based mathematics instructional practice document. The intent of the document is not to define "when" or "what" content should be taught, but which instructional strategies yield greater student achievement in mathematical reasoning and understanding.
The document will serve as a tool for building shared understanding and expertise among Michigan's mathematics consultants, PK-3 teachers, and to support the work of coaches and administrators.
The EMTF membership has included: MASA, MDE, MAC, MACUL, MEMSPA, MAISA MLT, MSU, MSCN, MI AMT, U of M, ECAN, and MCTM. (sorry for all the acronyms!)
The group is currently gathering external feedback and working through a structured review process in order to appropriately incorporate any final changes.
Keep an eye out this Spring for another update! Hopefully we'll be sending out a final version of the document :-)
Curriculum Coordinator
Ben Tomlinson - btomlinson@vbisd.org 269-330-1347
Science
NGSx Training (Last Call)
Monday, Jan 28, 2019
Tuesday, Jan 29, 2019
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2019
Monday, Feb 11, 2019
Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019
Please reach out if you have any questions...
Curriculum Coordinator
Ben Tomlinson - btomlinson@vbisd.org 269-330-1347
Technology
Tool for Formative Assessments and Behavior Monitoring
There are other tools that ClassDojo has layered on to their platform, like: family messaging, photo sharing, and other communication enhancements. However, we know that the use of Formative Assessment is one of the leading factors in improving student success rates.
For full details on the tool, visit... www.classdojo.com
Be Mindful:
Although ClassDojo can be set up and "live" in about the same time it takes to make a cup of coffee... That doesn't mean that it should be :-) Like everything we do, it takes time to think through the implications this might have in your classroom. Ask around to see how other teachers have used ClassDojo to serve their needs. You can always reach out to someone with an instructional background to support your thinking.
Here is an example of someone who did some thinking around ClassDojo.
Curriculum Coordinator
Ben Tomlinson - btomlinson@vbisd.org 269-330-1347
Social Studies
PD Opportunities
Echoes & Reflections Holocaust Curriculum for Social Studies Teachers
Echoes & Reflections is dedicated to reshaping the way that teachers and students understand, process, and navigate the world through the events of the Holocaust. The Holocaust is more than a historical event; it’s part of the larger human story. Educating students about its significance is a great responsibility. We partner with educators to help them introduce students to the complex themes of the Holocaust and to understand its lasting effect on the world.
When: March 11, 2019
Where: Kalamazoo
Cost: FREE
More details can be found on this Flyer.
Social Studies Standards
As we patiently await the results from the Social Studies Taskforce, there are always things we can focus on to improve our instruction in Social Studies. Below is a link to the "College, Career, anc Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards" as well as an excerpt from the Introduction.
Behavior
Welcome back from break!
1) Use 5-7 minutes of circle or calendar time to review behavior expectations in your classroom.
2) Remind cafeteria staff to reinforce and remind students of cafeteria behaviors as students move through lunch lines.
3) Prompt teachers to step out into hallways, greet students and acknowledge them for demonstrating positive hallway expectations.
4) Use related arts teachers, instructional aides or behavior support specialists to pull tier 2 and tier 3 students and reteach common area lesson plans the first few weeks back from break.
5) Review one lesson plan each day during homeroom or flex periods.
6) Remind students and staff of common area expectations during morning announcements or by email to student accounts.
Whatever way you choose to revisit school-wide positive behavior expectations, remember pre-teaching and pre-correcting are successful interventions for students across multiple tiers. If we don't explicitly teach behavior expectations we cannot expect compliance.
Welcome back!
PBIS Bathroom Lesson Plan
PBIS Schoolwide Matrix
PBIS Teaching Schdule
Tier 3 Behavior Resource
Upcoming Trainings: Behavior
Initial CPI Training
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2019, 08:30 AM
Van Buren Intermediate School District - Conference Center, South Paw Paw Street, Lawrence, MI, USA
CPI Re-Certification
Friday, Jan 25, 2019, 08:30 AM
Van Buren Intermediate School District - Conference Center, South Paw Paw Street, Lawrence, MI, USA
FBA/PBSP: Making the Forms Work for You!
Click here for more information and/or to register for this event.
Wednesday, Feb 27, 2019, 08:15 AM
Van Buren Intermediate School District - Conference Center, South Paw Paw Street, Lawrence, MI, USA
VBISD Instructional Services Department
Email: btomlinson@vbisd.org
Website: vbisd.org
Location: 490 South Paw Paw Street, Lawrence, MI, USA
Phone: 269-674-8091
Facebook: facebook.com/VBISDinstruction/
Twitter: @VBISDIS