Sipley School Weekly Howl
Week of December 3, 2018
High Expectations by Christine Rubie Davies
High expectations teachers hold the whole class accountable; they do not only hold high expectations of the 'extension' or 'accelerate' learners. These views are expressed both explicitly and implicitly through all areas of teaching.
This could be through their teaching statements, feedback, questioning/responding, behavior management and learning content. It's estimated that a full quarter of teachers can be identified as high expectation teachers, while between 1/6 and 1/8 of teachers hold low expectations of their learners.
When you care so much about the growth of students, you don't allow them to settle for anything, but their very best.
Four Types of Engagement
A Glimpse into Agentic Engagement from D68's Ryan Gustis
High Expectations and High Engagement Are Evident in the "Seven P's of Press"
- Preparedness - Visible when students are on time, they have materials, their basic needs are met, they have eyes on the speaker, they know the routines, they appear attentive (SLANT), they have the pre-requisite skills needed for their current work.
- Participation - Students are able to contribute to learning dialogue at all times (Cold-Call & No-Opt-Out), it is a safe place for learning, they engage properly in cooperative learning, etc.
- Proficiency - Learning outcomes are made visible to students so that they know what they are working toward. Success criteria provide clarity from which progress is monitored and feedback is offered to students while they set learning goals as they move forward.
- Ponder/Processing - Students think deeply about their learning. Think of the athlete sweating due to physical activity. The brain of the student needs to sweat as it works hard to think and reflect while we relentlessly push students in their thinking.
- Persistence - Students persist when they work through struggle. The level of "stick-with-itness" is high. This requires the teacher to push students through struggle because they care. Academic push and care for the individual go hand in hand.
- Progress - As a learner, one is never content. The learner is interested in achieving their next goal.
- Positivity - We gain this in a child by carefully phrasing our feedback to move learning forward. This is achieved through our relationship with the individual child.
All Means All
Kagan Seating - EVERY Classroom Needs to Have Seating Arranged after Winter Break
The proper seating arrangement consists of the following:
- A High Performing students and a High Average/Medium student are shoulder partners
- A Low Average/Medium student and a Low performing student are shoulder partners
- The High Performing student and the Low Average student are face partners
- The High Average and Low students are face partners
The December i-Ready Growth Monitoring Window is Next Week - Watch This Prior to Testing
Important Dates
December 5 - 2nd Grade Field Trip to Science Tech
December 6 - New Teacher Training - PDC - Category A
December 8 - Staff Party
December 10 - ALL Staff Monday Meeting
December 17 - Certified Staff Meeting
December 21 - Classroom Winter Parties - 1:30 - 2:30
December 24 - January 4 - No School - Winter Break