February ELA Update

It's time to start thinking about LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling).

We will offer opportunities for Volume 1, Volume 2, and Early Childhood! This will be the first time we have offered Volume 2, and we are thrilled to provide this opportunity.

Below you will find recommendations to help you plan before our spring informational meeting and sign up opportunity. Details for the informational meeting will be in the March newsletter.

LETRS Coursework Recommendations:

Pre K - LETRS Early Childhood

K, 1st, 2nd - LETRS Early Childhood and Vol. 1

3rd - 12th - LETRS Vol. 1 and Vol. 2

For more details from the creator of LETRS, click here.

We will be partnering with OWP this year to offer writing professional development. All sessions will be held in the Oakridge Elementary Library from 4:30-5:30. Please see below for more details. The information below is also be on the ELA website. Grade bands are recommendations, please attend anything you will find helpful. The mentor text sessions are set up as two parts, please try to attend both if possible. All attendees will receive a stipend for attending.

• February 7th - Using Writing Samples to Meet Proficiency on the OSTP: 3rd - 6th
• March 7th - Sentence and Paragraph Writing: 3rd - 6th

Register Here Please use your MPS email address so that sign up genius emails and reminders will be easier to find. If you need to cancel your registration, you do that from the sign up genius emails.

It's Back! Have you heard the secret? Come find out what all the buzz is about, and learn some great stories to work into your daily phonics instruction. Megan Schmit has all the details and can't wait to share this fun resource with you. All participants will receive the Secret Stories book and poster set of their choice. Unsure what Secret Stories is? Click Here.

When: February 7th 4:30-5:30

Where: Heritage Trails Elementary

Register Here

Join us for a fun and engaging session on how to align your spelling/phonics instruction with the science of reading. We will discuss best practices to take spelling past ABC order and 3X each. Every teacher will leave with strategies they can use the next day as well as some fun, hands on materials!

February 22nd 4:30-5:30

ASC Boardroom

Register Here

This was formerly a 2- part series. We will explain the shift in person on the 22nd. :)

This spring we will begin looking at the most recent update to the ELA standards. There will be multiple training opportunities in March, April and May, as well as throughout next school year. Our standards are the core of what we are teaching and we need to understand our focus!

If you haven't looked at the new standards yet, here is a direct link.

I know this is from last month, but I thought it was worth keeping for another month. It's easy for even veteran teachers to be overwhelmed. It's ok to ask for help, and to sometimes just need to talk things out with a colleague. We are all in the same boat, and we want our boat to sail, not sink.

With all of the resources, technology and materials at your disposal, it is very easy to get overwhelmed. What should you really be focusing on? Let's look!

1. State Standards: The state standards outline what a student should master by the end of the year. There are a set of standards for each subject by grade. ELA Standards are found here.

2. District Provided Curriculum: HMH Into Reading is our district provided curriculum. If you teach with these materials you will cover the necessary teaching standards.

3. Pacing Guides: Pacing Guides and the Editable Weekly Plans by HMH help you to break down your lessons by module and week. These are essential tools to help you plan. These are your road map for the school year. Click here to go directly to the website.

4. Lesson Plans: Lesson plans are your chance to personalize and organize how your day/week will flow. You can plan down to the minute of each day to ensure you are on track for success. These plans are the road map for your day and week. Detailed lesson plans are a crucial tool for effective teaching.

5. Canvas Plans: This can be a duplication of your lesson plans for parents and students. It can also be a valuable tool to each from each day. Think of it as a digital binder with all of your links, lessons, and activities. You can even use the Editable Weekly Plans in your Canvas. Here is a quick video if you need more information.

If you read this newsletter regularly, you know I love the Every Day Reading Blog. She recently shared her latest interactive book log. I think these would make fun challenges. I love the idea of a class challenge, a school challenge, or even a faculty challenge. We have one hanging in the coordinators hallway, and it's been really fun to see what everyone is reading. Also, to be honest, it's been pretty fun to color.

Want an enlarged print? Try engineer prints from Staples, here are some tips.

Congrats to Taylor Woodard and Janet Krause, you have won $25 in teaching materials and supplies from Amazon. Email me for more information.

This month's survey is focused on PD for the 23-24 school year. This is your time to give me and the curriculum team your needs and ideas. Click here for the survey.

Current Podcast: Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell

Email: MichelleBurks@mooreschools.com

Website: https://www.mooreschools.com/Domain/64
Phone: 405-735-4263