The Weekly Update #4
October 27th, 2023
October 30, 2023
Events and Opportunities This Week
Red Ribbon Week Continues Monday and Tuesday
We continue our Red Ribbon Week on Monday and Tuesday with "Back to the Future - Dress in the Decade of Your Choice" and "Say 'BOO!' to Drugs - Wear a Simple Costume, no Face Masks" themes.
Morning Duty Schedule
Below is the schedule for morning duty. You will notice that each person has duty on the same day each week, and in the same location each time. Please be at your duty location at 7:45 and monitor students until they are released to classrooms.
Students Out of Classes This Week
Tuesday our band will depart for San Antonio. They compete on Wednesday in the UIL State Marching Contest at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Friday our Cross Country runners head to their UIL State competition.
You should see their attendance already coded in Skyward as attendance forms have been submitted to the attendance office.
Best of luck to our students, directors and coaches!
Hall Passes
We are seeing too many students in the halls during class time. Any class should have only one student out at any time and students must leave their phones in the classroom, preferably on the teacher's desk. Please remember that the first 15 minutes and the last 15 minutes of each class should are "No Pass" times. This should help us take more accurate attendance and allow you ample time to close your lessons with all students present.
Try your best to monitor the amount of time students are out with a pass and if it is excessive, hold students accountable. Perhaps they owe you time after school.
You will be receiving a new hall pass courtesy of Mr. Erik DelBosque. This is a durable plastic pass on a lanyard. Thank you Mr. DelBosque!
The Days are Flying By Us
We are a very short 15 days away from our Thanksgiving break. Coming back from Thanksgiving, we will have a short 18 and a half days until the end of first semester. How will you capitalize on time and make the most of every class period until these break begins?
How are you tracking progress with your students? Do you know which students are your re-testers who will take their EOC exams in December? Even if you do not teach an EOC course, you should know your re-testers. Touch base with them, ask how you can help them and encourage them.
Walkthroughs This Week
Our Fundamental 5 focus will be on Writing Critically. Our TTESS focus will be on differentiation.
In our study of "The Fundamental 5" we learned that Writing Critically increases both the amount of material that can be recalled by the learner and the speed at which it can be recalled. To gain knowledge we must construct it in our minds Writing what we are trying to internalize helps us achieve that purpose.
Writing critically becomes a formative assessment that help the learner to identify gaps/questions and help the teacher assess student learning and make purposeful adjustments. The critical writing piece can be an excellent closing product for the lesson frame.
Basically, quick and messy is not only OK, it is powerful.
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The TTESS Instruction dimension 2.4-Differentiation: This dimension focuses on how the teacher differentiates instruction, aligning methods and techniques for diverse student needs. How do you as the teacher monitor the quality of student participation and performance? How do you adapt the lesson with a wide variety of instructional strategies to address individual needs of all students?
Please remember to read your walkthrough feedback. Reading this and acting on the suggestion provided fuels improved teaching and learning.