Monday Memo
Newsletter in Preparation for Data Meeting (9/26/16)
MESSAGE
Have You Placed Your Ego In Your Pocket Yet?
Have you ever been around a colleague that is “always right”?
I have, and in data meetings, this type of individuals is impossible to work with and in some cases can ruin the entire collaborative process.
In my first year as a teacher, we had a colleague who’s data was always better, her strategies were always best practice, and if you even thought of brainstorming an idea for her to try in the classroom, she’s already done that. Let me tell you; working with this colleague was MISERABLE.
This is why we ask that you always place your ego in your pocket. Become vulnerable. Allow your colleagues to give you a new lens to see the same students through.
FEEDBACK
From Data Meeting on the 12th of September
ROOT CAUSES When you look to evaluate this area, I want to look at through this lens: In what are of this past unit’s content did my student struggle with the most? And what can I do to fix it?
ACT FEEDBACK The consensus in the ACT world was that students struggle reading scientific literature and graphs. Our students are struggling with ACT questions based on their low read for learning skills. We believe that targeted SREB instruction will help in this area in the future.
COMMON ASSESSMENTS After looking at big picture struggles for root causes, common assessment dialogue in our data meetings is a comparison. How did my students do compared to yours? Don’t forget, nobody likes the high ego colleague. Use this time to share strategies.
For example: If my student struggled with cell functions and your students struggled with cell structures, INSTANT PD FOR BOTH TEACHERS. Now I can learn how the other taught functions then I share my structures lesson.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
RETHINKING MONDAY SCHEDULING
*Data days will not change, continue to follow pre-existing schedule.
PEER OBSERVATIONS
SREB Teachers This is a reminder that Mrs. Wagner will be emailing the department to notify you when she is using an SREB mini-task or culminating task so that you may schedule your observation on a day that allows you to see the targeted instruction.
ALL SCIENCE TEACHERS Please remember that you have until December to complete peer observations.
BEST PRACTICES
SHARE WHAT YOU SAW One idea is to have teachers share instructional best practices they observe in their peer observation, rather than their classroom practices.
BIO I AND INTRO TEACHERS
PLAN INTENTIONALLY What are you doing to address students that did not score proficient on your last assessment? Better yet, what adjustments have you made to address students that did not pass? We have to plan very INTENTIONALLY. Failure to make changes in this area will equal inability to reach our goal achieving 80% proficient.
*EINSTEIN’S QUOTE: “Doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result is insanity.” MY QUESTION IS WHAT ARE YOU DOING DIFFERENTLY TO REACH MORE STUDENTS THIS YEAR? ARE YOU PERFORMING THE EXACT SAME ACTIVITIES AS LAST YEAR, BUT YOU HAVE DIFFERENT LEARNERS?
VERTICALLY ALIGNED Created a coherent, inch wide and mile deep design of curriculum for deeper understanding.
ELECTIVE SCIENCE TEACHERS (Bio II, Chem., Physical Sci., Environ., Botany, Zoo., Micro., Genetics., etc.)
ACT FOCUSED EXPOSURE Science teachers beyond Biology I are infusing ACT questions into their instruction and assessments. This exposure will help students become familiar science reasoning based questions.
WHAT RESEARCH SAYS Meta-analysis results: There are no quick fix or one-day workshops that show significant gains in ACT scores. The way to improve ACT is to infuse ACT questions and instruction systematically into daily instruction. Significant increases have also been correlated with the level of science a student takes. For example, students that have taken Chemistry and Physical Science scored significantly higher than students who have only taken Physical Science.
Zach Bost, Assistant Principal
Email: zach.bost@gcsd.us
Website: therestlesslearner.blogspot.com
Location: George County High School, Old Highway 63, Lucedale, MS, United States
Phone: (662)418-2181
Twitter: @ZBostEdS