Points of Pride
December 8, 2019
Instructional Focus:
3E: Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness
When a lesson is carefully planned, there is not always a need to be flexible in the execution of the planning; however, we have all been in front of the students and had something come up that caused you to change what you had planned. Maybe the students are not with you, or something came up and now student engagement is lacking. Teachers need to be instructionally agile in what they are doing and be able to change course if needed.
Food for thought:
- Do you have enough instructional strategies in your repertoire to be able to change midway through a lesson?
- How comfortable are you in taking advantage of "teachable moments?"
- Are you continually assessing student evidence of learning so that you can tell midway through a lesson if the students are with you or not?
If you would like to read more about this component in the Framework for Teaching manual, check out the following link. This component is summarized on pages 83-85.
Robert
Upcoming Events:
- 12/9: Silver and Gold Day; 1st Grade Herberger Field Trip @ 9:30-2:00; Spelling Bee Practice for participants @ 1:30 in the Project Room; Dress Rehearsal for 2/3 @ 1:40
- 12/10: Boots Day (Dress up your jeans); SPE Spelling Bee @ 8:30 in the library
- 12/11: Cozy Socks/Slippers Day; Holiday Lunch by PTSO @ 11:30-1:30 in project room; 1:55 Release-PLC; Dress Rehearsal for K/1 @ 10:30
- 12/12: Holiday Bling Day; K/1 Music Program @ 2:00 (2, 3, 4 may attend); 2/3 Music Program @ 2:20 (K/1/5/6) invited to attend; K/1 Music Program @ 5:30; 2/3 Music Program @ 6:30
- 12/13: Candy Cane Day (wear red and white); Bus Evacuation Drill @ 7:50-8:10; 4th Grade @ Wildlife World Zoo @ 8:45-2:00
12/16-12/20: B Week
- 12/16: Pajama Day; Muttigree's @ 3:00
- 12/17: Sweater/Scarf Day; Leadership Team @ 7:15
- 12/18: Favorite Holiday Character Day; 1:55 Release-PLC
- 12/19: Tacky Holiday Spirit Day; Holiday Breakfast by Social Committee @ 7:15
- 12/20: Holiday Headwear/Bells Spirit Day; Jingle Jog Starts @ 8:20; 11:55 Release; No Specials
Spelling Bee...
Spelling Bee participants should meet me in the project room on Monday to review rules and have a brief practice round on Monday, December 9 @ 1:30.
The SPE Spelling Bee will take place Tuesday, 12/10 @ 8:30. Please send your participants down to the library after announcements.
The Spelling Bee will be broadcast via our new phone system. Everyone has a program on their laptop called "Cisco Webex Meetings." This system will be used to broadcast our Spelling Bee. If you would like to watch, you pull it up on your laptop and display it on your projector. Directions for how to watch will be in your box on Monday.
A huge thank you to Cathy Luman, Kelly Kalen, and Heather Benedetti for helping me judge this year!
Suns Tickets...
If you are interested in attending the Monday, 12/9 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves @ 7:00 or the Thursday, 12/11 game against the Memphis Grizzlies @ 7:00, please let me know!
Bus Evacuations...
On Friday, 12/13 our bus riders will be get the bus evacuation from 7:50-8:10. These students might be coming into class late, and you should plan on holding off on attendance until morning announcements.
We have never done it this way before, so please be flexible and we will all learn together! I will update on announcements that morning.
First Annual Jingle Jog Information...
In addition, a lot of the communcation for the event will be done by the front office, but it wouldn't hurt to put it in your class newsletters as well.
Here's what you need to know at this point:
- This event is scheduled to take place on Friday, December 20 with the first group starting at 8:20.
- Since the course is off campus, EVERY student will need a permission slip signed and returned in order to participate. PLEASE work to ensure that all students are able to participate in this fun event. These permission slips will be in your box by mid-week. (Here's a map of the route; ends up being .85 miles-I walked it comfortably in 15 minutes).
- Homeroom teachers are expected to run/walk the route with the students. ALL non-homeroom teacher/staff will be assigned a spot along the course to ensure students are safe (not going into the street, messing up people's yards, etc.). This map will be shared with staff in next week's newsletter.
- PTSO will have purchased cups, candy canes, and hot chocolate for each classroom to enjoy after this event. Much like the Polar Express, it is often helpful for teachers to have a crock pot of water ready to make the hot chocolate. Teachers are encouraged to reach out to their "Room Mom" to help with this.
- Please reach out to parents to join us on this event. This has the potential to be a great community event. A lot of parents are not going to be working with this being a half day, so invite them to come walk/run with us.
- K/1/2-At Highland Park they do an event similar to this one, and they group 4-5 students with a parent to complete this event. They try to ask parents if they are up for running or prefer walking and then group their students accordingly. If you can't find enough parents, please let me know and we can try to recruit some of our older students to assist.
- Please have your grade level report to the double gate by where fourth grade lines up in the AM at the given time. The race will end at the gate that connects our campus to Cypress Park. Here are the start times: 8:20-6th grade; 8:25-5th; 8:35-4th; 8:40-4th; 8:50-3rd; 8:55-2nd; 9:05-1st; 9:10-Kindergarten
SETI 2020...
I got a sneak peek at some of the stuff they are planning at it's going to be AMAZING!!! They have actually booked several of my favorite speakers from the Model Schools conference I attended last summer. You are not going to want to miss it, so mark those dates on the calendar now!
Sound System...
Thanks in advance!
Sad to See You Go...
Please do not tell students yet, this is her news to share. We are so fortunate to have such an incredible band and strings team at Settler's.
I will be in interviews for her replacement on Wednesday AM.