Building Bulldogs
Stirring Continuous Growth In Educators
Welcome November!
It is our hope that you have enjoyed these small, monthly newsletters. It is our goal to continue to offer you all information in a variety of ways. It is important to us that you feel supported as we continue to learn, build, and grow together. Take what you think is helpful, share some ideas when you get a chance, and let the connection help us focus on our combined efforts on the behalf of children.
So far, we have shared some information and samples of reciprocal teaching. We will do so again this month before moving on to some samples of station rotation teaching and how it might fit at all grade levels. As engagement is a key to our success, we encourage you to try some new ideas and see how they fit in with your teaching style and, as important, with your students' learning styles.
While we are certain we will see you throughout the month, we hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
Be Well,
Peg, Suzanne, and Dan
"App"etizers
Slido
Ask questions, vote in polls and be a part of the conversation at the event you’re attending. Download the Slido app and join your event by simply typing in the event code.
Slido is an easy to use Q&A and polling platform. It helps people to get the most out of meetings and events by bridging the gap between speakers and their audiences.
Use Pocket to capture the content that comes at you all day long, and curate your own space filled with only the topics you care about. Save the latest stories, articles, news, sports and videos from any device, and any publisher or app. Then fuel your mind with a reading, watching, and listening experience designed for calm eyes, free hands, and fresh focus.
This would be a great tool for students as well, particularly as they research or write DBQs.
Prodigy
Prodigy Math Game is a great way to practice math concepts and skills in a fun and engaging way. With the Prodigy Math Game, students can progress at their own pace and receive immediate feedback on their performance. The game also adapts to each student's level, making it an effective tool for differentiated instruction.
Students may access Prodigy through a Google account or any generic username and password, and teachers make plans based on what the class is presently studying. The curriculum is adaptive; therefore, if a student has difficulties with one standard after another, new problems that they must practice will continue to appear as they advance through the program.
What's the best part? Prodigy is a game, so the kids enjoy all of the fun of playing while learning about math problems. This is also an activity that may be done at home and features classmates' avatars and battles.
Teachables
We have spent time reviewing Reciprocal Teaching and viewing some examples of this in different types of classrooms across different grade levels. This month, we look at some practice tools to help as you incorporate this strategy into your classroom.
We acknowledge that there are a number of moving parts to this particular strategy, which, at times, might seem intimidating. The chance of something possibly not working as planned exists, which, as educators, is not something we look forward to managing. This month, we want to share six different strategies that may help reduce the stress and set you up for success.
Job Cards
As a review, each reciprocal teaching group is composed of four different jobs: questioner, clarifier, summarizer, and predictor. As such, it is a prerequisite that you break your classroom up into groups of four (at times you may have students play double roles if there are odd numbers or have two students collaborate on one role). Having pre-established job cards that list out the expectations and responsibilities of the role make management simple - as you hand each student a card that anticipates questions and reduces the need for redundant explanation that takes time away from the activity.
Student Group Lists
We know that the reciprocal teaching process will look different in every classroom. Due to this, it is always important to keep track of your student groups and work to have them pre-established. Keeping track of pre-established groups eliminates confusion is the process takes a couple of days to complete. In this instance, students will be able to enter and see which group they are in, regardless if they were absent or if they forget which group they were in prior. This small organizational steps works to clarify and organize your procedures. Another great outcome is that using a rubric to monitor student groups as you circulate through the room lets you easily record student scores in a formative manner informing the final grade in the end.
Guided Student Worksheet
This could possibly be the most important tool when you are incorporating reciprocal teaching into your unit plan, as it works to keep students focused and on task throughout the entire process. The worksheet can be broken into different parts, depending on your intended outcome - in example, you can have it broken into an independent and collaborative set up. The independent portion would require students to prepare for their assigned task in a flipped classroom manner, allowing them to be prepared for then they are broken into groups. Doing this ensures that all students have something to contribute. Using a visual timer during the completion of the collaborative portion of the worksheet keeps students on track and focused on the learning task.
Reciprocal Teaching Rubric
I am always a proponent of using a rubric when working through assessment as they establish the success criteria and allows students to focus on the expectations for the task. In addition, rubrics allow us to be consistent in evaluation. When using a rubric, you should share it with the students prior to the task, and take time to review the components in order to ensure that all within the class understand what they must do to meet with success. Generally, a reciprocal teaching rubric will track analysis, effort, behaviors, and participation. You can use any number of free online tools to create rubrics, or you can start using the example below.
Group Evaluation Form
The group evaluation form allows students to express their feelings about working in a group. It does not have to be complicated. Simply asking students to write about areas of strength and weakness should be sufficient. Additionally, filling out a group evaluation form is also a great outlet for students who may feel frustrated by their fellow group members.
Self-Reflection Rubric
One of the things that we are consistently working to do is to have students own their learning. Part of this process is having students self-evaluate and set goals for themselves based on their progress. Learning how to successfully do this as part of the learning process is a skill that sets students up for success in all aspects of their lives and reaches well beyond the process of reciprocal teaching.
Wondering how to get started with Reciprocal Teaching, Station Rotation, or Jigsaw?
Use this helpful guidebook below as a starting point when thinking about how to implement 3 high-impact instructional strategies: Station Rotation, Jigsaw, and Reciprocal Teaching.
What are the best strategies for using small-group instruction?
This article is a collection of some of the tried and true strategies for implementing small group instruction in your classroom (including ways to manage students, how to assess learning, and how to develop routines and procedures that make small-group instruction more effective).
Take Flipped Learning to the next level
Many teachers began implementing blended and flipped classroom practices over the last few years. The Modern Classroom Project takes flipped learning to the next level. Learn more about it in the video below!
Be Well
What is Gratitude?
I have found that, as I age, I am trying more and more to demonstrate gratitude for the people in my life who make it special, the events that make me smile, and the opportunities I have to enjoy them both. With so much negative noise coming at use from the news, social media, society in general - this practice has helped me better traverse difficult times.
I love this quote - not just because of the Joanna Gaines fan in me - but because of the sentiment. I am a silver-linings, glass half-full believer...regardless of the circumstance, 90% of the time you can find a hidden blessing if we choose to. And, often in my life, the blessing was in the lesson. It has been said, and oversaid, that without the rain, we wouldn't enjoy the sun - but the overuse shouldn't limit the power of that idea. We all search for happiness, but often, as shared last month, happiness is part of the journey, not the end destination.
This month, we encourage you to take time to find the blessings in the things that happen around us and through us - see the opportunities for gratitude...then share the practice of being grateful with others. There is no such thing as a "too small" symbol of appreciation!
Until next month - be well my friends!
Classroom Spotlight
BHS and RBS teachers practicing Jigsaw Stategy
Teachers started their 11/4 PD morning participating in a Jigsaw Strategy demonstration.
Physics Catapults
Students in Dr. Allen's' physics classes test out their catapults and use measurements to determine speed and distance.
Word Wall and Periodic Table
Mrs. Tarr's classroom showcases a student created Periodic Table and a word wall of key terms.
Mrs. Marion's math class doing decimal work
Students get the benefit of Mrs. Marion working at their table.
Gallery Walk
Ms. Gashler hosts a gallery walk showcasing student work in social studies. Mrs. Paulison's class attended the gallery walk.
Mrs. Baum's Book Challenge
Mrs. Baum's classroom features a "Books are Windows to the World" Challenge for students to participate in.
Why should you care about climate change?
Ms. Boscarino asks her 5th Grade Social Studies students this question as they learn about climate change in their Geography Unit.
Mrs. Tasker focuses on gothic writing prior to Halloween
Ready for Kindergarten!
Ms. Kresinger's classroom walls are adorned with helpful resources for students to learn about numbers, letters, and shapes.
Baking for a Cause
Mrs. McNear's Foods I students bake blueberry muffins to give to the veterans at the Veteran's Day program on 11/9
ADS Teachers work with Patty McGee
K-4 classroom teachers work with Patty McGee, literacy consultant, to focus on the feedback cycle and small-group instruction.
Students thank veterans for their service
RBS students walk the track and hold posters for the veterans in attendance on 11/9.
Stronger Together!
This sections is where you come in! In the coming newsletters, the ideas you share; the lessons you think others will benefit from; websites you think other can use in their classrooms - any idea that you think will make teaching and learning better for your colleagues - will be shared in this section.
Simply click the button below to share an idea!
Recognize Each Other
Part of being a member of a supportive culture and climate is recognizing the efforts of your colleagues. What better way to demonstrate gratitude than to share practices, lessons, approaches that you feel inspire you in some way. There is still time to nominate a colleague for Educator of the Year and Educational Specialist of the Year. These awards show staff members that their efforts are seen and they matter! Thank you for being a part of the type of culture and climate that we all desire to work within.
Just For Fun...
Cornbread, Sausage, and Sage Stuffing
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite family times. It is a time where our family devotes time to just be together, celebrate all of the blessing we have in our lives, and EAT! One of the favs in our family is Cornbread, Sausage, and Sage Stuffing. It just has all of the flavors that are reminiscent of memories through the years...food is great for connecting taste with memories and emotions.
Ingredients
- 1 batch of Cornbread - toasted and roughly crumbled
- 1 ½ lb breakfast sausage
- 2 cups celery, chopped
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
- 2 tsp + 2 tsp fresh thyme, removed from stem
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp fresh course black pepper
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups, turkey broth
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees
- In a large, cast iron skillet over medium/high heat, cook sausage until browned. About 5-8 minutes. Remove from skillet and put into large mixing bowl
- In the same skillet, add the butter, onion, celery, and sauté until softened. About 3-5 minutes. Add in garlic, sage, and 2 tsp of thyme and sauté another minute until fragrant. Remove from skillet and add to the mixing bowl with sausage.
- Add the roughly crumbled cornbread and gently mix. Add the other 2 tsp of fresh thyme on top.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and turkey broth then pour over the cornbread mixture.
- Bake for 30 minutes, top should brown. Remove from oven. You can either serve this immediately, or, if prepping ahead, you can reheat prior to serving.