Instructional Coaching Newsletter
November
Teachers Shape Lives in Ways that Cannot Be Measured
80% Circles
At our recent PD, we learned the impact that circles can have for the purpose of restorative justice. However, as presenter Justin Blietz stated, in order to implement circles effectively, we must integrate them into our regular classroom practices and routines. Ultimately, a balance of 80-20 has proven to yield the greatest results. Below are some circle ideas for the 80%:
Check-In Circles
Check-in circles are a great way to feel out students and what type of mood or mindset they are in. Using a number scale to identify their current attitude and a simple prompt is a great way to begin the class period and build community.
Positive Note Circles
Through the use of positive note circles, building community and expressing gratitude are the main objectives. Prompting students with stating a quick note about how someone else in the class has positively impacted them is a great ice breaker.
Mindfulness Circles
During mindfulness circles, students can discuss different stressors and then practice mindfulness strategies to refocus and ground them.
Academic Circles
Academic circles can be used in a variety of ways. Class discussions take a whole new shape when done in circles because of the balance of power and the equity of voice.
Intervention Circles
Through the use of intervention circles, students can share stuck points, provide and receive feedback, and “normalize” learning gaps. Intervention circles give students an opportunity to build a class community where mistakes and stuck points are okay.
Check for Understanding
“Learning targets are the GPS system for students: students can arrive at any target that they can see that holds still for them.” - Rick Stiggins
Checking for Understanding:Key Assessment for Learning Techniques is a great resource with multiple techniques for checking for understanding. One powerful strategy that could be used is academic circles. As we learned from our speaker, Justin Blietz, academic circles yield effective results in SEL learning, as well as when used as an instructional strategy. Lessons should be grounded by learning targets. At the beginning of the lesson, the students would discuss the learning target in their own words and their understanding of the target. At the end of the lesson you could return to the target during debrief, checking for student progress. You could also have a social goal or target (eg. I can show respect to my teacher and classmates) that could be discussed during circle time. Another powerful strategy is to discuss with students at the beginning of the class period what it looks like and sounds like to be proficient with the target, setting the stage for learning. End the class period by discussing their progress on their goal.
Check out the tools and protocols at the site above, to get some new ideas on CFUs or to revisit some that you may have used in the past. Try one new tool or protocol to see what your students are feeling about their learning and how it can drive your instruction!
Technology Resources
Looking for ways to spice up your lessons? Below are some resources you can incorporate into your classroom to maximize student learning.
Skunk Bear is NPR’s K-12 science YouTube channel. It explores the secrets of the universe, the wonders of nature, and answers students’ science questions. It’s a great resource for personalized learning, or a tool for teachers to find videos that fit with science lessons or current science events. Hit the Subscribe button and you’ll always see what’s new.
EdPuzzle: This cool tool allows you to upload videos on certain topics and add in checks for understanding throughout. This can work for any subject, and would be a great addition to any Google Classroom!
GeoGebra: GeoGebra is an application that helps students understand math concepts by solving problems and checking solutions. (It can be web-based or app-based.) You can use it for everything from statistics to algebra. It creates a visual representation for just about anything you can think of. Use it as a dynamic worksheet where students can complete their own investigation, as a modeling tool to aid in direct instruction, or even as an authoring tool to create interactive materials for students to explore.
Use Examples and Models of Strong and Weak Work
“The features of excellent work should be so transparent that students can learn to evaluate their own work in the same way that their teachers would.”
Frederiksen & Collins, 1989, quoted in Shepard, 2001, p. 1092
Selecting samples of strong and weak work can be tricky. You will want to begin by finding (or creating) anonymous samples of strong as well as work that exhibits one or more problems you want students to begin noticing and correcting in their own work.
Gathering Anonymous Samples:
Find annotated samples on state or provincial websites.
Ask students for permission to use their work as a teaching example and then save it for next year, trade with another teacher, or use it with a different class. (Students own their work, so be sure to ask for permission before you use it or trade it.)
Create your own examples, inserting the kinds of errors students typically make.