Junior High Recap
Friday's meeting
Just to recap - I am going from memory here because I am working at home and I left my notebook at school.
So much has changed at WES this year. Some things, because we had no choice and some because - ? they needed to change? But with changes, we must think about some things and question. Why did we create the "A" class? One reason was to push some of our students into the exceeds category in multiple subjects. Another reason was because it would help to make the class sizes more manageable. I think these are good reasons but we still must work to make this successful. Please remember, let's not compare the classes. Don't suggest that one is doing better or more than another. We know that junior high students often perceive things differently, so we want to make sure that we show we value all students and all classes. Also, being in one class does not mean you need to do more work. The combination class might work at an accelerated pace but that doesn't mean they need to write more or that they need to complete additional problems. The 7th/8th/6th grade classes may not progress at the same pace (or they may!) but that doesn't mean they should be doing less, does it?
I also asked you to think about something. If a student doesn't complete any (or some) of our assignments and yet they can pass our tests - are our assignments necessary? I do not know the answer. I know as teachers, we have all had students who would not complete work and yet they would meet or exceed on the AIMS. We've also had students who would work extremely hard and complete all assignments, and yet they did NOT meet or exceed on the AIMS test. What is the honor roll? Is it for the students who have mastered the standards or the students who cooperate and work at school?
I also asked you to consider - eligibility. I know last year was - I'm not sure how to describe it - because I go back and forth. Anyway, I asked you to consider a different approach. For the first season - no student is ineligible to play sports. In fact, all students are eligible. Let's make students responsible for their own learning and make them show responsibility for their team. If students are missing an assignment they can still play BUT they first must work on their missing assignments or low grades. Then they MUST attend practice. Somehow, we need to show students they must work to be successful. I'm not sure I am explaining this well, or even explaining it. Somehow, I see students being held accountable - for their work and for practice. The only ineligible student would be the one who didn't try - in the classroom or at practice. Does this make sense? I know I have a lot of questions - I am confident that together we will find some answers.
We also talked about the writing assessments that will take place in the Science and Soc. Studies classrooms. Every other week, each teacher will give an assessment. It will cover the concept(s) covered in class. The students will have twenty minutes to write a response to a prompt/question. The written responses will be scored on whether the response was accurate, did it make sense, and was it written correctly - (conventions) - capitalization, usage, punctuation and spelling. We will keep the data on these assessments. I really think the time is important on these. Please make sure the students know they only have 20 minutes.
Galileo - I finished copying the Science and the ELA tests. I hope to be able to print the answer sheets this week. Hopefully, I can give them to you by Wednesday at the latest.
The last thing I want to mention. As teachers, we often assume we know what is going on in another classroom. Students will tell us one thing or another and then we make assumptions. If you are really worried, talk to me. I will visit the class OR COVER YOUR CLASS SO YOU CAN VISIT A CLASSROOM. Until then, please give your colleague the benefit of the doubt. I truly believe everyone on campus is doing the best they can and that they have the students' best interest in mind. I will work with teachers and we will have many discussions on best practices this year. Just keep in mind, we don't know what state test our students will be taking. We will continue to push our students' thinking and improve their problem solving skills. Problem solvers can handle anything and that's what we want - students who will be successful because they are problem solvers.
So - have a great week. I would like to meet with your group on Tuesday if possible. On Monday, I'll be meeting with the technology consortium in Yuma to see how/if they can help us. I will also be meeting with the other administrators in the area (ACES) and I'll probably have another SpEd meeting with the same people I met with on Friday. :-(
Thanks to:
Mrs. J. - for your positive attitude, getting our meet and greet started (you calmed me down!), and the planter by the nurse's office - it looks great! Thank you! Also, thanks for covering the info on our septic tank problem - I'm sure you handled it spectacularly!
Mr. Puccini - thanks for covering the primary lunch duty - you've helped so much! Also, thanks for working with the 4th graders on their Arizona standards - I know they've loved it.
Mrs. Cochran - thanks for being our math expert. I'm soooo glad you had to the foresight to practice at the end of last year! Also, thanks for keeping me on track and for all your work on the schedule. From parent conferences to tournament dates - you are our schedule master!
Mrs. Harrison - thank you, thank you, and thank you! - for all the work you've done on the computer lab and helping everyone with their technology needs. Also, your work on the schedule and then the color coding - WOW! I am so excited to have the new computer classes!
Mrs. Wesner - thanks for the positive attitude while working on the Daily 5 :-) , DIBELS testing, K testing and 6th grade math. (and reminding me to share our good fortune!)
Thank you all - we have a great staff at WES!
Lisa
So much has changed at WES this year. Some things, because we had no choice and some because - ? they needed to change? But with changes, we must think about some things and question. Why did we create the "A" class? One reason was to push some of our students into the exceeds category in multiple subjects. Another reason was because it would help to make the class sizes more manageable. I think these are good reasons but we still must work to make this successful. Please remember, let's not compare the classes. Don't suggest that one is doing better or more than another. We know that junior high students often perceive things differently, so we want to make sure that we show we value all students and all classes. Also, being in one class does not mean you need to do more work. The combination class might work at an accelerated pace but that doesn't mean they need to write more or that they need to complete additional problems. The 7th/8th/6th grade classes may not progress at the same pace (or they may!) but that doesn't mean they should be doing less, does it?
I also asked you to think about something. If a student doesn't complete any (or some) of our assignments and yet they can pass our tests - are our assignments necessary? I do not know the answer. I know as teachers, we have all had students who would not complete work and yet they would meet or exceed on the AIMS. We've also had students who would work extremely hard and complete all assignments, and yet they did NOT meet or exceed on the AIMS test. What is the honor roll? Is it for the students who have mastered the standards or the students who cooperate and work at school?
I also asked you to consider - eligibility. I know last year was - I'm not sure how to describe it - because I go back and forth. Anyway, I asked you to consider a different approach. For the first season - no student is ineligible to play sports. In fact, all students are eligible. Let's make students responsible for their own learning and make them show responsibility for their team. If students are missing an assignment they can still play BUT they first must work on their missing assignments or low grades. Then they MUST attend practice. Somehow, we need to show students they must work to be successful. I'm not sure I am explaining this well, or even explaining it. Somehow, I see students being held accountable - for their work and for practice. The only ineligible student would be the one who didn't try - in the classroom or at practice. Does this make sense? I know I have a lot of questions - I am confident that together we will find some answers.
We also talked about the writing assessments that will take place in the Science and Soc. Studies classrooms. Every other week, each teacher will give an assessment. It will cover the concept(s) covered in class. The students will have twenty minutes to write a response to a prompt/question. The written responses will be scored on whether the response was accurate, did it make sense, and was it written correctly - (conventions) - capitalization, usage, punctuation and spelling. We will keep the data on these assessments. I really think the time is important on these. Please make sure the students know they only have 20 minutes.
Galileo - I finished copying the Science and the ELA tests. I hope to be able to print the answer sheets this week. Hopefully, I can give them to you by Wednesday at the latest.
The last thing I want to mention. As teachers, we often assume we know what is going on in another classroom. Students will tell us one thing or another and then we make assumptions. If you are really worried, talk to me. I will visit the class OR COVER YOUR CLASS SO YOU CAN VISIT A CLASSROOM. Until then, please give your colleague the benefit of the doubt. I truly believe everyone on campus is doing the best they can and that they have the students' best interest in mind. I will work with teachers and we will have many discussions on best practices this year. Just keep in mind, we don't know what state test our students will be taking. We will continue to push our students' thinking and improve their problem solving skills. Problem solvers can handle anything and that's what we want - students who will be successful because they are problem solvers.
So - have a great week. I would like to meet with your group on Tuesday if possible. On Monday, I'll be meeting with the technology consortium in Yuma to see how/if they can help us. I will also be meeting with the other administrators in the area (ACES) and I'll probably have another SpEd meeting with the same people I met with on Friday. :-(
Thanks to:
Mrs. J. - for your positive attitude, getting our meet and greet started (you calmed me down!), and the planter by the nurse's office - it looks great! Thank you! Also, thanks for covering the info on our septic tank problem - I'm sure you handled it spectacularly!
Mr. Puccini - thanks for covering the primary lunch duty - you've helped so much! Also, thanks for working with the 4th graders on their Arizona standards - I know they've loved it.
Mrs. Cochran - thanks for being our math expert. I'm soooo glad you had to the foresight to practice at the end of last year! Also, thanks for keeping me on track and for all your work on the schedule. From parent conferences to tournament dates - you are our schedule master!
Mrs. Harrison - thank you, thank you, and thank you! - for all the work you've done on the computer lab and helping everyone with their technology needs. Also, your work on the schedule and then the color coding - WOW! I am so excited to have the new computer classes!
Mrs. Wesner - thanks for the positive attitude while working on the Daily 5 :-) , DIBELS testing, K testing and 6th grade math. (and reminding me to share our good fortune!)
Thank you all - we have a great staff at WES!
Lisa