JWL Weekly Update
Volume 7 * Issue 11 * week of September 24, 2018
Instruction Focus
1. Effective instruction
2. Classroom management with student engagement
Effective instruction has to be planned with a targeted direction; thus, we frame our lessons. Once well framed and then taught step by step, one must check for understanding throughout the lesson, not just at the end.
Presenting Instructional Content
Sarah Briggs from informED states:
"The ultimate goal of teaching is to do just that – teach, not stand up in the front of the room and talk. But sometimes it’s easier to talk than to teach, as we all know, especially when we need to cover a lot of material in a short amount of time. We hope students will understand, if not now then before test time, and we keep our fingers crossed that their results will indicate we’ve done our job.
The problem is, we rely on these tests to measure understanding, and then we move on. Few of us take the time to address weaknesses and misunderstandings after the tests have been graded, and by that time it’s too late for students to be interested. This means we need to rethink how we approach assessment during class.
The most effective way to test student understanding is to do it while the lesson’s still going on. Asking students to fill out a questionnaire and then correcting misunderstandings during the next class period won’t work because students have already moved on. You’ve got to take advantage of the moment. If you hope to spend the majority of your time getting through to students, and not just talking, then understanding must be measured and dealt with as soon as the first frown appears on a face." Read more . . .
Whole Class Reset
Implement an "in -the-moment reset" when a class veers off task during the class period.
As you are doing the procedure reset, don't forget about the 4 stages of creating any classroom routine:
- Number the steps: Chunk the procedure into small, easy to remember steps. Use verbal or visual cues as students connect these steps together. The younger the students, the more steps and cues you should have.
- Model and describe: It's important to both tell students and show students how to correctly follow the procedure. Also, anticipate common mistakes and describe how to avoid those mistakes before having students practice.
- Pretend Practice: Have students practice the procedure multiple times. While they do this, narrate with precise praise and corrections.
- Transfer ownership: As kids master the procedure, you can transfer more responsibility to them. Perhaps a student leader replaces the teacher and walks up and down the lunch line checking for nametags. Maybe calling out "Step 1: Go....Now, Step 2: Go..." becomes unnecessary and the teacher can simply say: "Take yourself from Step 1 to Step 4: Go." Be sure kids have earned their autonomy by performing the procedure to your expectations before rewarding them with more independence.
--As taken from http://opacurriculum.blogspot.com/2017/01/procedure-reset-teach-like-champion.html . (Link has videos as well)
Attendance
Goal: 98%+ Attendance
Weekly Attendance Percentages:
K: 94.19% (OH NO! Decrease of more than 2% points)
1: 98.04% (Yes! Increase by 1.)
2: 97.20% (Much better this week! Increased by almost 2% points.)
3: 98.17%** (That's an increase again this week!) . You've earned your white belt!
4: 97.14% (Another increase for the week! ...by 1.5)
5: 97.16% (uh oh...decreased too much; the streak has ended.)
JWL: 96.94%
We did not meet our 98% goal as a campus, but great job to 1st & 3rd grades for meeting it!
Kinder has been our lowest attendance percentage; what can we do to help kinder parents see the importance of consistent attendance?
Is third grade going to start a new highest attendance streak?
Belt status:
White:
First grade: Week of August 20
Fifth grade: Week of August 27
Third grade: Week of September 17
Yellow:
Fifth grade: Week of September 3
Gold:
Fifth grade: Week of September 10
What's Your Mindset?
Effort.
Determination.
Success.
Heads Up
Tutorials
- Tutoring Schedule: I know you're tutoring 2 times per week; however, as parents are calling, and I'm seeking when best to schedule WT follow-ups, I need specific schedule. Please complete the provided form.
- Number students participating : I'm using our sign in sheet to determine this, so if you aren't having your students complete the form each session, then you need to do so ASAP.
Kinder . First . Second . Third . Fourth . Fifth
- Materials utilizing: Remember, for tutorials you can use the intervention lessons from Lexia and Dreambox. We are making a comprehensive list of resources that are available for use during classtime, interventions, and tutorials.
- How tracking effectiveness monthly: We will be looking at grades in the gradebook (remember these are to be listed by SE), unit tests, and checkpoints to determine student progress.
- Parent support: How open and responsive have parents been to tutoring? Are they dropping off/picking up in timely manners? Are the students attending consistently?
TBSI due 10.12.18
Here is the link for the modules:
https://www.escweb.net/tx_esc_04/search.aspx?&SearchCriteria=TBSI%20training
Child Find
If you have questions please contact Mindy Burris.
Lexia & Dreambox
Golden Tickets
Grade levels, you distributed the Golden Tickets to your Tier 3 students to use as passes for their morning computer time from 7:30 - 8:10am. This time, as you will recall, is for students to utilize Lexia and Dreambox as additional support time. The Golden Ticket is like a "fast pass" for the breakfast line and a hall pass to go to the computer labs/library.
Those on duty in these areas: please be sure students are signing in with the Google Form. (see below)
K & 1: Pardoe in Lopez's computer lab
2 & 3: Harvey in Harvey's computer lab
4 & 5: Snow in library with COW cart
Teachers: If you see that your students are not attending, please ask them why. Let's verify if there are valid concerns (ie, transportation issues) or if they are "skipping".
Parent Communication
- Individual teacher: Ms. Vasquez
- Most participation|conversations: Mrs. Holloway
This Week's Ongoings:
Monday
- Wear this year's Excellence Foundation shirts (for first six weeks) with jeans.
- ARD & Staffing
- SST coordinator training, 4:15pm Room 15
Tuesday
- PLCs
- SALT, 4:15pm Room 15
Wednesday
- ARDs
- Science Tests
- Faculty Fun: Dodgeball in the gym!
Thursday
- PLCs
- Math Tests
Friday
- Grades Due
- Reading Tests
- NED show @ 1:30pm in gym
- Caffination Stations--Thank you STUCO!
Calendar & Upcoming Events
It's here! IT'S FINALLY HERE! . . .
Staff Shout Outs!
Terri Riley
Coach Riley works diligently to teach our students skills and Tiger Pride during P.E. times. Her diligence is noticed and appreciated!