LHE Classroom Connection
November
Important Dates
11/2- K & 3rd 1/2 day planning, Committee meetings 2:45 (Spirit, Hospitality, MTSS)
11/3- 2nd & 4th 1/2 day planning, Math Night 6-8
11/4- Report cards go home
11/8- Terrific Kids
11/9- Committee meetings (Go Green, Safety)
11/10- 1st & 5th 1/2 day planning, 1:45 A Honor Roll luncheon
11/11- NO SCHOOL
11/14- MIndshift Monday 2:45
11/15- Data Meetings, Engage NY support meeting 3:30-4:30
11/16- SIT
11/17- Beg. Teacher meeting CO 3:30
11/18- Lunch w/ Superstars 1:45
11/21- Staff Meeting (Monday)
11/23-25- Thanksgiving Holiday
11/28- Writing benchmark window
11/30 & 12/1- RTI Planning
Coach's Corner
Graphic Organizers This link has printable graphic organizers that can be used in all subject areas.
HOT Resources
Writing
Being a Writer YouTube video series
Engage NY
If you have not checked out Great Minds you are missing out on many valuable resources. You can use the following login to access these great resources.
Username- betsytyner@scotland.k12.nc.us
Password- Thankyou1
Math Village has easy access to videos for preparing for lessons. You can also share with parents.
Best Practices
Tiering assignments is a fair way to differentiate learning. It allows teachers to meet the needs of all students while using varying levels of tasks. It's a concept that can be infused into homework assignments, small groups, or even learning
centers.
Tiered Assignments Fact Sheet
What are they? Tiered assignments are parallel tasks at varied levels of complexity, depth and abstractness with various degrees of scaffolding, support, or direction. Students work on different levels of activities, all with the same essential understanding or goal in mind. Tiered assignments accommodate mainly for differences in student readiness and performance levels and allow students to work toward a goal or objective at a level that builds on their prior knowledge and encourages continued growth.
A teacher can tier assignments based on the challenge level of a task, the complexity of the task, the resources used to complete a task, the expected outcome, the process, and the anticipated products.
Why use them? One of the main benefits of tiered assignments is that they allow students to work on tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult. They are highly motivating because they allow students to be successful at their level of readiness. Tiered assignments also allow students to work in their specific learning styles or preferences.
How to use them? First, a teacher must establish clear goals or objectives for tiered assignments; generally, all students are working toward the same goals or objectives on tasks that vary in complexity, abstractness, number of steps, concreteness, and independence. Diane Heacox in Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom suggests the following guidelines for successfully tiering assignments:
1. Make sure all tiered activities are introduced with the same level of enthusiasm and interest.
2. Take care to give different work, not simply more or less work, for different tiers.
3. Ensure that all students are equally involved and active.
4. Ensure that all activities are equally appealing and desirable.
Expect that all students use key concepts, skills, or ideas.PK-1 Technology Resource
Teacher Leader Feature
Our November Teacher Leaders are Jennifer Parker and Sammie Jo Barnes
- Jennifer Parker worked diligently last year to grow her students. She consistently implemented individual and small group interventions based on her students' needs. Her hard work paid off and her students exceeded growth. Jennifer is also a leader beyond the classroom. Her work with the Hospitality Committee and managing Superstar Pal helps create the family atmosphere that makes Laurel Hill so special.
- Sammie Jo Barnes radiates school spirit. Her enthusiasm for teaching and learning is evident the moment you walk into her classroom. Her students are actively engaged and having fun while learning. Her students exceeded growth last year demonstrating her dedication to her students' success. Outside of the classroom she has taken charge of the traffic circle, helping to make this new dismissal procedure more safe and effective.