M-Powerment Strategy #2
High Expectations
M-Powerment Strategy #2 Highlight:
M-2 High Expectations: Teachers set high expectations for learning and believe all students are capable of achieving success.
High Expectations & Rigor
Instructional Strategy: Discussion Starters and Sentence Frames
Mary Maloney on Trial
Students Creating their Debate poster
Jury Deliberations
Instructional Highlight:
Mrs. Ketchie and Mr. Crew's classes created debate posters also after reading Dahl's short story and used the textual evidence each group placed on the poster to debate their position. Another great way to have a discussion about the story and assess student knowledge of textual evidence.
Please invite the Media & Tech team into your classroom!
Ideas to Consider
Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Domains and consider rewriting questions a different and higher levels of Blooms. How can students apply what they learn to something new?
Check out this Summer Institute Session if you did not attend.
The Superpowers are looking for YOU!
- High Expectations and Rigor
- Culture of Caring
in your classroom, please let us know so we can come by and check it out!
Picture Courtesy of Quora
Rigor: It's All The Rage, But What Does It Mean?
Rigor: It's All The Rage, But What Does It Mean?
Teachers should be asking these questions:
• Are all the students engaged and thinking, or only those who answer a question?
• What kinds of questions is the teacher asking? True or false? Recollection of facts? Or are students asked to recall something they already know and use it to solve a new problem?
• Are students given time to think through answers? If they don’t have the answer immediately, does the teacher move on to someone else? Are students talking and sharing information appropriately, or is there total silence?
By: Richard Lee Colvin and Joanne Jacobs
Image Courtesy of Moss-Free Stone.com
SOS Strategies
Spotlight on Strategies
Creative, research-based instructional strategies, presented by teachers for teachers. These simple instructional strategies incorporate digital media in meaningful, effective, and practical ways.
A New Definition of Rigor
Just read the last paragraph:
"Let us aspire to something greater than making difficult work for our students. Let's take them to that intersection of encouragement and engagement, where they confront ideas and problems that are meaningful. Let's stretch their thinking. Let's unleash their sophistication. And let's foster a love of deep knowledge."
By Brian Sztabwik
MMS Instructional Tips
Excerpt from Education World, Creating a Culture Of High Expectations For All Students, by Larry Bell
Never accept excuses. Sometimes developing a classroom culture of high expectations requires taking a stand. I gave students power names, I bragged on them all the time too. But I never accepted their excuses for not having their work done.
However, when I had to lean on students who did not meet my high expectations, I always did it with compassion. With compassion. When the student came in and said he didn’t have his homework, I would say, “I understand why you don’t have it. You say you had to work last night. You got home late. You had to put your brothers and sister to bed. And then you had to get them up this morning and get them ready for school. That’s why you don’t have your homework, right?”
And when they said yes, that was when I told them, “I understand. It’s just that I expect better than this from you. I want better for you than to work at McDonalds. That’s an honest living. If that’s what you want to do, that’s up to you. But I want better than that of you. I want my homework every day. If you can do all that you say you do, then you can do my homework. See me before school or after school if you need help, but don’t come in here without my work because you are better than that.”
I had one line that my students heard over and over again. That one line never changed. I always said,“I understand. It’s just that I expect better than this out of you. From somebody else, maybe. But not from you.” I’d tell kids repeatedly, “No, you are better than that. I want you to go home and do the homework anyway, even if you will only get partial credit. Please don’t let me down again. You are better than that. I expect so much better than that out of you.”
I really and truly believe that if you’re going to create a classroom culture that says you expect a lot out of every child, every child ought to be called a power name. Every child ought to be bragged on. Start early in the school year building that relationship, but never accept excuses; for when you do that, you become an enabler.
MMS Media Tips:
As your prepare lessons and incorporate high expectations in your lessons and activities, do not forget about utilizing the CAVE. Getting students out of the classroom and into a new environment can lead to more creative and engaging students. Do you have a great idea but need help with implementation then the CAVE is the place to bring rigorous lesson to life in a collaborative, caring place. We always welcome classes and want to support you and your students!
From Cuz's Desk
From the Help Desk:
Expecting Greatness with Responsible Technology Use
A respected interviewer is notorious for asking the question: "have you ever broken the rules?" Of course the honest answer is "Yes" as anyone who ever speeds knows that is breaking the rules. But are rules meant to be broken?
The Responsible Use Policy (RUP) is in place for the protection, safety and security of the students and staff of MGSD.
Some of those rules may appear asinine but each is in place for a reason. Here are two quick RUP reminders:
1. Please refrain from allowing students to drink or eat near their devices. Most will never spill anything but if liquid spills in your class on a device because you allow students the opportunity you could be held responsible.
2. Students should not be using Messages or other chat services/websites. This is clearly discussed in the video but the presence of the app on the dock has led many students to think it is okay. In the near future Messages will be broken on all student machines but for now please monitor and discipline accordingly.
Superpowers Are Here For You!
Allison Long
Email: allisonlong@mgsd.k12.nc.us
Website: http://superpowersactivate.weebly.com/
Location: 233 Kistler Farm Road, Mooresville, NC, United States
Phone: 704-658-2720
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MmsMediaCenter
Twitter: @mmsmediatips
Felicia Davis
Email: feliciadavis@mgsd.k12.nc.us
Website: http://superpowersactivate.weebly.com/
Location: 233 Kistler Farm Road, Mooresville, NC, United States
Phone: 704-658-2720
Twitter: @mooresvillems
Elizabeth Stapleton
Email: estapleton@mgsd.k12.nc.us
Website: www.tinyurl.com/mmsmediatips
Location: 233 Kistler Farm Road, Mooresville, NC, United States
Phone: 704-658-2720
Michael Cline
Email: michaelcline@mgsd.k12.nc.us
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/mgsd.k12.nc.us/mmstech/home
Location: 233 Kistler Farm Road, Mooresville, NC, United States
Phone: 704-658-2720