Warrior Beat
#worldchangingwarriors
Word for the Warrior....
TEACHING IS THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR LEARNING TO OCCUR
I think we would all agree that there is a percentage of students in most classes that we have at Sevier who learn quickly. These are the students that absorb and understand material as soon as it is presented with ease, whether that is by listening to a lecture, reading it in a book, or by completing a task. We all know that our challenge with these students to ensure we are stretching them to the next step, but that is not the focus of my message today.
My focus is this…
What about all of our other students who do not achieve mastery after initial instruction?
How do we PLAN for learning to occur for those students?
As educators, we spend lots of time and energy planning for the pacing of our standards. We spend even more time working together to find materials and activities that we can use to deliver instruction and record student work.
Could it be that our best opportunity for supporting student learning lies here…
How do we spend time during class seeking to understand what students actually know and understand DURING the lesson? THIS is where learning occurs. Learning is the amount of support necessary for learning to occur. It is our interaction with students during the lesson that may matter most. It is through our inquiry that leads us to see what they DO understand that helps us know what they do NOT understand. It is this discovery that helps us become aware of what they need to know in order to advance in their learning. Without this intentional work, then we are missing a critical part of the learning process. This guided practice is where our work resides.
Most lessons unfold this way...
1. Modeling/Direct Instruction
2. Guided Practice
3. Closure/Assessment
MODELING/DIRECT INSTRUCTION-This is the presentation of material. This is typically a form of direction instruction, which is necessary during the delivery of the lesson. This is where the clarity of what students need to know and be able to do becomes visible, but this is not where learning occurs for most students.
GUIDED PRACTICE-This is the interactive portion of the lesson where most learning and support should occur. This can happen when the teacher opens up opportunities for shared or guided work where students help the TEACHER go through sample work OR can happen when the teacher releases students to work individually or in in small groups to practice the problems or tasks WITH SUPPORT.
How do we plan for this part of the lesson? If we are not keenly aware of how students may miss the mark and if we are not aware of common mistakes they could make, we will not be prepared to best support them in knowing what to do NEXT. If we are not living RIGHT IN THIS PLACE with students, then we are simply assessing them and we are not teaching them.
I have had this conversation with many teachers at Sevier lately and it is clear that this type of planning is the work where we need to focus and spend our time. It is time consuming to go through a task in advance of the lesson as learners, but if we have not done this work, then we cannot be best prepared to plan assessing and advancing questions that will allow us to respond to students with effective academic feedback that will lead them to the learning that needs to take place.
Planning for this “formative assessment” during a lesson is far more effective than any other assessment we can provide because it allows us an on the spot opportunity for correction and support…..which means LEARNING.
CLOSURE-When we spend the large majority of our lessons interacting and supporting students during GUIDED PRACTICE as we respond to assessing and advancing questions, we will be far better able to analyze and use the results of the closure and assessments as a result of our understanding of the THINKING that is behind the closure/assessment and we can truly use those results to plan for the learning of the following day.
Week of the Warrior
WEDNESDAY: February 27th
ACT Aspire English and Math 8th Grade
FCA in the Small Gym 7:15
Chess in the Library. Anyone who would like to participate is welcome. Wednesdays in the library 2:45-3:45
Beta Club Math Tutoring Monday and Wednesday 3-4:15
in the LibraryTrack practice 3-4:30
MATE underwater robotics will meet Wednesday 3-5 in Mr Golden’s Room. All Welcome to attend. No experience necessary!
Newspaper meeting after school until 3:30. Newspaper Editors/Broadcast will meet until 5:15 pm.
Any 6th or 7th grade girl interested in the KYVB volleyball league hosted by DB volleyball can pick up information in Counseling. Sign ups end on March 5.
THURSDAY: February 28th
Science Olympiad Practice 3-5 in Mrs. Crowes Room
Track Practice 3-4:30
ACT Aspire Reading and Science 8th Grade
Softball/Baseball pictures
Any 6th or 7th grade girl interested in the KYVB volleyball league hosted by DB volleyball can pick up information in Counseling. Sign ups end on March 5.
FRIDAY: March 1st
RTI2B Meeting during planning
Track Practice 3-4:30
Any 6th or 7th grade girl interested in the KYVB volleyball league hosted by DB volleyball can pick up information in Counseling. Sign ups end on March 5.
Save the Date
Spring Pictures May 8th prepaid only
Saturday, March 2nd ETSU Regional Science Olympiad Competition at ETSU. Participants need to arrive at Brown Hall on the ETSU campus by 8 a.m.
Any 6th or 7th grade girl interested in the KYVB volleyball league hosted by DB volleyball can pick up information in Counseling. Sign ups end on March 5.
- Monday March 11th-3:00-Active Shooter Drill for all teachers (plan on being at school until 5:00...but it will likely last until 4)
Flu Prevention:
as a reminder for flu prevention please do the following...
stay home if you are sick
cough into your elbow
wash hands frequently, especially after restroom use and before eating
JSMS JAM
Spring Picture Day
It is PRE-PAY only. Forms have been sent home with your children. If you need another one, please contact the main office at 378-2450
Sevier Band & Orchestra Now Accepting Enrollment
Parents/guardians of Sevier Middle School rising 6th grade students may now register their child(ren) during Sevier Band and Orchestra Open Enrollment until March 1. Filling out this form is the first and most important step to becoming a part of the instrumental music program. Register here.
Appointments and Early Dismissals
Parents/Guardians, please allow adequate time when picking
up your student for appointments/early dismissal. We will
call your student to the office once you arrive at school. Please be
prepared to show your id and to come inside to pick up your
student. This is for student safety. Thank you!
Kyle's Corner
The Data Action Team met on January 22, 2019. As a team, we brainstormed ways to keep student data fresh and in our minds throughout the school year. Earlier this year each academic teacher completed the Focused Student List for Proficiency where you identified 6 SPED and 12 non-SPED students, as a grade level content, that you are targeting to be proficient on this year's state assessment. That activity was focused on the achievement component of our state's accountability model. We will be revisiting the proficiency lists at our benchmark data conferences on Monday, February 25, 2019.
One additional strategy we are implementing is a "Student Growth Watch List." The idea behind the "Student Growth Watch List" is for each teacher to identify 10 students that have the potential for the most positive growth and to identify 10 students that have the potential for the most negative growth this school year. This activity will focus our attention on the growth component of our state's accountability model, which is also the model that directly impacts your final Level of Effectiveness (LOE) score for evaluation purposes.
Many teachers have already explored their data files and have identified students with the greatest potential for growth. The "Student Growth Watch List" activity should take no more than 10-15 minutes to complete. Please login into your Google Drive and search for the data folder that I shared with you earlier this school year (the name of the file is your last name). This folder contains your data from last year, your current student's scores & NCE gains, and a new file titled "Student Growth Watch List." Please work to have this file completed by Friday, March 1, 2019.
Again, it is not a labor-intensive task. This is simply a way for us to remain focused on our data and identify students who have a high potential for growth and those who can potentially lose ground this year.
You will record their name and place an "X" if any of these apply:
- Is the student in RTI?
- Does the student take advantage of tutoring opportunities?
- Have you had a conference or conversation with the student in regards to their data?
- Have you had a conference or conversation with the parents in regards to the student's data?
- Any other interventions in place or notes you want to make?
Here's is an image of the "Student Growth Watch List" that you will find in your shared folder:
Fire Marshal Report
- Microwave or refrigerator cannot be plugged into a power strip
- Two power strips cannot be plugged into each other
- Residential extension cords cannot be used
- Extension cords can only be used temporarily and not long term (some items noted were lamps and clocks plugged into extension cords)
- Plastic, including tablecloths cannot be hanging on walls
- Notebooks and laptops being left in the hall on the floor. This is more of a student issue, but we will need everyone to help the remember and enforce this
- Doors should not be propped open with magnets or door stops of any kind. During class change, this is not as much of an issue since teachers are monitoring the hall and the classroom. But during class this is a safety issue and doors need to be closed and locked.
Thank you for your attention to these areas to help ensure the safety of everyone in our building.
Keep doors closed and locked at all time...
Save the Date: NeTN CanvasCon 2019
Kingsport City Schools will host the Northeast Tennessee CanvasCon event on Saturday, March 2, 2019 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Click here for more information. Registration deadline is Feb. 24th!
We are also looking for awesome teachers to share their digital skills with others! Click here to fill out the presentation form.
KCS CPR Class Openings
A free CPR class will be offered to all Kingsport City Schools employees on Monday, March 4, 2019 from 4 - 6 p.m. Take note, registration is first come, first serve. Please contact Misty Keller at x2147 or via email if you are interested.
Apply for the 2019-20 Tennessee Educator Fellowship
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) launched the Tennessee Educator Fellowship in 2014 to empower classroom educators to weigh in on policy conversations at the state and local levels. During a one-year term, the Tennessee Educator Fellows learn about, reflect upon, and inform the policies, practices, and systems that affect student achievement and educator effectiveness. Successful past fellows have strategically engaged their colleagues, community members, and policymakers to advocate for improving educational outcomes for all students.
SCORE will select approximately 30 K-12 classroom teachers, librarians, interventionists, and school counselors who are interested in elevating their voices in support of teachers and students. Applicants must have at least three years teaching experience in a Tennessee public school by May 2019. Each fellow will receive a $5,000 stipend for this work while continuing in the classroom during the 2019-20 school year. You can learn more about the fellowship in this blog post.
Learn more and apply here. Applications are due by 11:59 pm CST on Tuesday, February 26. If you have questions, please contact SCORE’s Educator Engagement Associate, Leigh Cooksey, at leigh@tnscore.org.
Duty and Supervision Action Team Report
- It is an expectation that you will be at your duty at the assigned day and time. This is happening for the vast majority of you, but we have noticed that this can be an issue from time to time. We will be watching this more closely and will send an email directly to the teacher who is not on duty. Please be aware that this will be documented toward your professionalism at the end of the year.
- When you are absent, we need you to make arrangements to have your duty covered. Subs should not be covering your duty. A suggestions was made to work it out in advance with a partner teacher to cover for each other and to notify with a quick text when you are out. Whatever you plan, you need to make sure you have the duty covered. This also applied to lunch and hall/bathroom duty. All locations are essential for supervision and we will be held liable if there is not coverage due to negligence and an incident happens in that area.
- Morning duty is 7:15-7:35. Please make morning plans so that you show up on time and plan to stay until 7:35 at your duty location. Afternoon duty is 2:45-3:05. On duty days, you will need to plan to have a quick exit out of your classroom to be at your duty location on time.
I have included links to our duty schedules below for your reference. They are also available in the JSMS shared drive. It is the work of all of us that contributes to making Sevier a great place to work and a safe place for our students to learn. Thank you all for all that you do!