A Collection of Connections
a connection of ideas, thinking, questions, & resources
Welcome Back!
Welcome back to A Collection of Connections!
I hope that this newsletter can serve as a place to see what others are up to, ponder new ideas, share things that are going well (or not so), ask questions, and find resources. Please send me items to be included - - that is what will make this connection worthwhile! Newsletters are archived at the bottom.
<3 Beth Brent
Twitter: @mrsbethbrent
Workshop Structures
Shanahan on Literacy
Improving Achievement... Is It the Tests or the Teaching?
Highlights:
Should reading specialists change their program every 12 weeks if a student is not showing growth?
- I guess that depends on what you mean by “program.”
- It will depend on whether I have gained new information about the child that I lacked when the original decision was made. That could be because I’ve worked with the child for a significant amount of time and have seen responses that don’t match with my original decisions or it could be that we collected more test data on the child which changed my mind.
Should second-graders be assigned to special phonics instruction based upon an oral reading fluency measure?
- Typically, one would not make consequential reading decisions based upon any single measure. If I were sending kids to special education or a reading specialist I would want to be both certain that the child was experiencing difficulty in reading and I would want to have some idea of the pattern of reading skills and abilities the child had so we could make sure he/she would learn.
Should second-graders be assigned to special phonics instruction based upon an oral reading fluency measure?
- Typically, one would not make consequential reading decisions based upon any single measure. If I were sending kids to special education or a reading specialist I would want to be both certain that the child was experiencing difficulty in reading and I would want to have some idea of the pattern of reading skills and abilities the child had so we could make sure he/she would learn.
Exploring Inquiry
Math
Transforming the Culture of Math
Transforming the Culture of Math: Developing Students as Powerful Mathematical Thinkers by Jancey Clark
*Highlights*
Expectations. This does not refer to our expectations of students but our expectations for students.
Language. Our words have the power to define the culture of the classroom. What language would a mathematician use? Do your students have the opportunity to speak the language of math?
Time. Are your math values and beliefs reflected in the way your math class is structured? Would students be able to identify what is valued?
Modeling We must model our own thinking dispositions, calling attention to times that we are reflective, creative, or taking risks.
Opportunities. Rather than planning lessons and assignments that ask students to demonstrate only content knowledge, plan opportunities that allow them to challenge misconceptions, build evidence to support a claim, or consider multiple strategies.
Routines. In a well-managed classroom, established routines are everywhere, from how to clean up manipulatives to how to work together in a small group.
Interactions. This is the force that has the most impact on the culture of a math classroom. The most powerful learning opportunities arise when students learn from one another. To achieve this, we must create an autonomous learning environment in which students feel that their thinking is valued.
Environment. The physical environment of the classroom can enhance learning and build culture. Student thinking and learning should be visible throughout the classroom.
If you want to truly transform the way math is taught and learned, focus on the culture first.
Sweet Tweets
Archive
Vol. 2 - December 22, 2018
Vol. 3 - January 12, 2018
Vol. 4 - January 21, 2018
Vol. 5 - February 4, 2018
Vol. 6 - March 15, 2018
Beth Brent
Email: ebrent@zcs.k12.in.us
Location: 350 North 6th Street, Zionsville, IN, United States
Phone: 317-340-5516
Twitter: @mrsbethbrent