Ground Control Instruction
Dos Rios Elementary * November 8, 2017
Knowledge is Power & Caring is Powerful
Being a Public School Teacher is a choice, a career, a lively-hood, a responsibility. As we continue to be reflective, let's examine a thought, "I don't have time to teach if I'm correcting behavior."
Definition of Discipline: training, instruction that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character
Being a teacher means just that. You teach! Teaching appropriate behaviors is as much of our job as it is to teach decimals, ratios, citing evidence, history or the arts. Actually, in perspective, teaching appropriate behaviors to prepare our students to be successfully members of society, is essentially a higher priority than the academic skills we impart.
Making Math Matter - Contributed by Melanie Blaum
Mathematics Teaching Practices: Establish Mathematics Goals to Focus Learning
These teaching practices are aligned with the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice. The Eight Mathematics Teaching Practices provide a research-informed framework for strengthening the teaching and learning of mathematics. This week we will discuss:
Establish Mathematics Goals to Focus Learning
Effective teaching requires a clear understanding of what students need to accomplish mathematically. Clear learning goals focus the work of teaching and student learning. Teachers need to establish clear and detailed goals that indicate what mathematics students are learning, and they need to use these goals to guide decision making during instruction. Students also need to understand the mathematical purpose of a lesson. Teachers should help students understand how specific activities contribute to and support the students’ learning of mathematics as appropriate during instruction. Students can then gauge and monitor their own learning progress. Both teachers and students need to be able to answer crucial questions:
· What mathematics is being learned?
· Why is it important?
· How does it relate to what has already been learned?
· Where are these mathematical ideas going?
When teachers refer to the goals during instruction, students become more focused and better able to perform self-assessment and monitor their own learning.
Establish mathematics goals to focus learning Teacher and Student actions
What are Teachers doing?
- Establishing clear goals that articulate the mathematics that students are learning as a result of instruction in a lesson, over a series of lessons, or throughout a unit.
- Identifying how the goals fit within a mathematics learning progression.
- Discussing and referring to the mathematical purpose and goal of a lesson during instruction to ensure that students understand how the current work contributes to their learning.
- Using the mathematics goals to guide lesson planning and reflection and to make in-the-moment decisions during instruction.
What are Students doing?
- Engaging in discussion of the mathematical purpose and goals related to their current work in the mathematics classroom (e.g., What are we learning? Why are we learning it?)
- Using the learning goals to stay focused on their progress in improving their understanding of mathematic content and proficiency in using mathematical practices.
- Connecting their current work with the mathematics that they studied previously and seeing where the mathematics is going.
- Assessing and monitoring their own understanding and progress toward the mathematics learning goals.
NCTM 2014: Principles to Actions Ensuring Mathematical Success for All
Reading Rockets - Contributed by Ryann Miller
The Gradual Release of Responsibility:
Showing Kids How and Giving Them Time to Practice
Part One
For too long, we have been telling kids what to do rather than showing them how. Now the way we deliver effective instruction always involves modeling and/or guided practice in one form or another. We deliver instruction through the Gradual Release of Responsibility framework (Pearson and Gallagher 1983).
Staff developer Laura Benson visualizes gradual release in terms of learning to ride a bike. First, and in fact this is not a written part of the framework, the adult carefully watches the child approach the bike and make sense of it. This is the assessment piece, finding out what the child can and cannot do independently. Once we understand what is needed, we begin to show the learner how and scaffold his or her experience. So in this case, the child watches the adult ride a bike, which parallels the teacher’s modeling. Next, the child rides the bike with training wheels, a metaphor for guided practice in pairs or small groups. Finally, the happy five-year-old sheds the training wheels and cruises down the street, illustrating how children perform the task independently and apply it in new situations (Harvey 1998). We work hard not to release our students too soon or, conversely, keep them trapped in our instruction to the point of boredom. This involves a delicate balance.
Strategies that Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement, 2007
10 TIPS FROM TEACH-TRAIN-LOVE
“It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.” --Tom Hanks
The hard is what makes this profession great. You see, all of the difficult work you do on a regular basis leads to a bigger, better, and brighter future for the children lucky enough to step foot into your room on the first day of school. While you may feel unappreciated at times, true worth and happiness comes from within and having a good outlook means everything in the world of education. Here are ten tips that will help keep you loving your job for years to come:
1) Savor Shining Moments: Every once in a while there is a moment in class that makes you laugh hysterically, cry (the good kind), or feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for your job. Savor it! Share this moment with your colleagues, friends, family members, etc. You deserve it and people usually enjoy hearing a good teacher tale or two.
2) Count-Ups: As well-deserved as holiday breaks are, try to avoid the countdowns (especially in front of the children). It inadvertently sends a negative message to your brain, and behavior issues often ensue when children can sense that their teacher is ready to ‘clock out’. Rather than doing countdowns, try doing count-ups to special events that celebrate learning (examples: plays/performances, spirit days, field trips, etc.)
3) Praise More/Correct Less: It’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to correct every negative behavior you see. But remember, take a deep breath and choose your battles wisely! Too much attention to negative behaviors can be counterproductive. Rather, focus on positive, specific feedback. Check out my article The Heart Of Positive Discipline to discover 101 techniques for how to positively discipline children in order to preserve a happy, healthy, and loving classroom environment that you enjoy.
4) Collection Box: Save the special letters, pictures, and thoughtful keepsakes you get from your children. Read them on a difficult day as a reminder of how much you love your job
5) Vent to Few: It’s natural and sometimes healthy to vent. However, choose a few select people that you trust when venting frustrations. Chatting with a teacher buddy who can relate from another school may be your best bet. You certainly don’t want to be seen as ‘Negative Nancy’ by your colleagues or have your frustrations get back to the wrong ears (thus creating a whole other slew of issues). It’s not good for you or the school climate. After venting, always ask yourself, “Is this something I can control?” If not, let it go and move on. If so, brainstorm solutions!
6) Love your Room: Be sure to make your room kid-friendly and teacher-friendly. Take some extra time at the beginning of the year to make it an organized, well-functioning, comfortable, and beautiful place to spend your countless hours. Bring in a soft-lit lamp from home to grade papers near as opposed to the harsh fluorescent lights. Be greeted by the smell of a scented air freshener each time you enter your room. These little touches can go a long way!
7) The Mulligan Rule: Kids forget about their troubles in 2.5 seconds. We can learn a lot from them! Remember, tomorrow is always a new day. Teachers deserve do-overs!
8) Connect with Parents: Parents can be your biggest supporters or your toughest critics. Fostering good relationships with them can make all the difference in your happiness as well as the success of your students. Communicate often and approach issues in a sensitive manner. How would you want something communicated if it were your child?
9) Fun Factor: Keep it fun, both in the classroom and with your colleagues. Sing. Dance. Let yourself laugh a little too long. Do the messy project. Never take yourself too seriously. That is the beauty of being a teacher and working with children all day. Embrace it!
10) Count Your Lucky Stars: Yep, there are many things that make teaching tough. There are also millions of things that make it a fun-filled, rewarding profession. I sometimes scope the flawlessly dressed woman in pumps at the grocery store in envy while I’m rocking my modest flats, disheveled hair, and marker-covered hands. But hey, I’m sure she’d give anything for a summer off or an extended holiday break with her family. We’ve earned our perks, but let’s never take them for granted!
Wellness Event
Please consider signing up for the Wellness event on Nov. 13th! You can get free flu shots! There will also be pneumonia shots, blood pressure and cholesterol screening. If you are over 40 years old and haven't had a mammogram, that is free also! If there isn't enough participation, they will cancel the event.
So please consider signing up - more information and links to sign up/phone number to sign up below!
Molly Hostetler Rider