Couch Comet Dust
11-5-18
Admin Notes
Important Dates:
Weekly Data Meetings this week (M:1, T: 2, W: K, Th: 5, F: 4)
IPC Schedule (Nov 7th: 4th and 5th, Nov 8th: 2nd, Nov 9th: 1st)
Tuesday is Team Leader Meeting (No faculty meeting)
Thanks to EVERYONE for pitching in last week to help make it a success! From upper grades splitting to allow subs to fill missing spots in lower grades, those of you that stepped up and covered rooms that had no subs, extra help in the cafeteria and dismissal, you name it, WE ARE THANKFUL! What a great team!
We are on the countdown to Thanksgiving break! Let's work hard and finish strong!
We've found considerable success supporting all students with our trademarked Hip-Pocket Tools. These are 7 key practices that can be used with any instruction with little to no prep and with almost no materials needed. They are very teacher friendly. Almost all of our award winning strategies employ some if not all of the tools.
These basic tools will increase engagement and interaction with any activity (GLAD or otherwise). If used often enough, you'll create a classroom full of productive energy with a very low affective filter.
Easy to use Tools
1. 10/2 Discussions - These are times for students to discuss, negotiate, or relate to any newly presented material. By making sure we as teachers only provide direct instruction for less than 10 minutes, our students will be able to attend to the lesson with more focus. Short and sweet then time for students to process.
2. "Say it with me." or "Read it with me." - With any new language, vocabulary, or challenging concept, we'll have students repeat the language with us. This facilitated oral practice increases their engagement and provides critical opportunities to learn pronunciation and encourages taking a risk using new academic language.
3. ASL (American Sign Language), TPR (Total Physical Response), Hand gesture - As with Tool 2, we will add a gesture to visually represent key vocabulary and academic language. It helps with memory and helps get the fidgets out in a productive way.
4. "Prove it!" - We focus on process so with any student response we'll ask them to talk through their thought process on how they arrived at their response. It moves away from recall, restate responses to responses that focus on their metacognition.
5. Paraphrase - Students summarize, retell, and build understanding by listening to others. This practice gets them to engage more in all conversations and activities.
6. Sketch or Visual - When we present new academic language, vocabulary, and challenging concepts, we'll add a quick sketch or visual to represent the idea. It targets another form of intelligence, improves memory, and increases comprehension. Sketches should be quick and easy (e.g. stick figures are great).
7. Color Coding and Shape coding - Connect ideas by color coding them to show categories and relationships. Shapes can be used in the same way. It'll help your students build better connections. And as cognitive psychologists have found connections create intelligence.
By using these simple 7 Hip-Pocket Tools, your students will learn more efficiently and enthusiastically.
Specials and PLC
Don't Forget!
- Pop and Post Due November 6
- update Strengths and Languages of Appreciation form
- turn in a copy of your daily schedule and post it outside your door
- have your assessments ready for Data Meetings this week!
- PSMs need to be completed and turned into Jaime Way ASAP
- 2nd grading period ends this week. Make sure your grades are correct according to grading and grouping. All students that fail must have a failure prevention report completed and parents should have been contacted a minimum of 2 times!
Did you know......about Dyslexia?
Many times, people view dyslexia as a disadvantage, however, MANY attribute their success in life to what they call "The Dyslexic Advantage." When we get past what a student with dyslexia can't do... (yet), and focus on their strengths, we help these kiddos realize and reach their potential.
Did you know that MANY famous and successful people are dyslexic? Check it out:
Now that your social contract is written.......
Building it is sometimes the easy part; but keeping it alive can be the hardest part if we aren't intentional.
Reflective Question:
Are you and your students self-managing and using the non-verbal signs?
Tips:
- Assign Social Contract raters.
- Tie rewards to your contract.
- Focus on the word of the day:
- “As a class, what is one thing we are doing well on and what is one thing we need to improve upon?”
- “Hey class, no fouls were called today or even all week; let’s celebrate with a fun team building activity at the end of class.”
- Affirm students when they model the non-verbal signals correctly:
- “Thank you, John, for helping your friend stay on task. You’re a good friend!”
- "Follow Through" really matters!
- Remember to hold the class accountable first. Commit the questions on page 35 of your CKH 1 Manual to memory! They will serve you well.
Students will rise to the level of expectation we have for them; keep modeling!
Upcoming Dates
PLC Data- Weekly Data Meeting 1st November 5
PM: New Teacher Meeting November 5
PLC Data- Weekly Data Meeting 2nd November 6
Team Leader Meeting November 6
Election Day November 6
Pop and Post Vocab due November 6
Field Trip - Third Grade to SGHS play November 7
PLC Data Kinder November 7
Planning 4th and 5th November 7
GISD Council of PTAs General Meeting November 7
Harris Hill - Garland Room at 9:00
PLC Data 5th November 8
Planning 2nd November 8
PTA Board Meeting 4:30 - 6:00 November 8
Birthday: Mike Trotter November 9
Kids of Character Breakfast November 9
Lockdown Drill November 9
PLC Data 4th November 9
Planning 1st November 9
Fall Picture Retakes November 9
Choir Practice at Bankhead Brewing Co 4:00 November 9
Veteran’s Day November 11
National Education Week November 12-16
School Psychology Awareness Week November 12-16
3rd Six Weeks Grading Period Begins November 12
PLC RTI K November 12
Planning 3rd November 12
Birthday: Erin Parris November 13
PLC RTI 1st November 13
Planning K November 13
Faculty Meeting GLAD November 13
Educational Support Personnel Day November 14
PLC RTI 2nd November 14
National Parent Involvement Day November 15
PLC RTI 3rd November 15
CogAT closes November 15
Fire Drill November 15
PTA Meeting - Family Game Night 6:00 - 7:30 November 15
T-TESS No Formal Observations November 16
Thanksgiving November 18-23
PLC RTI 4th November 16
Birthday: Nicole Acosta November 18
Thanksgiving Break November 19-23