CSHS Weekly Bulletin
December 5-10, 2016
Looking Beyond the Surface
Dear Cougar Family,
My mom taught elementary students in kindergarten and 1st grade for over 30 years, so I grew up in her classroom. She was an incredible teacher, and I am still in awe that she opened the gateway to reading for so many people. After school in elementary school, I would go to her classroom and play with the other teachers' kids, thinking I was hot stuff as I ran the hallways, playing and laughing. Over the years, I also spent lots of time reading in her classroom; I think I read every book from her shelves, and there were many. As I grew older, my mom started allocating tasks to me, like changing her bulletin boards, grading papers, creating options for book reports, and even "volunteering" to help her with struggling students in an after school program.
We have had multiple conversations about how she can't imagine teaching high school and how I can't imagine being in an elementary school. In spite of that learning environment not being my calling, Mom's elementary background had a profound influence on my secondary classroom. I didn't realize it until several years in, but my propensity to change the posters on the walls of my room with each unit and to hang student work in my room and hallway definitely come from having helped her. It wasn't until the last two years I was in the classroom that I had the ah-ha moment that the walls of my classroom were also places to extend the learning for my students (not just places to decorate thematically), like using a masking tape plot chart Ss could interact with as we learned the parts of a story or having a color-coded word wall of academic language. As an administrator, I now get to see into a wide variety of spaces in our school and in others. Every classroom I visit makes me think about what I would do to my classroom if I had one--and I would do a lot of things differently, especially regarding what I put on the walls and how the space was used. For example, Mrs. Mishler writing lists and quotes on the windows of her office with Expo Markers, and Mrs. Vance's students using neon Expo markers to write on the black tops of her tables to make videos explaining concepts makes me see that surfaces can be used in a variety of ways.
I would like to challenge you to think about your classroom and ponder these questions, thinking about how the surfaces could be used to help students learn: How can you use the walls of your classroom to emphasize content and skills that are important for them to remember? What on the walls of your classroom is useful to your students? Do you showcase student work in your classroom? Could your space be used differently to help students learn?
This week will be another busy and exciting one at CSHS! May you revel in it!
As always, COUGAR PRIDE!
Tiffany
60 Second Staff Development: Closure
We will feature short videos and ideas such as we continue throughout the year on topics that relate to good instruction (and that relate to many of your T-TESS goals).
John Tanner Visit: CSISD to host community gathering on state accountability
Texas is embarking on its latest journey into state accountability: A-F ratings for every public school and school district. Texas has become the 17th state to attempt this type of school reform, and we can learn a great deal from how these systems have been implemented in other states.
John Tanner, founder of TestSense.com, will be in College Station on December 6 to talk about how the STAAR tests work and the implications for state accountability. Tanner will speak at 6:30 p.m. at the College Station ISD Transportation Center (9304 Rock Prairie Road, College Station).
The public is encouraged to attend this free event.
Perhaps the following excerpt from his recent essay Creating a Meaningful Community-Based Accountability System best explains John’s presentation:
As another Texas Legislature with authority to change the law that established Texas’ A-F system prepares to meet, it is imperative that stakeholders know that the research is clear: A-F school rating systems fail as an indicator of school quality, but there is evidence that supports more meaningful kinds of accountability systems.
More information regarding Tanner and his message can be found on his website (TestSense.com).
Comp Time Reminders!
- See Kim Rodgers with any questions.
6 hours due by Dec. 5th for January 3rd Comp Day; 6 more for April 17.
Book Check During Advocate!
The final exemption card process will begin with the student textbook audit. I have placed the textbook audit folders in your faculty box today.
During DEC 5th -DEC 8th please encourage your students to bring their textbook(s) to 4th period Advocate class. There is a reminder of this in the daily announcements.
The distribution of Final Exemptions cards will be DEC 12TH-DEC 14TH during all lunches. If a student does not show you their textbook they will be placed on the Fine List. To receive an exemption card all fines must be cleared.
Please return the textbook audit folder to Anna McBride's box by FRIDAY, DEC 9TH @ 11 AM.
Fall Final Exam Information
Grade Due Dates
Announcements
Please make sure you are showing the Daily Announcements each day during Advocate.
Duty Schedule
Upcoming Events
12/12 Band Concert
12/14 HOSA Blood Drive
12-16, 19-20 Final Exams
12/20 End Third Six Weeks/First Semester