Monclova Primary
Weekly Bulletin
Events for Week of October 7 - October 13
Monday, October 7
Book Fair - see shared schedule
SLOs Due - 3:30 pm
Board Meeting - 6:30 pm - Whitehouse Primary
Tuesday, October 8
Book Fair - see shared schedule
Fire Drill - 9:30 am
MAPS Meeting - 7:00 pm - Media Center
Wednesday, October 9
Book Fair
Donuts for Dads - 7:30 am - 8:30 am
RtI Day - see shared schedule
Thursday, October 10
#Robbystrong day - jeans/#robbystrong shirts (if you have one)
Book Fair
Donuts for Dads - 7:30 am - 8:30 am
Admin Meeting - Betsey out (9:00 am - 11:00 am)
Fundraiser Delivery - 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Friday, October 11
Book Fair
Kindergarten - Fire Department visit
TGRG Letters sent home - 3:30 pm
FB - Home - Napoleon
Announcements
Thank you:
4th grade team for your patience in proctoring the CogATS!
Mrs. Birkemeier for another fun Wellness Wednesday activity and incorporating our AWHS students! And Mrs. Bigelow for putting together the training video!
Reminders:
Our fall RtI day is Wednesday, the schedule has been shared for you to sign up if needed. All staff with a Tier 3 or Tier 2 moving to Tier 3 must sign up. Please bring all relevant data you have collected this year.
Collection envelope for #Robbystrong day will be in Mrs. Murry's mailbox. Please have all donations in by the end of the week. The family will receive the donations over the weekend.
Donuts for Dads will take place Wednesday and Thursday, please stop down to the community room to greet families and grab coffee and a donut.
The candy drive for Vision Kitchen will take place the week of October 21. A flyer will be going home with all students about this service project.
Now that we have our AWAKE shirts, please remind families of our school wide AWAKE shirt days:
Wednesday, October 23
Monday, October 28 (Red Ribbon Week)
Thursday, November 21
Thursday, December 19
Thursday, January 23
Wednesday, February 12 (Healthy Heart Week)
Thursday, February 20
Thursday, March 19
Thursday, April 23
Thursday, May 21
Upcoming Events:
Fall Book Fair - Oct 7-11
Donuts for Dads - Oct. 9-10
RtI Day - Oct. 9
Grade Level Release - Oct. 15-17
Fall AIR Testing - Oct. 22-28
Words of Wisdom and Action..............................
Most classrooms are using rotation models to be able to work more with students in small groups. Kids learning independence in the other stations is key to these models working. What I have observed so far has been very good, so teachers get focused minutes with the small groups. Ask kids take on more responsibility, the task complexity can increase.
Optimizing Station Rotations in Blended Learning
Using three stations effectively—teacher-led, online, and offline—should provide your students with plenty of ways to collaborate.
By Laura Lee - September 20, 2019
Interested in blending learning models?
A three-station rotation model is a valuable tool for teachers who want to integrate technology, writes former Teacher of the Year and author Caitlin Tucker on her blog. The tactic moves students through different areas of the classroom: teacher-led stations, online stations, and offline stations. While this blended learning model “creates a nice balance between online and offline work,” says Tucker, "it is easy for teachers to slip into a rut when it comes to designing their stations.”
Tucker identifies common pitfalls and possible solutions:
The teacher-led station: Just because a station is teacher-led doesn’t mean the teacher should do all the talking; it’s not all about direct instruction. Encourage students to engage and collaborate. Model a practice and then have students try the same practice in pairs. Or use the teacher-led station for immediate feedback on a recently completed piece of writing, completed homework, or a lab assignment, either through formal assessments or informal Q&A sessions. The teacher-led station is also a great opportunity for differentiated instruction: even if the activity is the same, give different students different instructions tailored to their particular needs. Scaffolding in small groups or moving around the group to observe students individually as they try to complete a modeled task allows teachers to cater to individual needs.
The online station: One common pitfall in the online station is using it “exclusively for personalized practice using adaptive software or an online program." Asking kids to work on computers or tablets in isolation can be limiting and de-motivating. Find ways to make technological integration collaborative, Tucker says, and focus on activities like designing, creating, and publishing digitally. Using technology to support project-based learning, for example, ensures that students interact with each other and not just with screens. Interactive games and quizzes where students play with each other, like Kahoot, can build knowledge while encouraging student interaction. Social media platforms can be a useful tool for engaging with experts as well.
The offline station: The offline station is often dominated by independent work on paper. “Instead of designing collaborative tasks that allow students social learning opportunities, they are required to practice without support or peer interaction.” Like the online station, the offline station works best when students have an opportunity to engage with others and receive guidance. Art projects, STEM experiments, or in-depth discussion allow students to work together and engage in deeper learning.