Charlotte's Shout-outs!
Great moments in teaching at NDHS
This purpose of this newsletter is to:
- acknowledge and celebrate the great work that teachers do
- share good ideas that other teachers might adopt
- promote familiarity with Danielson as a common language to talk about teaching
These are just some of the many examples of awesome teaching happening at New Design High School every day.
Planning: Designing Coherent Instruction (1E)
Adorning his walls are what Mike calls "Spine Questions", a type of developmental & thematic essential questions that guide and shape students' thoughts and conversations over the course of their freshman year. Mini-lessons are listed on a chart paper at the front of the room, each lesson corresponding to one of the skills he has identified will be explicitly taught over the course of the year. Students' first major assignment, a "User Manual", gives Mike both a way of diagnosing students' writing abilities and also provides him with a window into their learning styles and preferences. Not much inclined to chance, Charlotte is a fan of a man with a plan!
Classroom Environment: Managing Student Behavior (2D)
"Threshold Management" is the term Natalie uses to describe why you'll find her standing in her doorway during passing time between each period. This subtle, preventative technique allows her to welcome students, creating a serious working tone from the beginning of class, and she can also screen for any potential management problems before they enter the room. Additionally, her smile brightens the hallway as she provides additional encouragement for other students to get to class on time. For creating a positive environment inside and out of your classroom, Charlotte smiles right back at you :)
Using Assessment in Instruction (3D)
What if we graded all student assignments as if they were works of art? Maybe that doesn't seem very practical, but surely there are commonplace practices in the Design Dept. that all teachers might consider incorporating. Self-assessment is key in any Dave's classes, and students often set their own goals, as Dave provides them with objective feedback around how they are progressing towards those goals. Dave has also presented student work using a Collaborative Assessment Conference (CAC) protocol, providing a launchpad for his department to share great ideas around what they look for in assignments & how they communicate those expectations to students. Charlotte certainly supports your efforts to help our students to create their masterpieces!
Professionalism: Growing & Developing (4E)
Great teachers are always looking for ways continue getting even better. Bobby, for example, has attended various professional development opportunities focused on how to best meet students' needs as we transition to Common Core. In addition to attending both weeks of our NDHS Summer PD, he has also been an active participant in PODs throughout the year. Bobby's latest endeavor is conducting a peer visit with his colleagues and sharing good ideas around instruction. When he isn't doing PD after school, you might also find him developing relationships with students at Chess Club. For demonstrating a commitment to always getting better, Charlotte salutes you!