Sunday, February 28, 2016

Technology and Standard 5- Feb. 29- March 5

Understanding Standard 5 and Technology 

with Nancy Dressel

Bring a device!
March 3, 2015
8:00
Link

Standard 5 ~ Learning Environment

The teacher uses resources, routines, and procedures to provide a respectful, safe, positive, student-centered environment that is conducive to student engagement and learning.

  



Criteria
Distinguished
Effective
Developing/Needs Improvement
Unacceptable

In addition to meeting the effective standard, the teacher creates a dynamic environment where learning is maximized, disruptions are minimized, and students are regularly self-directed in their learning.
The teacher uses resources, routines, and procedures to provide a respectful, safe, positive, student-centered environment that is conducive to student engagement and learning.
The teacher is inconsistent in providing a well-managed, safe, student-centered, academic environment that is conducive to learning.
The teacher inadequately addresses student behavior, displays a detrimental attitude with students, ignores safety standards, or does not otherwise provide an environment conducive to learning.

  • How do I design classroom layout to foster collaboration, mutual respect, communication, engagement?

  • How do I foster intellectual risk-taking of students?
  • How do I design student participation as an active role in intellectual work?
  • How do I value opinions, beliefs, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds of individual students and groups of students and perspective differences?



Friday, February 12, 2016

Student Involved Conferences

On Feb. 17 we will have a district forum in the media center.

You will have...

  • your PLC on Feb. 16
  • the staff meeting time on Feb. 18
  • the staff meeting time on Feb. 25 

to prepare for conferences.

Essential Question:  

How can I infuse student choice and voice in conferences?

Conferences are an important time to connect with families.  We are fortunate at Hudson Prairie with the supportive and involved families we have.   As I spend time conferencing you I am impressed how well you know your students, have data to share, and how we are our student's  biggest advocate, cheerleader, and coach. 

Here are some tips:

  1. Send a questionnaire home to get a focus for parent concerns.
  2. Getting students involved is important so they are owning their learning.  See information on student led conferences below.  
  3. Take the "sandwich" approach. I start with something positive, continue with the things that the child needs to work on, and I finish with something positive.
  4. Plan the essential things you want to share.  Strengths and an area to work on.  Essential data and work samples.  
  5. Listen to parents concerns and have a 2 way conversation.
  6. Don't talk down to parents. Be honest and truthful. Try to speak in the positive. Offer positive ways to help a struggling child
  7. Don't diagnose students.  Describe areas of difficulties and accommodations you are doing to support them.
  8. Speak about your student the way you want someone to talk about your child
  9. Get support from Susie or Aria as needed!  Sign up sheets are outside my office.
Resources for Conferences.

How can I infuse student choice and voice in conferencing?  Student Led Conferencing

What is it?
Student’s moment to share his or her reflections on achievements and challenges.

What are the benefits?
  • Parent attendance is high
  • Students take responsibility for own learning
  • Promotes reflection
  • Students communicate what they are learning
  • Goal setting-  You may use MAP Goal setting and think of specific actions to help.
What are the disadvantages?
  • What do you do with un-involved families?
  • Need straight talk with teacher
What are the different jobs?
  • Student is the leader
  • Teacher is the facilitator
  • Family is an active participant
What do I do?
Before
  • Send parents a questionnaire to gather input.
  •  Gather artifacts in a portfolio and reflect on what they are proud of and possible areas to grow.  
  • Reflect weekly on artifacts.
  • Choose your top 3-4 pieces of work.
  • Practice as a class and with older students or other staff members on how to lead the conference.
  • Plan 2 specific talking points for parents. Think of a praise and an area for growth.
During
  • Support and coach
  • Involve parents in the conference.
After
  • Celebrate student ownership.
  • Reflect on areas for improvement.
Take a look at an example of a student led conference:


What different formats?

  • 1 on 1 student led conferences
  • Stations where you are at one and you have 3 families at a time rotating with a timer.
1.  Math games
2.  Reading/ Writing goals
3. Portfolio sharing with teacher.

Resources

Sample Script for intermediate
Sample Script for primary

How could it evolve?
I would start small in the Fall with a short reflection.
In February, students can lead it more.

Please share comments and resources to support your colleagues with conferences.  


Friday, February 5, 2016

I Love To Read Month- Igniting a Passion for Reading- Reflective questions for staff meeting

February is I Love to Read Month!


Our Tier One Guarantee is..
Students are reading independently in text they can and want to read daily.

Reflective questions: (Click here to add)

1. Are all of your students independently reading or are some fake reading?
Article from Heidi Aschebbrenner

2. How can we help students who are fake reading become engaged in reading?  

3. How do we balance students reading a just right book and a book they WANT to read?
If the book is too difficult, it will lead to frustration; too little of a challenge will lead to boredom (Routman, 2003). 

Many students who choose hard books give up on the book out of frustration. Research shows that learning best occurs with many lessons presenting no more than 10% new material and providing many opportunities for practice (Fountas & Pinnell, 1996).

Students benefit from daily opportunities to read books they choose for themselves for their own purposes and pleasures (Calkins, 2001).

Don't Crush Reading Motivation


4.  How can we support our at home reading expectation?
Why read Presentation for Families
Catch You Reading


5.  How can we ignite a passion for reading for all of our students?
Becoming a classroom of readers
Book Shopping
Book Trailers




Please comment to one question above to support our  colleagues in helping all 440 students love reading.



This is a part of our SMART Goal Action Plan:
Increase Motivation and Engagement in Reading-
  • All kids- charms, author visit
  • Book Clubs
  • Students struggling- Involve
  • Home tips- Jim Trelease
  • Read to partner can increase engagement for fake readers and add accountability.
  • Community connection to read during lunch


  • Monthly ideas to try for teachers:  
Sept.- Kids news- teachers talk about hot reads
Oct. - Read to partner or read with Book buddies
Nov. -Catch you reading day-then kids come down at 3 for ice cream/30 min dodgeball
Dec.- Hot read bulletin board for all students to write on-.
Jan.-pro athletes/celebrities  book talks from youtube
Feb.-Student hot read, Catch You Reading, Dress Up like a book character
March- book talk teasers
  • ice cream for books-April/May


This team is led by Heidi Aschenbrenner, Jessica Swavely, and Amy Gallick