Appreciating Differences

Here are my favorite Superbowl Commercials that show hope for all people and an appreciation of diversity.  

This is the message that will be shared with us on April 20, when Terry Gulbransen will share her expertise with students with behavior difficulties. 

Please comment thoughts that came to mind as you viewed these commercials. 

How does this fit with school and the work we do?

Empathy Video that Chloe found

Planning for 2017-18- Late Start April 13

Late Start- Building Planning for 2017-18  

April 13, 2017

8-10:30

Immerse

1. Read Article Improving Teacher Empathy to Improve Student Behavior  
2. Think about Reflection Questions from Improving Teacher Empathy to Improve Student prior to the meeting.

Investigate/ Coalesce

8-8:15-  Teaming activity led by Sue Schaeffer

8:15-8:30-

Why Empathy?

• Change with 4K and EBD Cluster Program
• We know that building relationships with students is a strong correlation to student learning.

1. Complete Reflection Questions from Improving Teacher Empathy to Improve Student Behavior  

2. Quotes

3, Every Kid Needs a Champion 7:48

4. Turn and talk - How do you have empathy and be a champion for all students?

8:30-9:00-

Reflect on the 2016-17 as a table and add to it.

• Highlights report

Planning for 2017-18

• Next year planning 2017-18 Packets
• School Map- Building Vision/ Dream
• 4K Program Planning
• EBD Cluster Planning

Summer

• Map
• Calendar

Go Public

9:00-10:30-

SMART Goal Planning (Conference Room)- Goals and Action Brainstorms, Homework guidelines, Brainstorm how Volunteers can be used in your classroom- Conference Room

PBIS Planning (Media Center)- Reward Schedule for next year, kick off, Climate Planning, Retirement Planning-

9:30-10:30-

SST Planning (Media Center)- Improvements in process, Staff professional learning, Cum file tracking, Watchlist for 2017-18-

Continue at PLC- Next year planning 2017-18 Packets

Building Relationships

On Thursday April 6, we will reflect on the results of our climate survey given to students in grades K-5.  We will reflect as educators how to help all students perceive their school as a safe place where they feel cared about.  We have great results and we need to be proud of our work.  We are challenged to making meaningful connections with our kids,  Here is some research:

What?

We all want to feel cared for and valued by the significant people in our world. Students are no different.  Building relationships is the most important way we can support student learning.  It is important to build trust and relationships during the first 6 weeks of school, but it is important to continue throughout the year.

Why?

Here is an expert from 

Educator's Guide to Preventing and Solving Discipline Problems

by Mark Boynton and Christine Boynton

A review of the research shows that authors have a lot to say about positive relationships with students. Thompson (1998) says, “The most powerful weapon available to secondary teachers who want to foster a favorable learning climate is a positive relationship with our students” (p. 6). Canter and Canter (1997) make the statement that we all can recall classes in which we did not try very hard because we didn't like our teachers. This should remind us how important it is to have strong, positive relationships with our students. Kohn (1996) goes a step further, saying, “Children are more likely to be respectful when important adults in their lives respect them. They are more likely to care about others if they know they are cared about” (p. 111). Marzano (2003) states that students will resist rules and procedures along with the consequent disciplinary actions if the foundation of a good relationship is lacking. He goes on to assert that relationships are perhaps more important at the elementary and junior high levels than at the high school level. And according to Zehm and Kottler (1993), students will never trust us or open themselves up to hear what we have to say unless they sense that we value and respect them.

How?
5 Tips for Better Relationships with your Students

Hearts and Minds is an article from Educational Leadership that gives specific activities to build relationships.

Please comment on the blog one way you build relationships in your class. 

Kindness Week

March 27th-31st is Kindness Week here at HP! 

It is a perfect time to focus kids on what we expect our students to be caring people.  We have had a lot of behavior difficulties lately so this can help us refocus and reteach what we want for our HP Family.

1. Kindness checklists for students - there is a 2nd-5th grade checklist and a K-1 checklist.  It is optional for them to participate, but it would be really neat to have everyone participating!

  

2. Tuesday (28th) and Thursday (30th) there will be stations in Mrs. Krieser's classroom where students can make things for other people (cards, bracelets, posters, etc). Please come down if you have time! 

*4th and 5th grade - if you have students that can come down during recesses to help!

3. Dress up days M, W, F - 

Monday = Powered by Kindness - dress like a superhero

Wednesday = Team Kindness - dress like a sports player or in your favorite team gear

Friday = Dream Kindness - PJ Day

4. Hearts - I will also be putting 1 heart cut out for every student in your mailboxes for our Kindness Week bulletin board. If they hit at least 5 acts of kindness throughout the week they can put their name on the heart and write/draw one of their acts of kindness on the heart. Please get the filled out hearts to my mailbox and we will get them up on the bulletin board for all to see!

5. Please talk about kindness or do a kindness lesson sometime throughout the week - I have lots of kindness themed books if you want to borrow one 

Kindness is Cooler Mrs. Ruler

Each Kindness

Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

The Tale of the Poisonous Yuck Bugs

The Invisible Boy

The Invisible String

Peace Weekin Miss Fox's Class

Fill a Bucket

Heartprints

Please add to the blog other ideas you have to spread kindness!

Forward Exam 2017- March 23

WI Forward Exam Preparation

Proctor Training & Confidentiality Agreement

Please inform your families of specific dates you will have assessments.

March 27-31- Test- Taking Strategies- whole class   

• Test Preparation PPT  (10 min.)
• Grit/ Growth Mindset- Video on Grit
• Self Assessment

March 27- 31-Forward Exam Platform

• Whole Class- Student Tutorials (25- 30 min.)

Sign on to an online test

Pausing, Exiting, and Ending a Test

Testing Basics

Basic Tools and Navigation

Protractor- 4th Grade

Ruler- 3rd & 4th

Writing Tools

• Individuals- Practice test for students- Firefox, Chrome Browsers (30 min.)

April 3- 21- Testing-  remove items from wall or cover them

• Give students a mint to do their best
• Pep talk-

               Encourage students to do their best and have grit.

               We use this data to determine what you know and how we can help you grow

Optional Educator Effectiveness Support Seminar- Documentation Log March 16

March 16- Educator Effectiveness Support Seminar

Documentation Log/ Artifacts

Due: April 21

1.  Determine which standards you need artifacts in.

TEACHERS
Probationary Year 1-  1 artifact in:

Standard 2- Planning

Standard 4- Assessment

Standard 6- Professionalism

Probationary Year 2-  1 artifact in:

Standard 2- Planning

Standard 4- Assessment

Standard 6- Professionalism

Probationary Year 3-  1 artifact in:

Standard 1- Professional Knowledge

Standard 3- Instructional Delivery

Standard 5- Learning Environment

Non- Probationary- Upload artifacts in any standard so at the end of 3 years you have 12-15 standards.  It could be 4-5/ year.  

Make sure you have:

• Standard 2- 2 artifacts
• Standard 4- 2 artifacts
• Standard 6- 2 artifacts
• 6-9 artifacts from any standard

SPECIALISTS
Probationary Year 1-  1 artifact in:

Standard 3- Assessment

Standard 4- Program Planning and Management

Standard 6- Professionalism

Probationary Year 2-  1 artifact in:

Standard 3- Assessment

Standard 4- Program Planning and Management

Standard 6- Professionalism

Probationary Year 3-  1 artifact in:

Standard 1- Professional Knowledge

Standard 2- Communication and Collaboration

Standard 5- Program Delivery

Non- Probationary- Upload artifacts in any standard so at the end of 3 years you have 12-15 standards.  It could be 4-5/ year.  

Make sure you have:

• Standard 1- 1 artifact- Professional Knowledge
• Standard 2- 1 artifact- Communication and Collaboration
• Standard 3- 1 artifact- Assessment
• Standard 4- 1 artifact- Program Planning and Management
• Standard 5- 1 artifact- Program Delivery
• Standard 6- 1 artifact- Professionalism
• 6-9 artifacts from any standard

2.  Determine what artifacts you want to have in your documentation log.

Look at which standards your observations, SLO, and Survey have evidence in.

Documentation Log Planning sheet

• Add artifacts for areas you do not have a lot of evidence for.  
• Think of things you have done that has a strong impact on student learning.
• Think about areas where you have grown this year as a professional.
• Think about ways you have helped your colleagues grow.
• Think about things that move toward student owning their learning, assessment, and behavior.
• Think about putting student work examples not blank forms in as artifacts.
• Here are some ideas for artifacts:    List of log ideas for each standard                                                                                 Hudson artifact ideas for each standard  

3.   Uploading Artifact

Adding to Artifact files for those not on cycle (Dolf's video)

Artifact Reflection Questions

4.  Documentation Log(Summative year)

Documentation Log for those on Cycle (video)

Documentation Log Reflections

1.  Describe how this artifact provides evidence for this standard.

2.  Describe how this artifact impacted your professional practice and knowledge.

3.  Detail the impact on student learning this artifact demonstrates.

Working Smarter, Not Harder

With Spring Break coming, we will not have a staff meeting so you can plan for after break.  I hope  you all have an awesome week off with family and friends!!!

Some common question educators ask themselves are:

• How can I balance the work as a teacher and my life?                           I could be working all day and night and it's never done.
• How can I be the best teacher?
• How can I continue to grow as a teacher?
• How can I feel good about the work I do?
• How can I meet all of my students' needs?

• How can I work SMARTER, not harder?

Here are some tips:  

Prioritize your work
Ask yourself:  
Is this something I should do or the kids should do?
Can a volunteer do this?
How can I sort the work as what I need to do to teach, personalize instruction, and provide strong feedback for students.

Collaborate
Share the work oad.
Share your work and learn from your colleagues.
Plan guided reading lessons together

Get it done
Set aside some time, shut your door and get it done.  Minimize conversations, distractions, phones, and concentrate on your tasks.

Invest in students
Give them jobs in the classroom.
Think about how students can have choice and voice in the classroom.
Have students responsible for teaching each other.

Take care of yourself
Exercise
Enjoy time with family and friends
Schedule these times in your calendar.
Work hard and play hard!

Here are some great resources:
15 Ways to Work Smarter Not Harder by Genia Connell
Work Smarter, Not Harder:  10 Tips for Teachers

Please add a tip below to share with your colleagues on working smarter not harder.