Saturday, February 25, 2017

Filling the Gaps

Excellence in Education: Fill the Gaps
Lately, I’ve either been part of or have listened to several conversations about Mustang Morning. While some of the conversations have been about PLC time or logistics, mostly they’ve been about remediation. How can Mustang Morning be used to fill the gaps?

The following are taken from various conversations, and I honestly can’t accurately attribute them.

First, we must realize that we cannot fill every gap for every student. Instead, we should focus on filling the gaps that are causing the most trouble, those that are impeding learning.
  1. We should strive to help students acquire specific skills that will most benefit student learning.
  2. Use data from assessments (formative, common, or summative) to provide as much individualization as possible.
  3. Students should be provided with the opportunity to practice in order to develop fluency and proficiency. For students who are struggling, this may include reviewing and practicing material from previous units.
  4. Mustang Morning should not be more of the same instruction.
  5. Students need to see their own progress, that their efforts are paying off. Through feedback and reinforcement students will see their own progression towards mastery.
  6. Use Mustang Morning to pre-teach for the next section. Use Mustang Morning for pre-teaching vocabulary that other students are familiar, or prime their brains with a video or a reading so they will have the necessary background knowledge for the new material to “stick” to in their brains.
  7. Allow students to have some fun during Mustang Morning, by creating interactive review games

Excellence in Education: We Rescue Too Soon and Too Often
This is one of the biggest traps when working with challenging students who do not have a consistent grasp a basic skills--we rescue them. They are rescued before they can experience any more confusion. They are giving step-by-step directions, often a required accommodation in their individual education plans, for tasks that require pondering, consideration of alternative routes, and evaluation of methods. Teachers are exhorted to break down tasks, to break them down into the teeniest substep that the student can do independently. The opportunities to construct knowledge, to see the big picture and develop a meaningful concept--what could happen after the student followed the step-by-step directions--are cast aside for very students who need most more most need multiple opportunities to think for themselves.

Useful Links:

Portfolio Assistance If you have a student who needs assistance setting up his/her portfolio, click here

Technology / Website Permission Request Form http://go.shr.lc/1HovEA6 Please use this form to request use of a website that requires student log-in if the site is not already on the approved list. DART approved list



Calendar and Memo Items
A-B-A-B-B
Please remember that the copy room and mailroom are off limits to students at all times.
February 20 and March 31 are NORMAL school days now.

Help Save The Next Girl: 9th and 10th grades, Feb 28; 11th and 12th grades, March 1 Here’s the schedule

Birthdays
Feb 22: Najwa Tatby
Feb 23: Kossi Djamessi (custodian)
Feb 25: Paul Jones, Krista Matheny, Joe Weaver

Worth Your Time


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Sunday, February 12, 2017

Cultivating Curiosity

Excellence in Education: 100 Questions
This idea comes from Cultivating Curiosity in K-12 Classrooms in which author Wendy Ostrofff recommends asking students to generate 100 questions before discussing a topic. Her examples come from Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

“Why was Charlie’s family so poor?”; “What made Willy Wonka close his factory to outsiders?”; “What if only grown-ups had found the golden tickets?” The students may then progress to more analytical questions, “Do the Oompa Loompas ever miss Loompaland?”; “What happens if they want to go home?”

After running out of questions, she recommends allowing students to pair up and to see if they can meet the challenge of getting to 100.

When I first read this strategy, it seemed silly and excessive, but as she points out it’s imperative for students to get in the habit of asking questions. This will stretch their minds, prime their brains for learning and will get them in the habit of challenging texts and people around them.

To spur questions, it may be helpful for teachers to share visuals, brief videos or readings with students. Additionally, the technique can be used before, during or after the a unit of study. Perhaps, even using the strategy throughout the unit.
Useful Links:

Portfolio Assistance If you have a student who needs assistance setting up his/her portfolio, click here

Technology / Website Permission Request Form http://go.shr.lc/1HovEA6 Please use this form to request use of a website that requires student log-in if the site is not already on the approved list. DART approved list



Calendar and Memo Items
Please remember that the copy room and mailroom are off limits to students at all times.
Faculty forums (voluntary) on 2/7 at 8 and 2/8 at 4pm. Both will be in the forum.

February 20 and March 31 are NORMAL school days now.

Help Save The Next Girl: 9th and 10th grades, Feb 28; 11th and 12th grades, March 1 Here’s a draft schedule; you may comment on it directly or email me before it is finalized. Please note, we’d like every student to see one of the two Help Save the Next Girl presentations. Because of mixed grade classes, it is possible that a student’s class goes on both days or neither day; please use your discretion and professionalism in determining how you would like to deal with these situations.

Birthdays
February 6: Ruth Tapscott
February 8: Ronnie Brown, Jesse Turner
February 9: Melanie Menefee
February 10: Eric Bredder
February 11: David Waters
February 12: Jeff Lloyd

Shout Out
Congratulations to Chris Stanek who earned a $5000 grant for aquaponics!

Great weekend for our Robotics students and their sponsors (Mr. Bredder and Ms. Peairs).

Worth Your Time
After viewing this, we gotta’ step up how we greet students at the door. (Embracing)


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Sunday, January 29, 2017

I’ve Given Students Autonomy and Choice, but It’s Not Working for Some of Them

Excellence in Education: I’ve Given Students Autonomy and Choice, but It’s Not Working for Some of Them
Genius Hour. Project-Based Learning. Passion Projects. For some students these don’t always work and more often than not, it’s because they don’t possess the necessary skills to be successful.

Many students lack the skills to be successful on self-directed or autonomous learning projects. Requiring curiosity, executive functioning skills, drive, and higher-level thinking it’s our responsibility to teach students these skills. For below grade-level students, who struggle with the academic content, projects are often even more intimidating.

So how can we help students learn the necessary skills to successfully complete autonomous projects, and more importantly acquire real-life skills.
  1. Recognize some students will thrive with increased independence while others can’t be expected to work independently.
  2. Scaffold the process by slowly increasing student independence by starting small and slowly giving students more autonomy.
  3. Develop a student check-in system to diagnose stumbling blocks and support students through the entirety of the project.
  4. Knowing your students’ strengths and weaknesses will help your provide additional supports. Be purposeful in developing and implementing strategies to assist these students. This may include checklists, a partner to work with, graphic organizers, drafting students for Mustang Morning, etc. And no, these students will not be embarrassed by the extra supports; they know their weaknesses and want to be successful. They’ll appreciate your support.  

Need to Knows:
Madison House Each year we partner with UVA’s Madison House to provide free tutoring to some of our students.  Teachers, students and parents can make a tutoring request at the following link: https://goo.gl/forms/N2XWx6e7h3HzFVuq1.  Deadline is Monday, January 30!

Golden Apple Nominations, a program designed to honor outstanding educators, are now being accepted. One winner will be selected from each school. Each award recipient will receive a Golden Apple and gift certificates from local businesses. Additionally, eight winners will receive $1,000 Golden Apple Grants, which can be used for classroom materials or to support the recipient’s professional development. To access the information packet and nomination forms, please go the Albemarle County Public Schools website at www.k12albemarle.org and you will see the link under the Spotlight section. February 2nd deadline.

Positive Referrals: https://goo.gl/forms/HZtZoQqHoa2SWT0H3 With the end of the first semester, it’s a great time to recognize students!

Portfolio Assistance If you have a student who needs assistance setting up his/her portfolio, click here

Technology / Website Permission Request Form http://go.shr.lc/1HovEA6 Please use this form to request use of a website that requires student log-in if the site is not already on the approved list. DART approved list



Calendar and Memo Items
A-B-A-B-A

February 20 and March 31 are NORMAL school days now.

Help Save The Next Girl: 9th and 10th grades, Feb 28; 11th and 12th grades, March 1 Here’s a draft schedule; you may comment on it directly or email me before it is finalized. Please note, we’d like every student to see one of the two Help Save the Next Girl presentations. Because of mixed grade classes, it is possible that a student’s class goes on both days or neither day; please use your discretion and professionalism in determining how you would like to deal with these situations.

Birthdays
February 5: CeCe Brown (Cafeteria)

Worth Your Time
Internet Usage in Class Tide to Lower Test Scores : Research at Michigan State (sorry Ms. Ye) showing problems with computers in college classes; here’s the link to the research paper (Innovating?)

As educators we should always be on the lookout for ways to increase student relevancy and sparking curiosity. I came across this picture, and figured it has a lot of potential. What are some ways you increase relevancy and spark curiosity?


Good Advice on De-escalating the Power Struggle in Classrooms  (Embracing)
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Let's Take Chunking to the Next Level

Excellence in Education: Let’s Take Chunking to the Next Level
With 85-minute classes, perhaps no instructional strategy is more important than formative assessment. Over those 85-minutes students can make tremendous progress, but without constant feedback they can also flounder.

Undoubtedly, we’ve all gotten lost while driving (well maybe not the youngins who’ve always had GPS), but there’s a big difference between missing a turn and missing a turn and not recognizing it for an hour and ending up in the middle-of-nowhere. During my first year teaching I was invited to a co-worker’s house in rural Virginia. The directions seemed simple enough. A couple of turns off Route 211, one of two or three “major” roads in Rappahannock County, and I’d be there. One hour into what should have been a 45-minute drive turned into two hours, and I had no clue where I was. After several stops at local stores and private residencies provided little help, I eventually found Route 211 and made my way home.

After getting home, I called my friend to explain the 2-hour debacle. On Monday, after making fun of me, he sat down and drew me a map complete with landmarks (You’ll go over a bridge, There’s a barn on the right, Here’s an orchard, You’ll go 2 miles, If you get to the big turn, you’ve gone too far). A couple of weeks later, armed with the map, I made it to his house in 45 minutes!

While I usually have a good sense of direction, Rappahannock County, like most classes for our students, was brand new to me. I clearly benefited from specific directions and landmarks, so I could constantly check my progress.

Similarly, students need immediate feedback on their learning. Struggling learners, like lost drivers, often don’t realize they are struggling. They need immediate feedback. Lessons should include multiple checkpoints where students, sometimes with the help of peers or a teacher, check their progress. This helps students focus their learning into manageable chunks. At each checkpoint students stop and evaluate whether or not they are ready to move to the next component.

Great use of formative assessment and chunking helps student focus their learning and can mean the difference between failure and learning.

Need to Knows:
Golden Apple Nominations, a program designed to honor outstanding educators, are now being accepted. One winner will be selected from each school. Each award recipient will receive a Golden Apple and gift certificates from local businesses. Additionally, eight winners will receive $1,000 Golden Apple Grants, which can be used for classroom materials or to support the recipient’s professional development. To access the information packet and nomination forms, please go the Albemarle County Public Schools website at www.k12albemarle.org and you will see the link under the Spotlight section.

Positive Referrals: https://goo.gl/forms/HZtZoQqHoa2SWT0H3 With the end of the first semester, it’s a great time to recognize students!

Portfolio Assistance If you have a student who needs assistance setting up his/her portfolio, click here

Technology / Website Permission Request Form http://go.shr.lc/1HovEA6 Please use this form to request use of a website that requires student log-in if the site is not already on the approved list. DART approved list



Calendar and Memo Items
B-A-B-A Week

February 20 and March 31 are NORMAL school days now.

Grades and special education progress reports are due January 25 @9am

Help Save The Next Girl: 9th and 10th grades, Feb 28; 11th and 12th grades, March 1



Birthdays
Jan 28: Todd Rooks
Jan 29: Bert Jacoby and Connie Jenkins

Shout-Outs
Thanks to all the teachers who attended our Winter Formal and/or Shakespeare Troupe’s The Tempest

ICYMI: Congratulations to Erika Terrell and Chris Stanek our staff member and faculty members of the month, respectively

Worth Your Time
Students Learn Geometry with 3-D Printer A great example of innovation and MakerEd

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Monday, January 16, 2017

Think Alouds


Excellence in Education: Think Aloud, Eavesdropping on Someone’s Thinking
Several years ago--OK it was more like fifteen years ago, but I’m feeling a little old by admitting that--I participated in a staff development session that greatly improved my instruction. Dr. Gay Ivey, then at James Madison University, presented the concept of Teacher Think Alouds.

While the idea of Teacher Think Alouds wasn’t new, the point she drove home struck a chord: You need to be deliberate and plan your Think Alouds.

Think Alouds are simply a verbal protocol for explaining your decisions, an inner monologue that helps students understand the necessary steps and thought processes necessary to academic success (Davey). Using Think Alouds helps students see that learning doesn’t just happen and even we, as teachers, struggle at times.

While Dr. Ivey presentation focused specifically on reading strategies, the concepts can be applied to all subjects using guided instruction. In using guided instruction, simply alerts the students to the methods and processes using to solve a problem. By implementing Thinking Alouds, the teacher provides a scaffold to assist students in the next step.

While I deliberately used Think Alouds prior to Ivey’s presentation, I left realizing that to take it to the next level, I needed to specifically plan my Think Alouds. In my reading classes, novels and short stories became filled with Think Aloud Sticky Notes and in my history classes PowerPoints and lesson plans included specific Think Alouds.

Some simple think alouds:
  • So what I’m wondering here is…
  • I don’t know what this word means/what the author means…
  • I’m not sure what’s happening…
  • The first thing I’m going to do…
  • I’ve read this part twice and I’m not sure if it’s important…
  • I wasn’t sure what the word meant here, so I…
  • I’m trying to figure out why…
  • I want to know a little bit more…
  • One way I check my work…
  • Sometimes this strategy works…
  • Model pre-reading, during reading and post-reading or other instructional strategies

Regardless of the Think Aloud used, all Think Alouds provide students with important details that will help students progress to the next step.

Need to Knows:

Please don’t forget that the expectation is that all students complete at least one “assignment” in each class for each term to upload to their online/open portfolios.
Friday Activity Calendar (Mentorship/Portfolio/Club Day) : Senior class meeting; mentorship for others

Portfolio Assistance If you have a student who needs assistance setting up his/her portfolio, click here

Technology / Website Permission Request Form http://go.shr.lc/1HovEA6 Please use this form to request use of a website that requires student log-in if the site is not already on the approved list. DART approved list



Calendar and Memo Items
B-A-B-A Week

Tuesday @ 6:30: Community Event, Screening of Most Likely to Succeed and Fourm Discussion on High School of the Future

February 20 and March 31 are NORMAL school days now because of last week’s weather cancellations

Grades due January 25 @9am

Birthdays
January 16: Hilary Harveycutter

Worth Your Time


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