One more week till the end of the quarter...on one hand it is hard to believe it has gone so fast...on the other it is hard to believe that we aren't past Christmas yet. All kidding aside, I am very proud to be the Principal of this school. The mindset of our staff is student centered, and each of us is very willing to do what it takes for the kids. That mindset makes this a fun place to be.
Monday's Professional Development Wrap-Up
Mr. Shappell's message on Monday morning is so true. The work that we are doing in this district is beginning to get noticed, and other schools want to be more like us. I think that is pretty cool and something to be proud of.
SLO/PPG
I have had a chance to meet with almost everyone up to this point about their SLO/PPG. If you have not already, go ahead and copy and paste the SLO/PPG into Teachscape. I will review them in Teachscape, and we will meet briefly before the final submission. Mr. Hausser shared a really good resource showing examples of items that teachers can use as artifacts to upload. You can view this resource HERE.
End of Quarter Grade Timeline
The end of the 1st Quarter is next Friday, October 31st. Grades will be due by the end of the day on Wednesday, November 5. We will send report cards home with students on Friday, November 7. Dr. Hoernke and I will be hosting another Grading for Learning Parent Presentation on Tuesday, November 11th at 6:00pm in the High School IMC.
Student Progress Communication
After getting feedback from parents and teachers, we will norm the way that we report student progress district wide. On each assessment that we enter into Infinite Campus, we should communicate the targeted level of the assessment. With the start of the 2nd Quarter, the expectation is that we record the highest level of opportunity that each assessment measures, in the comments section. We should communicate to students and parents that they can monitor progress by looking at their score in relation to the assessment level.
Each Classroom Minute
I just want to throw a reminder in the blog about the importance of each classroom minute. Each minute that we have to work with out students is the capital we have control over to raise student achievement, and meet our individual and building SLO goals.
District Van Use Guidelines
There have been some updates regarding our district van use procedures. If you use the district vans at any time, please click HERE to review the procedures.
Duty for Next Week
Morning - Anderson, Barnett
Bus - Harms
Friday, October 24, 2014
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Improving Instructional Practices, Vol. 6
Thanks to Mrs. Morrissey for this Ms. Niemeyer for these short, weekly tips for effective instruction.
10 Assessments that You can Use in 90 SecondsDanielson’s Framework: Domain 3d: Using Assessment in Instruction
Good assessment is frequent assessment. Any assessment is designed to provide a snapshot of student understanding—the more snapshots, the more complete the full picture of knowledge. The simpler the assessment—in terms of process and logistics—the more “purely” it can function as a tool to get at what a student actually understands, and help you identify how to help them. Then, due to their brevity, they’re simple to grade–in fact, you can grade them as exit slips–which makes taking the data and informing instruction (the whole point of assessment) a much simpler process as well. Here are 10 tricks to help you simply assess.
1. New Clothes
Take a given topic—thesis statements, push-pull factors, the scientific process, etc.—and describe how it can be used in some way other than how you’ve been taught.
Example of Student Response: We’ve learned the scientific process by looking at how actual scientists study new things, but the scientific process would also make an excellent tool for detectives to use while pursuing criminals. It would allow them to observe data, form theories, test theories while collecting more data, and draw conclusions that can then be judged in a court of law.
2. Dos & Don’ts
List 3 Dos and 3 Don’ts when using, applying, relating to the content (e.g., 3 Dos and Don’ts for solving an equation). Example of Student Response: When adding fractions, DO find a common denominator, DO add the numerators once you’ve found a common denominators, DON’T simply add the denominators
3. Three Most Common Misunderstandings
List what you think might be the three most common misunderstandings of a given topic based on an audience of your peers. Example of Student Response: In analyzing tone, most people probably confuse mood and tone, forget to look beyond the diction to the subtext as well, and to strongly consider the intended audience.
4. Yes/No Chart
List what you do and don’t understand about a given topic—what you do on the left, what you don’t on the right, but you overly-vague responses don’t count. Specificity matters! Example of Student Response: In learning about paragraph structure (Do Understand): what a topic sentence is, how many sentences a paragraph should have, that a paragraph should be about one idea; (Don’t Understand) how a paragraph can have a conclusion, how to know when I’ve given enough supporting details in the paragraph, how to revise a paragraph
5. Three Questions
Ask three questions about the topic, then rank them in terms of their importance/value. Example of Student Response: Low Importance: Does the prefix “tri” mean 3? Medium Importance: Is the triangle the only 3-sided geometrical figure? High Importance: Why don’t triangles show up very often in nature (as so many other shapes do)?
6. Explain What Matters
Explain the most critical part of a given topic to a self-selected audience (must clarify) in two or fewer sentences. (Audience can be anyone!) Example of Student Response: The most important part of a thesis statement is clarity and conviction, so I’ll explain that one to Jay-Z: A thesis statement is kind of like the hook or title of one of your songs–it delivers the message that the song goes on to explain. Feel me?
7. Big Picture
Diagram the context–where does it fit in and how does it function in its natural “bigger picture.” This is good for abstract or right-brain thinkers. Example of Student Response: It is impossible to understand the rules we live by and how they’re formed without understanding the 3 branches of government.
8. Venn Diagram
Compare/Contrast a given topic to a tangent topic (e.g., the water cycle to distillation, symbolism to allusion, etc.)
9. Draw It
Draw what you do understand. Example of Student Response: A drawing of what an adjective thinks about a noun, or a how much smaller in size the thousandth’s place is compared to the ten’s place.
10. Self-Directed Response
Prove to me you understand in diagram, written, or related form in a way that a stranger would understand.Example of Student Response: I wrote this chorus of a song I’ve been thinking of that would explain this character’s motivation….
Read the full blog post here: http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/10-assessments-you-can-perform-in-90-seconds/
Friday, October 17, 2014
PMS News and Notes
It is weeks like this where the impending weekend never has looked so good. With two nights of Parent/Teacher conferences and five full teaching days, the effort and enthusiasm that our staff has maintained is quite impressive. So, take the time to enjoy the weekend, and we'll get a solid time for professional development work on Monday. Below are some note from the week.
Parent/Teacher Conference Wrap-Up
With our shift this year away from percentages and points, this round of Parent/Teacher Conferences saw us all fielding some tough questions from some passionate parents. After some informal conversations with teachers and parents, it appears that most of the conversations went pretty well, and that most parents understood our goals after we had the opportunity to explain. Kudos to each of our staff members on your efforts this week. This process allowed us to gain some valuable feedback from parents about how we can improve our communication in this system, and perhaps the format and structure of how we do Parent/Teacher Conferences. We will spend some time on Monday working towards consistent communication K-12.
Monday's Professional Development Day
On Monday we'll get started in the High School cafeteria at 8:00 am. We'll work to normalize the way we communicate student progress district wide, and work on putting the finishing touches on our SLO/PPG's and the whole Educator Effectiveness plan for the year. We'll have department time as well. To access the schedule, click HERE.
School Culture
The culture of the school is so vital to the learning that takes place for our students. There are a couple of areas in the school that are indicators of our culture...hallways and the cafeteria. Teacher presence in the hallway helps us to be proactive with behaviors and shapes our culture. Any chance that you get to be in the hallways, especially downstairs hallway by the lockers, helps in this area.
Fire Drill Wrap-Up
We had another successful fire drill. Thanks for your efforts to make this procedure go smoothly. We continue to review our safety plan to be prepared for any situation that could occur.
Data
Behavior Referrals after 7 weeks...
14-15 - 73 Events, 30 Students
13-14 - 50 Events, 43 Students
12-13 - 33 Events, 30 Students
Duty for Next Week
Morning - Rogness, Vian
Bus - Hazard
Parent/Teacher Conference Wrap-Up
With our shift this year away from percentages and points, this round of Parent/Teacher Conferences saw us all fielding some tough questions from some passionate parents. After some informal conversations with teachers and parents, it appears that most of the conversations went pretty well, and that most parents understood our goals after we had the opportunity to explain. Kudos to each of our staff members on your efforts this week. This process allowed us to gain some valuable feedback from parents about how we can improve our communication in this system, and perhaps the format and structure of how we do Parent/Teacher Conferences. We will spend some time on Monday working towards consistent communication K-12.
Monday's Professional Development Day
On Monday we'll get started in the High School cafeteria at 8:00 am. We'll work to normalize the way we communicate student progress district wide, and work on putting the finishing touches on our SLO/PPG's and the whole Educator Effectiveness plan for the year. We'll have department time as well. To access the schedule, click HERE.
School Culture
The culture of the school is so vital to the learning that takes place for our students. There are a couple of areas in the school that are indicators of our culture...hallways and the cafeteria. Teacher presence in the hallway helps us to be proactive with behaviors and shapes our culture. Any chance that you get to be in the hallways, especially downstairs hallway by the lockers, helps in this area.
Fire Drill Wrap-Up
We had another successful fire drill. Thanks for your efforts to make this procedure go smoothly. We continue to review our safety plan to be prepared for any situation that could occur.
Data
Behavior Referrals after 7 weeks...
14-15 - 73 Events, 30 Students
13-14 - 50 Events, 43 Students
12-13 - 33 Events, 30 Students
Duty for Next Week
Morning - Rogness, Vian
Bus - Hazard
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Addressing Grading for Learning Questions
At our last round of Parent-Teacher Conferences, we had an opportunity to receive some feedback from parents about our Grading for Learning system. Below is a list of some questions.
Proficiency Levels: AD (Advanced), PR (Proficient), DE (Developing), BE (Beginning), NE (No Evidence)
“The target is proficient, driven students cannot attain Advanced, and teachers say it’s nearly impossible to reach Advanced.”
We must provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate Advanced level work after the learning has been scaffolded. We also must be explicit about showing and discussing the qualities of an Advanced piece of work. We should encourage our students and give them feedback to strive to reach the Advanced level. It should be rigorous, but attainable.
“You can only reach Developing in the Beginning of the year”
The natural progression of a unit is to start with beginning level activities to build a base, then progress to the higher levels of the rubric as the base of knowledge is built. It is nearly impossible to walk into the classroom and be able to demonstrate Proficient or Advanced level work. The work that is done in the classroom guides our students to reach the level, but we will only report out on a standard if students have had opportunities to demonstrate Advanced on the rubric.
“For the school as a whole, what is the goal for students to be at? (BE, DE, PR, AD)”
Our target for each student is proficient, but we want as many students as possible to be able to demonstrate Advanced level work.
“How can some students show a developing and that be a C, but others have a DE and it can be an A? But because of the high school system, How do I know where my middle school student stands if a Developing can be an A, B, or C?”
At the High School, the letter grade is used as an “on target” measurement throughout the quarter. At the end of a reporting period, the Board Policy on grades will be followed…(i.e. A=mostly proficient, some advanced, etc) At all grade levels we will focus on the evidence of student work measured against the rubric to determine the student’s level of performance.
“I have concerns over students in middle school not having a GPA being unfamiliar with the system for when they get to high school and it really matters for college.”
What we are doing in our classes right now everyday is building a base for success at the next level. The Middle and High School both use reporting standards and rubrics in the same way. The only difference is that in high school, they use a letter grade. Students will be familiar with the use of rubrics and be more prepared because we have showed them what it takes to demonstrate advanced levels of work in each class.
“I have concerns about not seeing any work come home so they weren’t able to see how their child is doing/how they can improve.”
In my experience as a middle school teacher, most student work that was handed back ended up in the floor or in the garbage. Keeping a portfolio of student work allows teachers/students/parents to see growth, and a sample of student work up against an example of work at each level. By focusing on the work, it is easier to see the improvements/adjustments that need to be made to reach the next level.
“My daughter’s work is a DE, and teacher says that is great and where she needs to be...we think proficient is where they need to be...I don’t want them to fall behind, and I want teachers to push my child and not be satisfied with DE.”
If the work is from the beginning of a unit and the assessment only assessed students at the DE level, then this is on target and where they need to be. If an assessment allows for students to demonstrate an AD level of understanding, and a student receives a DE, then we should focus on why the work was DE and what adjustments need to be made to reach PR.
“Consistency between the way we grade and the way the H.S. grades. Parents want the whole district to be on the same page so students aren’t confused later (as far as if “Developing” is a B? C?) or is “Proficient” an A? B?
I would argue that we are on the same page more now, than we ever have, with the use of reporting standards and rubrics to measure student work. Before, a student had to figure out each individual teacher’s grading system...this could be as much as 5-8 systems per term. Now everyone has laid out the skills and knowledge that we expect students to have and what each proficiency level looks like by the end of the course.
“Some parents are still trying to wrap their heads around AD, PR, DE, BE; they want to think of it as A, B, C, D”
Mrs. Greer gave a solid example of this to a parent. If a student got 10/10 on a vocabulary matching quiz before, it was an A, even though they were low level questions. Now that would demonstrate BE because it’s not a high level activity. Those base building activities are important, but it’s important to go beyond those skills for our students.
“If “Beginning” is passing, why is it that no one can fail?”
Students can still not a pass a class if they have not demonstrated a BE level of understanding. This is not a given.
“I’m worried about subjectivity (EX: 4 proficients and 4 developing meaning a “PR” for some and a “DE” for others)
We will focus on the evidence students provide to determine proficiency levels. The most recent evidence determines the proficiency level at each reporting period.
“As a parent it is more difficult to monitor progress than it was when we used numbers.”
This communication is something that we are working on everyday and taking feedback from parents to improve. We need to be consistent from the elementary school all the way to the high school.
Monday, October 13, 2014
Teacher following a student schedule for a day...
I came across this blog entry from Grant Wiggins this weekend, and thought it was an interesting read...if you get a minute, check it out...it's always a good thing to think from a different perspective from time to time...
http://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/a-veteran-teacher-turned-coach-shadows-2-students-for-2-days-a-sobering-lesson-learned/
http://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/a-veteran-teacher-turned-coach-shadows-2-students-for-2-days-a-sobering-lesson-learned/
Thursday, October 9, 2014
PMS News & Notes
We are nearing the end of Week 6 already...It's busy...but I sense a bit more of a calm throughout the building and in the classrooms as we establish routines, and students adjust to their schedule and expectations. No doubt, there will be more challenges ahead of us, but those will be less with structure, routine, and consistency in our everyday schedule. Here are some updates...
SLO/PPG
I have met with many of you about plans for your SLO/PPG so far, and I feel pretty good about those conversations. We will spend the morning of Monday, Oct. 20th viewing the Step 4 module as a group, and then we will have SLO/PPG work time to get these completed. The due date will be end of day Friday, Oct. 24th. It is recommended to work off of the planning guides that were shared by Katie and Anna, then copy and paste into Teachscape. If you have any questions as we get closer, don't hesitate to track me down. You can always check my calendar and set up a meeting by inviting me.
Classroom Walk-Throughs
You have probably noticed that I've been in your classroom recently. I am writing down evidence and related components into your shared google doc. If you have any questions about this process or any of the evidence collected, feel free to ask. The main purpose of looking at evidence gathered is to provide a natural way to have good conversations about teaching and learning.
First 5, Last 5
These are vital minutes to every class period. The first 5 for a smooth transition and to get students in the right frame of mind or to focus their thinking. The last 5 for a moment of reflection to make deeper connections with what they just learned. As we increase the rigor level for our students, it is so important to give students opportunities to make these connections every class period.
Next Fire Drill
We will be having our next fire drill on Thursday, October 16 at 8:45 am. Please remind students of the routines and procedures for fire drills. Some tips that we learned from last time...classroom doors shut and lights out, take a quick head count when your class gets to the desired location, and then look for all students that are under your supervision. Last time the building was empty in just over 2 minutes...let's shoot for under 2 minutes this time.
Student of the Month Breakfast
Our first Student of the Month Breakfast will be on Thursday, October 23 starting at 7:00 am in the 1-8 IMC. This is a great opportunity to get families into our building to promote all of the positive things and people that we have in this school! Thank you in advance for your participation.
WKCE Reminder
For the Middle School, we will be administering the WKCE to 8th graders in Science and Social Studies coming up soon. We will be testing Science on 10/28 and Social Studies on 10/29. Click HERE for detailed information.
STAR Results
An email will be coming soon about how we will share this information with parents.
Data
Click on the link below to see data from Mr. O'Connor's Math class charting percentage of students that have their homework completed on time for each assignment.
Homework Completion Data
If you have data that you'd like to share from your classroom, let me know, and you can have a spot in the data portion of the weekly blog
Twitter Followers
Number of Twitter followers that I have gained since our last staff meeting...3...including our very own Greg Kallungi and Todd Whitaker (author of 10 Things Great Teachers do Differently)
SLO/PPG
I have met with many of you about plans for your SLO/PPG so far, and I feel pretty good about those conversations. We will spend the morning of Monday, Oct. 20th viewing the Step 4 module as a group, and then we will have SLO/PPG work time to get these completed. The due date will be end of day Friday, Oct. 24th. It is recommended to work off of the planning guides that were shared by Katie and Anna, then copy and paste into Teachscape. If you have any questions as we get closer, don't hesitate to track me down. You can always check my calendar and set up a meeting by inviting me.
Classroom Walk-Throughs
You have probably noticed that I've been in your classroom recently. I am writing down evidence and related components into your shared google doc. If you have any questions about this process or any of the evidence collected, feel free to ask. The main purpose of looking at evidence gathered is to provide a natural way to have good conversations about teaching and learning.
First 5, Last 5
These are vital minutes to every class period. The first 5 for a smooth transition and to get students in the right frame of mind or to focus their thinking. The last 5 for a moment of reflection to make deeper connections with what they just learned. As we increase the rigor level for our students, it is so important to give students opportunities to make these connections every class period.
Next Fire Drill
We will be having our next fire drill on Thursday, October 16 at 8:45 am. Please remind students of the routines and procedures for fire drills. Some tips that we learned from last time...classroom doors shut and lights out, take a quick head count when your class gets to the desired location, and then look for all students that are under your supervision. Last time the building was empty in just over 2 minutes...let's shoot for under 2 minutes this time.
Student of the Month Breakfast
Our first Student of the Month Breakfast will be on Thursday, October 23 starting at 7:00 am in the 1-8 IMC. This is a great opportunity to get families into our building to promote all of the positive things and people that we have in this school! Thank you in advance for your participation.
WKCE Reminder
For the Middle School, we will be administering the WKCE to 8th graders in Science and Social Studies coming up soon. We will be testing Science on 10/28 and Social Studies on 10/29. Click HERE for detailed information.
STAR Results
An email will be coming soon about how we will share this information with parents.
Data
Click on the link below to see data from Mr. O'Connor's Math class charting percentage of students that have their homework completed on time for each assignment.
Homework Completion Data
If you have data that you'd like to share from your classroom, let me know, and you can have a spot in the data portion of the weekly blog
Twitter Followers
Number of Twitter followers that I have gained since our last staff meeting...3...including our very own Greg Kallungi and Todd Whitaker (author of 10 Things Great Teachers do Differently)
Improving Instructional Practices, Vol. 5
Thanks to Mrs. Morrissey for this Ms. Niemeyer for these short, weekly tips for effective instruction.
Want to read the whole article? Click on the Edutopia article link Tips for Parents-Teacher Conferencing
Parent teacher conferences are upon us. These are great opportunities to create supportive and positive school/home connections. Below are some great tips to review to help make the time we get at each conference positive and productive.
- Approach Parents With Positive Assumptions
Remember that parents want to see their child succeed more than anything else. They are your partner in this, remember to welcome them at the conference as your strongest ally.
- Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
Before conferences think about each conference and what your goals are, what do you want to communicate to each parent, and what is the outcome you want from the meeting. Then prepare materials to support those goals. Choose selected pieces of evidence and jot notes on them to share.
- Be Solution Oriented
Be specific in concerns. Saying that Katie is distracted a lot is hard for a parent to work with. Instead say that you are concerned because Katie is often distracted during independent work time. Mention what you have been doing to help Katie in class, ask if they have seen this behavior at home, and share how they can help their child. Remember, if you have concerns be prepared to offer specific and actionable solutions.
- Take the Opportunity to Learn
Think about what you can learn from the parent(s). If this is the first time you are sitting down with them, take the time to find out their perspective, or any questions/ concerns they may have.
- Show That You Care
Most important of all, let parents know that you truly do know and care about their child. Conferences can be terrifying or wonderful for parents. Lead with the positive and be prepared to be specific or give examples. There is always something positive and praiseworthy about each of our students. It’s our job to find that and share it with parents.
Want to read the whole article? Click on the Edutopia article link Tips for Parents-Teacher Conferencing
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Friday, October 3, 2014
PMS News and Notes
Another solid week of learning is almost in the books...we are continuing to establish routines and make memorable learning a part of each lesson that we engage our students. There is nothing like watching kids fully engrossed in a learning activity that is challenging to them. Some news and notes from the week...
Parent/Teacher Conferences Coming Up...
I enjoyed the dialogue at our staff meeting this week. If you have any questions about the upcoming conferences, please let me know. Mr. Hoernke and I will be hosting MS Grading for Learning Parent Meetings on the Thursday (10/16) of conferences...the first one will begin at 4:00 pm followed by another one at 6:00. Location TBA.
MS Breakfast Update
It appears that we are settling in to a routine for our MS Breakfast. Please remind students that the blue containers is for clean recyclables and food should not go into those bins. I appreciate your extra efforts in helping get our students some healthy food in their systems in the morning.
Student of the Month Breakfast
We will continue the Poynette Middle School tradition of a recognition breakfast to honor students that are demonstrating excellence in their daily school life. The first breakfast will be on Thursday, 10/23 at 7:00 am. At this time, we will continue with the same routine. Each grade level team will nominate 2 students (1 male and 1 female) and we'll also have 2 representatives nominated by the Applied Academic teachers. Please let me know your nominations and which teacher representative that will join us at the breakfast by the end of next week (10/10).
First 5, Last 5
Perhaps the most important minutes of each class period are the first 5 and last 5 minutes. The most effective first 5 minutes of a class are a consistent, structured routine to get your students in the right frame of mind. The activity should draw upon prior knowledge or serve as a precursor for what is to come.
During the last 5 minutes and prior to dismissal, it is vital to bring the group together and reflect on the learning from that day's lesson. This is a key opportunity to get student data about where their learning level is in relation to the learning goal for the day or week. This data can be used to tweak the following day's lesson plan.
Effort...
I wanted to include a reminder of the importance of praising and teaching effort and the effects on the student mindset. There is a link to Dweck's video that we viewed at a beginning of the year staff meeting on this topic as a reminder if you'd like to view it again.
Data
Below is attendance data that shows the percentage of students in attendance over the course of the past 3 school years over the same number of weeks in the school year.
12-13 - 97.03%
13-14 - 96.44%
14-15 - 95.93%
Parent/Teacher Conferences Coming Up...
I enjoyed the dialogue at our staff meeting this week. If you have any questions about the upcoming conferences, please let me know. Mr. Hoernke and I will be hosting MS Grading for Learning Parent Meetings on the Thursday (10/16) of conferences...the first one will begin at 4:00 pm followed by another one at 6:00. Location TBA.
MS Breakfast Update
It appears that we are settling in to a routine for our MS Breakfast. Please remind students that the blue containers is for clean recyclables and food should not go into those bins. I appreciate your extra efforts in helping get our students some healthy food in their systems in the morning.
Student of the Month Breakfast
We will continue the Poynette Middle School tradition of a recognition breakfast to honor students that are demonstrating excellence in their daily school life. The first breakfast will be on Thursday, 10/23 at 7:00 am. At this time, we will continue with the same routine. Each grade level team will nominate 2 students (1 male and 1 female) and we'll also have 2 representatives nominated by the Applied Academic teachers. Please let me know your nominations and which teacher representative that will join us at the breakfast by the end of next week (10/10).
First 5, Last 5
Perhaps the most important minutes of each class period are the first 5 and last 5 minutes. The most effective first 5 minutes of a class are a consistent, structured routine to get your students in the right frame of mind. The activity should draw upon prior knowledge or serve as a precursor for what is to come.
During the last 5 minutes and prior to dismissal, it is vital to bring the group together and reflect on the learning from that day's lesson. This is a key opportunity to get student data about where their learning level is in relation to the learning goal for the day or week. This data can be used to tweak the following day's lesson plan.
Effort...
I wanted to include a reminder of the importance of praising and teaching effort and the effects on the student mindset. There is a link to Dweck's video that we viewed at a beginning of the year staff meeting on this topic as a reminder if you'd like to view it again.
Data
Below is attendance data that shows the percentage of students in attendance over the course of the past 3 school years over the same number of weeks in the school year.
12-13 - 97.03%
13-14 - 96.44%
14-15 - 95.93%
Thursday, September 25, 2014
PMS News and Notes
Another solid week of learning and making connections for all of us is coming to a conclusion. I am energized by the level of enthusiasm and optimism that is present in this building. We continue to evolve and improve everyday.
One area for us to grow is our diversity. We are expecting a new 7th grade student, Maria, that does not speak English. All of her teachers have been excited for the opportunity to work with Maria, and it'll be fun to watch her knowledge of the English language grow. With that being said...we have a lot going on...below are my attempts to communicate. As always, if you have questions, please call, email, or come see me.
Mid-Term
The deadline for mid-term grades is Wednesday, Oct. 1. Please post a descriptor (ADV, PRO, DEV, BEG, NE) for each standard. When determining that descriptor, keep in mind that we are giving an estimate of where that student's level of knowledge is at this point in time. While we will not be giving formal Puma Pride scores at the Mid-Term mark, the comment box can be used to give information about factors that are not academic. Anna will be hosting an after-school session on Monday in Mrs. Hendrickson's room for anyone with questions about posting mid-term grades in Infinite Campus. I will be sending a message to parents through Campus Messenger to let them know that mid-term grades are posted. I plan to send this message out on Thursday afternoon.
Grading for Learning
It is hard to believe that we are at the mid-term point already, and that only means that the end of the quarter is approaching quickly as well. As we work on making decisions about what to put in Campus, etc. please keep in mind that our goal is to make communication of student progress more meaningful. If you are unsure if something should go in Campus, put it in. The more evidence of learning that we have documented, the better. Simple exit tickets are great pieces of evidence that can document student learning for a standard. A bigger sample size of evidence is a good thing. Another piece to keep in mind that if a student is not meeting the Beginning level, a parent phone call should be made, and we need to make arrangements for that student to get in here after school to get their needs met.
Educator Effectiveness Update
The DPI has put out a module on their website called Step 4 Training that is required for all educators involved in the Educator Effectiveness system. Last spring, we held viewing parties for the Step 3 module. We will once again host viewing parties on the following dates: Wed. 10/1, and Thurs. 10/9. The viewing parties will begin at 4:00 and refreshments will be available. All staff are strongly recommended to attend either one of the sessions, and staff that attend will be paid an hourly rate for their attendance. The module must be viewed by Friday 10/10.
I have spoken with each staff member about their evaluation cycle. If you are unsure, please let me know. Staff that are on the Summary Year (Cycle 1) must complete the Self Review located in Teachscape.
Educator Effectiveness Plan (EEP) - SLO/PPG
The SLO/PPG must be completed and entered into Teachscape by Friday, 10/24. Teachers that are in their Summary Year (Cycle 1) must complete their Self Review before the SLO/PPG planning meeting can take place. Thinking and planning for the SLO should be taking place now. If you are ready to get serious about your SLO/PPG, feel free to let me know and set up a meeting to approve the goal. SLO's and PPG's will be entered into Teachscape.
WKCE coming soon...
This fall we will be administering the WKCE to 8th graders in Science and Social Studies. The Science portion will be given on Oct. 28th, and the Social Studies on Oct. 29th. The schedule and assignments can be viewed HERE.
PUMA Pride
I am looking for any interested staff members in taking a look at PUMA Pride in the Middle School. It would be great to have at least one teacher per grade level and one or two reps. from the Applied Academics. If you have interest, let me know.
Data
At this point last year, there were 28 behavior referrals...so far this year, we are at 30.
Keep up the solid work for our kids! Also, keep a steady mantra of praising and teaching EFFORT! It makes all the difference in the world...in fact, I think it's the X Factor!
One area for us to grow is our diversity. We are expecting a new 7th grade student, Maria, that does not speak English. All of her teachers have been excited for the opportunity to work with Maria, and it'll be fun to watch her knowledge of the English language grow. With that being said...we have a lot going on...below are my attempts to communicate. As always, if you have questions, please call, email, or come see me.
Mid-Term
The deadline for mid-term grades is Wednesday, Oct. 1. Please post a descriptor (ADV, PRO, DEV, BEG, NE) for each standard. When determining that descriptor, keep in mind that we are giving an estimate of where that student's level of knowledge is at this point in time. While we will not be giving formal Puma Pride scores at the Mid-Term mark, the comment box can be used to give information about factors that are not academic. Anna will be hosting an after-school session on Monday in Mrs. Hendrickson's room for anyone with questions about posting mid-term grades in Infinite Campus. I will be sending a message to parents through Campus Messenger to let them know that mid-term grades are posted. I plan to send this message out on Thursday afternoon.
Grading for Learning
It is hard to believe that we are at the mid-term point already, and that only means that the end of the quarter is approaching quickly as well. As we work on making decisions about what to put in Campus, etc. please keep in mind that our goal is to make communication of student progress more meaningful. If you are unsure if something should go in Campus, put it in. The more evidence of learning that we have documented, the better. Simple exit tickets are great pieces of evidence that can document student learning for a standard. A bigger sample size of evidence is a good thing. Another piece to keep in mind that if a student is not meeting the Beginning level, a parent phone call should be made, and we need to make arrangements for that student to get in here after school to get their needs met.
Educator Effectiveness Update
The DPI has put out a module on their website called Step 4 Training that is required for all educators involved in the Educator Effectiveness system. Last spring, we held viewing parties for the Step 3 module. We will once again host viewing parties on the following dates: Wed. 10/1, and Thurs. 10/9. The viewing parties will begin at 4:00 and refreshments will be available. All staff are strongly recommended to attend either one of the sessions, and staff that attend will be paid an hourly rate for their attendance. The module must be viewed by Friday 10/10.
I have spoken with each staff member about their evaluation cycle. If you are unsure, please let me know. Staff that are on the Summary Year (Cycle 1) must complete the Self Review located in Teachscape.
Educator Effectiveness Plan (EEP) - SLO/PPG
The SLO/PPG must be completed and entered into Teachscape by Friday, 10/24. Teachers that are in their Summary Year (Cycle 1) must complete their Self Review before the SLO/PPG planning meeting can take place. Thinking and planning for the SLO should be taking place now. If you are ready to get serious about your SLO/PPG, feel free to let me know and set up a meeting to approve the goal. SLO's and PPG's will be entered into Teachscape.
WKCE coming soon...
This fall we will be administering the WKCE to 8th graders in Science and Social Studies. The Science portion will be given on Oct. 28th, and the Social Studies on Oct. 29th. The schedule and assignments can be viewed HERE.
PUMA Pride
I am looking for any interested staff members in taking a look at PUMA Pride in the Middle School. It would be great to have at least one teacher per grade level and one or two reps. from the Applied Academics. If you have interest, let me know.
Data
At this point last year, there were 28 behavior referrals...so far this year, we are at 30.
Keep up the solid work for our kids! Also, keep a steady mantra of praising and teaching EFFORT! It makes all the difference in the world...in fact, I think it's the X Factor!
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Improving Instructional Practices Vol. 4
Thanks to Mrs. Morrissey for this Ms. Niemeyer for these short, weekly tips for effective instruction.
Calling Home
Danielson’s Framework: Domain 2d: Managing Student Behaviors &
4c: Communicating with Families
Positive phone calls home to parents create not only a great home-school connection, but also can have a positive impact on behavior in your classroom Edutopia Blogger Elena Aguilar in her post The Power of the Positive Phone Call Home shares how these calls home impacted her Elementary and Middle School classrooms. Want to start but don’t know where to begin? Check out these 5 tips for starting.
5 Tips for Calling Home :
- Be specific
Having something specific to share with parents lets them know that you really do know and care about their child.
- Be on the look out for good behaviors
For those students that may be challenging, be looking for things that you can call about, and do so right away!
- Keep Track
Keep a list of who you call to make sure you are contacting everyone at some point during the semester, quarter, or trimester.
- Create a plan
Create a schedule or goal for yourself, it might be 3 calls home a week or one call home per day-whatever you feel is manageable.
- Just do it!
Sometimes those calls home get pushed to the backburner for a lot of reasons. Don’t let that happen! Once you start making
these positive calls home, and hearing that you made a parent’s
day, you’ll remember the time put into it is well worth it.
Friday, September 19, 2014
PMS News and Notes
My week was filled with good conversations about teaching, evidence, and learning goals. Also, another week to get to know the kids better. I feel more comfortable as we settle into a routine with the focus on learning and moving kids forward in their learning. I feel that we have many solid systems in place to move kids forward, and top notch people in place to achieve our goals. In an effort to communicate effectively and efficiently, I have included some noteworthy items below.
School Report Card Results
The school report cards have been officially released and available online. For the 13-14 school year, Poynette Middle School's score improved from the previous year, and was rated as a school that "Exceeds Expectations". This is a tribute to the quality staff that we have here. I feel that as we continue our focused efforts, our school report card score will continue to climb. There is another level above "Exceeds Expectations"...and as long as we are keeping score, we'll strive to be the best. You should feel really good about that score. For this report card, we received the highest score in CESA 5 among middle schools.
Educator Effectiveness
I have been around and have touched base with all or nearly all teachers about Educator Effectiveness. Please get in Teachscape and check it out, and look to complete the Teacher Self-Review. If you have any questions, please let me know. You can also refer to the DPI's Teacher Evaluation Process Manual. The manual contains all of the information about Educator Effectiveness. Be looking for information about viewing the Step 4 module on the DPI's website very soon.
I have been around and have touched base with all or nearly all teachers about Educator Effectiveness. Please get in Teachscape and check it out, and look to complete the Teacher Self-Review. If you have any questions, please let me know. You can also refer to the DPI's Teacher Evaluation Process Manual. The manual contains all of the information about Educator Effectiveness. Be looking for information about viewing the Step 4 module on the DPI's website very soon.
SLO's and PPG's
We will be meeting about this very soon, but I would like you to start meeting in your department to develop some ideas for what your SLO will look like. For more information and assistance, you can access information on the following links; SLO Toolkit, SMART SLO Toolkit, Sample SLO's.
We will talk PPG after you have been through the Self Review. Please keep in mind that our goal for completion of all these tasks is mid to late October.
Grading for Learning
This week, I have gotten the opportunity to talk with teachers about their evidence and grading for learning. Some have come to me for advice and questions...we've had some good discussions, and I encourage you to come find me with any questions about campus evidence and grading. At this point, we should be have a solid base of evidence for the standards that we have been focusing on for the first three weeks, and be able to communicate with students about where they are and what they need to do to improve.
GFL Parent Meetings
Dr. Hoernke, Mr. Visger, and I hosted a parent meeting this past Tuesday. We had about 5 parents attend. Most of them seemed skeptical coming into the meeting, but they left feeling better about the things that are going on in our schools. Our next Grading for Learning Parent Presentation will be next Tuesday 9/30 at 6:00 pm in the HS IMC. Throughout the presentation I have shared recent conversations with teachers about how it's about showing our kids what it takes to achieve, and how they typically rise to the level of expectations.
Thanks again for all of your hard work and dedication. I feel very lucky to get the opportunity to be involved in work that is meaningful. Have a great weekend!
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Improving Instructional Practices Vol. 3
Thanks to Mrs. Morrissey for this Ms. Niemeyer for these short, weekly tips for effective instruction.
Intrigued? Read the full article by Matt Levinson for Edutopia here.
Hit the Mark with Digital Media Exit Cards
Are you getting bored with the same old post-it note exit slips for formative assessment? If you are, your students probably are too. Engage your students with these media tools for exit slip ideas:
The Digital Media Exit Card
Today, with the explosion of digital media, teachers have so many tools at their disposal for this kind of assessment. What would a digital media exit card look like? Here are some possibilities that utilize mobile devices:
- A short post that boils down the essence of the class to 140 characters (Try Padlet or Twiducate or Today’s Meet)
- A question posted to a class Edmodo account inviting a continuation of the learning outside of class
The key 21st century skill in all of these approaches is synthesis, the ability to cut to the essence of an idea or concept and communicate in an effective, succinct, compelling manner.
Intrigued? Read the full article by Matt Levinson for Edutopia here.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Igniting Enthusiasm in Middle School Students
This article is from the Marshall Memo 5552 by Rick Wormeli that can be found in an Educational Leadership article. I thought it was a solid read, and wanted to share. Thanks.
Igniting Enthusiasm in Middle-School Students
(Originally titled “Motivating Young Adolescents”)
“The era of blaming young adolescents for their lack of motivation is over,” says author/consultant Rick Wormeli in this Educational Leadership article. He starts off with twelve things that de-motivate students:
Teaching young adolescents, says Wormeli, is a “dance between middle schoolers’ lingering childlike curiosity and their mounting distractions: peers, sex, risk-taking, pop stars, and keeping track of body parts in time and space.” He suggests seven strategies and says, “Although any one of these motivational elements may not work every time, several in tandem likely will.”
• Realize that motivation is created with students. “Our goal should be a classroom culture that cultivates curiosity and personal investment,” says Wormeli, “one in which students feel safe to engage in the activity or topic without fear of embarrassment or rejection.” • Understand that there’s no such thing as laziness. “If a student appears lazy, there’s always something else going on that we can’t see – or can’t control,” he says. “Humans are hard-wired to do demanding and complex things. Young adolescents are developmentally primed for learning things that are intellectually and physically advanced and for getting excited about their growing expertise and the freedoms that come with competence.” If they’re disengaged, what’s the reason? An exhausting job outside of school? Responsibilities at home? Skill deficits? Fear of looking stupid? • Empathize and build trust. “Young adolescents intensely value teachers’ opinions of them,” says Wormeli. “[They] need to trust that teachers won’t humiliate them or let them humiliate themselves.” They must know we have their backs – specifically, what will the teacher do when a student gives a wrong answer in class? • Remember where they are. For ideas on what’s developmentally appropriate, Wormeli suggests the Association for Middle Level Education’s list of effective practices at http://bit.ly/ZnlmeH. Wormeli mentions incorporating social interaction in lessons, switching activities every 10-15 minutes, helping students recover from bad decisions and failures, teaching each topic in more than one way, showing enthusiasm for the subject, and offering regular opportunities for students to include their own culture and develop a unique voice. • Give descriptive feedback. Middle-school students are constantly asking themselves, Am I normal? How am I doing? Teachers must give them a clear sense of what’s expected academically and clear feedback on where they stand in relation to goals. “Motivational teachers provide many exemplars, formative feedback, and opportunities for students to self-assess,” says Wormeli. It’s also important for students to have a chance to revise and improve their work in response to feedback. • Teach the way the mind learns. Young adolescents crave vividness, structure, and patterns, says Wormeli. Prime their brains for each lesson with goals that relate to personal experience, show them a pathway to mastery, and build in links to the arts, social studies, math, foreign languages, and literature. “The key to solid learning,” he says, “is for students to make these connections themselves, not just be told about them.” • Tell stories. “Young adolescents are like first-time visitors to an esoteric sculpture museum who don’t understand why everyone’s so impressed with a particular piece of art,” says Wormeli. “Then a museum curator explains the story behind the artist or his technique, and the skeptic is jarred into wide-eyed appreciation and curiosity… Young adolescents are storytellers and story receivers. Narratives not only appeal to their theater of the mind, but they also provide connections among disparate parts.”
“Motivating Young Adolescents” by Rick Wormeli in Educational Leadership, September 2014 (Vol. 72, #1, p. 26-31), http://bit.ly/1vSvqd9; Wormeli can be reached atrwormeli@cox.net.
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PMS News and Notes
One more week till the end of the quarter...on one hand it is hard to believe it has gone so fast...on the other it is hard to believe that we aren't past Christmas yet. All kidding aside, I am very proud to be the Principal of this school. The mindset of our staff is student centered, and each of us is very willing to do what it takes for the kids. That mindset makes this a fun place to be.
Monday's Professional Development Wrap-Up
Mr. Shappell's message on Monday morning is so true. The work that we are doing in this district is beginning to get noticed, and other schools want to be more like us. I think that is pretty cool and something to be proud of.
SLO/PPG
I have had a chance to meet with almost everyone up to this point about their SLO/PPG. If you have not already, go ahead and copy and paste the SLO/PPG into Teachscape. I will review them in Teachscape, and we will meet briefly before the final submission. Mr. Hausser shared a really good resource showing examples of items that teachers can use as artifacts to upload. You can view this resource HERE.
End of Quarter Grade Timeline
The end of the 1st Quarter is next Friday, October 31st. Grades will be due by the end of the day on Wednesday, November 5. We will send report cards home with students on Friday, November 7. Dr. Hoernke and I will be hosting another Grading for Learning Parent Presentation on Tuesday, November 11th at 6:00pm in the High School IMC.
Student Progress Communication
After getting feedback from parents and teachers, we will norm the way that we report student progress district wide. On each assessment that we enter into Infinite Campus, we should communicate the targeted level of the assessment. With the start of the 2nd Quarter, the expectation is that we record the highest level of opportunity that each assessment measures, in the comments section. We should communicate to students and parents that they can monitor progress by looking at their score in relation to the assessment level.
Each Classroom Minute
I just want to throw a reminder in the blog about the importance of each classroom minute. Each minute that we have to work with out students is the capital we have control over to raise student achievement, and meet our individual and building SLO goals.
District Van Use Guidelines
There have been some updates regarding our district van use procedures. If you use the district vans at any time, please click HERE to review the procedures.
Duty for Next Week
Morning - Anderson, Barnett
Bus - Harms
Monday's Professional Development Wrap-Up
Mr. Shappell's message on Monday morning is so true. The work that we are doing in this district is beginning to get noticed, and other schools want to be more like us. I think that is pretty cool and something to be proud of.
SLO/PPG
I have had a chance to meet with almost everyone up to this point about their SLO/PPG. If you have not already, go ahead and copy and paste the SLO/PPG into Teachscape. I will review them in Teachscape, and we will meet briefly before the final submission. Mr. Hausser shared a really good resource showing examples of items that teachers can use as artifacts to upload. You can view this resource HERE.
End of Quarter Grade Timeline
The end of the 1st Quarter is next Friday, October 31st. Grades will be due by the end of the day on Wednesday, November 5. We will send report cards home with students on Friday, November 7. Dr. Hoernke and I will be hosting another Grading for Learning Parent Presentation on Tuesday, November 11th at 6:00pm in the High School IMC.
Student Progress Communication
After getting feedback from parents and teachers, we will norm the way that we report student progress district wide. On each assessment that we enter into Infinite Campus, we should communicate the targeted level of the assessment. With the start of the 2nd Quarter, the expectation is that we record the highest level of opportunity that each assessment measures, in the comments section. We should communicate to students and parents that they can monitor progress by looking at their score in relation to the assessment level.
Each Classroom Minute
I just want to throw a reminder in the blog about the importance of each classroom minute. Each minute that we have to work with out students is the capital we have control over to raise student achievement, and meet our individual and building SLO goals.
District Van Use Guidelines
There have been some updates regarding our district van use procedures. If you use the district vans at any time, please click HERE to review the procedures.
Duty for Next Week
Morning - Anderson, Barnett
Bus - Harms
Improving Instructional Practices, Vol. 6
Thanks to Mrs. Morrissey for this Ms. Niemeyer for these short, weekly tips for effective instruction.
10 Assessments that You can Use in 90 SecondsDanielson’s Framework: Domain 3d: Using Assessment in Instruction
Good assessment is frequent assessment. Any assessment is designed to provide a snapshot of student understanding—the more snapshots, the more complete the full picture of knowledge. The simpler the assessment—in terms of process and logistics—the more “purely” it can function as a tool to get at what a student actually understands, and help you identify how to help them. Then, due to their brevity, they’re simple to grade–in fact, you can grade them as exit slips–which makes taking the data and informing instruction (the whole point of assessment) a much simpler process as well. Here are 10 tricks to help you simply assess.
1. New Clothes
Take a given topic—thesis statements, push-pull factors, the scientific process, etc.—and describe how it can be used in some way other than how you’ve been taught.
Example of Student Response: We’ve learned the scientific process by looking at how actual scientists study new things, but the scientific process would also make an excellent tool for detectives to use while pursuing criminals. It would allow them to observe data, form theories, test theories while collecting more data, and draw conclusions that can then be judged in a court of law.
2. Dos & Don’ts
List 3 Dos and 3 Don’ts when using, applying, relating to the content (e.g., 3 Dos and Don’ts for solving an equation). Example of Student Response: When adding fractions, DO find a common denominator, DO add the numerators once you’ve found a common denominators, DON’T simply add the denominators
3. Three Most Common Misunderstandings
List what you think might be the three most common misunderstandings of a given topic based on an audience of your peers. Example of Student Response: In analyzing tone, most people probably confuse mood and tone, forget to look beyond the diction to the subtext as well, and to strongly consider the intended audience.
4. Yes/No Chart
List what you do and don’t understand about a given topic—what you do on the left, what you don’t on the right, but you overly-vague responses don’t count. Specificity matters! Example of Student Response: In learning about paragraph structure (Do Understand): what a topic sentence is, how many sentences a paragraph should have, that a paragraph should be about one idea; (Don’t Understand) how a paragraph can have a conclusion, how to know when I’ve given enough supporting details in the paragraph, how to revise a paragraph
5. Three Questions
Ask three questions about the topic, then rank them in terms of their importance/value. Example of Student Response: Low Importance: Does the prefix “tri” mean 3? Medium Importance: Is the triangle the only 3-sided geometrical figure? High Importance: Why don’t triangles show up very often in nature (as so many other shapes do)?
6. Explain What Matters
Explain the most critical part of a given topic to a self-selected audience (must clarify) in two or fewer sentences. (Audience can be anyone!) Example of Student Response: The most important part of a thesis statement is clarity and conviction, so I’ll explain that one to Jay-Z: A thesis statement is kind of like the hook or title of one of your songs–it delivers the message that the song goes on to explain. Feel me?
7. Big Picture
Diagram the context–where does it fit in and how does it function in its natural “bigger picture.” This is good for abstract or right-brain thinkers. Example of Student Response: It is impossible to understand the rules we live by and how they’re formed without understanding the 3 branches of government.
8. Venn Diagram
Compare/Contrast a given topic to a tangent topic (e.g., the water cycle to distillation, symbolism to allusion, etc.)
9. Draw It
Draw what you do understand. Example of Student Response: A drawing of what an adjective thinks about a noun, or a how much smaller in size the thousandth’s place is compared to the ten’s place.
10. Self-Directed Response
Prove to me you understand in diagram, written, or related form in a way that a stranger would understand.Example of Student Response: I wrote this chorus of a song I’ve been thinking of that would explain this character’s motivation….
Read the full blog post here: http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/10-assessments-you-can-perform-in-90-seconds/
PMS News and Notes
It is weeks like this where the impending weekend never has looked so good. With two nights of Parent/Teacher conferences and five full teaching days, the effort and enthusiasm that our staff has maintained is quite impressive. So, take the time to enjoy the weekend, and we'll get a solid time for professional development work on Monday. Below are some note from the week.
Parent/Teacher Conference Wrap-Up
With our shift this year away from percentages and points, this round of Parent/Teacher Conferences saw us all fielding some tough questions from some passionate parents. After some informal conversations with teachers and parents, it appears that most of the conversations went pretty well, and that most parents understood our goals after we had the opportunity to explain. Kudos to each of our staff members on your efforts this week. This process allowed us to gain some valuable feedback from parents about how we can improve our communication in this system, and perhaps the format and structure of how we do Parent/Teacher Conferences. We will spend some time on Monday working towards consistent communication K-12.
Monday's Professional Development Day
On Monday we'll get started in the High School cafeteria at 8:00 am. We'll work to normalize the way we communicate student progress district wide, and work on putting the finishing touches on our SLO/PPG's and the whole Educator Effectiveness plan for the year. We'll have department time as well. To access the schedule, click HERE.
School Culture
The culture of the school is so vital to the learning that takes place for our students. There are a couple of areas in the school that are indicators of our culture...hallways and the cafeteria. Teacher presence in the hallway helps us to be proactive with behaviors and shapes our culture. Any chance that you get to be in the hallways, especially downstairs hallway by the lockers, helps in this area.
Fire Drill Wrap-Up
We had another successful fire drill. Thanks for your efforts to make this procedure go smoothly. We continue to review our safety plan to be prepared for any situation that could occur.
Data
Behavior Referrals after 7 weeks...
14-15 - 73 Events, 30 Students
13-14 - 50 Events, 43 Students
12-13 - 33 Events, 30 Students
Duty for Next Week
Morning - Rogness, Vian
Bus - Hazard
Parent/Teacher Conference Wrap-Up
With our shift this year away from percentages and points, this round of Parent/Teacher Conferences saw us all fielding some tough questions from some passionate parents. After some informal conversations with teachers and parents, it appears that most of the conversations went pretty well, and that most parents understood our goals after we had the opportunity to explain. Kudos to each of our staff members on your efforts this week. This process allowed us to gain some valuable feedback from parents about how we can improve our communication in this system, and perhaps the format and structure of how we do Parent/Teacher Conferences. We will spend some time on Monday working towards consistent communication K-12.
Monday's Professional Development Day
On Monday we'll get started in the High School cafeteria at 8:00 am. We'll work to normalize the way we communicate student progress district wide, and work on putting the finishing touches on our SLO/PPG's and the whole Educator Effectiveness plan for the year. We'll have department time as well. To access the schedule, click HERE.
School Culture
The culture of the school is so vital to the learning that takes place for our students. There are a couple of areas in the school that are indicators of our culture...hallways and the cafeteria. Teacher presence in the hallway helps us to be proactive with behaviors and shapes our culture. Any chance that you get to be in the hallways, especially downstairs hallway by the lockers, helps in this area.
Fire Drill Wrap-Up
We had another successful fire drill. Thanks for your efforts to make this procedure go smoothly. We continue to review our safety plan to be prepared for any situation that could occur.
Data
Behavior Referrals after 7 weeks...
14-15 - 73 Events, 30 Students
13-14 - 50 Events, 43 Students
12-13 - 33 Events, 30 Students
Duty for Next Week
Morning - Rogness, Vian
Bus - Hazard
Addressing Grading for Learning Questions
At our last round of Parent-Teacher Conferences, we had an opportunity to receive some feedback from parents about our Grading for Learning system. Below is a list of some questions.
Proficiency Levels: AD (Advanced), PR (Proficient), DE (Developing), BE (Beginning), NE (No Evidence)
“The target is proficient, driven students cannot attain Advanced, and teachers say it’s nearly impossible to reach Advanced.”
We must provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate Advanced level work after the learning has been scaffolded. We also must be explicit about showing and discussing the qualities of an Advanced piece of work. We should encourage our students and give them feedback to strive to reach the Advanced level. It should be rigorous, but attainable.
“You can only reach Developing in the Beginning of the year”
The natural progression of a unit is to start with beginning level activities to build a base, then progress to the higher levels of the rubric as the base of knowledge is built. It is nearly impossible to walk into the classroom and be able to demonstrate Proficient or Advanced level work. The work that is done in the classroom guides our students to reach the level, but we will only report out on a standard if students have had opportunities to demonstrate Advanced on the rubric.
“For the school as a whole, what is the goal for students to be at? (BE, DE, PR, AD)”
Our target for each student is proficient, but we want as many students as possible to be able to demonstrate Advanced level work.
“How can some students show a developing and that be a C, but others have a DE and it can be an A? But because of the high school system, How do I know where my middle school student stands if a Developing can be an A, B, or C?”
At the High School, the letter grade is used as an “on target” measurement throughout the quarter. At the end of a reporting period, the Board Policy on grades will be followed…(i.e. A=mostly proficient, some advanced, etc) At all grade levels we will focus on the evidence of student work measured against the rubric to determine the student’s level of performance.
“I have concerns over students in middle school not having a GPA being unfamiliar with the system for when they get to high school and it really matters for college.”
What we are doing in our classes right now everyday is building a base for success at the next level. The Middle and High School both use reporting standards and rubrics in the same way. The only difference is that in high school, they use a letter grade. Students will be familiar with the use of rubrics and be more prepared because we have showed them what it takes to demonstrate advanced levels of work in each class.
“I have concerns about not seeing any work come home so they weren’t able to see how their child is doing/how they can improve.”
In my experience as a middle school teacher, most student work that was handed back ended up in the floor or in the garbage. Keeping a portfolio of student work allows teachers/students/parents to see growth, and a sample of student work up against an example of work at each level. By focusing on the work, it is easier to see the improvements/adjustments that need to be made to reach the next level.
“My daughter’s work is a DE, and teacher says that is great and where she needs to be...we think proficient is where they need to be...I don’t want them to fall behind, and I want teachers to push my child and not be satisfied with DE.”
If the work is from the beginning of a unit and the assessment only assessed students at the DE level, then this is on target and where they need to be. If an assessment allows for students to demonstrate an AD level of understanding, and a student receives a DE, then we should focus on why the work was DE and what adjustments need to be made to reach PR.
“Consistency between the way we grade and the way the H.S. grades. Parents want the whole district to be on the same page so students aren’t confused later (as far as if “Developing” is a B? C?) or is “Proficient” an A? B?
I would argue that we are on the same page more now, than we ever have, with the use of reporting standards and rubrics to measure student work. Before, a student had to figure out each individual teacher’s grading system...this could be as much as 5-8 systems per term. Now everyone has laid out the skills and knowledge that we expect students to have and what each proficiency level looks like by the end of the course.
“Some parents are still trying to wrap their heads around AD, PR, DE, BE; they want to think of it as A, B, C, D”
Mrs. Greer gave a solid example of this to a parent. If a student got 10/10 on a vocabulary matching quiz before, it was an A, even though they were low level questions. Now that would demonstrate BE because it’s not a high level activity. Those base building activities are important, but it’s important to go beyond those skills for our students.
“If “Beginning” is passing, why is it that no one can fail?”
Students can still not a pass a class if they have not demonstrated a BE level of understanding. This is not a given.
“I’m worried about subjectivity (EX: 4 proficients and 4 developing meaning a “PR” for some and a “DE” for others)
We will focus on the evidence students provide to determine proficiency levels. The most recent evidence determines the proficiency level at each reporting period.
“As a parent it is more difficult to monitor progress than it was when we used numbers.”
This communication is something that we are working on everyday and taking feedback from parents to improve. We need to be consistent from the elementary school all the way to the high school.
Teacher following a student schedule for a day...
I came across this blog entry from Grant Wiggins this weekend, and thought it was an interesting read...if you get a minute, check it out...it's always a good thing to think from a different perspective from time to time...
http://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/a-veteran-teacher-turned-coach-shadows-2-students-for-2-days-a-sobering-lesson-learned/
http://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/a-veteran-teacher-turned-coach-shadows-2-students-for-2-days-a-sobering-lesson-learned/
PMS News & Notes
We are nearing the end of Week 6 already...It's busy...but I sense a bit more of a calm throughout the building and in the classrooms as we establish routines, and students adjust to their schedule and expectations. No doubt, there will be more challenges ahead of us, but those will be less with structure, routine, and consistency in our everyday schedule. Here are some updates...
SLO/PPG
I have met with many of you about plans for your SLO/PPG so far, and I feel pretty good about those conversations. We will spend the morning of Monday, Oct. 20th viewing the Step 4 module as a group, and then we will have SLO/PPG work time to get these completed. The due date will be end of day Friday, Oct. 24th. It is recommended to work off of the planning guides that were shared by Katie and Anna, then copy and paste into Teachscape. If you have any questions as we get closer, don't hesitate to track me down. You can always check my calendar and set up a meeting by inviting me.
Classroom Walk-Throughs
You have probably noticed that I've been in your classroom recently. I am writing down evidence and related components into your shared google doc. If you have any questions about this process or any of the evidence collected, feel free to ask. The main purpose of looking at evidence gathered is to provide a natural way to have good conversations about teaching and learning.
First 5, Last 5
These are vital minutes to every class period. The first 5 for a smooth transition and to get students in the right frame of mind or to focus their thinking. The last 5 for a moment of reflection to make deeper connections with what they just learned. As we increase the rigor level for our students, it is so important to give students opportunities to make these connections every class period.
Next Fire Drill
We will be having our next fire drill on Thursday, October 16 at 8:45 am. Please remind students of the routines and procedures for fire drills. Some tips that we learned from last time...classroom doors shut and lights out, take a quick head count when your class gets to the desired location, and then look for all students that are under your supervision. Last time the building was empty in just over 2 minutes...let's shoot for under 2 minutes this time.
Student of the Month Breakfast
Our first Student of the Month Breakfast will be on Thursday, October 23 starting at 7:00 am in the 1-8 IMC. This is a great opportunity to get families into our building to promote all of the positive things and people that we have in this school! Thank you in advance for your participation.
WKCE Reminder
For the Middle School, we will be administering the WKCE to 8th graders in Science and Social Studies coming up soon. We will be testing Science on 10/28 and Social Studies on 10/29. Click HERE for detailed information.
STAR Results
An email will be coming soon about how we will share this information with parents.
Data
Click on the link below to see data from Mr. O'Connor's Math class charting percentage of students that have their homework completed on time for each assignment.
Homework Completion Data
If you have data that you'd like to share from your classroom, let me know, and you can have a spot in the data portion of the weekly blog
Twitter Followers
Number of Twitter followers that I have gained since our last staff meeting...3...including our very own Greg Kallungi and Todd Whitaker (author of 10 Things Great Teachers do Differently)
SLO/PPG
I have met with many of you about plans for your SLO/PPG so far, and I feel pretty good about those conversations. We will spend the morning of Monday, Oct. 20th viewing the Step 4 module as a group, and then we will have SLO/PPG work time to get these completed. The due date will be end of day Friday, Oct. 24th. It is recommended to work off of the planning guides that were shared by Katie and Anna, then copy and paste into Teachscape. If you have any questions as we get closer, don't hesitate to track me down. You can always check my calendar and set up a meeting by inviting me.
Classroom Walk-Throughs
You have probably noticed that I've been in your classroom recently. I am writing down evidence and related components into your shared google doc. If you have any questions about this process or any of the evidence collected, feel free to ask. The main purpose of looking at evidence gathered is to provide a natural way to have good conversations about teaching and learning.
First 5, Last 5
These are vital minutes to every class period. The first 5 for a smooth transition and to get students in the right frame of mind or to focus their thinking. The last 5 for a moment of reflection to make deeper connections with what they just learned. As we increase the rigor level for our students, it is so important to give students opportunities to make these connections every class period.
Next Fire Drill
We will be having our next fire drill on Thursday, October 16 at 8:45 am. Please remind students of the routines and procedures for fire drills. Some tips that we learned from last time...classroom doors shut and lights out, take a quick head count when your class gets to the desired location, and then look for all students that are under your supervision. Last time the building was empty in just over 2 minutes...let's shoot for under 2 minutes this time.
Student of the Month Breakfast
Our first Student of the Month Breakfast will be on Thursday, October 23 starting at 7:00 am in the 1-8 IMC. This is a great opportunity to get families into our building to promote all of the positive things and people that we have in this school! Thank you in advance for your participation.
WKCE Reminder
For the Middle School, we will be administering the WKCE to 8th graders in Science and Social Studies coming up soon. We will be testing Science on 10/28 and Social Studies on 10/29. Click HERE for detailed information.
STAR Results
An email will be coming soon about how we will share this information with parents.
Data
Click on the link below to see data from Mr. O'Connor's Math class charting percentage of students that have their homework completed on time for each assignment.
Homework Completion Data
If you have data that you'd like to share from your classroom, let me know, and you can have a spot in the data portion of the weekly blog
Twitter Followers
Number of Twitter followers that I have gained since our last staff meeting...3...including our very own Greg Kallungi and Todd Whitaker (author of 10 Things Great Teachers do Differently)
Improving Instructional Practices, Vol. 5
Thanks to Mrs. Morrissey for this Ms. Niemeyer for these short, weekly tips for effective instruction.
Want to read the whole article? Click on the Edutopia article link Tips for Parents-Teacher Conferencing
Parent teacher conferences are upon us. These are great opportunities to create supportive and positive school/home connections. Below are some great tips to review to help make the time we get at each conference positive and productive.
- Approach Parents With Positive Assumptions
Remember that parents want to see their child succeed more than anything else. They are your partner in this, remember to welcome them at the conference as your strongest ally.
- Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
Before conferences think about each conference and what your goals are, what do you want to communicate to each parent, and what is the outcome you want from the meeting. Then prepare materials to support those goals. Choose selected pieces of evidence and jot notes on them to share.
- Be Solution Oriented
Be specific in concerns. Saying that Katie is distracted a lot is hard for a parent to work with. Instead say that you are concerned because Katie is often distracted during independent work time. Mention what you have been doing to help Katie in class, ask if they have seen this behavior at home, and share how they can help their child. Remember, if you have concerns be prepared to offer specific and actionable solutions.
- Take the Opportunity to Learn
Think about what you can learn from the parent(s). If this is the first time you are sitting down with them, take the time to find out their perspective, or any questions/ concerns they may have.
- Show That You Care
Most important of all, let parents know that you truly do know and care about their child. Conferences can be terrifying or wonderful for parents. Lead with the positive and be prepared to be specific or give examples. There is always something positive and praiseworthy about each of our students. It’s our job to find that and share it with parents.
Want to read the whole article? Click on the Edutopia article link Tips for Parents-Teacher Conferencing
PMS News and Notes
Another solid week of learning is almost in the books...we are continuing to establish routines and make memorable learning a part of each lesson that we engage our students. There is nothing like watching kids fully engrossed in a learning activity that is challenging to them. Some news and notes from the week...
Parent/Teacher Conferences Coming Up...
I enjoyed the dialogue at our staff meeting this week. If you have any questions about the upcoming conferences, please let me know. Mr. Hoernke and I will be hosting MS Grading for Learning Parent Meetings on the Thursday (10/16) of conferences...the first one will begin at 4:00 pm followed by another one at 6:00. Location TBA.
MS Breakfast Update
It appears that we are settling in to a routine for our MS Breakfast. Please remind students that the blue containers is for clean recyclables and food should not go into those bins. I appreciate your extra efforts in helping get our students some healthy food in their systems in the morning.
Student of the Month Breakfast
We will continue the Poynette Middle School tradition of a recognition breakfast to honor students that are demonstrating excellence in their daily school life. The first breakfast will be on Thursday, 10/23 at 7:00 am. At this time, we will continue with the same routine. Each grade level team will nominate 2 students (1 male and 1 female) and we'll also have 2 representatives nominated by the Applied Academic teachers. Please let me know your nominations and which teacher representative that will join us at the breakfast by the end of next week (10/10).
First 5, Last 5
Perhaps the most important minutes of each class period are the first 5 and last 5 minutes. The most effective first 5 minutes of a class are a consistent, structured routine to get your students in the right frame of mind. The activity should draw upon prior knowledge or serve as a precursor for what is to come.
During the last 5 minutes and prior to dismissal, it is vital to bring the group together and reflect on the learning from that day's lesson. This is a key opportunity to get student data about where their learning level is in relation to the learning goal for the day or week. This data can be used to tweak the following day's lesson plan.
Effort...
I wanted to include a reminder of the importance of praising and teaching effort and the effects on the student mindset. There is a link to Dweck's video that we viewed at a beginning of the year staff meeting on this topic as a reminder if you'd like to view it again.
Data
Below is attendance data that shows the percentage of students in attendance over the course of the past 3 school years over the same number of weeks in the school year.
12-13 - 97.03%
13-14 - 96.44%
14-15 - 95.93%
Parent/Teacher Conferences Coming Up...
I enjoyed the dialogue at our staff meeting this week. If you have any questions about the upcoming conferences, please let me know. Mr. Hoernke and I will be hosting MS Grading for Learning Parent Meetings on the Thursday (10/16) of conferences...the first one will begin at 4:00 pm followed by another one at 6:00. Location TBA.
MS Breakfast Update
It appears that we are settling in to a routine for our MS Breakfast. Please remind students that the blue containers is for clean recyclables and food should not go into those bins. I appreciate your extra efforts in helping get our students some healthy food in their systems in the morning.
Student of the Month Breakfast
We will continue the Poynette Middle School tradition of a recognition breakfast to honor students that are demonstrating excellence in their daily school life. The first breakfast will be on Thursday, 10/23 at 7:00 am. At this time, we will continue with the same routine. Each grade level team will nominate 2 students (1 male and 1 female) and we'll also have 2 representatives nominated by the Applied Academic teachers. Please let me know your nominations and which teacher representative that will join us at the breakfast by the end of next week (10/10).
First 5, Last 5
Perhaps the most important minutes of each class period are the first 5 and last 5 minutes. The most effective first 5 minutes of a class are a consistent, structured routine to get your students in the right frame of mind. The activity should draw upon prior knowledge or serve as a precursor for what is to come.
During the last 5 minutes and prior to dismissal, it is vital to bring the group together and reflect on the learning from that day's lesson. This is a key opportunity to get student data about where their learning level is in relation to the learning goal for the day or week. This data can be used to tweak the following day's lesson plan.
Effort...
I wanted to include a reminder of the importance of praising and teaching effort and the effects on the student mindset. There is a link to Dweck's video that we viewed at a beginning of the year staff meeting on this topic as a reminder if you'd like to view it again.
Data
Below is attendance data that shows the percentage of students in attendance over the course of the past 3 school years over the same number of weeks in the school year.
12-13 - 97.03%
13-14 - 96.44%
14-15 - 95.93%
PMS News and Notes
Another solid week of learning and making connections for all of us is coming to a conclusion. I am energized by the level of enthusiasm and optimism that is present in this building. We continue to evolve and improve everyday.
One area for us to grow is our diversity. We are expecting a new 7th grade student, Maria, that does not speak English. All of her teachers have been excited for the opportunity to work with Maria, and it'll be fun to watch her knowledge of the English language grow. With that being said...we have a lot going on...below are my attempts to communicate. As always, if you have questions, please call, email, or come see me.
Mid-Term
The deadline for mid-term grades is Wednesday, Oct. 1. Please post a descriptor (ADV, PRO, DEV, BEG, NE) for each standard. When determining that descriptor, keep in mind that we are giving an estimate of where that student's level of knowledge is at this point in time. While we will not be giving formal Puma Pride scores at the Mid-Term mark, the comment box can be used to give information about factors that are not academic. Anna will be hosting an after-school session on Monday in Mrs. Hendrickson's room for anyone with questions about posting mid-term grades in Infinite Campus. I will be sending a message to parents through Campus Messenger to let them know that mid-term grades are posted. I plan to send this message out on Thursday afternoon.
Grading for Learning
It is hard to believe that we are at the mid-term point already, and that only means that the end of the quarter is approaching quickly as well. As we work on making decisions about what to put in Campus, etc. please keep in mind that our goal is to make communication of student progress more meaningful. If you are unsure if something should go in Campus, put it in. The more evidence of learning that we have documented, the better. Simple exit tickets are great pieces of evidence that can document student learning for a standard. A bigger sample size of evidence is a good thing. Another piece to keep in mind that if a student is not meeting the Beginning level, a parent phone call should be made, and we need to make arrangements for that student to get in here after school to get their needs met.
Educator Effectiveness Update
The DPI has put out a module on their website called Step 4 Training that is required for all educators involved in the Educator Effectiveness system. Last spring, we held viewing parties for the Step 3 module. We will once again host viewing parties on the following dates: Wed. 10/1, and Thurs. 10/9. The viewing parties will begin at 4:00 and refreshments will be available. All staff are strongly recommended to attend either one of the sessions, and staff that attend will be paid an hourly rate for their attendance. The module must be viewed by Friday 10/10.
I have spoken with each staff member about their evaluation cycle. If you are unsure, please let me know. Staff that are on the Summary Year (Cycle 1) must complete the Self Review located in Teachscape.
Educator Effectiveness Plan (EEP) - SLO/PPG
The SLO/PPG must be completed and entered into Teachscape by Friday, 10/24. Teachers that are in their Summary Year (Cycle 1) must complete their Self Review before the SLO/PPG planning meeting can take place. Thinking and planning for the SLO should be taking place now. If you are ready to get serious about your SLO/PPG, feel free to let me know and set up a meeting to approve the goal. SLO's and PPG's will be entered into Teachscape.
WKCE coming soon...
This fall we will be administering the WKCE to 8th graders in Science and Social Studies. The Science portion will be given on Oct. 28th, and the Social Studies on Oct. 29th. The schedule and assignments can be viewed HERE.
PUMA Pride
I am looking for any interested staff members in taking a look at PUMA Pride in the Middle School. It would be great to have at least one teacher per grade level and one or two reps. from the Applied Academics. If you have interest, let me know.
Data
At this point last year, there were 28 behavior referrals...so far this year, we are at 30.
Keep up the solid work for our kids! Also, keep a steady mantra of praising and teaching EFFORT! It makes all the difference in the world...in fact, I think it's the X Factor!
One area for us to grow is our diversity. We are expecting a new 7th grade student, Maria, that does not speak English. All of her teachers have been excited for the opportunity to work with Maria, and it'll be fun to watch her knowledge of the English language grow. With that being said...we have a lot going on...below are my attempts to communicate. As always, if you have questions, please call, email, or come see me.
Mid-Term
The deadline for mid-term grades is Wednesday, Oct. 1. Please post a descriptor (ADV, PRO, DEV, BEG, NE) for each standard. When determining that descriptor, keep in mind that we are giving an estimate of where that student's level of knowledge is at this point in time. While we will not be giving formal Puma Pride scores at the Mid-Term mark, the comment box can be used to give information about factors that are not academic. Anna will be hosting an after-school session on Monday in Mrs. Hendrickson's room for anyone with questions about posting mid-term grades in Infinite Campus. I will be sending a message to parents through Campus Messenger to let them know that mid-term grades are posted. I plan to send this message out on Thursday afternoon.
Grading for Learning
It is hard to believe that we are at the mid-term point already, and that only means that the end of the quarter is approaching quickly as well. As we work on making decisions about what to put in Campus, etc. please keep in mind that our goal is to make communication of student progress more meaningful. If you are unsure if something should go in Campus, put it in. The more evidence of learning that we have documented, the better. Simple exit tickets are great pieces of evidence that can document student learning for a standard. A bigger sample size of evidence is a good thing. Another piece to keep in mind that if a student is not meeting the Beginning level, a parent phone call should be made, and we need to make arrangements for that student to get in here after school to get their needs met.
Educator Effectiveness Update
The DPI has put out a module on their website called Step 4 Training that is required for all educators involved in the Educator Effectiveness system. Last spring, we held viewing parties for the Step 3 module. We will once again host viewing parties on the following dates: Wed. 10/1, and Thurs. 10/9. The viewing parties will begin at 4:00 and refreshments will be available. All staff are strongly recommended to attend either one of the sessions, and staff that attend will be paid an hourly rate for their attendance. The module must be viewed by Friday 10/10.
I have spoken with each staff member about their evaluation cycle. If you are unsure, please let me know. Staff that are on the Summary Year (Cycle 1) must complete the Self Review located in Teachscape.
Educator Effectiveness Plan (EEP) - SLO/PPG
The SLO/PPG must be completed and entered into Teachscape by Friday, 10/24. Teachers that are in their Summary Year (Cycle 1) must complete their Self Review before the SLO/PPG planning meeting can take place. Thinking and planning for the SLO should be taking place now. If you are ready to get serious about your SLO/PPG, feel free to let me know and set up a meeting to approve the goal. SLO's and PPG's will be entered into Teachscape.
WKCE coming soon...
This fall we will be administering the WKCE to 8th graders in Science and Social Studies. The Science portion will be given on Oct. 28th, and the Social Studies on Oct. 29th. The schedule and assignments can be viewed HERE.
PUMA Pride
I am looking for any interested staff members in taking a look at PUMA Pride in the Middle School. It would be great to have at least one teacher per grade level and one or two reps. from the Applied Academics. If you have interest, let me know.
Data
At this point last year, there were 28 behavior referrals...so far this year, we are at 30.
Keep up the solid work for our kids! Also, keep a steady mantra of praising and teaching EFFORT! It makes all the difference in the world...in fact, I think it's the X Factor!
Improving Instructional Practices Vol. 4
Thanks to Mrs. Morrissey for this Ms. Niemeyer for these short, weekly tips for effective instruction.
Calling Home
Danielson’s Framework: Domain 2d: Managing Student Behaviors &
4c: Communicating with Families
Positive phone calls home to parents create not only a great home-school connection, but also can have a positive impact on behavior in your classroom Edutopia Blogger Elena Aguilar in her post The Power of the Positive Phone Call Home shares how these calls home impacted her Elementary and Middle School classrooms. Want to start but don’t know where to begin? Check out these 5 tips for starting.
5 Tips for Calling Home :
- Be specific
Having something specific to share with parents lets them know that you really do know and care about their child.
- Be on the look out for good behaviors
For those students that may be challenging, be looking for things that you can call about, and do so right away!
- Keep Track
Keep a list of who you call to make sure you are contacting everyone at some point during the semester, quarter, or trimester.
- Create a plan
Create a schedule or goal for yourself, it might be 3 calls home a week or one call home per day-whatever you feel is manageable.
- Just do it!
Sometimes those calls home get pushed to the backburner for a lot of reasons. Don’t let that happen! Once you start making
these positive calls home, and hearing that you made a parent’s
day, you’ll remember the time put into it is well worth it.
PMS News and Notes
My week was filled with good conversations about teaching, evidence, and learning goals. Also, another week to get to know the kids better. I feel more comfortable as we settle into a routine with the focus on learning and moving kids forward in their learning. I feel that we have many solid systems in place to move kids forward, and top notch people in place to achieve our goals. In an effort to communicate effectively and efficiently, I have included some noteworthy items below.
School Report Card Results
The school report cards have been officially released and available online. For the 13-14 school year, Poynette Middle School's score improved from the previous year, and was rated as a school that "Exceeds Expectations". This is a tribute to the quality staff that we have here. I feel that as we continue our focused efforts, our school report card score will continue to climb. There is another level above "Exceeds Expectations"...and as long as we are keeping score, we'll strive to be the best. You should feel really good about that score. For this report card, we received the highest score in CESA 5 among middle schools.
Educator Effectiveness
I have been around and have touched base with all or nearly all teachers about Educator Effectiveness. Please get in Teachscape and check it out, and look to complete the Teacher Self-Review. If you have any questions, please let me know. You can also refer to the DPI's Teacher Evaluation Process Manual. The manual contains all of the information about Educator Effectiveness. Be looking for information about viewing the Step 4 module on the DPI's website very soon.
I have been around and have touched base with all or nearly all teachers about Educator Effectiveness. Please get in Teachscape and check it out, and look to complete the Teacher Self-Review. If you have any questions, please let me know. You can also refer to the DPI's Teacher Evaluation Process Manual. The manual contains all of the information about Educator Effectiveness. Be looking for information about viewing the Step 4 module on the DPI's website very soon.
SLO's and PPG's
We will be meeting about this very soon, but I would like you to start meeting in your department to develop some ideas for what your SLO will look like. For more information and assistance, you can access information on the following links; SLO Toolkit, SMART SLO Toolkit, Sample SLO's.
We will talk PPG after you have been through the Self Review. Please keep in mind that our goal for completion of all these tasks is mid to late October.
Grading for Learning
This week, I have gotten the opportunity to talk with teachers about their evidence and grading for learning. Some have come to me for advice and questions...we've had some good discussions, and I encourage you to come find me with any questions about campus evidence and grading. At this point, we should be have a solid base of evidence for the standards that we have been focusing on for the first three weeks, and be able to communicate with students about where they are and what they need to do to improve.
GFL Parent Meetings
Dr. Hoernke, Mr. Visger, and I hosted a parent meeting this past Tuesday. We had about 5 parents attend. Most of them seemed skeptical coming into the meeting, but they left feeling better about the things that are going on in our schools. Our next Grading for Learning Parent Presentation will be next Tuesday 9/30 at 6:00 pm in the HS IMC. Throughout the presentation I have shared recent conversations with teachers about how it's about showing our kids what it takes to achieve, and how they typically rise to the level of expectations.
Thanks again for all of your hard work and dedication. I feel very lucky to get the opportunity to be involved in work that is meaningful. Have a great weekend!
Improving Instructional Practices Vol. 3
Thanks to Mrs. Morrissey for this Ms. Niemeyer for these short, weekly tips for effective instruction.
Intrigued? Read the full article by Matt Levinson for Edutopia here.
Hit the Mark with Digital Media Exit Cards
Are you getting bored with the same old post-it note exit slips for formative assessment? If you are, your students probably are too. Engage your students with these media tools for exit slip ideas:
The Digital Media Exit Card
Today, with the explosion of digital media, teachers have so many tools at their disposal for this kind of assessment. What would a digital media exit card look like? Here are some possibilities that utilize mobile devices:
- A short post that boils down the essence of the class to 140 characters (Try Padlet or Twiducate or Today’s Meet)
- A question posted to a class Edmodo account inviting a continuation of the learning outside of class
The key 21st century skill in all of these approaches is synthesis, the ability to cut to the essence of an idea or concept and communicate in an effective, succinct, compelling manner.
Intrigued? Read the full article by Matt Levinson for Edutopia here.
Igniting Enthusiasm in Middle School Students
This article is from the Marshall Memo 5552 by Rick Wormeli that can be found in an Educational Leadership article. I thought it was a solid read, and wanted to share. Thanks.
Igniting Enthusiasm in Middle-School Students
(Originally titled “Motivating Young Adolescents”)
“The era of blaming young adolescents for their lack of motivation is over,” says author/consultant Rick Wormeli in this Educational Leadership article. He starts off with twelve things that de-motivate students:
Teaching young adolescents, says Wormeli, is a “dance between middle schoolers’ lingering childlike curiosity and their mounting distractions: peers, sex, risk-taking, pop stars, and keeping track of body parts in time and space.” He suggests seven strategies and says, “Although any one of these motivational elements may not work every time, several in tandem likely will.”
• Realize that motivation is created with students. “Our goal should be a classroom culture that cultivates curiosity and personal investment,” says Wormeli, “one in which students feel safe to engage in the activity or topic without fear of embarrassment or rejection.” • Understand that there’s no such thing as laziness. “If a student appears lazy, there’s always something else going on that we can’t see – or can’t control,” he says. “Humans are hard-wired to do demanding and complex things. Young adolescents are developmentally primed for learning things that are intellectually and physically advanced and for getting excited about their growing expertise and the freedoms that come with competence.” If they’re disengaged, what’s the reason? An exhausting job outside of school? Responsibilities at home? Skill deficits? Fear of looking stupid? • Empathize and build trust. “Young adolescents intensely value teachers’ opinions of them,” says Wormeli. “[They] need to trust that teachers won’t humiliate them or let them humiliate themselves.” They must know we have their backs – specifically, what will the teacher do when a student gives a wrong answer in class? • Remember where they are. For ideas on what’s developmentally appropriate, Wormeli suggests the Association for Middle Level Education’s list of effective practices at http://bit.ly/ZnlmeH. Wormeli mentions incorporating social interaction in lessons, switching activities every 10-15 minutes, helping students recover from bad decisions and failures, teaching each topic in more than one way, showing enthusiasm for the subject, and offering regular opportunities for students to include their own culture and develop a unique voice. • Give descriptive feedback. Middle-school students are constantly asking themselves, Am I normal? How am I doing? Teachers must give them a clear sense of what’s expected academically and clear feedback on where they stand in relation to goals. “Motivational teachers provide many exemplars, formative feedback, and opportunities for students to self-assess,” says Wormeli. It’s also important for students to have a chance to revise and improve their work in response to feedback. • Teach the way the mind learns. Young adolescents crave vividness, structure, and patterns, says Wormeli. Prime their brains for each lesson with goals that relate to personal experience, show them a pathway to mastery, and build in links to the arts, social studies, math, foreign languages, and literature. “The key to solid learning,” he says, “is for students to make these connections themselves, not just be told about them.” • Tell stories. “Young adolescents are like first-time visitors to an esoteric sculpture museum who don’t understand why everyone’s so impressed with a particular piece of art,” says Wormeli. “Then a museum curator explains the story behind the artist or his technique, and the skeptic is jarred into wide-eyed appreciation and curiosity… Young adolescents are storytellers and story receivers. Narratives not only appeal to their theater of the mind, but they also provide connections among disparate parts.”
“Motivating Young Adolescents” by Rick Wormeli in Educational Leadership, September 2014 (Vol. 72, #1, p. 26-31), http://bit.ly/1vSvqd9; Wormeli can be reached atrwormeli@cox.net.
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