The Power of Great Literature

When I was visiting in Kim's room I saw this book, Each Kindness, displayed. I took a minute to read it. Gorgeous pictures and a strong message. Certainly a book that facilitates critical thinking, self-awareness and belonging. The ending wasn't what I was expecting.

Let's be sure to share with one another the great books we share, discover and recommend! There are more books than we could ever discover on our own and a plethora of incredible literature to choose from. Don't limit yourself in thinking that they are just for read-alouds. Picture books are a strong teaching tool: great reads for independent reading, a marvelous source for literature discussion circles, inquiry studies and powerful mentor text for writing.

Learning Spaces

In the spring our community raised 25 thousand dollars (!), allocated to our learning spaces. The Leadership Team will be meeting next week and one of our decisions to be made is the allocation of those funds. Be thinking about your learning spaces and what you might be able to do to enhance the environment if you had funds.

If you haven't been in to Kim's room - be sure to check out what she has created using Craigslist. Kim also shared with me a website http://www.donorschoose.org/ she used last year to purchase the tools you see below featured in the pictures. Kim is eager to share the details of how she did this with you if you are interested in exploring this resource for funding. This website prefer that teachers collaborate with students to make the application. The kids are eager to share how much they love these tools!

FYI

*The group who is exploring creating the Renaissance Charter School is inviting all of the teachers to a screening of a movie, Most Likely to Succeed. (You've likely seen the posters around the school.) Tickets are $20 a piece (includes food and non-alcoholic beverage!)The discount code at the eventbrite site is teacher50 for Renaissance staff to receive a 50% discount on the ticket price. It applies to all staff - we all teach our kids. The screening of the movie is Saturday, September 12th at 11:00 a.m.

* When you are inviting parents into the school before or after school hours you need to have a plan for unlocking the doors - or greeting them. Please make the office aware that you will be doing this.

* You likely received an email from somewhere in the district letting you know that training is being provided for 'IC Gradebook Training'. Take this off your list of things to wonder about - this isn't for us.

Safety - a priority

We are required to conduct a one hour safety meeting with ALL staff, lead by a district security manager. It will be followed later in the day with a lock down drill, monitored by the district manager. 

Mark your calendars - and know that the date might change on us. The date now is Tuesday, September 8th at 7:15 a.m.  We are ALL required to attend this training. This is the first day back following Labor Day vacation - it could sneak up on you. The lockdown is scheduled for 2:30 the same day.

* I'll let you know if the date changes.

 Student -led Conferences

 We made a decision last year that Crew's can schedule student-led conferences when it makes sense in the learning progression rather than a school-wide date. This places the communication with parents on the classroom teacher. Looking at your plans and the learning progression, you should be identifying some dates of when it makes sense for students to share. Please be sure to give your families adequate notice of when these conferences will be occurring.

I attended a school visit in Atlanta several years ago and students were engaged in student-led conferences at that time. I thought it was an interesting concept to do them during the day. The teacher had a regular day, and there were spots set up in hallways, or in the classroom for students to 'confer' with their parents. I saw some students showing parents their portfolios (they had little guide sheets to support them in talking about their work) and students showing parents around the room quietly.

I would encourage those of you who think you'd like to try this - or create a version of it for yourself.  Of course, during the day won't work for many families, but it might for some! If parents knew in advance, they might be able to schedule an hour away from work to attend during the day.

Calendar

Week of August 24 - 28th:

Monday:
* Kenny's Crew on leaves on Voyage

Tuesday:
* RTI meeting 7:30 a.m.
Tyler's Crew leaves on Voyage
3rd grade - Amanda and Jody leave on Voyage

Wednesday:
Building Leadership Team Planning Session - all day
PD: Collaboration/planning

Thursday:
Building Leadership Team Planning Session - all day

Friday:
First Grade field work 9:00 a.m.
School Assessment Coordinator meeting - Debbie out



August 31st - Sept. 4th:

Monday:
*Michelle's Crew leaves on Voyage (Kenny taking them)
* Suzi's Crew leaves on Voyage

Tuesday:
* RTI meeting 7:30 a.m.
* Second grade - Dana and Jen leave on Voyage

Wednesday:
THE BEAT 9:15 ish a.m.
PD: TBA

Thursday:
PK12 Admin meeting - Deborah out

Have a wonderful weekend!

Deborah

First Days of School

Let the Good Times Roll!

What a sensational beginning to our school year! So much joy, excitement and happy people!

Without exception, classrooms were focused on norms, teambuilding, routines, procedures and developing those strong relationships that are the foundation of a culture of belonging. No wonder it was such a great beginning!

Keep in mind that all of these really important components are best built in tandem - and become relevant, when they are paired with discovery, inquiry, critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration. It's impossible to do any of these things if you don't have something engaging to think about!  Now is the time to jump straight into your units of study. Grab their interest, excitement and passion. You can continue to build in the elements of culture as you go. 

I know I've talked about this before, but I think it warrants repetition. In the Reading Recovery world we called it 'Roaming Around the Known'. This means, the teacher creates many opportunities for students to engage in learning and the teacher observes and notices what the student controls, what they are on the verge of being independent with (with only a little direct instruction) and what things they will need more support with before they are able to work independently. Create learning experiences that will allow you to uncover this. Watching students in the act of making decisions is the very, very, very best assessment. Ask them lots of questions:

* How did you know to do that?

* What were you considering when you decided to do that?

* I noticed you....why did you?

* How do you know you are right?

* What could you try?

* When they look to you for guidance - before you give it - say, "Try something."

* Watch them in groups. What tools do they use? 

* What strategies are present for reading, writing, problem solving, thinking, sharing, communicating...

* Teachers talk less.

* Students talk and think more.

You get the idea. Be very intentional that while you have kids immersed in discovery, inquiry, problem solving - your goal is to notice where they are. Have them do lots of writing that matters to them - then look at it - what are you noticing about your writers? As they are reading, what is easy, what is hard? What do they share about what they have read? 

Avoid being focused on all the things they don't control and be intentional about noticing what they do control, independently without support from you. 

This means, that there is likely less direct instruction in the next two weeks. It still means pulling groups - doesn't matter if you have them grouped correctly - that's the purpose. At the end of the two weeks, you'll know exactly where they belong. Pulling them in groups allows you the opportunity to more closely observe, questions and interact. Of course you can 'teach the group', but it isn't your purpose. Do you know what I mean?

In the next few weeks, challenge yourself to create a t-chart on each student. On one side, write what you have noticed that they control independently and on the other side, note what the next steps should be for that student based on what they control. I would add a third column and write what I know about that student as a person. What are they passionate about? What is special about them?

'Roaming Around the Known' can be so rewarding for everyone. You will leave this time with a full head of information about your students and chomping at the bit to begin to teach. Your students will have had two weeks of feeling independent, successful and excited about learning. Enjoy!

A Peek Around the School

...if only I had been able to capture each one of you and every remarkable event!

Is everyone saying The Pledge each day?
We need to. 

Clever idea Brittany has for taking role.

A component of Morning Meeting is the agenda.
 Notice that the agenda doesn't list a schedule of 'subjects' but includes what students will be doing for the day. 

Calendar

Week of August 10th:

  Monday:

* Drumming

Tuesday:

* RTI meeting 7:30 a.m.

* Hanni's Crew leaves on Voyage

Week of August 17th:

Monday:

* Drumming

* Lisa's Crew leaves on Voyage

* Brittany's Crew leaves on Voyage

Tuesday:

* RTI meeting 7:30 a.m.

* Nicole's Crew leaves on Voyage

Thursday:

* Deborah out of the building to Elementary Admin. meeting

For Your Information

* All classroom doors must be locked. When you are present in the room you can use the doorjams or the magnetic strips. When you leave the classroom, the door must be locked behind you.

* We are no longer allowed to use sanitizer wipes.

* Make sure you have completed the mandatory moodle trainings. There may be a bit of time on Wednesday afternoon to complete some of these.

Please click on the link to access the district mandated trainings  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K7m72EVSl5dBdp4jEKc9AROF0M5Elrq-O5TKFX5U6bM/edit

* The Pledge of Allegiance needs to be recited every day.

* When you can, please send your blog link to Andrea and myself. We need to update the website. I would like to subscribe to whatever communication tool you have with parents.

* When you can, if you don't currently have a bio for our school website, please create one and give to Andrea for the school website. This is not urgent at all.

* I will be working with the office staff on the next two Wednesdays. We will be evaluating our current systems and identifying where changes can be made.

* This weeks professional development will be facilitated by Debbie, Amanda, and Chelsea. Chelsea will lead the activity. Amanda will be sharing some of her work, with primary teachers, around mathematics in hopes that it can be of support to others.  Intermediate teachers will be meeting, under the direction of Lisa, to create an assessment for reading to possibly use in lieu of iReady for CITE 6.

* Andrea is in the process of creating the drill schedule. We will be having a fire drill this week.  Make sure you know where you are to go and that you have the red/green card and an accurate class list for taking role. (Is this information included with sub plans?)

* For now, we will continue to drum (whole school but in Crews) until we have a chance to review whether this is what we want to continue to do. Remember, this doesn't mean it's the only time you can drum. 

Have a great week!

Deborah