Friday Flash: Sept.20

World Class Education

Starts with World Class Outcomes

Today I spent time with principal colleagues developing 'look-for's of World Class outcomes when visiting classrooms.

To ground you in understanding, Standard One of the CITE evaluation tool is outcomes.

1.1 Teacher selects World Class Outcomes.

1.2 Teacher selects World Class Outcomes that integrate content with other disciplines.

1.3 Teacher selects differentiated World Class Outcomes.

1.4 Teacher evaluates assessment data to select World Class Outcomes.

1.5 Teacher integrates 21st Century skills where appropriate.

Standard One of the CITE evaluation is backwards planning.

Stage One of backwards planning is:

Enduring Understanding + Essential Questions + Outcomes

Remember when Dr. Fagen helped us understand how to determine whether we had identified a World Class Outcome? If we could answer 'yes' to the following criteria, then we can be sure we have a World Class Outcome -

* Is it rigorous? (zone of proximal development)

* Is it relevant? (do kids know why this is important for them?)

* Is it modern? (1980 or 2012?)

* Is it integrated? (connected to other learning in other content areas?)

* Is it aligned? (think learning progression)

I really had to sort out how you evaluate planning when you are observing instruction when visiting a classroom. We watched several videos to unpack this and also to construct knowledge in conversation. I want to continue to refine this and to bring you along with me, since the CITE evaluation tool is what we'll be using.

(CITE stands for: Continuous Improvement of Teacher Effectiveness)

So, here's what I'll be looking for when I visit your classrooms over the weeks before and directly after Fall Break.

Are the outcomes being taught?
World Class?
Integrated?
Differentiated?
Include 21st Century Skills that are naturally integrative?
Reflect knowledge of the students - learned in part by formative and other assessment data?
Has enduring questions? Essential understandings?

Calendar

September 24 - 28:

Monday:

No student's - Professional Development: Restorative Practices

Tuesday:

RTI meeting 7:15 a.m.

Bill's Crew Voyage to Educo

Kenny's Crew field work to Ice Core Lab a.m.

Wednesday:

New Parent Orientation 8:00 a.m.

All School Meeting

PD Focus: Math Discussions in Primary and Intermediate Teams/Planning

Friday:

Crew group pictures

Individual picture re-takes

October 1 - 5:

Monday:

Battle of the Books 4-5 p.m.

Tuesday:

RTI meeting 7:15 a.m.

SAC 5:30 p.m

Wednesday:

All School Meeting

Leadership Team Meeting 11:00 a.m.

PD: Backwards Planning (on your own/or team)

Friday:

Bootcamp! (schedule for the day will look different and will be provided)

ALL kids need sack lunches!

Lost Coffee Mobile on site 8 - 10 a.m.

Important Communication to Parents

about October 5th:

Please help with the communication home that all students will need sack lunches on Friday, October 5th for Bootcamp.

Please help communicate that kids DO COME TO SCHOOL on Friday, October 5th

but that kids DO NOT come to school on Monday, October 22nd, following Fall Break.

This is confusing for some parents because if they are looking at district calendars, rather than our school calendar, they will not see this day shift.

We did this last year, so many parents are familiar with this shift, but new parents could be confused.

Please help by over communicating this information over the next two weeks.

Thanks!

Student-Led Conferences Coming Soon -

Student led conferences will be held during the last week in October. (Oct. 29 - Nov.2)

You will have Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 31st for conferences in place of our usual professional development. Yes - I know it is Halloween so you likely won't be going late.

This week was chosen because it is about mid-way through the semester and parents have the opportunity to see how things are going before a formal progress report. You also won't need to be preparing students for conferences AND preparing the Elementary Progress Report (EPR).

***IF you have any concerns about the progress of a student, the student led conference is not the time to discuss those concerns. Please schedule a separate time during a different week, as that conversation should be private and would likely take longer than the time you have during student led conferences. Come visit with me about this if you have questions.

Spring student-led conferences will be the week of March 18-22nd (the week before Spring Break).

Featured Folks:

I have had more positive feedback about the Featured Folk component of Friday Flash than anything else. It's the 'human' part. The part we connect with and is pure entertainment.

The features aren't coming my way anymore so I think it's time to format it in a different way by shifting the prompt. Most folks shared a bit about themselves in a biography kind of way. How about you write about anything? You can share a story about a teaching experience, you can talk about a belief or an opinion you hold dear. You talk about a learning experience, a memoir, a poem, a book review, ...anything! We love it all! Dig out your writer's brainstorm list and choose something! We're all waiting....

Peek Into the Life of our School:

We saw pictures of Zina's garden -
and then Rebecca's Crew went to see it live.
Rebecca's Crew is linking their Service Learning Project
with our garden beds.

Zina's husband Joe led the garden tour.

The kids were so curious and never stopped asking questions.
Did I mention that Joe is incredibly patient!

We kept a healthy distance from the hives.

It's drum making time!
I passed the art room and took a double take -
I thought Pam was teaching an adult class.
Takes lots of helpers to get those drum heads made!

Bootcamp cheerleading - Wendy created a tally chart (totally connected to Everyday Math) to keep track
of food items in first grade.

Lindsey read aloud Fly Away Home while students jotted down
their thinking -
If we want students to think critically, we MUST provide great literature that allows for deep thinking.