A time to reflect

Today starts our 2 week break from school. I am glad to have this time to rest and to reflect. I am thankful for the time to reflect on what we have accomplished so far this year and what we have to look forward to complete this year. As a school we have done quite a lot. We have shown great growth in math, been recognized as a Signature School, incorporated what we have learned from Marzano's, completed a very thorough school improvement plan, and grown more as a staff and as a team. When I look at where we started and where we are now- I am very proud of all of you for stepping up and taking on whatever challenge comes your way. We have two classes that are inclusive shelterd instruction. We have a grade level that is team teaching- reading and math. We have classes where teachers are experimenting with all the technology we have in our building. Good things are happening in all classrooms and students are being successful.

We still have a ways to go but I think we are on the right path and we have momentum helping us along. We need to continue incorporating what we learn in Marzano's and from the Sheltered Instruction Observational Protocol. These strategies are good for student learning and we need to keep our focus on getting our students to grow as much as we can. I have enjoyed seeing what you do with these strategies in your class. You are doing really good stuff.

Enjoy your break and we'll see you soon!

Trish

Books are here for book study and Feedback- What do you think?

The Daniel Pink books are here. If you want to buy your book- it is $10.20 payable to South Fork ES. See Delaine if you want to buy it. Otherwise, it will be processed through the library and you will have to check yours out. We will start the study in January. You can read it before hand. There is a lot to take in and it may help you to understand it better- if you read it more than once.



Today, three grade levels had their beginning staff development on Setting Objectives and Giving Feedback. We did not have a lot of time to discuss the feedback piece so I thought we could have it here. Those that did not have your learning team meeting today will have it on the 18th. Feel free to jump in the discussion...



1. What was one idea about setting objectives or giving feedback that really jumped out at you?

2. How can you incorporate that idea in your classroom? Was it something that you would want to incorporate?

3. Feedback to your students...how have you done it in the past? How will you do it now? Share an example?

4. Share how feedback you have received- either as a student yourself or as a teacher- has motivated you? How has it motivated your students?



Thank you to those who met today. I think we had some great discussions and wonderful examples. I look forward to meeting with the other three groups next Thursday. I am also anxious to read your responses from this- as that is my feedback.

Online Movie Resource

In one of our Marzano sessions, we learned about the website "brainpop" where you can view some free movies. There is a related site, http://www.brainpopjr.com/, which is geared more toward K-3. I am currently signed up for a 5-day trial of brainpop (all related sites are included), and I love it! I have shown movies about "Parts of a Whole," "Converting Decimals to Fractions," "Cesar Chavez," and "Science Fair Projects," and the students have been very engaged.

The science project movie would be helpful for all of our students in grades 3-5 who are required to do a project. It tells about asking questions about the world around us and finding a topic of interest. It also walks students through the scientific process. There is another movie about the scientific proccess that I have not previewed yet. Each movie has accompanying activities, including online journal writing, games, things to talk about, book lists, online graphic organizers, things to draw, etc. I highly recommend checking it out! Try one of the free movies or sign up for your own 5-day trial...If there is enough interest, maybe we could talk about a school subscription... How's that money tree coming along?!

Book Study?

I have been reading a book for a book discussion in my Joint Principal meetings. We will begin the small group book talks this week. The book is called, "A Whole New Mind- Why Right Brainers will Rule the Future" by Daniel H. Pink.

As I have been reading, I have thought a lot about our students and how we can help them develop into the learner ready for the changing economy and world. It talks about how we need to move beyond the "industrial and analytical age" or otherwise known as the "left brained world". We need to help our students develop into designers, inventors, teachers, or even storytellers- a more creative and emphatic "right brain" thinkers.

The ideas in this book aligns with what we have been focusing on this year with the Marzano's High Yield Strategies...mainly focusing on the three higher question stems of Synthesize, Evaluate, and Analyze. It talks about the different ways to develop into the "right brained thinker" and how it will enable us, and more importantly- our students, to succeed in the ever changing job market and economy.

I have been involved in another book study already with the Elementary Principals and it is helping us to align ourselves to the same goals and expectations that will be found within each elementary school. It is also a great way to develop into a Professional Learning Community. We put in our school improvement plan that we would work toward being a successful professional learning community. We also mentioned doing a book study of Ruby Paines Poverty book for next year.

Would anyone be interested in doing a book study this year on "A Whole New Mind- Why Right Brainers will Rule the Future"? I would love to spend some time discussing these ideas and how we could incorporate them into our school. There is one part that mentions an elementary school in D.C. that is devoted to creating designers and inventors. I think that would be a something to give some thought too as we continue on our journey to help our students be ready for the future. Not that we would become a school like that- but it would be good to see what is out there and what we can add to make our program more successful.

Just a thought...

Trish is not the only one who can make blog posts.

I thought I would make a post on here to show you that others can write a blog post. I love the idea of having our teachers writing (or at least commenting). In such a simple way, many of us went from not knowing how to use technology, to instantly using it.

My students and I are enjoying using our classroom blog, and it's only been a few days. If anyone else is interested in starting their own blog, just let me know. I'd be glad to show you.

If anyone wants to make their own post, like I'm doing, it's very simple. When you log into blogger, it will take you to your "dashboard". It should show the name of the school blog, how many posts have been made, etc. There is a button called "new post." Just click on that and type away.

I am excited about this new way of communicating our thoughts and ideas. It seems that some people are perhaps more willing to share in this way than out loud at a meeting. Plus you can create a name that makes you a little more anonymous.

Happy Blogging! Can't wait to see who else will be willing to POST their ideas.

Kim Staton

Blogging is Optional and Interesting- Questions I have.

Good Saturday afternoon. I have enjoyed reading all the comments. I am really enjoying all the ideas being shared. I wish we had the capabilities of video taping some of these ideas in action and then posting them to the blog or to our website so we could see the lessons and not just read about them. Any ideas on how we could do that? Any takers on trying?

I am curious as to whether anyone else is able to post- not just a comment but the main post- like this one. Since I created this blog- am I the only one that can write one on here? It has been a few years since I last blogged and I thought anyone who was invited could post on the main page as well as write in comments. Does anyone know the answer. I hope others can write on this main page- I am afraid I will run out of things to say. : >()

I have found that if I just log onto this page to post from blogger.com then I can write directly into the posting and I don't have to cut and paste- which is good. I think I had to cut and paste the first time since I was going in through Lotus Notes. Interesting...don't you think? That is just one of the things I have learned this week. : > )

Please share some of your thoughts and ideas...or any other topics for discussion. I wonder if we could include blogging as a strategy in our school improvement plan? Also, I need some ideas on the goal 2.2 or 2.3 which is about encouraging and supporting a healthy lifestyle of the staff...any ideas on how we could work on our health and peace of mind through school? I am working on our plan this weekend- fun fun...I am trying to pace myself so I don't implode my brain.

Have a great weekend and think "Snow"!

Are You Logged on Yet?

I have been troubleshooting for a few people on how to get onto the blog to be able to post. You will have to accept the invitation from "Trish" that came to your school email account yesterday. Click on the blue link that you see first. It should take you to the site. If you do not have a google account- it will ask you to create one. You might have to do that first before it will let you connect to the blog. There is a time limit and if you do not connect to the blog soon- it will time out. If that happens- email me and I will resend an invite.

I am excited about the blog and I hope this develops into a site where we can all share our ideas and develop into a staff of a Single Culture of doing what is best for our kids. We are all very talented and care so much for our students- if we put all our ideas, strategies, and resources together- how can our students fail?

Check out Staton's class blog. Her kids made it yesterday. It is a good example of how this can be used in your classroom.

Trish

SD topic- Similarities and Differences- What to do differently.

Welcome to the South Fork Blog.

I hope this will be a good way to have discussions about the various topics we are discussing in our learning team meetings and staff developments.

The first item for discussion is: Please describe some of the activities you have done incorporating the similarities and differences component of the Marzano study. What organizers have you used with your students? What are some ways to extend the activities to be more student driven?

What else can we add to our discussions that will help enhance your instruction in this area? What have you tried and failed at with this? What did you learn from it? How will you make it better?

What would you have done differently this morning in the staff development to make it more meaningful?

I look forward to your posts.

Trish