October 21-29 - Book Fair
October 21-25 - Red Ribbon Week details to come
October 22 - Beta Induction @ 6:30
October 22 - Math training - 6th grade Room 618 3:00-4:00
October 24 - Math training - 5th grade Room 618 3:00-4:00
October 24 - Grade window closes
October 25 - PBIS Day Assemblies: 4th 8:00-8:40, 5th 8:50-9:30, 6th 9:40-10:20 Parties: 4th 11:20-12:20, 5th 12:20-1:20, 6th 1:20-2:20
October 26 - PBMS Fun Run
October 28 - Math training - 4th grade Room 618 3:00-4:00
October 28 - Sam's Club Enrollment - Rep. here this day.
October 29 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:00-9:00 (reports handed out at conferences)
October 31 - No School - Collaboration Day
November 1 - No School
November 3 - Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 4 - New Teachers MMD training @ 3:00 (Central Office)
November 4 - PBS Meeting
November 5 - Picture retakes
November 7 - Leadership Meeting
November 8 - Staff Hayride
November 11 - Veteran's Day
November 13 - Grade window opens
November 13, 14, 15 - 6th SINGS to Mobile, AL
November 14 - Math training - 6th grade Room 618 3:00-4:00
November 17 - Grade window closes
November 19 - 2nd Quarter Mid terms go home
November 19 - 6th grade faculty meeting 3:00
November 20 - Math training - 4th grade Room 618 3:00-4:00
November 20 - 5th grade faculty meeting 3:00
November 21 - 4th grade faculty meeting 3:00
November 25-29 No School - Thanksgiving Break
December 4 - Math training - 5th grade Room 618 3:00-4:00
December 6 - Spring Fling
December 10 - Honor Choir Concert
December 12 - Leadership Meeting
December 17 - 6th grade faculty meeting 3:00
December 18 - 5th grade faculty meeting 3:00
December 19 - 4th grade faculty meeting 3:00
December 20 - Grade window opens
December 23-January 3 No School - Christmas Break
January 5 - Grade window closes
January 7 - Math training - 6th grade Room 618 3:00-4:00
January 8 - Math training - 4th grade Room 618 3:00-4:00
January 10 - PBIS Day Assemblies: 4th 8:00-8:40, 5th 8:50-9:30, 6th 9:40-10:20 Parties: 4th 11:20-12:20, 5th 12:20-1:20, 6th 1:20-2:20
January 13 - Math training - 5th grade Room 618 3:00-4:00
January 20 - No School
January 21 - PBConnects
January 22 - Intruder Training 8:00 at Kay Porter
Thank you to all of you who participated in "The Contest" last week. It really just goes to show that if you put the word contest into any email, people take notice. Basically, if there is an opportunity to compete with your co-workers and establish your dominance, you are all in.
It was a fun time and the winning team is The Wonders from Down Under - Team Australia. Their motto is "Not Fast, but Furious". You have all won a 5 punch jeans pass. Congratulations.
So far, we have covered the themes from the Artisan Teacher that have to do with the technical part of teaching. We have covered Clear Learning Goals, Congruency, Task Analysis, Diagnosis, and Overt Responses. The final theme in the technical section of teaching is Mid-Course Corrections.
Mid-Course Corrections are defined as the ability of the teacher to quickly adapt instruction to meet students' immediate learning needs. Mid-Course Corrections happen in all walks of life and occupations. The Apollo 11 mission had a very detailed and well thought out plan, but things happen and adjustments had to be made in order for the mission to be successful.
This is true in teaching as well. Even the best laid out plan has to be adjusted based on our students prior knowledge and reactions. According to Dwyer, 2008 and Heritage, 2010, when teachers assess student learning often and, based on what is found, make immediate adjustments to instruction, learning is optimized. The key to mid-course corrections are formative assessments. It is important that formative assessment practices be embedded into instruction, not designed to follow it. "Formative assessment is part of the instructional process. When incorporated into classroom practice, it provides the information needed to adjust teaching and learning while they are happening" (Garrison & Ehringhaus, 2007, p.1).
Mid-Course Corrections can take many forms. Here are a few examples.
Practice - When students are very near mastery, it can be effective to provide them an opportunity to practice newly acquired skills.
Re-teach - Sometimes kids just aren't getting it and it's easier to start from scratch. If you give a assessment and most of your students are far from mastery, it may be a good time to stop what you are doing and re-teach.
Abandon - Sometimes the timing just isn't right. Maybe it's the end of the day or something has happened to get your students off task and learning isn't taking place (especially new learning). Well, sometimes "you got to know when to hold them and know when to fold them". Abandoning doesn't mean you don't teach it, but it does mean you may put it off until a more opportune time.
Move on - There are times when your students have just "got it". When this happens, it may save time by moving on to the next unit or skill.
Extend - This is used when students are getting the concept, but you, as the teacher, want to take it to a deeper level. You might add an activity that extends the learning and solidifies their understanding.
Connect - Use this when students are mastering an isolated skill, but need it to be deeper so they connect it to other skills, content, or experiences.
Collaboration Day
Thursday, October 31, is our next collaboration day. We have a lot of things going on that day, so here is a rundown of what is going on.
It's Halloween, so we are dressing up. We will be having some costume contests for individuals, couples, and teams.
We will be having an ice breaker that morning. Here is a sample of the activity.
We will have a quick faculty meeting along with some team time during the morning session. The agenda can be found here.
It's the Annual Chili Cook-off. Be sure to sign up here if you would like to have chili that day.
It's equity and diversity training that afternoon at Kay Porter Theater.
The following Friday, November 8, we will be having a bonfire/weenie roast/s'mores/hayride. The sign up can be found here.
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