Monday Morning Memo 10.11.20
Happy Monday! We hope that you had a restful weekend. Thank you for continuing to push through the barriers that 2020 has put in front of us. Last week we were reminded of where we get the strength to keep going. On Friday, our students that completed their Summer Slide Challenge got to come outside and spend some time with James and me. It was just a few minutes and there was not a big, expensive inflatable slide waiting for them. Due to the health restrictions, all we could put together was a socially distanced obstacle course made of cones and hoola hoops and we bought them each a popsicle. Yet, the kids had a blast and exclaimed that this activity was better than any other summer slide activity we had had in the past. Our kids are resilient. Our kids make us smile. Our kids are what keep us going. Our day got even better Friday afternoon when we were invited to Ms. Niehaus' class. Check out what we experienced while we were there in the message below!
Goal Getters:
Data. It is tough for adults to look at, analyze, and reflect upon. It sometimes tells us something that we do not want to acknowledge such as our current weight (true for me!), how much money we spend on specific activities, or an area of our instruction that could be improved. Sometimes it can be so tricky or stressful for us that the thought of using it with students can be very overwhelming. Research shows that making data and learning visible to our students has a high yield pay off for them. This is true for us as adults too. When I really sit down and look at what my current weight is and the goal weight I want to get to and then develop an action plan and a tracking system I am much more likely to be successful in my weight loss journey.
Several weeks ago Ms. Niehaus sat with her students and developed individualized learning goals with each of them. On her bulletin board she posted their goals. She utilized the tracking sheets and communicated the goals and strategies set with the parents of her students. She set a deadline for when their goals needed to be accomplished and checked in with them frequently to ensure that they were on track. The target date was Friday. The kids wanted every Cub in their class to achieve their first goal by this date to be able to celebrate together as a class. They selected a disco dance party with treats as their celebration. The kiddos were so excited they could not keep it a secret. As we did lunch duty one Cub couldn't contain his excitement and shared that his goal was to learn 19 sight words during this time. Learning these words got him to his goal of 100 total sight words. He was so proud of this goal and was eager to share with us that he had brought packs of gummies to share with his classmates because he was proud of them too!
Disco lights, glow bracelets, dancing, and a snack were definitely an amazing treat. However, the true excitement in the room came when we asked the class why they were having this party. They pointed to the bulletin board to show us each of their goals and were already excited to tell us what their next goal is and how they plan to smash it. I walked around the room as the students gathered snacks from the table and peeked at some of the other items that Ms. Niehaus had posted around her room. The room is filled with data that is being accessed by students on a daily basis. As I snapped pictures Ms. Niehaus said that the academic results she is experiencing this year were no where near this last year at 5 weeks into school time. Her students have earned far more AR points, learned many new sight words, and are mastering their numbers.
There was not any shame in the room. Students were not embarrassed about where their data showed them to be. They were not comparing their goals to anyone else's. Instead, they were proud of how much they grew. They were proud of how much their peers grew. The classroom was a family. It was a community of learners that knew we all have strengths and weaknesses and needed to improve in different ways. Their hard work was paying off. They knew where they stood academically and where they needed to get to by when.
We know that many more of you are using data with your students. Many of you have also dove head first into the new leadership notebook goal setting and tracking pages as well. We can't wait to get around to your rooms to see these in action! Thank you for continuing to take risks. It is tough... but there can be a big pay off for both you and your students! Don't forget about the data tracking on your grade level data walls too. This is a great place to celebrate our Cubs and their accomplishments. Below are some pictures that I snapped while in Addison's room.
This Week:
Health Screenings:
This week we have a few things scheduled. Monday, Tuesday, and Friday are Health Screenings for students in grades K, 1, and 3. Screenings will take place in room F-101. Please be sure that you read the directions on the bottom of the schedule carefully and that you review the list of students than can't be screened that you received in an email from Mr. Capo.
Click here to view the schedule.
Team Meetings:
This week we also have Team Meetings on Tuesday. This is a meeting for your team to use as you see fit. The only agenda item that we request that you include is developing a goal for what your team hopes to accomplish the following week during back to back planning. After this month, team meetings will always follow program planner meetings to give you an opportunity to go over important items.
Child Study:
This week is Child Study. You will be meeting with your grade level teams during your planning periods. If you are a K-2 teacher this will be a traditional Child Study Meeting. If you are a K-2 CD teacher please meet with Jen Giesel in the morning to discuss kiddos. If you are a 3-5 teacher or a 3-5 CD teacher, I will need to meet with you during your planning to go over information about the new APM ClearSight assessment that opens next week. I apologize for this, but did not want to schedule an additional meeting and this is information you will have to have before testing.
Calendar:
-Keli and James
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