Tuesday, October 25

Today's Content:

• Tier 1 Priorities:  Primary Sources

• Tier 1 Priorities: Close Reading

• Special Education: Co-Teach Cohort

Falcon Focus: Primary Sources

Primary sources continue to be a focal point of instruction in Social Studies.  But between complex content, dated language, and (gasp) cursive handwriting, primary sources can pose an especially challenging read for our students.

So how do we make that historical, necessary content more accessible to students?  One way is to make the learning authentic--to find a way to help the students empathize with the author, subject, or content within the piece itself.

Recently, 8th grade American History investigated the Boston Massacre crime scene.  Students had the opportunity to play detective by analyzing historical artwork depicting the event; observing the crime scene itself, complete with "blood" and "clues";  and reading first-hand accounts from individuals present at the Massacre.

Students work in groups to analyze the crime scene of the Boston Massacre

If it seems like to much information for students to process, it's not.  Different crime scene elements were broken out into stations, and each station provided scaffolds to help with content comprehension.  The written documents had been reenacted and performed for students to listen to or watch while or after reading the original document.  Both the artwork and the crime scene were paired with guiding questions to help students navigate the different types of information being shared.  And all throughout, students had access to each other as they grappled with the different perspectives of the Boston Massacre.

Students use guiding questions to analyze visual primary sources

To help students with comprehension of the difficult language, teachers "performed" each monologue.

In 7th grade Texas History, students have also recently used primary sources, as they are learning about Stephen F. Austin's colonization into Spanish Texas.  In small groups or partners, students read several different letters that had been written to request a spot in Austin's new colony.  Then, students evaluated each individual against a set of criteria to determine whether or not they were a good "fit". The primary source letters presented challenging language and unfamiliar context.  So what helped these students make meaning from the text?

First, the amount of the text is manageable.  Each letter written to Stephen F. Austin fit nicely on a half-page, so students could grapple with the text without getting burned out on the difficulty.

Students grappling with primary sources

More grappling

Evaluating each colony candidate against criteria

In addition, students had the opportunity to read these aloud.  For our auditory learners, hearing the reading will help them process the information; plus, we get to hear students try on some really fantastic accents!  The student below is reading from except A above, "Buffalo" Jones.

Falcon Focus: Close Reading

You may have heard this before, but we are all teachers of reading.   Close reading is main pillar of ELAR instruction, and different variations of it can and should be used in any content area.

When students close read, the goal is for students to go back into a text and use text evidence to support their response to a very targeted question.  The success of the close reading activity relies heavily on the question.  In ELAR, there are 4 specific question levels:

1) What does the text say?  (comprehension)
2) What does the text mean? (making inferences/drawing conclusions)
3) How does the text work? (author's craft)
4) What does the text inspire you to do? (writing piece or other response)

After attending the content professional learning days, 6th grade Reading tried out a strategy called "SpongeBeyonceBananaPants".  (Yes, that's the actual name of this strategy.  No, it has no meaning to the activity other than students remember it. No, Kathy and Kylie did not make it up.)  In this strategy, students use a graphic organizer interact with the text, which in this case, is a poem.

Teacher designed questions require students to go back into the text multiple times to support their responses.

In Sherry Grosenbach's class, students used specific plastic flags to interact with the text in a different way.  In addition to writing on the passage (in this case, a speech), students used the flags to identify different elements of the speech in a hands-on way.  Then when it was time for deeper analysis, students used their tactile practice with the text to move back through it more efficiently.

Close reading can be tactile, too!

If you don't have fancy flags, simply substitute sticky notes or paper clips.  In the future, we will be talking more about how different close reading strategies can help support students in your content areas, as well.  Stay tuned!

Falcon Focus: Co-teaching Cohort

This year all of our teachers with a co-teach classroom (both general ed and special ed) are participating in a flipped year-round cohort.  While we know there are limitations to our schedule, we also believe that we can do better for our students.  Therefore, our goal is to improve our co-teach practice by finding ways to creatively implement co-teach best practices.

Throughout the year, we will be reviewing the six co-teach models: one teach, one observe; station teaching; parallel teaching; alternative teaching; teaming; and one teach, one assist.  The bulk of the work is happening in Google Classroom, with some observation and coaching time for some.

Don't have a special education co-teach classroom, but still want to learn more?  You are welcome to participate in the Google classroom with us; just email me and I will get you more information.

If have any questions or would like some help implementing these or other strategies, please let me know.  And remember...

It's a great day to be a Falcon!

Tuesday, September 20

Today's Content:

• Continuous Improvement:  Mission Statements Schoolwide

• Digital Communication: Band Weekly Webinars

Falcon Focus: Mission Statements Schoolwide

Over the past several weeks, Falcons have created mission statements to clarify our goals and to provide purpose to our day-to-day.  With personalized phrasing as diverse as our population, these mission statements will serve as the foundation of our work this year, both as a campus and in our classrooms.

For mission statements to work, stakeholders must have ownership in the writing process. This allows individuals to recognize the why behind the work, and creates a focal point when distractions become, well, distracting.

Both teachers and students have embraced this process, drafting and revising missions, pledging their commitment with a signature, and revisiting the mission at the start of each class or PLC.  Some classes have even taken it a step farther, using TPR (Total Physical Response) to attach active meaning to the words of their mission.  TPR is a brain-based learning strategy that will help these students really connect to their goals in each class.  You can watch students in Mrs. Hutson's 7th Grade ELA and Mrs. Grosenbach's ELAR classes using gestures in the videos below, and read some examples of the hard work done these first few weeks of school.

Classroom Mission Statements

Students collaborated to develop their class mission statements across the campus.

Mrs. Hutson's Class Mission Statement
Watch students recite their class mission below.

Mrs. Grosenbach's Class Mission Statement
Watch students recite their mission statement below.

Department Mission Statements

Wondering what the department mission statements are?  Here you go.

Reminder - all classes should have mission statements posted ASAP, if not already.  Also, developing a mission statements with your classes is only a first step. These must be revisited throughout the year, used as a touchstone to guide decision-making, to truly impact student learning. More to come on this as the year progresses!

Falcon Focus: Band Weekly Webinars

As I was scrolling through my Twitter feed a couple of weeks ago, I stumbled upon a retweet by @tersadavis.

Ummm...this is so cool!  What a fantastic (and entertaining) way to share expectations and information with students and families.  Mr. Lewis and Mrs. Serrano used iMovie as their video tool, and plan to continue posting webinars each Friday evening.  The videos even have special effects!

Follow the antics of Mr. Lewis and Mrs. Serrano on Twitter @NRichlandBand and be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel for band updates.

If have any questions or would like some help implementing these or other strategies, please let me know.  And remember...

It's a great day to be a Falcon!

Monday, August 22

Today's Content:

• Building Culture:  The Falcon Way

• Continuous Improvement:  Mission Statement Collaboration

• #CelebrateMonday: On a personal note

Falcon Focus: Falcon Way

Welcome back, NRMS! After a summer of careful reflection, challenging conversations, and lots of hard work, our teachers and staff have built an amazing culture building program!

For many of us, driving our attendance zone last Monday was an eye-opening experience about the distances that some of our students have to travel, and the social and economic disparity between many of our students. It is essential that NRMS becomes a place to be, not just a place to go.  

Through Falcon Time, students will have the opportunity to bridge that gap.  Students will build school pride, work collaboratively on real issues, learn about and practice citizenship, and reach out to our community, making this a better place to be.

So far, so good.  We've studied the data, we've got a goal, and we've laid out a plan.  However, the newness will soon wear off and we'll get into the 6-week grind.  As you move into your day-to-day routine, make time to think back on the foundation that we are laying and the kind of school we truly want to build.  And if you haven't yet submitted your feedback on Monday's Student Orientation, please take a few moments to do so now; your thoughts will help shape Day 1 for 2017.  Click here to take the survey.

Falcon Focus: Continuous Improvement

As BISD revisits and realigns Continuous Improvement across the district, Thursday's professional development was spent laying the groundwork for improvement at NRMS. Our first CI milestone is the creation of mission statements throughout our campus.  After evaluating expectations and analyzing campus data, we got to the "why".  Why continuous improvement?  And why mission statements?

• Question 1:  Let’s talk about the why…Why should we go through this with our colleagues?  How will you do it?
• Question 2:  What are your beliefs about students, learning and school community?
• Question 3:  What behaviors will you need to model and see in your colleagues  in order to represent your beliefs?
• Question 4:  What did you hear?  Summarize what your groups have talked about.  What beliefs did you decide were most important?

Ultimately, the reason CI matters is that it ensures that all of our students have opportunities for growth.  It gives students ownership over their own learning, teaches students to advocate for themselves, and prevents any students from slipping through the cracks, whether they are our more struggling learners or most gifted innovators.

As you develop mission statements with your classes, please reflect on the sense of purpose that we need to foster in our students to help them be the best learners they can be.  They are all here to learn, and they all deserve an equal opportunity to do so.


Falcon Focus: Personal Note

As this first week gets moving, I just want to say that I am truly honored and humbled to be working alongside you. The dedication and passion for students that everyone showed last week as we unveiled Falcon Way plans was truly inspiring.  I literally had to lean over to Ann and say, "I think we're doing something really good here."  You are all doing something really good here.  Yesterday, you were my reason to #CelebrateMonday.  Thank you for that.

If have any questions or would like some help implementing these or other strategies, please let me know.  And remember...

It's a great day to be a Falcon!

Tuesday, May 31

Today's Content:

• Authentic Learning:  Ekphrasis Night at Barnes and Noble

• Professional Learning Communities:  PLC Feedback

• Shifting Culture: Falcon Way Summer Planning

Falcon Focus: The Ekphrasis Project

by Gina Bergman  A cross-curricular collaboration between Falcon artists and 7th grade Pre-AP writers, the Ekphrasis Project highlights exemplary written responses across genres based on selected award winning artwork.  On Thursday evening, May 26^th at Barnes & Noble Booksellers at the North East Mall the 7^th grade Pre-AP writers read their works in conjunction with a display of artwork before a crowd of bookstore patrons, parents, faculty, and fellow students. The evening was highlighted with an opening poem/song acapella performance by Isabel Beasley based on Owen Stubblefield’s artwork Still Life with Boots and Skull. The evenings final piece was a once in a lifetime performance of burgeoning playwright Kyle Dickman’s response to Beverly Ontiveros’ artwork Majestic.  Sandwiched in between the song and the play were many great poems and short stories birthed through analysis and imagination. The evening was put together by ELAR Department Chair, Sarah Kelly and Rebekah McKnight, art teacher extraordinaire. 

Falcon Focus: PLC Feedback


To end the year, each department used the last data meeting to reflect on the effectiveness of our PLCs.  Through the discussion, teachers identified both PLC strengths and suggestions for improvement.  Repeated positives for this year included 1) having the opportunity to work with other grade levels, 2) being inspired by other grade levels to try different strategies, 3) collaborating with others to utilize individual expertise, and 4) having lots of time for planning.  Common ideas for change included 1) adding some structure to the PLC process to expand productivity (not just lesson planning), 2) allowing grade levels to sometimes work as a team independently from the department PLC, 3) finding a way to reach out to other departments to allow for more cross-curricular learning, and 4) changing data reflection to happen in real-time.

As we move forward and work on plans for 2016-17, all this valuable information will help determine how we can best utilize our PLCs to enhance student learning.  If you'd like to read the plus/deltas in their entirety, click on the images below for each department.

Click on the image go to the Writing PLC Notes in Padlet

Click on the image go to the Reading PLC Notes in Padlet

Click on the image go to the Social Studies PLC Notes in Padlet

Click on the image go to the Science PLC Notes in Padlet

Falcon Focus: Falcon Way Summer Groups

As the school year wraps up, work is just getting started on some of the different pieces that will make up our Falcon Way for next year.  Whether you've contributed your ideas thus far or not, everyone is invited to help grow the culture that we want for our school.  Changing our culture truly will take a village, so we would love to hear from you.

Summer Planning Groups include:

• Advisory - Appreciation activities
• Advisory - Community service
• Advisory - Family activities
• Advisory - Responsibility
• Advisory - Hall/announcements/campus challenges
• Faculty/staff - getting to know you
• Pep rallies & showcase pieces
• Student orientation

Today during dessert, be on the lookout for an orange handout for signing up.  We will have quick "orientation" meetings tomorrow after dismissal.

If have any questions or would like some help implementing these or other strategies, please let me know.  And remember...

It's a great day to be a Falcon!

Monday, May 23

Today's Content:

• Student Leadership:  Clever STUCO Campaign Posters

•  Best Practices:  TPR in Social Studies

• Shifting Culture: Falcon Way Update

Falcon Focus: Student Leadership

This past week, 34 7th graders ran for an officer position in next year's Student Council.  It was awesome to see so many students showing interest in campus leadership.  Also awesome - all the inventive energy that went into their campaign posters.  With whit and puns, this year's candidates cleverly tapped into commercials, phrases, and even infographics to humorously vie for student votes.

In case you didn't make it all the way around the building to read them, here's a quick recap of some of the quippier campaign posters.  If I missed your favorite, I apologize!

Yes, this last student got permission.  :)

  

So just who are next year's STUCO leaders?  We'll find out later today in the 7th grade Awards Ceremony.

 Falcon Focus: Total Physical Response in SS

Before the STAAR test, 8th grade Social Studies students reviewed the Bill of Rights using hand signals as memory triggers.  As covered in a previous post, total physical response (TPR) effectively helps students learn and remember different bits of information by pulling together the acting/gesturing/physical moving right side of the brain and the telling/explaining/analyzing left side. 

And it really works!  One student came back later and thanked Jonie Dodson for teaching her this strategy because she used it to help her with recall during the test.  Watch the video below of the students moving through the first ten Amendments with only minimal assistance from Jonie.  

 Falcon Focus: Falcon Way Update

As we mentioned in the faculty meeting this past Wednesday, NRMS is moving forward with the work to implement the Falcon Way from day one of 2016-17.  As always, thank you SO MUCH to all of the teachers, staff, and admin who have offered their opinions and ideas either in Falcon Way meetings, in emails, or in hallway conversations.  

This culture shift is about us - our students, our faculty & staff, and our community - and we will not be successful unless we are all on board.  This summer, the Falcon Way needs help with planning:

• Student orientation - plans & materials
• Advisory rotations - schedule & materials
• Pep rallies - creative ideas & planning
• Faculty/Staff "Get to Know You" Activities - ideas & materials

If you are interested in helping, please contact Kathryn Humer, Laurie Istook, Ann Newhouse, or Mary Terry.

Click on the slide to see the Falcon Way presentation from Wednesday's meeting.

If have any questions or would like some help implementing these or other strategies, please let me know.  And remember...

It's a great day to be a Falcon!

   

Monday, May 16

Today's Content:

• Project-Based Learning:  Room Design

•  Digital Learning:  Social Studies Twitter Chats

• Shifting Culture: Falcon Way Update

Falcon Focus: Project-Based Learning

Students search online to build cost estimates

Some students chose online design programs

Over the last couple of  weeks, 8th grade math has been using project-based learning to give students a chance to dream up some ideas for the new building.  Mrs. Atkinson posed the question to 8th graders, "What would you like to see included?"  The result has been an array of creative and inventive ideas to enhance our new campus.  While some concepts are more feasible than others, there's no reason not to consider at least pieces of some of their  ideas and appreciate the creativity that went into the process.

Once students selected an element to design (a "chill-out' or break room, indoor athletic facility, or outdoor recreation area), students were asked to establish the square footage of the space and its components.  Some students elected to use online design programs (see above), while others stuck with pencil and paper.  Students also researched online for cost estimates of the different design elements (see above).

   

Click on the image to see Mrs. A's Prezi

Some groups had time to start working with Tinkercad after creating their 2-D model.
See their 3-D file below.

For final products, students created either 2-D or 3-D models of their space, and presented on the total square footage, estimated cost, and overall "coolness" of their designs.  Watch the video below for a presentation over the addition of an indoor futbol field.

Tinkercad 3-D version of the above group's plan

A final extension Leslie is exploring is the use Tinkercad, an online 3-D design platform, to bring an element of authenticity to the project.  This would allow students the opportunity to see how the design process might work in the real world, by bringing smaller design elements to life with a 3-D printer.  Hopefully this piece works out; but even if it doesn't right now, you can expect to see this project even more developed in the future. 

Falcon Focus: Social Studies Twitter Chat

Teachers exhibited a lot of effort and creativity as they planned out STAAR review activities this spring.  Every room you looked in, students were moving, collaborating, discussing, and self-checking; as well as  Kahoot-ing, Quizizz-ing, Quizlet-ing, and utilizing countless other innovative digital learning tools.  One different technology approach that you may not have considered, however, is Twitter.  As part of their review, 8th grade social studies gave students the option to participate in a 3-week Twitter chat series.  Topics started with early exploration and colonization the first week, and ended with reconstruction and a call for any last questions the last week.  Students had the opportunity to answer teacher-generated questions, to read other students' responses, to respond to other students, and to ask their own questions.  Below is an excerpt of one of the chats.

If you're wondering how the a conversation flows on Twitter, you can view the entire chat transcripts on Storify.  Click on any of the three images below.  

Falcon Focus: Falcon Way Update

In the Falcon Way meetings on May 11 and 12, both students and teachers were asked what one thing they would like to see happen to build a community of CORE values from day one.  The most common responses are listed below.  Do you notice any similarities or differences?

If have any questions or would like some help implementing these or other strategies, please let me know.  And remember...

It's a great day to be a Falcon!