Monday, April 25

Today's Content:

• Tier 1 Priorities:  Vocabulary Ladders

• Shifting Culture: Falcon Way Update

• Reminders:  Falcon Walks & "Believe" Challenge

• Newsworthy:  Mickie Siek in FW Star-Telegram

Falcon Focus: Vocabulary Ladders

All content areas are focusing on vocabulary; this is no surprise.  So when two of our teachers stumble on the same vocabulary strategy and are singing its praises, it needs to be shared with all.  

Both Lindsey Cato and Jonie Dodson are working their way through the TAGT On Demand training, and have learned a new vocab strategy  - vocabulary ladders.  Within this application strategy, there are multiple options for students to process their learning.

Lindsey's class explained the connect of each new word to the original.

Lindsey Cato had her students identify a key academic word on the highest rung.  Then, they selected one letter from the original word and came up with related words for the lower rungs.

Afterwards, her students used the right side of the ladder to explain the connections of the new words to the original word.


Jonie Dodson's students used the same graphic organizer but worked with the vocab a little differently.  Starting with the key word, students pulled a letter from each subsequent word to come up with the new related words.  At the end, she had them write a summary that connected all of the terms together.

Jonie's class used the vocab ladder to write a summary.

Falcon Focus: Falcon Way Update

This weekend I sent out the Padlet with the notes from last week's teacher meeting.  However, I wanted to share with you the feedback we've collected from students so far.

Click on the slide to see the guidelines for discussion.

Students were asked for their opinions on how to live the CORE values on campus and improve campus culture overall.  Their responses are listed below.

Falcon Focus: Falcon Walks & "Believe" Challenge

Just a quick reminder of a couple of campus initiatives for the end of the year:

First - the Falcon Learning Walks, our structure for informal peer observation.  As we discussed on Friday, April 1st, the purpose is to provide teachers with self-determined, collaborative professional development.  You identify the type of observation that will best help you and your students, and then make it happen.

Before visiting a class, review our Learning Walk Protocols:

• Intentionally plan your observations.
• Walk in with a growth mindset.
• Observe for a minimum of 15 minutes.
• Remember to be an observer and not a participant in the lesson.
• Complete the Falcon Reflection Form to let your Academic Coach know if you need any assistance.

You may review the Learning Walk handout for a more detailed refresher.  A few teachers have already completed their walks, and they were able to absorb great ideas to implement in their own classes.  Be sure to go for a walk now, while there are still a few weeks to try out something new.

Second - the "Believe" Challenge, your opportunity to reflect a student you really believe in.  The goal here is simply to let our students know just how much we do believe in them, their dreams, and their future.  If you would like to film the conversation, I am happy to assist.  Either way, please send me your names.  Let's share the love with our students! <3

Falcon Focus: Star-Telegram

As a result of their selection into the Mount Vernon trip, Mickie Siek and Watauga Middle's Elizabeth Cumbie were featured in the Star-Telegram last Friday.  The article highlights a lot of our 8th graders talking about the Constitution; there are some fantastic quotes!  Check out the article by clicking on the link below.

Click the image to go to the article in the FW Star-Telegram.

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, April 11

Today's Content:

• Professional Development: Falcon Learning Walks

• Tier 1 Priorities:  Workshop Model/Chunk & Chew

• Digital Learning:  Telling Your Story on Social Media - #LoveMySchoolDay

Falcon Focus: Falcon Learning Walks

In education, we are always striving to learn more, do more, be better teachers for our students.  But sometimes when we hear about an enlightened philosophy, a "breakthrough" strategy, or a new technology, we think, "That sure sounds good...but how would that work in my classroom?" Sometimes, we have to see something in action to really wrap our minds around it.

As a result, many teachers have asked for the opportunity to see how some of our priorities and focus areas work in the real world.  So enter the Falcon Learning Walks, our structure for informal peer observation.  As we discussed on Friday, April 1st, the purpose is to provide teachers with self-determined, collaborative professional development.  You identify the type of observation that will best help you and your students, and then make it happen.  We've outlined 4 simple steps:

• Determine your focus - Which instructional or management areas will help you and your students the most?  Who can help you gain new perspective on this?

• Request an observation - Check with the teacher before you visit.

• Document your observation - Take notes and mindful of the students; how does what they're doing impact their learning?

• Reflect - What does what you saw mean for you and your classroom?

Furthermore, we talked about our Learning Walk Protocols:

• Intentionally plan your observations.
• Walk in with a growth mindset.
• Observe for a minimum of 15 minutes.
• Remember to be an observer and not a participant in the lesson.
• Complete the Falcon Reflection Form to let your Academic Coach know if you need any assistance.

You can also review the Learning Walk handout.

Falcon Focus: Workshop Model/Chunk & Chew

For students to truly own their learning, they need time to process the information.  Kathleen Kryza calls this the "chunk" and "chew" of learning: "For every 10 minutes you teach something new, the brain needs 1 to 2 minutes to chew."  So, new information = chunk, process time = chew.  This fits right along with the workshop model, a major component of our tier 1 priorities.

In Samantha Taylor's math classes, chunk and chew time is built into every activity.  First, she chunks the concept to be learned into smaller, more manageable bits of information.  In a probability lesson last week, Samantha introduced the concept using the "Falcon Downs" - a horse race simulation using dice.

You can see in the video below how the students transition from chunk time as a whole class (learning about many possible outcomes of the horse race) to individual chew time (the opportunity for students to process and think about that new concept).

A way to build in collaborative "chew" time is with classroom discussions.   Samantha uses strategies like Turn and Talk and Stand Up-Hand Up-Pair Up to encourage the students to "chew" on their learning with their peers, and further refine their understanding.

Stand Up - Hand Up - Pair Up

"Chewing" through Collaborative Discussion

 Because this is part of the everyday process, students expect that they will be thinking about math, writing about math, and talking about math with their peers.


Falcon Focus: Tell Your Story

Want a chance to tell the story of your classroom?  This Monday is Love My School Day - the perfect opportunity to start using social media for that very purpose.

Use your Twitter account to showcase great things going on with your students.  Be sure to use the appropriate hashtags - and there are lots!

#LoveMySchoolDay
#CelebrateMonday
#nrms2015
#bisddlp
#BISDShines

You can also follow me @maryterry2015 !

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!