Monday Inquiry work

I wanted to share with you the work of one team. What makes this team's work so strong an example for all of us is the efficient is the use of planning, empowerment and interest. It demonstrates that they collaborative chose a topic and are following through with it. They are exploring the content together and working on job embedded tasks. I wasn't able to get to every group today so feel free to share your work with the staff.

Great work today, team! Everyone came prepared to share their games that they used with manipulatives. This is a major way to get our kids used to using them in their learning.

For next time, remember what we wanted to do:

* Continue teaching a new game with manipulatives.

* If you can, think of a story problem that you would like your students to work with next week. We'll see if it follows your concepts and maybe give you some advice for modifications.

You may also want to bring your VandeWalle book too!

Rigor- rethinking past practices

Learning Math and Loving it With Manipulatives and Games

Learning Math and Loving it With Manipulatives and Games

Terrific Article Trent. This is what his team is doing next Monday!

Even little kids believe

It's all about the talk!!

Loved this video-but having a really difficult time posting to this blog!!! My reflection on the video was all about the structure of the talk-----question/response. This structure is basically recall (or no engagement at all) and doesn't really require the students to think at all. We need to model, show or tell how to do what we want to see and then engage students in doing it-NOT asking them about it. They need to do and engage in discussion about what they are thinking. I'm not sure that is clear-do you get where I'm coming from??? (Dorn says that all the time)

If You Say you Can... You are Right!

Tinkerbell is a character who is know for her difficult diva nature. She can be precocious moody, helpful, exciting and in the end wonderfully rewarding. If you recall from the story of Peter Pan Tink was dying and we all needed to wish and say aloud, "I do believe! I do Believe!" and she came to life.

Our school improvement process and progress can feel like this. We will work so hard to put forth our best efforts in lesson planning, explicit language, kind words etc and then boom, someone or something will slam your confidence. It could be bumps in student behavior, motivation, performance that will make you feel like screaming! It is though our relentless focus that we persevere!

Here is what some of your colleagues have said about effective and engaged students in constructive learning:

"Students can explain purpose of lesson and apply it to their own learning in becoming a self-regulated learner. Students don't need guidance in behavior norms because they are so excited and focused investigating."

"Evidence of student thinking will be evident..abundance of student work will be available because the students were so focused and understood the relevance of the learning in the real world"

"Students will be engaged and remember new learning for guided practice and be able to apply that new learning."

Clearly, many of our staff members understand rigor and are implementing these concepts in their instruction.

Know you can make a difference and you will. WE are 82% proficient in reading comprehension! OUR data wall indicates 78% at or above grade level in reading. The students have the ability let's give the the rigorous expectation to see the application!

Remember Belief is key.

Boring Economics Teacher Watch and then read the next entry