Friday Focus - January 25, 2013

• Essential Question of the Week - "How do we increase the rigor of the content that we expose our students to?"  I know that our BAT 2 scores were higher in reading and science than last year and our math scores were similar to last year.  However, only showing that 74% of our students are predicted to be proficient in reading, 67% in math and 74% in science should not be good enough for a school of our caliber and reputation.  Our FAIR scores have also shown that we still have a lot of work to do to make sure that each child is reading by third grade.  I always applaud our hard work and effort, but I don't want us to become complacent.  We are truly blessed to have the students that we are given and there is a lot of great teaching happening here.  Let's be aware that we have limited time with our students and each moment is vital to their development.  I really want to enforce the "bell to bell" concept where we should be providing quality instruction from the arrival bell to the dismissal bell.  Thank you to all of you who already subscribe to this philosophy.  Please let us know if you need additional assistance or support.   
• Teachers, please don't forget that PGPs are to be completed by January 31.   
• Scored writing samples are due next week.  Please make sure that you include your rubric and written feedback for each student. 
• Birthday Table and Super Citizens' Ceremony on Tuesday.
• Super Citizens' names are due to Mrs. Olstein on Friday.

Strategy of the Week - Check out this cool tip from a teacher who builds class community while having students assist each other in mastering content - Student Peer Teaching.  The website has some great Questions to Consider as you reflect on this strategy:
     How does Ms. Ashton determine student pairs?
     What effect does this activity have on the class community?
     How does this activity increase investment and engagement with homework?

Quote of the Week - "A good teacher always has an answer to the question, "why do we need to learn this?" ~ Just because doesn't cut it." - Dr. Justin Tarte.  Are we making sure that we are providing purpose to our students for each lesson that we are teaching?  Even as adults, we need to know that we were are learning and/or doing has meaning.  Please make sure that you are conveying the objective and essential question to your students.  

Friday Focus - January 18, 2013

• No School on Monday!  
• Ms. Rita next Thursday.

Article of the Week - Read this article on Collaborative Learning - Collaborative Learning Tips  This is a good addition to our training this morning. 

Quote of the Week - "The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.  Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education." - Martin Luther King, Jr.  Do you think that he was on to something?

Friday Focus - January 11, 2013

• 1st and 2nd grades will be taking the Primary Mid-Year Reading Assessment next week.  See the CAB Calendar for the dates.  
• Big field trip day next Wednesday - 5th grade is headed to Billie Swamp Safari; 4th grade is staying overnight at the Museum of Discovery and Science and 2nd grade will be at the Museum during the day.  
• Next Thursday is an early release day.
• Teacher Planning Day is next Friday.  We have PLCs scheduled for that day.  We will be meeting in the Media Center at 9:00 AM for a kickoff presentation and then individual PLCs will be breaking out.  The focus will be Implementing Collaborative Learning in the Classroom.  
• Thank you to the teachers for your efforts in including rubrics and specific feedback on your writing samples.  97% of the teachers who submitted their papers have both a rubric and specific feedback. Way to go!
• Please remember that your doors must be locked all day whenever students are in your classroom!  This is a non-negotiable.  Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring the safety of all of us. 

Strategy of the Week - Facilitating Student Collaboration  Nice, short video showing the power of students working together to discuss how they solved a problem.  The Questions to Consider from the website should help us to reflect:

• How does explicitly stating students' physical positions contribute to strong collaboration?
• Why does Ms. Saul allow students to copy from each other?
• How could you use this strategy across subject areas?

Quote of the Week -  "A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world. Everyone you meet is your mirror." - Ken Keye.  What is being reflected at you each day?