Creating Opportunities for Student Ownership

 Running in the dark

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been waking up around 4:30. I usually work for an hour or so before I go on a short morning run. With the sun rising later and later, I rely on my headlamp and streetlights to guide me. Last week, I tried a new route. My time was significantly slower; I was disappointed and dejected. I ran the same route the next day with the same results. On Friday, I returned to my original route and my time improved.

What was the difference?

My original route is well illuminated--High Street, Market Street, Downtown Mall--and my second route is not. This speaks to the importance of being able to see what’s in front of you and the need to reflect on our progress.

As teachers we must illuminate the path for our students and provide them with opportunities to reflect on their progress. This is what excites me about student led conferences.

When students know the learning intentions and criteria and are provided with frequent opportunities to reflect on their progress, it builds confidence, improves learning and builds metacognition.

What are ways that we can illuminate the learning process for students?

  1. At the beginning of each unit and each lesson, share the learning criteria with students. Allow students time to reflect and respond in regards to their current understanding. This is a simple pre-assessment strategy that provides us with vital information, and it helps students focus on the learning criteria and the actions that students will need to take.
  2. Ask questions, use polls or other response techniques, like a chat, so students can self-assess. Seesaw has many ways where students can share their thoughts and reflections.
  3. Regularly, require students to reflect on their learning and progress using academic vocabulary. Ask students to self-reflect at the end of each assignment and ask self-reflection questions as part of each quiz/test.
  4. Require students to self-assess their work and learning prior to turning in work. Examples include having students use a checklist or a rubric for an assignment before turning it in.
  5. Have students chart their progress over the course of a unit, semester or year. One way to do this is to share data with students and have them set personal goals. In my history class, I had identified 200 words that students would learn throughout the year. I gave a pre-assessment (not on all 200 words) and throughout the year, the students graphed how many words they learned. Another idea is to have students compare products they created (writing, art work, etc.) with current products. For example, a 7th grader can analyze and improve an essay from their 6th grade year.

What are some ways that you encourage students to self-reflect and self-assess?

Important Information/Tasks

Middle School Advisory Lessons: Day 3 and Day 4 are here. This week’s focus is goal setting, part of student-led conferences.

  • Please review and adapt for your needs.
  • I have put teacher actions in the notes section.  
  • There is time on both days for you to meet with your students individually as well. Please use this time to engage and build relationships, especially with those you don’t know or who are not doing well.

Virtual School PLC Meetings We will start off with sharing your reflection on the goal from our previous meeting where you were asked to Identify an Area for Improvement or Something You Are Going to Try Immediately*

Think about:  How will I know when this goal has been met?

If you’re interested in serving on the teacher advisory committee, please let me know. This is a countywide meeting with members of the superintendent’s cabinet. There are 3 meetings (you would go to 1 each) from 4:30-6:30 on Oct 19, Jan 11, April 12. Each school can send 2 reps. Please let me know if you’re interested and if you have any date preferences.

Elementary Teachers Here is the supplemental SEL Curriculum that all of the elementary School Counselors have contributed to. I’m meeting with the elementary counseling team and would love feedback. Elementary SEL Curriculum

Google Backup and Sync is no longer available. Please update to Google Drive for Desktop. Compass Article

Flu shots are underway. Check out the Compass article for times and locations. Off-site options are available for those of you not around these parts.

Half Day Bell Schedule: October 13

Elementary school schedule will be 8:30-11:30. There will be no specials.

Secondary Schedule

8:30-9:10

1st Period

9:15-9:55

2nd Period

9:55-10:05

Break

10:05-10:45

3rd Period

10:50-11:30

4th Period

11:30-12:30

Office Hours

Sophomores and Juniors: PSAT presentation

October 26 will be PSAT and CCRA (formerly CWRA). This will lead to a significant change to our high school schedule.

The county is still finalizing portions of the Educator Performance Appraisal system (timeline, uploading into TalentEd and some other minor details). I wanted to share a screencast and the accompanying presentation with you.

http://youtu.be/KuMrH1Kl4Wc?hd=1 and https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-Tc3wadh52R79FYTCfA7Lw3I4niX24EnbN0dEx_3FxY/edit?usp=sharing

Elementary School Announcements

Monday: http://youtu.be/dgU7adNaksw?hd=1 

Tuesday: http://youtu.be/uEQmG-vYYdA?hd=1 

Wednesday: http://youtu.be/pcz4T10HLpE?hd=1 

Thursday: http://youtu.be/QhPY-JEvqiQ?hd=1 

Friday:  http://youtu.be/a1_B9CK2V0w?hd=1 

A couple of technology glitches



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