The Hero Focus
Heritage Staff Newsletter - November 14, 2016
Learning and Teaching with the Workshop Model
Thank you for your participation in the staff development on Friday. I was impressed with your level of questions, discussion, and commitment to the workshop model. The workshop model is truly a powerful instructional and learning tool. Teachers are able to provide research based and high impact learning through mini lessons, students are able to practice those skills through authentic reading and writing, teachers are then able to differentiate instruction through explicit teaching during the conferences, and as a result, students become life long learners through the success, appreciation, and celebration of literacy.
The Lucy Calkins materials not only provide a solid foundation of learning for the students, but it also is embedded staff development for educators. Having the opportunity to learn the research, strategies, and skills of literacy informs us as educators to more effectively teach mini lessons and confer with students. It also helps us understand the appropriate data to collect that helps us monitor growth and the progress of our learners.
Kudos to you all for making this commitment to learning, delivering high impact instruction, and data analysis. The Heritage students are lucky to have educators with your incredible level of dedication to their growth and success.
Have a great week!
Laura
Calendar of Events
Please be sure to check the Heritage Staff Campus Calendar for updates and due dates. Click here to access.
Did you know?
November Character Quality
The Research on Greeting Each Child Every Day
R. Allan Allday, University of Kentucky, did two studies (reported in Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2007 and 2011) based on the door greeter technique he read about in
The First Days of School:
- Effects of teacher greeting on student on-task behavior
- Effects of teacher greeting to increase speed to on-task engagement
In both studies, observers clocked a select group of students over a period of time in a class period to see if they were on task or off task.
In the classroom where the teacher greeted the students at the door, there was an increase in student engagement from 45 percent to 72 percent. This was recorded when the students worked on the assignment and presented no discipline problems.
In the second study, students got on task faster when they were greeted at the door, in comparison to the control class that was not greeted.
Allan says that in the classroom management class he teaches at the university, his primary focus is on changing teacher behavior, because teacher behavior (the hardest behavior to change in a classroom) impacts student behavior.
Click here if you would like to read more: http://www.teachers.net/wong/OCT13/
Units of Study - Additional Resources
Also, Heather sent the following link https://vimeo.com/tcrwp/albums for more videos on how to manage the mini lessons and workshop. Please take advantage of the information.
PLC's, Coaching, and Meetings
- Nov. 15th and 16th: Kasey Smith on Campus for Literacy Support
- Nov. 15th: Toolbox Tuesday - Teaching with Poverty in Mind
- Nov. 16th: PLC's
- Nov. 17th: Dream Teams
- Nov. 29th and 30th: Amber Richards on Campus - Focus on mastering Number Talks - ask her to model or observe you and provide feedback
- Nov. 30th: - PLC's
- Dec. 1st: Faculty Meeting
Lifelong Learning
― Brian Tracy
Updates and FYI's
- Nov. 10th: According to the AR Grades are due in TAC on Nov. 10th. You have until after school on Monday the 14th to finalize the input of your grades. This will allow Drina to do the steps to finalize the report cards on TAC. Thank you!
- Week of the 14th: Book Fair
- Nov. 18th: Grandparent's Day
- Nov. 18th: CBA's Due in Aware
- Nov. 18th: Report Cards Available in HAC
- Nov. 28th: NetSmartz during Co-Curr
- Nov. 28th: Community Storehouse Toy Drive begins
- Nov. 29th: Severe Weather Drill 2:00
- Dec. 2nd: Fire Drill 11:45
- Dec. 5th: Spelling Bee
BROWN BAG and More!!!
Thanks!
Laura
Support Paula Olson!
Come out and support Paula Olson and her fight with breast cancer during Spirit Night Dec. 1st 5:00-9:00! Please mention “Paula” when ordering. Dine in or Drive thru at Chic Fil-A. VALID AT BOTH PRESIDIO TOWNE CROSSING & ALLIANCE TOWN CENTER LOCATIONS.
Thank you for your support!!!