EdCamp at HTMS

Monday afternoon HTMS teachers participated in an EdCamp focused on Learning Targets.  The teachers shared information in small groups with colleagues.  According to Mrs. Berry, this may have been the most effective professional learning to occur at HTMS this year.  Afterwards, she asked teachers to respond to two simple questions: What is something you learned today?  What is something you'll implement?  Read the comments from the staff that show their genuine engagement and profound learning.

• I learned about and will implement learning target trackers for benchmark tests.

• I learned about creating student learning groups where students help each other work through trouble spots in their learning.  Brandon and Corinth also shared some great, inexpensive motivators for students.  

• A book title I will read

• More talk about growth after tests and data discussions 

• Have students discuss with partner the learning target and be ready to tell what their partner said. This makes the students focus more on listening to their partner. 

• Posting a QQ based off of LT in class and putting it on a test. Our department discussed doing this in the future. A QQ that requires the student to explain in a sentence or possibly paragraph form. A way to incorporate literacy standards in math! 

• More small groups for strugglers 

• I learned a great tip of asking the students to discuss the topic of the lesson for a couple minutes.  Then using your equity technique to call on a student. Instead of asking them what they thought ask them what their partner thought. This keeps them from just coming off the cuff since they just spoke to the other classmate. 

• I loved how the 8th grade SS teachers created a blank document for the students to fill in their current learning target.  I think we are going to do this for our final nine weeks- holding the students accountable.  #ownit

• I’ve been rolling ideas around about a project based unit in the 4th nine weeks about Biodiversity.  And I think using a quality question as the driving force and having it all on the LTT.  Have students include evidence of why they rated themselves.  Maybe include assessments or benchmark questions for each learning target.

• 7th grade English- including evidence, benchmark based LTT

• I learned that students can create their own "live" binder. It holds them to a higher level of owning their learning.

• I want to investigate further how we as a math team could potentially have the students create their own live binder.

• I can do digital learning target trackers in order to save copies 

• Importance of following up on quality question and letting that be the end of unit essay question... I hope to use that! Thanks!  

• I learned that I wish my children had Erin as a teacher. Possibly use the train of thought that Bartley Brown uses as having unit qq and targets but break it up into individual learning daily targets. 

• I liked how 7th grade math has students keep the learning target tracker in their binder and also that they turn it in so that they take it seriously. 

• I heard lots of new things yesterday, but my favorite was in 6th grade math when they talked about using the throw-back targets to review old skills and "blasts from the past" on tests.  I'll definitely use those sporadically in upcoming lessons.  I'll have to think through a way to be creative about it, though, because many of my students didn't have me for the first semester for those original learning targets.

• Something that would be beneficial for special education was the way band utilizes small groups and is able to motivate their students with silly rewards.

• I loved how the 6th grade math department has them write the LTs AND give them a hand out of all the LTs for the summative assessment so they can see what they will be learning. 

• I enjoyed Brandon and Corinth's session.  I would like to implement something like the emoji chart.

• I attended the session with 7th grade English on Student discourse.  It was great to see how intentional they were with their targets, and the student evaluation piece.  They had put together a target tracker for their 2nd 9 weeks benchmark assessment.  The tracker had students evaluating each question on the assessment and allowed them to reflect on whether or not they mastered the material.  This is something we will start to implement in 8th grade science.

• My 2 favorite take-aways from yesterday...

• * A sheet to write each LT daily and to immediately self-evaluate *Some great questions to use for student discourse related to the LT

-How does this (whatever we are doing) connect to our LT?

-What are other LTs that are related to this one?

-What is our goal today?

• Ask students, with their eyes closed, to rate themselves by show of hands on LT mastery: struggling, OK, or expert.

• I loved the idea of formatting learning target trackers with each unit (instead of just a continuous sheet of LTs). 8th grade social studies gave great information for providing umbrella QQs, standards covered, and general information for the upcoming unit. It allows students to see the "big picture" so that they can begin with the end in mind. 

• I learned...important for students to track progress on each test, not just the benchmark.

• Something to implement... LT's trackers for each unit covered to turn in with test. #ownit

• I learned how QQ are based off of the LT. The QQ stem from what we want students to know. QQ can have multiple layers in one question!

• I loved the idea of the target tracker being large, up in the room and allowing students to mark it at any time during the unit.

• I will implement the idea of having them think through their targets with their eyes closed.

• We are also doing an emoji activity on Monday that we will incorporate some of what was said.

• Various examples of student Learning Target Trackers using I Can statements.

• 7th grade math shared a target tracker page each student fills in at intervals across a unit.  Jennifer B. shared an idea about using her Fitbit to cue her privately for the last few minutes of class to reflect upon the learning target -- genius.

• Something you learned today – I learned that student input and perception is important

• Something you'll implement – I will have the students write the learning targets in their journals.

• I really enjoyed the Quality Question PD.  I learned that it is ok to have a QQ that is for the entire unit.  It also, needs to encompass all the standards.  I want to really work on our QQ for 6th grade social studies to encompass all parts of the standards we are teaching.

• I learned that silly prizes can be good motivational tools for students. I plan to start using some type of prize for good behavior.

• Stay with the "Check off" list that is in the Learning Target Tracker.  I got away from doing this because students were not really very forthcoming...they were all "experts".  Those teachers that have stayed with this said it gets better...students will eventually take ownership of their progress.  I am going to go back to being more intentional with this! 

• I learned a really great way for students to evaluate their own learning. I loved the way Erin, Brandon and Corinth shared experiences of how their target trackers are working.... it can work for everyone. 

• I learned that an option for quality questioning is to have one or two quality questions for an entire unit, and to guide students throughout the unit towards being able to write about/answer an essay question on a test directly related the unit QQ.

• I will implement more student discourse about learning targets.  I'm doing a good job of presenting them and having students write them and reflect on them, but having the students talk about the learning targets is lacking in my classroom, and I learned some good ways to facilitate more discourse among students.

• What I learned - When students are giving the opportunity to assess their learning, they have a better perception of how well prepared they are for summative assessments.

• What I will implement - Self assessment prior (day before) to the Summative assessment followed immediately with an analysis of their assessment.

Rigorous and Relevant Assignment Commemorates First 100 Days at Magnolia

Take a look at the rigorous and relevant writing assignment Mrs. Jackie Moore has assigned her fifth grade students to commemorate the first 100 days of Magnolia Elementary!  The students' reflection papers will be displayed in the hallway for all to read and enjoy. The writing assignment below gives information and instructions for the First 100 Days of School Reflection paper.

Instructions:

1.    Write a reflection paper in 100 words about your school events, school field trips, and what you have learned in the first 100 days of this school year.

Examples of writing topics to place within your paper:

a.     School related events (Magnolia Elementary Picnic on the Grounds with your families  before we left Paine Elementary, the opening of our new school at Magnolia Elementary School,  Winter Wonderland, Awards Day programs,  the outside ceremony when our new American flag was presented and then raised at our new school, Magnolia Elementary School, etc.)

b.    School field trips (Field trip to Cabaha Environmental Center)

c.     Topics you learned in each of your three academic classes: Reading, Writing, Math, Science, Social Studies

2.    Write a rough draft of your reflection before you write your final paper. (Keep your draft in the writing section of your Literacy Binder.)

3.    You may write your final paper in cursive or you may type it.

4.    Make sure you write a creative title at the top of your reflection, by including, My First 100 Days of Fun and Learning.

5.    Your paper needs to be free of mistakes in spelling and capitalization.

6.    Make sure your sentences are complete sentences with end punctuation.

Your final First 100 Days of School paper will be displayed in the hallway, so make sure your content in your reflection paper relates to the examples mentioned above and make sure the instructions that are listed above are followed. 

Cahaba Professional Learning on Learning Targets

Cahaba Elementary teachers collaborated Monday, January 30, during the professional learning time to learn more about using learning targets in their lessons.  The session was facilitated by academic coaches, Edra Perry and Jana Walls.

TCS Administrators Learn Together

TCS administrators, along with TCS Curriculum and Instruction staff, joined together to complete walkthroughs at HTMS and Magnolia Elementary for the purpose of collaborating and utilizing observation rubrics developed by teachers and leaders of Trussville City Schools.  The group observed in classrooms together and shared data they collected in order to develop a shared understanding of the attributes and actions associated with the nine instructional strategies that make up the TCS Educator Effectiveness Plan.  The primary purpose of the Educator Effectiveness Plan is to support growth in instructional practice that will ultimately lead to continuous improvement and an increase in student performance.

The group debriefs after visiting classrooms at HTMS.

The focus of the walkthroughs at HTMS was on learning targets.  Teachers at HTMS are working to frequently facilitate interaction between students and learning targets and to provide opportunities for student collaboration and discourse as a means of self-assessing the learning target.  

Teachers require students to use learning targets to self-assess.  Through this self-assessment, students will become more accountable for their own learning and work.  Students will be able to communicate their needs regarding their level of understanding about the learning target.  

HTMS teachers have developed Quality Questions that are connected to the learning targets.  

Above, HTHS principal, Tim Salem, observes a social studies lesson in Mr. Reynolds' class.  

Students read an article about The Great Depression and were asked to cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text said explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.  

Math teacher, Charlotte Booker, displays her students' learning target as well as her plans for the day.  Notice that their "Daily Math" is based on data from a prior mini quiz.  After self-assessing, students will complete a plan for achieving the learning target.  

Administrators observed intervention at Magnolia.  Intervention is a time when teachers work with individuals or small groups to provide targeted, specific intervention.  Above, Lauren Long, computer teacher, is orienting a small group of students who will begin a book club that meets daily with her. 

Mrs. Hodges works with two students on reading skills.

Dr. Cardwell listens in as a student reads independently while his teacher works with a small group of students who need targeted assistance.

Ms. Dykes helps students with math during her intervention.

Mrs. Gamble pulls a group to work on math skills while her other students work independently using iPads.  

Elementary Reading Update

	1/13/17	1/26/17
AR Points	62,255	69,587
Millionaires	54	68

(Millionaires are students who have read a million or more words since the start of school.)

Quotable Quote

“I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot...and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that's precisely why I succeed.” —Michael Jordan (born 1963) Retired Professional Basketball Player, Businessman

Paine Teachers Collaborate to Learn

Paine Elementary teachers collaborated Monday during the professional learning time to learn more about using learning targets in their lessons.  The session was facilitated by academic coaches, Kelly McGough, Edra Perry, and Jana Walls.

According to Ron Berger's Leaders of their Own Learning, learning targets help students define what they are learning and why they are learning it, enabling them to monitor their progress toward the learning goal.  Even well-written learning targets will contribute little to engaging, supporting, and holding students accountable if they are not referred to and used actively during the lesson.  In addition to frequent checks throughout the lesson, the end of a lesson is also an important moment for checking for understanding.  A well-constructed debrief will enable students to reflect on their learning, returning to the day's learning target to assess their progress.

The use of learning targets is important to teachers in TCS and is one of nine indicators that the Educator Effectiveness Team included as a strategy effective teachers use routinely.  Ideally, goal oriented learning targets are consistently posted with higher level verbs.  Teachers develop and clearly communicate the connections between content standards and the knowledge and skills being taught. Learning targets enable learners to set and monitor academic and behavioral goals with instructional activities.  Teachers utilize learning targets as a formative assessment that drives instruction.

Mrs. Brasher shares information from her group.

Assistant principal Donna Brumlow learns alongside Paine teachers.

Assistant Principal Catherine Finkley is a member of the learning community at Paine.

Principal Tygar Evans is in the work with teachers, learning how to utilize learning targets.

Quotable Quote

"Do not grow weary in well doing—we will reap if we faint not.”

Quotable Quote

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”

—Beverly Sills (1929-2007)
Opera Soprano

Visiting HTMS

Learning targets at HTMS reflect rigorous targets that support state standards.

Mrs. Shellnut facilitates the reading of a rigorous article about The Great Depression in her 6th grade social studies class.

Mrs. McIntosh's seventh graders are engaged in a web quest to learn about poetry and the Harlem Renaissance.

Mrs. Stovall's seventh graders learn about the judicial system by role playing actors in a courtroom.  

Mr. Bufkin's students are engaged in learning about personal finances.

Club time is a time at HTMS for students to build relationships and to learn new skills and hobbies.  

14 Tips for Pairing Fiction with Nonfiction in Grades K–5

Pairing fiction with nonfiction is a fantastic way to engage different kinds of learners in content with common themes. In the early grades, it can also be a way of helping students understand the attributes of both types of reading material and can deepen the dialogue and questions raised during discussions and inquiry-based activities. Here are some great ideas from Karen Kane at We Are Teachers for pairing fiction and nonfiction in the elementary classroom:

https://www.weareteachers.com/tips-pairing-fiction-nonfiction

Elementary Reading Update

Accelerated Reader Update for K-5 TCS Students:

Date	1/13/17	1/26/17
AR Points	62,255	69,587
Millionaires	54	68

(Millionaires are students who have read a million or more words since the start of school.)

Visiting Cahaba Elementary

Mrs. Feilds' fourth graders are grouped into teams who hold one another accountable for reading. The team members talk about goals and recommend books to each other. 

Mrs. Feild's rigorous learning targets clearly communicate to students what they should learn today.  

Mrs. Higginbotham's students close read and analyzed poems about Martin Luther King. She differentiated the poems to accommodate various reading levels of her students.  Students used a graphic organizer to record their inferences about the poems, and then will write their own reflections, siting evidence from the poems.   

Third graders in Mrs. Wright's class use a mentor sentence to help them write complex sentences.

Mrs. Windham reads aloud a Series of Unfortunate Events book, stopping to clarify and question. Notice that students are having their snacks while she reads aloud, never missing a minute of instructional time.  Routines are well understood and initiated by students.

Fifth graders prepare to write an expository piece by analyzing a newspaper article about man's first walk on the moon. 

Fifth graders in Mrs. Wrights' class are preparing to write newspaper articles, free of bias or opinion, about the Revolutionary War.