Improving Behavior in the Classroom

Last week I had two separate interactions with Chris Strop after her counseling conference and Judy Green around an article regarding supporting our students who struggle behaviorally. The theme from the article Judy shared and a session Chris attended was the power of praising students for the desired behaviors we're looking for.

It was a good reminder to me on why we strive to give five praises for every redirection:  whether this is through verbal cues in the classroom, acknowledgement tickets around the building or celebration reports.  These are all things we do to give feedback, and can lead to positive changes in behavior.

 The week before spring break can be a hard one for students when getting ready for this transition, and it is a great time for us to also ramp up our praise around "the behaviors we want to see." Below is a link to the article Judy shared with me, and there will be acknowledgement tickets in your mailboxes tomorrow. Here's to a great week learning and and your final day of conferences!

Improving Behavior in the Classroom

Conference Preparation

With parent/teacher conferences starting on Thursday, this is one of your opportunities where you can make positive connections with parents regarding their children and their learning. I thought the following blog entry, even though meant for new teachers, has some wonderful reminders in thoughtfully framing your communication during conferences:  Conference Planning Tips

I mentioned at a staff meeting after fall conferences regarding some things I wished I would have reminded you all about prior to conferences. The main concept I'd like you to keep in mind is the sandwich approach for conference planning and communication:  start with something positive (strengths), continue with areas you'd like the child to grow in and end the conference coming back to something positive about the child. 

A good rule of thumb is to talk about students the way you would want someone to talk about your own child. I know this is a stressful time planning and preparing for conferences, but you'll all do wonderful. Thanks for all you do getting ready to share your students' growth     
with their families!   

PBIS Thank You and Badger Exam Practice

Staff,

I wanted to thank you all for you help with the PBIS bowling incentive this past week. Especially the office staff communicating with parent chaperones and Kristie's and Chris' help chaperoning two of the days. It turned out to be an event where students were engaged, physically active and had a lot of fun!

What a difference a week has already made regarding the information shared with you about the Badger Exam. Evidently because of some glitches with the exam, WI DPI has decided to not use all of the features. As a result, the test this spring WILL NOT be adaptive, but it will still be computerized and interactive for students. Also, with Governor Walkers' just released 15-17 budget proposal, the Badger Exam may be eliminated starting next school year. To find out more about these most recent changes, feel free to read the following article. Scaled Back Badger Exam

With so much up in the air, it is even more important we only focus on strong core instruction and students getting exposed to the format of the test this year, seeing that it may not be in be in existence in Wisconsin next year. A reminder that teachers proctoring the exam will meet in the media center computer lab on Tuesday at 8:05am to take the ELA practice exam. Kelli will be available this week during Day 6 for 3rd-5th grade teachers to support ways students can be exposed to the format of the test leading up to the testing window.

Unfortunately, I'm sure there will be more changes to come from now until the test is administered, and I am sorry you have to put up with this ambiguity.

The Badger/SMARTER Balance Exam: April/May

Our staff meeting this Tuesday will be an introduction regarding The Badger Exam for all staff. At the Tuesday, February 10 staff meeting, 3-5 grade teachers and special education teachers supporting this exam, will take the practice test together in computer lab 118.

Two weeks ago our Elementary Literacy Facilitators and Instructional Coaches received some front loading on the exam, and our TLA members will also be receiving information on February 12 regarding ways to support students and staff involved in this exam.    

Here's some highlights from the information the ELFs and Instructional Coaches received.

• This is the state assessment for grades 3-5. 
• This spring is a baseline, we don't want to switch to "test prep." What we are currently doing to strengthen our core in reading/writing is on the right track.
• There were two needs identified:  preparing teachers to administer the test and preparing students so they are familiar with the format used in the new assessment. 

The English/Language Arts Team came up with some suggestions for student preparation.

1. Students should have experience reading text on a screen. Thus the reason behind last week's post.
2. Students should be given directions to complete independently.
3. Students should experience listening to nonfiction. 

What can we do to prepare students?

• Have students use the practice test to get familiar with the interface NOT grade specific questions. Students should become acquainted with features such as scrolling,  reading text on a computer screen, split screen and some of the available tools (highlighting or note taking). 
• Students should also become familiar with reading on a device, identifying text evidence and explaining their thinking through writing. 

What can we do to prepare ourselves?

• The following 15-16 minute Badger overview should be watched by principals and tests administrators. Badger Overview
• For intermediate teachers, the February 12 Day 6 will be collaboration time with Kelli Hedlund on ways students can read and respond on devices making them comfortable with the Badger Exam format. 

Conference Scheduling and Digital Reading

Conference Scheduling

Teachers on Monday Sue will be getting your conference scheduling online in Skyward so you can work on setting your schedule. Remember to block out breaks, add additional times if you would like (ie starting at 3:45pm instead of 4:00pm) and connecting with special educators/parents to pre-schedule conferences with certain families of students on IEPS. That way these times can be pre-scheduled in Skyward before parent sign up begins. Please use your Wednesday 8:05am team planning time to create your schedule and connect with special educators/parents regarding pre-scheduled conference times.   Skyward conference sign up will go live to parents on Monday, February 2nd. For each conference night, parent sign up will end two days prior. Hopefully this will help you all with the problem of parents changing their conference times during the day of conferences.   

K-5 Digital Reading

Following last week's ELF meeting, Katie Coppenbarger was kind enough to share her blog highlighting some of the discussions around digital reading and the connection to MAP assessments and the new Badger Exam coming in the spring for 3rd-5th graders. 

This fall Nancy Dressel presented at each of the classroom grade level professional development days about reading and technology.  I have copied below some of the information that Nancy made available on our Hudson Elementary School Professional Learning website  because I would like to encourage you to provide opportunities for students to practice reading and building stamina reading on electronic devices.  We know that students are required to read from computer screens effectively for MAP assessments, they will also be required to do so for the Badger Exam but in addition we know that much of the reading they will do in life outside of school and even at the middle school and high school will be done on screens.  Nancy noted in her presentation that skills learned reading from books do not necessarily transfer when students read on devices, the best way to help make sure it happens is to allow students to practice.  You are encouraged to reserve the computer lab so that students can practice reading on a computer-is their stamina the same as it is with books?  What do you observe about their reading?  If you have a comprehension conversation with them after they read how is their comprehension?  If you have found a good way to help support these skills with your students share them through the comments below.  I also encourage you to share your observations and learning with your team so that you can learn and grow together as we support our students being successful in our technology rich world!

Reading is always an interaction between a person and a technology, be it a computer or an e-reader or even a bound book. - Anne Mangen, a professor at the National Centre for Reading Education and Research at the University of Stavanger, in Norway

Although there is no longitudinal research data about digital reading, we do know this: 

• Digital reading is and will continue to be a part of our students personal and school/professional lives and is a part of our current standardized assessment systems.
• Digital reading involves more distractions (multi-media, hyperlinks, ads, etc...) than reading a print resource.  
• Students do not automatically transfer comprehension skills and strategies initially learned with print resources when reading on a device.  

So, we need to:

• Create opportunities for students to read on devices.
• Teach students how to self-monitor and exercise self-control to navigate and disregard distractions when reading on a device.  
• Teach students how to use digital tools to apply comprehensions strategies when reading digital resources.

Being a Better Online Reader by: Maria Konnikova - New Yorker July 16, 2014

Resources for Digital Text

Media Center Databases - Hudson Elementary Media Centers Homepage
Usernames and Passwords for each building are available under the School tab (you must be signed into your HSD Google account to view) or from your building media teacher.

• BookFlix
• FreedomFlix
• TrueFlix
• Science Flix
• PebbleGo

Media Center ebooks

Check with your building Media Teacher username/password information.

• Follette Shelf
• *New options coming soon through Mackin

WI Databases - Badgerlink

• Britannica School - Elementary - Encyclopaedia Britannica and other reference sites (can be filtered by Lexile and annotated with Diigo)
• Primary Search - Full text magazines for young students (searchable by Lexile)
• Searchasaurus - Magazine articles, book chapters, and images for elementary students (searchable by Lexile level)
• Kids Search (searchable by Lexile)

Wisconsin Digital Library

*Public Library Card required

Classroom Subscriptions

• RazKids
• Storia

Websites:

Into the Book

Current Events

• Children's BBC News
• Discovery News
• Dogo News
• National Geographic for Kids
• Newsela
• Our Little Earth
• ReadWorks.org
• Teaching Kids News
• Time For Kids
• Tween Tribune

Mid-Year SLOS

Staff,

A reminder at this week's staff meeting we will be focusing on the Mid-Year SLO prompts. Hard copies of the guiding questions for each prompt will be available at the staff meeting, but I have embedded below the document we'll be using on Tuesday for your reference.

To prepare for the staff meeting, please review your Professional Goal Setting Plan (SLO) within mylearningplan. Specifically steps VII and VIII: your goal setting statement and the instructional strategies and support you're planning to implement this year.

Classroom teachers as you update reading levels of your students on the T drive by January 19th, remember to record both the independent and instructional levels. For students who you are not able to assess to the top of their instructional level, record one level above their independent level. Thanks.

Resolutions for the New Year

Staff,

I hope this blog finds you refreshed and rejuvenated for the rest of the 2014-2015 school year. Before winter break, the first graders worked on their new year's resolutions. Here's a couple of them.

The following link is a list of the most popular new year's resolutions for 2015: New Year's Resolutions. Each one of the resolution ideas also has a link to a support page with resources. As you can see, some of these resolutions match the first graders: getting fit and helping others. Personally I'm focusing on the former with the help of a fitbit giving me frequent feedback on my progress toward 10,000 steps a day.

With a new year also comes a time of reflection. During the month of January, it is our opportunity to reflect on the SLO goals we've set using new student learning data collected from MAP and individual reading assessments.

On Monday, January 5th classroom teachers will have time at their Day 6 Collaboration to focus planning for whole group/small group instruction in Reader's Workshop or new learning utilizing resources like the Jan Richardson's guided reading videos now inventoried in the media center. Please choose the focus that is the most pending for your team. The January 5th protocol is ready for each grade level team, in their Day 6 google doc folder.

At our Tuesday staff meeting, you'll have time to dig into and reflect on your recent Writer's Workshop professional development, and plan next steps in writing instruction.

 

Writing Staff Development and Blended Learning

Staff,

A reminder of the Writers Workshop trainings this week with Steve Dunn. Kindergarten is on Monday, first grade Tuesday and second grade Wednesday. On Thursday third grade is in the morning and fourth grade in the afternoon. Fifth grade will be meeting with Steve Dunn on Friday in the am. All professional development will take place at River Crest in room 201.

On Tuesday at our staff meeting, please choose from the list of digital resources available for use during Readers Workshop. You  may also spend time at more than one station if you choose.

Scootpad spelling:  Heather Mathews and Brian Burbach
Digital literacy stations during Readers Workshop:  Nicki Lagerstrom and Amanda Susmer
Scootpad for reading:  Jennifer Schwalbach
Scootpad for reading, math and spelling:  Greta Lewis
Electronic books available for check out through the media center:  Kelli Hedlund
Digital resources for reading:  Dolf

Kelli will be sharing how students can check out electronic books to be read on devices. A couple of the resources I will be sharing can be accessed before hand at the following links. Rewordify is a website that allows you to simplify difficult text. The "reworded" text is highlighted with different options to choose an easier to understand version. NEWSELA: Kids Tab this gives daily news/informational text for children at five different lexile levels for each article. Each article has a short quiz option.

Thanks to all of the staff willing to sharing their new learnings around digital resources.

Late Start Professional Development

North Hudson Teaching Staff:

This Thursday our late start staff development will be building based. We will begin at 8:05am in the media center. K-2 bring the running records on a few of your students and 3-5 the formative comprehension interviews you've completed. Also bring any other recent formative assessments and resources you've been using for planning guided reading instruction:  F+P Continuum, MAP Continuum, Jan Richardson resource, etc.

To frame our work on this day, we will begin by viewing Jan Richardson videos modeling guided reading. K-2 teachers will view a primary guided reading lesson and 3-5 will view a different guided reading lesson than the one they watched last week at the district staff development. While watching think about all the things that reinforce what we're already doing in guided reading and also some new take aways.

After processing these videos, grade level teams will have time to dig into formative assessments, identify the focus of guided reading groups and plan for instruction. Here is the link to the protocol that will be used during this collaboration late start protocol

Learning Support Services will be sending out an email to specialists and special educators regarding their work on this day. Some special educators like speech therapists and SLD teachers will be asked to join a grade level team of a student who is on their caseload to assist with digging into recent formative assessments and planning for the next steps in instruction.

Blended Learning

Staff,

This Tuesday at our staff meeting, I'll briefly review the student survey requirement for Year 2 probationary and continuing teachers. However, most of the meeting will be set aside for teachers to share and reflect on the blended learning opportunities implemented during Readers Workshop this year, and the impact they've had to engage and personalize learning for students.  I"m hoping this is a time we can learn from each other about what has worked well and what hasn't. I've meant to give you opportunities like this earlier in the year at staff meetings, but there just hadn't been time.

Some reminders about district staff development this week. There is all day ELA and Integrated Units of Inquiry for grades 5th (Tuesday), 3rd (Wednesday) and 4th (Thursday) at River Crest in room 201. On Friday North Hudson Elementary has an All School Meeting at 3:50pm. There still is time to turn in Celebration Reports for students to be honored on Friday. We're 15 away from our next benchmark:  120 students recognized.

As we move into December, I am again sharing an article from the Anti Defamation League with tips on navigating teaching in December: "The December Dilemma". You'll see under the school assemblies paragraph, steps we've taken with our All School Sing Along over the years to implement some of their recommendations.