Engagement

Engagement 

Getting and keeping students on-task during classroom time; that is, involving students in legitimate curriculum activities…effective teachers make certain moves to engage students’ attention: to capture it initially, to maintain it, and to refocus it when it wanders off course.

Saphier, Haley-Speca, & Gower, 2008

In our recent work with Teaching Standard 5: Classroom Environment, we have talked a lot about the importance of student engagement.  Marzano is one of the leading researchers in this area, so I reviewed his work this weekend (The Highly Engaged Classroom, Marzano).  Knowing that we are in a constant state of initiatives, I highlighted a couple of things that are already happening - but could benefit from a little reinder!  These are just a few from his list of many - see the link if you're interested in learning more.

Have a great week -

Sue

1.  Provide Student Choice

Research has shown that providing choices to students of all age levels often increases their intrinsic motivation. Choice in the classroom has also been linked to increases in student effort, task performance, and subsequent learning. However, to reap these benefits, a teacher should create choices that are robust enough for students to feel that their decision has an impact on their learning. In order to incorporate choice into the classroom, we recommend teachers provide choice to students in four ways: (1) choice of tasks, (2) choice of reporting formats, (3) choice of learning goals, and (4) choice of behaviors.

2. Teacher's Positive Demeanor

A teacher can communicate a positive demeanor through demonstrating enthusiasm and intensity, both of which have been associated with student engagement and achievement. Clearly, relationships students have with the teacher have a profound effect on their perceptions of being welcomed, accepted, and supported, which helps establish an affective tone that promotes student encouragement.

3.  Pacing
If pacing is too slow, energy in the classroom drops and attention wanes; however, if the pacing is too fast, students can be confused and frustrated. To help achieve a balance, focus on pacing when handling transitions, assigning seatwork, and presenting new content.

4.  Four Driving Questions

1. How do I feel? 

2. Am I interested?

3. Is this important?

4. Can I do this?

If the information presented is not considered interesting, the working memory will not process it. Engagement is defined by importance; if the information is not deemed important, the working memory will not maintain it for long. If students do not believe they can perform the tasks, the brain will eventually reject it.

Mid-Year SLO

Mid-year SLO Check in!

This mid-year check in provides an opportunity to monitor the progress you are making towards your SLO goal.  Through our discussion, we can identify things that are making a positive difference, as well as determine if other steps need to be added.  

I look forward to our conversations!

Sue

Here's what should be happening...

1.  Update Data - Sample Data Sheet  (make a copy)

2.  SLO Reflection - optional  (make a copy)

3.  Complete Mid-Interval SLO Review in My Learning Plan; Save and Notify Sue by February 2nd.

4.  Sign up for a conference - meeting schedule (February 4 and February 10)  This is mandatory for probationary teachers, and for all teachers on Year 3 of their cycle - but I would really like to meet with everyone!  You can sign up individually or as a team.

Please let me know if you have any questions!
Have a great week!

Stronge Standard 5: Classroom Environment

Learning Enviornment

Our focus for the upcoming Professional Learning is on Teacher Standard 5: Learning Environment. Tomorrow's work will also include Specialist Standard 2, but I think Learning Environment is important for everyone to think about and plan for. I've included information below to help build your background knowledge, and to get your thinking ready for Monday's learning!

8:00-11:00

light snacks, professional learning

11:15-11:45

optional review of My Learning Plan artifacts/reflection

11:45-end of day

lunch, SLO reflection, instructional planning, team collaboration

4:00-???

Houlton Hootenany - @ Mama Maria's

Standard 5 ~ Learning Environment

The teacher uses resources, routines, and procedures to provide a respectful, safe, positive, student-centered environment that is conducive to student engagement and learning.

Criteria	Distinguished	Effective	Developing/Needs Improvement	Unacceptable
	In addition to meeting the effective standard, the teacher creates a dynamic environment where learning is maximized, disruptions are minimized, and students are regularly self-directed in their learning.	The teacher uses resources, routines, and procedures to provide a respectful, safe, positive, student-centered environment that is conducive to student engagement and learning.	The teacher is inconsistent in providing a well-managed, safe, student-centered, academic environment that is conducive to learning.	The teacher inadequately addresses student behavior, displays a detrimental attitude with students, ignores safety standards, or does not otherwise provide an environment conducive to learning.

Sample Performance Indicators  (examples may include, but are not limited to):

The teacher...

5.1 Arranges the classroom to maximize learning while providing a safe environment.

5.2 Establishes clear expectations, with student input, for classroom rules and procedures early in the school year, and enforces them consistently and fairly.

5.3 Maximizes instructional time and minimizes disruptions.

5.4 Establishes a climate of trust and teamwork by being fair, caring, respectful, and enthusiastic.

5.5 Promotes cultural sensitivity.

5.6 Respects students’ diversity, including language, culture, race, gender, and special needs.

5.7 Actively listens and pays attention to students’ needs and responses.

5.8 Maximizes instructional learning time by working with students individually as well as in small groups or whole groups.

Reflection:

• How do I design classroom layout to foster collaboration, mutual respect, communication, engagement?

• How do I foster intellectual risk-taking of students?
• How do I design student participation as an active role in intellectual work?
• How do I value opinions, beliefs, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds of individual students and groups of students and perspective differences?

Videos for examples of Learning Environment

Culture and Climate

Classroom Culture Video Elementary 2 minutes

Jim Knight Coaching 3rd Grade Classroom- Caring and Control Create a Safe, Positive Classroom 14 minutes

Engagement Strategies

Teach from the Walls Engagement 2 minutes

Encouraging Student Debate 3 minutes

The Stand Up Game 2 minutes

Conver stations 3 minutes

  

Professional Learning: Book Study

It is through the spirit of collaboration that great things are accomplished.  As you look around Houlton, the collaborative spirit shines through in everything we do.  It's the group effort to make sure the lunchroom is ready for gym each day, the PBIS communication and focus based on everyone's input, the coverage of positions when subs can't be found - it's all of these things, and more, that create a successful learning environment at Houlton.

For those participating, this Friday is our first meeting for the book studies (The Next Steps in Guided Reading and Notice and Note).  The goal of these conversations is to increase our learning about reading instruction, to enhance our professional support system, and build success for ourselves and our learners.

Our first book study meeting for teachers of literacy is Friday, Jan. 15th at 8:00 in the media center. You're invited to bring treats to share. I'm excited about this opportunity for K-5 collaborative discussions!

Have a great week!
Sue

One Word...

Happy New Year!  I hope this finds you being able to slow down and enjoy time with family and friends.  Even though we get back home from vacation late Sunday night, I'm hoping to carry the relaxed feeling I'm having now at least into Monday... =)

I was flipping through Facebook and found the following clip about the concept of One Word.  It's a concept that can replace the New Year's Resolution with One Word, in order to provide clarity, and a clearer and more focused vision.    Much like with the beginning of a new year, as we approach our mid-year check in on the SMART Goal, SLOs, and PPGs, we are given the opportunity to realign and refocus our efforts, in order to set our sites on our goal(s).  What is the One Word that you would pick for the upcoming year?

As you watch the clip below, I challenge you to think of One Word for you - it can be for you personally, professionally, or both.  I gave the same challenge to my family today, and we had some great conversations about what we each want to focus on in 2016.  I will be asking volunteers to share their One Word at this week's staff meeting, so start thinking!

One Word That Will Change Your Life www.youtube.com http://www.GetOneWord.com - "One Word that Will Change Your Life," a new book by Dan Britton, Jimm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oetiY0EkdQE&sns=em