Ah spring, lovely spring!
May approaches and you are feeling GOOD about the great job you have done this year with your kids!
I found an interesting metanalysis of studies on strategies that help kids learn ... see if you find your favorite among the list. I couldn't help noticing the connection to Marzano's top strategies and Cobb Counties new teacher assessment rubrics! If you are so inclined, follow the link to more detail and examples!
Debby
Welcome back!
All good teachers constantly reflect on their practice and look for ways to make their teaching more efficient and effective so I know that as you are looking at the last quarter instruction you are refining and tinkering with your instructional methods.
There is tenseness in the halls and a feeling of frentic activity in the classrooms - it must be nearing CRCT time! It is similar feeling a swimmer or runner has as he or she approaches the starting blocks for a race. You (the teacher) have trained (the kids) hard - hours and hours have been spent practicing. There has been a lot of fun along the way but now things are getting serious -- here comes a big race - and you hope all your training will pay off.
It is important to remember that motivation is an important strategy for increasing student achiement according to research. Marzano lists it third in his top 9 strategies - THIRD most important - right behind the teaching strategies or Identifying similarities and differences and summarizing. A student who is not motivated will not perform well.
Sometimes, in our effort to get a child to show what he knows we might say "AH come ON! You KNOW this!! Why would you miss something like this!!?? We worked on this for WEEKS!" Not exactly motivating! Marzano might suggest you spend these last couple of weeks before testing building confidence and self-esteem instead of handing out test prep worksheets. Kids know a lot of things they never show on a test - maybe because they think they don't know enough to make an effort.
The news today is a reminder of how to provide recognition and give praise for what a child does know - I checked out the praise suggestions and I plan to move to the positive column as I work with students this week. Cheer on your students!
Debby
Download News and Notes 3-20 -09
As Spring approaches teachers get a antsy feeling - not spring fever, but TEST fever. We all begin to get a little nervous and worry if we have adequately prepared out students for standardized tests. My own philosophy of a developmental approach to education faced questioning and I wore myself out trying to walk a fine line between teaching the way I was comfortable with and making sure my students were READY for the big test.
But think about it. As you guided your students through the curriculum since August you have been doing "test preparation" all along! That is what using formative assessments to guide instruction is all about! Check out this information from a recent article on test preparation.
AND have a great week enjoying the spring weather!
Debby
Download News and Notes 3-9 -09
Strengthening Connections between math and literacy - Math Journaling ideas
Strengthening student connections between mathematics and other content areas as well as aspects of their lives helps children improve both their literacy and their mathematical skills. Allowing them to read, write and draw about their knowledge does just that. In this News and Notes I have highlighted seven easy strategies that help bridge literacy and mathematics shared by Jennifer Altieri in a recent article in Teaching Children Mathematics (NCTM) magazine. Use the examples to spark discussion among your group of teachers. And I encourage you to brainstorm even more ideas for connecting literacy and mathematics in your classrooms !!
Debby
Download News and Notes 2-9 -09
January is the time I always felt I could buckle down and accomplish a lot. My new year's resolutions usually have to do with getting organized and taking stock of where the kids are and what I can do to move them forward.
Thanks to Sheree for the inspiration for this! This week's notes are reinterating the importance of teaching vocabulary - we found a good method to organize vocabulary instruction to share. Take a look at the six steps, the powerpoints and the activities for fresh ideas. I know there are several of you out there who do a smash up job integrating vocabulary. If you have some activities that have really worked with you be sure to let everyone know. Perhaps you can share them at the next team meeting and you are invited to share them with me too!!
I like to try to learn new vocabulary too - and I try to remember research says a person has to use a word 7 times in context before it becomes part of his/her vocabulary. So if you hear me throwing out unusual words, be patient. I am practicing. Words are fun!
Debby
Download News and Notes 1-20-09
We all have teaching strategies we have incorporated into our lessons over time - we don't even have to plan on using them, they come naturally. It is nice to remember that most of these common teaching strategies are based on solid research and remind ourselves to use them often. It is also important to think out of the box about using these strategies - try them in different subject areas or use them in differnt ways. For example: If you usually use activiating strategies as a whole group activity in language arts, try using them as an individual activity, perhaps as part of a math or science journal.
Most everyone has heard of using a KWL chart while brainstorming - but how about as a base for Informational writing? Or use it to provide a purpose for reading to aid in comprehension?
These strategies come from a Learning Focus book aimed at remedial students - so they are very important to use. But the research is based upon ALL students - from remedial to accelerated - and the strategies can be differentiated to accomidate the wide range of students you have in your class.
Enjoy!
Debby
Happy New Year!
Happy November! Here are some ideas to use a seasonal theme in your math problem solving - and liven up your standards. Who said math shouldn't be fun! From making patterns with turkey tail feathers to finding out the cost of the Thanksgiving meal, there is math at every level.
There are dozens of websites with ideas that have to do with Turkeys and Thanksgiving - be creative on how you practice skills!
Debby
Teaching reading comprehension begins with read-alouds in kindergarten and continues at everygrade level, in every subject area. I found the following information to be very helpful because it provides an organization for teaching comprehension strategies. I hope you will find it useful as you plan your instruction.
Happy reading!
Debby
