August 28, 2009

Please note the two following posts Fluency and Science Literacy posted this week. 

Media Support - After an administration discussion yesterday, it was decided Janelle Erickson will be supporting Washington and Ann Petersen will be supporting Inman Primary.  This will ease some confusion about who to contact regarding media and media technology support.  During a team meeting in the near future, I would like your team to invite Janelle and I to meet with you to share 4th and 5th grade essential media skills she has established.  FYI - You can still contact Inman or the high school to request resources for above or below grade level students.

Spelling City -  Stephanie has sent two emails with information about Spelling City.  If you have not shown your students this site, please talk to one of your teammates or see me to learn more.  This is a great site for students to practice and review at home as all of our spelling words have been added.  You can click here to see the list or go to the main site, http://www.spellingcity.com/ and...
1. Click on "Find a List"
2. Type in "Washington"
3. Our link is listed as under the teacher name "Red Oak Washington"

Pride and Respect - I am very proud of all your efforts these first two weeks of school.  We have been presented many academic, instructional and behavioral challenges and your collaborative effort in working through the issues and stresses have not gone unnoticed.  I respect your professionalism when working with each other and our students.  May you have a wonderful weekend!! 

Laughing - I read an article this week where a school played funny movies in their staff lounge all day and the school noticed an improved climate.  Although we may not do that, please find things that do make you laugh.  I know the office staff and Jan help me all the time.  I was sent this video about "How not to use power point" and it made me chuckle... 

Upcoming Dates to Note:

Monday

- 4th grade team meeting (3:15 pm in Haufle's rm);

Tuesday

- 5th grade team meeting (9:30 am)

- Boomerang (1:40-2:10)

Wednesday

- PLC (early out) Lippold to meet with teachers

- Teacher Quality/Iowa Core joint meeting (4pm)

Thursday

- School pictures!

Monday, Sept 7

- No School

Fluency Results

The results from this fall’s Fluency testing were emailed out on Wednesday, August 26. A hard copy is located in the lounge on the board. The data is from the students we tested this fall which only included those at the low of “At Grade Level” and below. On those sheets, it is sorted by Words Correctly Read and I have highlighted the following:

Needs Substantial Intervention (NSI) - RED - 4th: 17%; 5th: 9%
Needs Additional Intervention (NAI) - YELLOW - 4th: 21%; 5th:  29%
Grade Level (GL) - WHITE
Above Grade Level (AGL) - BLUE
Students not tested as they ended - GRAY
above grade level last year.

An expectation would be that classroom intervention time is set aside for the students falling into the first two levels with suggested time being:

NSI – twice a week

NAI – once a week

Many of you have your own resources for daily/weekly interventions so please share those!! Just a few additional resources can be found at:

A. http://www.interventioncentral.org/
B. AEA Reading Protocols handbook (located in my office) – Fluency portion packet is available.
C. Invite parents in to read/listen with students once a week is 1 of 5 examples from a Scholastic article.

Science Literacy Lab Ideas & Information

Now that both grade levels are involved in science literacy blocks, it may be a great time for teams to read the short (and easily read) article, Reading and Writing in the Science Classrooms.  I love the way this article begins, "Just like peanut butter and jelly, science and the communication skills of reading and writing are natural partners for today's elementary classroom."  Many of you will learn a lot this first quarter about what you're doing as teachers right along with the students learning what they're doing as learners.  Please use this article as a point of discussion for your team over lunch or during your regularly scheduled PLC team time.

A few of you have already tapped our AEA library as a resource for your Science Lit class.  In addition to the AEA, our own public library and district media centers (Inman, Middle School & High School) can be another great resource.  Work with Jane, Jan, Janelle and Ann (sounds like a teenage pop group) when you are ordering specific grade level books.  Emailing Janelle or Ann when you want additional resources - be sure to give them the specific content areas and/or types of resources you need.

Online resources such as United Streaming and Teachertube.com (see July 24th, 2009) are great places to find engaging video resources and online activities.  Michelle had sent out a link to science mini-lessons that looked worthwhile and has been added to Our Favorite Links on our website..  Basically...when you find a great resource...SHARE IT!! 

I think we'll all learn a lot together these next 9 weeks....I know the kids will. 

August 21, 2009

August 26th PLC - Our first PLC date is set for next Wednesday. Math probes should be completed by all students before Wednesday. A joint PLC meeting will allow both grade levels to meet together to sort 4th and 5th graders based upon the data. Please designate a meeting time and room prior to Wednesday.

Communication – Once again, thank you for being flexible and communicative about our schedules. I appreciate all you’ve done this week to keep each other in the loop and to make the adjustments needed. Please continue to look for opportunities to work and plan with your collaborative partner(s).

Individual Professional Growth Plan - Every teacher needs to meet with me prior to next Friday to discuss your individual professional growth plan. Plan on 10 minutes when you schedule it with me.

Literature Circles - Betty Brummett is coming Monday to speak to some of the 5th grade teachers about how to use literature circles during reading, science lit, or social studies. If any other staff member is interested in learning more about this, please let me know so I can have her meet with you.

Science Lit Grade Book - There was a glitch in the science literacy grade book I began to send out yesterday. If you received one, please delete it and I will get a working one sent out as soon as I can!

Fluency - Thanks to Christy for testing fluency with 4th and 5th graders who were at the lower end of "at grade level" or below grade level to end last year. If you have students in your room who did not get tested but you would like it completed, please see me.

Gates or Assessment Center? - I will be talking with Jim Lippold today (Friday) about the reading and math assessments offered through the Assessment Center. If it appears it will be useful data and easy to assess students, we will go that route over Gates. If not, we will use the Gates assessment next week. I'll try to post my notes for you to give some input before we decide.

New Professional Books - Please refer to Jan's email about new professional books for our media center. A few would very helpful for your teams' formative assessment process this year.

Longest Week - The first week of school may be the longest week of the year (well, maybe the last week...) and you deserve a restful weekend! Thank you for starting the week out by greeting students and parents with a wonderful open house and ending the week already deep into student learning, helping students increase achievement and focusing on ensuring students learn the needed social skills to be successful. The number of changes and challenges faced this fall has been many and you continue to amaze me by stepping up each and every time. May the year continue as well as it has started.

Useful Website - Looking for academic templates? Try Microsoft's "back to school" collection.

Upcoming Dates to Note:
Monday
- 4th grade team meeting (3:15 pm in Haufle's rm);
- Brummett to speak about Lit Circles (9:30 am in Linn's rm)
Wednesday
- PLC (early out) 4th & 5th grade meet;
- Linn's birthday
Thursday
- Building level Math Lab begins;
- 5th grade team mtg (9:30 am?)
Friday
- PTO Trash Bag kickoff assembly (TBA);
- FB @ Corning
Sept 2nd
- PLC (early out) Building meetings
Sept 3rd
- School pictures!
- VB @ Glenwood!

Great Writing Activity

Ran across this idea for "Supplementary Writing Activities for enhancing written language development" and thought it was a great activity worth sharing (specifically 2.1 - Exploring corrections - maybe a good alternative to DOL?).