New teacher? Are you ready?? Well you better be!!! By now you are planning on attending new teacher orientation and learning the ropes! In the meantime, have you reviewed and prepared:
* Written your introduction to parents, telling them about you and the classroom
* Reviewed the curriculum maps for your grade level or content area
* Reviewed your students in your class(es)
* Reviewed which students have IEPs or 504 plans
* Interacted with your principal
* Interacted with the school custodian (always a big help!)
* Interacted with the school secretary (always another big help!)
* Connected with your grade level or department team
* Have your room arranged, with seating arrangements
* Established your classroom routines and procedures
* Know what your curriculum materials are and how to get them
* Understand how you will be evaluated and who will evaluate you
* Know the safety procedures for fire, tornado/severe weather and school intruders for your classroom
* Know general school procedures: arrival and dismissal, lunch, bus riding, lockers
* Developed tentative lesson plans for the first two weeks of school
* Know who your mentor is, if you have one
* How to get help if you need it!!
Are you ready to have an exciting year?? And work very hard, but it will be worth it!!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Late on my Blog!!! Are you an Olympian teacher?
My sister has been in visiting from London for the last 3 weeks and I got behind on my blog!!! My sister returned this week to London and will be trying to attend some of the Olympic events; she initially was trying to get out of the chaos, but after watching the events over the last 6 days, she got caught up in the excitement and is now getting tickets for some events!
As I watch the Olympics, I am amazed at these young people who have dedicated their lives to a dream, "to be the best in the world," even if they don't achieve that dream. What can we learn from them as educators? A GREAT DEAL!
1. A Vision and Focus: where do I want to be at the end of the week? End of the month?
End of the year? As educators, how do I dedicate my life to one goal, being an
excellent teacher? Do you love what you do, in order to go the extra mile to be the
best?
2. Perseverance: Never giving up, even when you fail or have disappointment. As
educators, how do you push through difficulties, always wanting to do better?
Keeping a positive, optimistic attitude and rebounding after something that has
happened that is not so good. Are you willing to do the hard work that is needed to be
the best teacher you can be?
3. Confidence: Olympians have confidence in their abilities and believe in
themselves to reach their dream. How do you build your confidence, even when you
are under incredible pressure? Are you patient as you develop your knowledge and
skills as an educator? Do you take feedback constructively? Do you seek out
feedback? Do your reflect on your abilities so you have a realistic view of
yourself?
4. Individual Growth, yet Team Player: Can you imagine the disappointment of Jordyn Wieber, the world champion at the Olympic trials, not making the finals? She has personally developed her skills to be top in the world, yet she could not compete. However, she had her cry, then supported her team in winning the gold medal for the team finals. How do you work toward your individual growth as an educator, yet work with others for the growth of all? Are you a coach or a mentor? Do you support others and hold everyone accountable for the good of the whole? Do you respect your colleagues?
5. Handling Success: Olympians know when they are in the zone!! 17 year old swimmer Missy Franklin is a great example of someone under extreme pressure as people are predicting her success. She is humble, complimentary of her competitors and teammates, articulate, and she is a BIG winner so far at the age of 17!! She represents her country and sport well! How do you handle your own success when your students accomplish great learning goals? How do you represent your school and district? It isn't just the skills that you have as a teacher, it is the qualities the you possess as you grow that make you great!
As I watch the Olympics, I am amazed at these young people who have dedicated their lives to a dream, "to be the best in the world," even if they don't achieve that dream. What can we learn from them as educators? A GREAT DEAL!
1. A Vision and Focus: where do I want to be at the end of the week? End of the month?
End of the year? As educators, how do I dedicate my life to one goal, being an
excellent teacher? Do you love what you do, in order to go the extra mile to be the
best?
2. Perseverance: Never giving up, even when you fail or have disappointment. As
educators, how do you push through difficulties, always wanting to do better?
Keeping a positive, optimistic attitude and rebounding after something that has
happened that is not so good. Are you willing to do the hard work that is needed to be
the best teacher you can be?
3. Confidence: Olympians have confidence in their abilities and believe in
themselves to reach their dream. How do you build your confidence, even when you
are under incredible pressure? Are you patient as you develop your knowledge and
skills as an educator? Do you take feedback constructively? Do you seek out
feedback? Do your reflect on your abilities so you have a realistic view of
yourself?
4. Individual Growth, yet Team Player: Can you imagine the disappointment of Jordyn Wieber, the world champion at the Olympic trials, not making the finals? She has personally developed her skills to be top in the world, yet she could not compete. However, she had her cry, then supported her team in winning the gold medal for the team finals. How do you work toward your individual growth as an educator, yet work with others for the growth of all? Are you a coach or a mentor? Do you support others and hold everyone accountable for the good of the whole? Do you respect your colleagues?
5. Handling Success: Olympians know when they are in the zone!! 17 year old swimmer Missy Franklin is a great example of someone under extreme pressure as people are predicting her success. She is humble, complimentary of her competitors and teammates, articulate, and she is a BIG winner so far at the age of 17!! She represents her country and sport well! How do you handle your own success when your students accomplish great learning goals? How do you represent your school and district? It isn't just the skills that you have as a teacher, it is the qualities the you possess as you grow that make you great!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Domain 4 Professional Responsibilities
Domain 4 is really about the much deeper level of teaching and being a professional. The components expect a teacher to further develop their teaching knowledge and skills and to be very self-directed in your learning.
** Reflecting on teaching: This is a very developmental process. Beginning teachers will start to reflect on the lesson parts, how students answered questions and participated, how the students did in an activity, etc. As teachers develop, they begin to reflect on the TYPES of questions they are including in their lessons for students to promote higher level thinking, various instructional strategies they used and their effectiveness, and how they used assessment during or at the end of the lesson to measure student learning.
** Maintaining accurate records: Teachers should maintain instructional records and students should be a part of that maintenance--- it should NEVER be a surprise to any student how they are progressing in their learning.
** Communicating with Families: Communication with families should be timely, often and engaging. Families have many questions about how their child is doing, and for the most part are a partner with the teacher in the child's learning.
** Participating in a Professional Learning Community: The teacher is dedicated to being collaborative and being an active participant in the learning community and working with the team. The teacher is involved in district events and projects and develops into a leader in their school.
** Growing and Developing Professionally: The teacher actively pursues professional development to improve their teaching and student learning. This could mean attending a conference, but more so, self-directed growth, such as reading, webinars, discussions, and seeking feedback from colleagues and principals, for their improvement.
** Demonstrating Professionalism: The teacher demonstrates ethical behavior and integrity. The teacher does not get involved in gossip in the faculty lounge, make comments about school and other teachers to others or people in the community, or post their dissatisfaction with their school, teachers, etc. on Facebook!
** Reflecting on teaching: This is a very developmental process. Beginning teachers will start to reflect on the lesson parts, how students answered questions and participated, how the students did in an activity, etc. As teachers develop, they begin to reflect on the TYPES of questions they are including in their lessons for students to promote higher level thinking, various instructional strategies they used and their effectiveness, and how they used assessment during or at the end of the lesson to measure student learning.
** Maintaining accurate records: Teachers should maintain instructional records and students should be a part of that maintenance--- it should NEVER be a surprise to any student how they are progressing in their learning.
** Communicating with Families: Communication with families should be timely, often and engaging. Families have many questions about how their child is doing, and for the most part are a partner with the teacher in the child's learning.
** Participating in a Professional Learning Community: The teacher is dedicated to being collaborative and being an active participant in the learning community and working with the team. The teacher is involved in district events and projects and develops into a leader in their school.
** Growing and Developing Professionally: The teacher actively pursues professional development to improve their teaching and student learning. This could mean attending a conference, but more so, self-directed growth, such as reading, webinars, discussions, and seeking feedback from colleagues and principals, for their improvement.
** Demonstrating Professionalism: The teacher demonstrates ethical behavior and integrity. The teacher does not get involved in gossip in the faculty lounge, make comments about school and other teachers to others or people in the community, or post their dissatisfaction with their school, teachers, etc. on Facebook!
Friday, July 13, 2012
Domain 3 Instruction
The Danielson Framework Domain 3 is focusing on instruction and what you do in the classroom is evidence of this domain.
** Expectations for learning, directions, procedures and instruction on content are clear to students.
** Questions that you use as a teacher reflect high expectations and are culturally and developmentally appropriate.Keep a tally of the types of questions that you use in your classroom and see if you are varying your questions.
** Students are engaged throughout the lesson and making contributions during activities, with groups and with the learning materials.The structure of the lesson and pacing allows for students to reflect and have closure to the lesson.
** Assessment is well-developed and students are involved in the development of the learning criteria, self-assessment and monitoring of their own progress. The teacher provides quality feedback to students on their learning.
** Teachers are able to enhance learning or build on student interests in order to promote learning. They are also able to use an extensive repertoire of instructional strategies.
** Expectations for learning, directions, procedures and instruction on content are clear to students.
** Questions that you use as a teacher reflect high expectations and are culturally and developmentally appropriate.Keep a tally of the types of questions that you use in your classroom and see if you are varying your questions.
** Students are engaged throughout the lesson and making contributions during activities, with groups and with the learning materials.The structure of the lesson and pacing allows for students to reflect and have closure to the lesson.
** Assessment is well-developed and students are involved in the development of the learning criteria, self-assessment and monitoring of their own progress. The teacher provides quality feedback to students on their learning.
** Teachers are able to enhance learning or build on student interests in order to promote learning. They are also able to use an extensive repertoire of instructional strategies.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Managing Student Behavior Domain 2
In order for students to be able engage with content, the classroom environment must be orderly and supportive. Standards are clear to students, students feel respected. Expectations for student conduct have been established and are implemented. Teachers know what is happening in the classroom and subtly move to help students and re-engage them in the lesson. Monitoring of student behavior is preventative and when the teacher responds to student conduct, it is with respect that the behavior is addressed.
1. Create an environment of respect and rapport: The teacher interactions and student interactions are appropriate.
2. Establish a culture for learning: Expectations for student learning are clear, the importance of the content is made clear for students, and quality work is expected.
3. Managing classroom procedures: The teacher manages a variety of instructional groups, transitions are smooth and seamless, materials and supplies are available, and the teacher appropriately supervises volunteers and paraprofessionals that might be in the classroom.
4. Managing student behavior: Again expectations are clear for student behavior, behavior is monitored and preventative and the teacher responds to student misbehavior immediately and appropriately. Successful teachers practice routines and procedures at the beginning of the school year intentionally so that students know the expectations and it becomes the expectation.
5. Organizing physical space: The room is arranged to promote engagement of students.
1. Create an environment of respect and rapport: The teacher interactions and student interactions are appropriate.
2. Establish a culture for learning: Expectations for student learning are clear, the importance of the content is made clear for students, and quality work is expected.
3. Managing classroom procedures: The teacher manages a variety of instructional groups, transitions are smooth and seamless, materials and supplies are available, and the teacher appropriately supervises volunteers and paraprofessionals that might be in the classroom.
4. Managing student behavior: Again expectations are clear for student behavior, behavior is monitored and preventative and the teacher responds to student misbehavior immediately and appropriately. Successful teachers practice routines and procedures at the beginning of the school year intentionally so that students know the expectations and it becomes the expectation.
5. Organizing physical space: The room is arranged to promote engagement of students.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Framework for Teaching
THIS WILL BE THE LAST BLOG UNTIL JULY 3RD, AS I AM GOING ON VACATION!!
For the next few blogs, I will be discussing the Danielson Framework for Teaching. This framework provides teachers with effective teaching practices that impact student learning. Today I will highlight Domain 1, Planning and Preparation. As a teacher is developing units and lessons, these need to be considered:
1. Teacher knows the content that will be taught and prepares for any misunderstandings of students.
2. Teacher knows the students' abilities, backgrounds, cultures, skills, and special needs in order to plan the
unit or lesson.
3. Instructional outcomes are set for the unit and lesson and are assessable, are rigorous and are tied to the
Common Core.
4. Teacher uses a variety of resources to use in teaching students.
5. Teacher designs a lesson that is coherent and clear with learning experiences aligned to the instructional
outcomes and are differentiated for student needs.
6. Assessment is aligned with instructional outcomes, with clear criteria and standards. Assessment is intended
to be used to plan future instruction for students.
For the next few blogs, I will be discussing the Danielson Framework for Teaching. This framework provides teachers with effective teaching practices that impact student learning. Today I will highlight Domain 1, Planning and Preparation. As a teacher is developing units and lessons, these need to be considered:
1. Teacher knows the content that will be taught and prepares for any misunderstandings of students.
2. Teacher knows the students' abilities, backgrounds, cultures, skills, and special needs in order to plan the
unit or lesson.
3. Instructional outcomes are set for the unit and lesson and are assessable, are rigorous and are tied to the
Common Core.
4. Teacher uses a variety of resources to use in teaching students.
5. Teacher designs a lesson that is coherent and clear with learning experiences aligned to the instructional
outcomes and are differentiated for student needs.
6. Assessment is aligned with instructional outcomes, with clear criteria and standards. Assessment is intended
to be used to plan future instruction for students.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Professional Learning Communities
With the implementation of the Common Core standards, many educational experts are saying that while the Common Core have more rigorous expectations for students, the implementation of these standards will be difficult unless teachers unpack those standards, discuss assessments and more importantly discuss instructional methods and strategies that will impact student learning.
Do you know the 4 PLC questions? 1) What do we want all students to be able to know and do? 2) How will we know that they learned it? 3) What do we do when they don't learn it, and 4) What do we do when they know it already?
These are the guiding questions for Professional Learning Community teams as they look at student learning. These guide the standards and outcomes for students and how we plan units, how we assess students, what are core instructional practices that everyone should be using because they are effective, how we provide support and interventions to those students who have not mastered the outcomes we developed and lastly, how we provide enrichment to those students that are already proficient and are more self-directed learners.
PLCs are collaborative teams whose members work to achieve common goals, learning for all. DuFour says, "Collaboration does not lead to improved results unless people are focused on the right issues....Collaborations represents a systematic process in which teachers work together interdependently in order to impact their classroom practices in ways that will lead to better results for their students."
PLCs have a commitment to continuous improvement. They gather evidence of student learning, look at students strengths and weaknesses, discuss teaching strategies and then analyze the impact of those strategies as to what was effective for student learning. Teachers learn from each other and the learning of the whole is more important.
Do you know the 4 PLC questions? 1) What do we want all students to be able to know and do? 2) How will we know that they learned it? 3) What do we do when they don't learn it, and 4) What do we do when they know it already?
These are the guiding questions for Professional Learning Community teams as they look at student learning. These guide the standards and outcomes for students and how we plan units, how we assess students, what are core instructional practices that everyone should be using because they are effective, how we provide support and interventions to those students who have not mastered the outcomes we developed and lastly, how we provide enrichment to those students that are already proficient and are more self-directed learners.
PLCs are collaborative teams whose members work to achieve common goals, learning for all. DuFour says, "Collaboration does not lead to improved results unless people are focused on the right issues....Collaborations represents a systematic process in which teachers work together interdependently in order to impact their classroom practices in ways that will lead to better results for their students."
PLCs have a commitment to continuous improvement. They gather evidence of student learning, look at students strengths and weaknesses, discuss teaching strategies and then analyze the impact of those strategies as to what was effective for student learning. Teachers learn from each other and the learning of the whole is more important.
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