Curriculum Updates!!

Here are some updates from our last Curriculum Coordinators' meeting... Enjoy!!

*Dana Wrights*

• EOG dates have been changed!!!  Due to the snow days this year, the EOG will be administered May 23rd-26th.  Retesting will take place June 6th-9th.
• Gateways have been eliminated for 3rd and 5th grades; however, this does not affect retesting... All students who score a I or a II on any section of the EOG test will be retested.  We will also still follow local promotion requirements.
• The EOG tests will now affect students' 4th Quarter grades.  If the EOG score's grade equivalency is higher than the classroom average, the grade will increase by one letter grade.  EOG scores cannot bring a grade down.

*Benika Thompson*

• The District Science fair was a HUGE success!!  Elementary representation was fantastic.  (Yay to our own Ava, who one first overall!!!)
• Teachers need to start reviewing the Essential Standards to see where we are going...
• K-2 http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/acre/standards/new-standards/science/k-2.pdf
• 3-5 http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/acre/standards/new-standards/science/3-5.pdf
• Upcoming professional development opportunities:
• Notebooking in Elementary Science - March 28th at 1:00pm
• Grade 5 Content Sessions - April 7th
• Elementary Science Liasison Meeting - April 26th

*Janie Costello*

• It's time for a MOY DIBELS check-in!!  We had a slight gain from BOY to MOY from last year to this year - Yay!!  (A big gain would have been suspicious... We are showing a true instructional gain.)  We are doing better compared nationally than we were last year.
• However, our red kids are still staying red!  We must move them!
• DIBELS data TRULY SHOULD be used to guide instruction... The BEST way to do this is to analyze Individual Student Summary reports for red and yellow kids.  It shows data from previous years and provides a wealth of information.  Use this information to choose activities from the Florida Center for Reading Research (http://www.fcrr.org/) - Great ideas for I/E and workshop.

*Velvet Simington*

• Please look over the Powerpoint I emailed out earlier this week for tons of updates!
• The Common Core Standards should be promoting intructional change.  We should be changing our focus from mechanical facility to conceptual understanding.
• Grade level representatives who are attending the Formative Assessment training should be training their teams!!
• "Task selection is of paramount importance."

Happy Spring!!!

Don't Forget!

-March 23rd - 3rd Quarter Math Calculator Active Test

-March 24th - 3rd Quarter Math Calculator Inactive Test

-March 25th - 3rd Quarter Test Make-Ups

-March 25th - End of 3rd Quarter

-April 6th - 4th Grade On-Demand Writing Task

-April 21st - Kindergarten Screening

-April 29th - Spring Fling!

-May 2nd-6th - DIBELS EOY Sweep Week

They're Looking at YOU

I'm back to loving Tuesdays.

For the past few weeks, testing has taken over my days at work and I haven't been able to keep some of my school-day commitments.  Like working with the kids - my favorite. :)  In particular, up until this recent testing, I had been working with two first grade boys (who I adore!) every Tuesday afternoon.

And I missed them.  Their excitement, their big, questioning eyes, their zest for life.  Everyday during bus duty one of the boys would say, "When are you going to come get us again?!"  And I kept giving him a number - "5 more days!"  And he'd count down.

Well, luckily (for me) I finished up testing this past Tuesday morning, and couldn't wait to get my first graders!  I loved seeing their smiles when I picked them up from their classroom, I loved having them ask me over and over again, "Where have you been?!"  I loved how they wanted to tell me all about their weekends.

But most of all, I love how when I'm working with them, they always look at me for reassurance.  Like, I'll ask them a question, and while they try to figure it out, they'll peek at me from the corners of their big, brown eyes, trying to figure out if their guesses are on the right track.  Trying to figure out if I'll yell out in excitement, or if a frown of disappointment will creep across my cheeks.

After we finished our math tutoring session on pennies, nickels, and dimes, we started the trek back to their classroom.  We stopped at the secretary's desk because I wanted them to show off what they had mastered during our thirty minutes together.

"Ok," I said.  "How much is a nickel worth?"  And the little boy looked down at the floor, then slowly let his eyes drift toward my face - Oh those big brown eyes!  And he had the right answer on the tip of his tongue, and I knew he had it... And I wanted to shout, "Say it!  You've got it!"  But I also want him to gain the confidence on his own.  And he finally said the right answer, and there were cheers all around.  And the secretary said, "Isn't it so cool how these children are always looking at us - at the adults - for guidance?  For reassurance?"  And that got me thinking...

They are always looking at us.  Even when you least expect it, the kids are looking at YOU.  Looking at you as an example, as a role model, as a leader, as a comfort, as a security blanket.  Those innocent eyes (that may not always seem so innocent!) never stop looking at us.  And we can't ever forget how important we are to those big, brown eyes...

Don't Forget!

-March 17th - March Madness Dads' Basketball Game

-March 21st - 3rd Quarter Science Test

-March 22nd - 3rd Quarter Reading Test

-March 23rd - 3rd Quarter Math Calculator Active Test

-March 24th - 3rd Quarter Math Calculator Inactive Test

-March 25th - 3rd Quarter Test Make-Ups

-March 25th - End of 3rd Quarter

-April 6th - 4th Grade On-Demand Writing Task

-April 21st - Kindergarten Screening

-April 29th - Spring Fling!

 

Granola Bar or Poptart?

My husband and I have an alarm clock that has two separate morning alarms, which works well for us.  Not only because we get up at two different times, but because I DESPISE the sound of the standard, blaring alarm.  That ear-piercing beep is enough to send me over the edge at 5:15am!  So while he prefers the annoying beeping, I would much rather wake up to the radio.  If only I could go back to the days when I was young and my mom would whisper in my ear, "Time to get up, sweetie."

Don't get me wrong - I am a morning person.  You'll find me grumpy and bleary-eyed at 8:00pm, but once I'm up at 5:15am, I'm ready to get the day going!!  However, even with being a morning person, I think the way I wake up makes a difference in how I approach my day.

There is an old Winnie the Pooh episode where Piglet asks, "Pooh, what is the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning?"  Pooh replies, "Well, I think about what I'm going to have for breakfast.  What about you?"  Piglet says, "Well, Pooh, I wonder what exciting things are going to happen to me today."

Now I love breakfast.  But what if thoughts of breakfast, thoughts of to-do's for the day, thoughts of things we are dreading were preceded with, "I can't WAIT to see what exciting things happen to me today!"  Wouldn't we all start our days on a much better note?  If we can't have our moms softly whispering into our ears to "Rise and Shine!", why don't we control the way our mornings get started with positive thinking.

Now, it's time for the decision - a granola bar or a poptart...?

Don't Forget!

-Feburary 28th - March 4th - Read Across America Week!

-March 2nd - Dr. Seuss' Birthday! (The Cat in the Hat is walking around Moore!)

-March 3rd - Multicultural Night

-March 17th - March Madness Dads' Basketball Game

-March 21st - 25th - 3rd Quarter Testing Window

-March 25th - End of 3rd Quarter

Curriculum Updates

After a busy two weeks, it's some for some updates from the wonderful world of curriculum!!

*Toni Bigham*

• General Information
• We learned from Ms. Bigham that the district is trying to move to an electronic report card.  They are wanting to create a K-2 committee and a 3-5 committee comprised of teachers, parents, people from EC, the Arts, etc.  If you are interested in volunteering send me an email and I'll pass on your information.
• As a district, we are slipping in math!!  We've been putting so much emphasis on literacy, we've been letting math fall by the wayside a little bit.  EVERY teacher should be using math indicators.  Thoughtful planning MUST occur.  Concepts must be re-taught AND discussed in PLC's.  We HAVE to start using Common Formative Assessments (CFA's) as a central part of PLC conversations.  Essential Questions (EQ's) are SO important... should be posted, discussed, referred to, and closed with (discussed more later).

*Deborah Hartman*

• Formative Assessment
• There are so many types of assessments, but we have got to start focusing more on formative assessment.  All Curriculum Coordinators are currently going through the online NCFalcon Formative Assessment modules.
• Formative Assessment means actively, continuously assessing your students not just weekly, but daily, to ensure that concepts are being understood.  If we wait until the end of a math unit to test students, and a student fails, it's too late!
• Assessment is part of the Teacher Evaluation Tool (Standards I and IV).
• CFA's - Help us compare our teaching with each other.  We can all think we're great in our heads, but we don't really know without CFA's.  They are designed to be used to change instruction, to make us better!
• After Quarter Testing, teachers should NOT be going over every single problem or every single passage.  That's punishing the kids with the test!  Use the data (which is a sampling of the curriculum) to inform your instruction... pinpoint the students who struggle with particular objectives.

*Kim Wesley & Deborah Gaither*

• Math Updates
• Again, we need to pick it up in math.  Indicators and Week-by-Week Essentials are our STRONGEST math tools.  Every single teacher should be using them!
• Essential Questions are one of the easiest ways to tweak instruction NOW.  Posting an objective or a topic is not enough... We should be posting QUESTIONS that our math lessons revolve around.  These questions should increase rigor and higher order thinking for students.  We should use them to open up a math lesson, we should refer to them during the math lesson, and we should wrap up our math lesson with our EQ's.  60% of what teachers say during math instruction are questions, and are not planned.
• We received a GREAT resource called "Good Questions for Math Teaching."  If you are interested in borrowing it, first come first served!

*Benika Thompson*

• Science Updates
• Discussed the District Science Fair, which is tomorrow! (Go Ava!!)
• STC Kits - refurbishment requests will be sent out in April.
• Teachers must stop doing science in isolation!!
• Do you preview vocabulary?  It's one of the only ways students can be successful in learning new concepts.

*Janie Costello*

• DIBELS Updates
• Students who achieve benchmark (green) have a higher probability of becoming successful readers.
• However, green does not necessarily mean students are safe!  Green is only the 50th percentile, so students at the cusp of green need to be watched carefully.  Remember, you can Progress Monitor whoever you'd like!
• Students who are poor readers at the end of first grade are not likely to ever catch up.
• We analyzed district data for MOY versus BOY... We're keeping green kids green, but we're also keeping red kids red

*Patti Grant*

• Social Studies Updates
• The district is looking at doing more combining of Social Studies and Science next year.  They realize the day is so stuffed, but we cannot skimp on these subjects!!
• One of the main concepts they want kids to know is the Five Themes of Geography:
• Place
• Movement
• Human-Environment Interaction
• Region
• Location

And that's all for today!!!  Have a wonderful week!

Don't Forget!

-February 22nd - WSFCS Science Fair at SciWorks

-Feburary 28th - March 4th - Read Across America Week!

-February 28th - Milkshake Chugging Contest... Wooten vs. Dixson vs. Peele (6:00pm at Chick-Fil-A)

-March 2nd - Dr. Seuss' Birthday!

-March 3rd - Multicultural Night

-March 17th - March Madness Dads' Basketball Game

Early Spring? Or Long Winter?

Yesterday, Punxsutawney Phil braved the cold to let us know whether to expect an early spring or a longer winter.  He didn't see his shadow, which means bye bye cold weather!  But wait...

Greensboro's "Woody the Groundhog" DID see his shadow, meaning six more weeks of winter.  But...

Lexington's "Lil' Bit the Hog" did NOT see his shadow, agreeing with Punxsutawney Phil that spring is just around the corner.

So what will it be?!  Capri pants and sandals or scarves and mittens?

All of this confusion got me thinking... Why do we so often worry about the things we cannot control?  Like the weather... Or if our team is going to win the Super Bowl.

Why don't we focus on the things we CAN control - like our reactions to present circumstances, our attitudes toward our lives and toward each other.  We can only play with the hand we are dealt, and we don't usually get to choose our cards ourselves.

So let's try to stay focused on the things in life we can control... I'll either be appreciating the crisp, cold air and the fire in the fireplace or embracing the warm sunshine and putting away my coats.

In the meantime... Bring it on, Mother Nature.

Don't Forget!

-February 2nd - 4th:  Moore Elementary Science Fair (Judging is TODAY... stay tuned for our winner!)

-February 18th - WSFCS Spelling Bee (Good luck to our school rep, Xavier!)

-February 22nd - WSFCS Science Fair at SciWorks

-February 28th - Milkshake Chugging Contest... Wooten vs. Dixson vs. Peele (6:00pm at Chick-Fil-A)

-March 3rd - Multicultural Night

Would You Have Been Dancing?

Yesterday we had our PBIS celebration for students who received a SMART check during 2nd Quarter.  For this celebration, we had two DJ dance parties - one for K-2 and one for 3-5.  Last year, as a classroom teacher, I was never able to attend the dance parties; however, this year my schedule allows me to drop in on these types of things - I counted down the hours all day long.

K-2's dance party was first.  I thought the gym was going to explode with joy and giggles.  The music was loud, the kids were pink-faced and sweaty.  One little girl ran up to me and said, "Dance Mrs. Peele, dance!"  I told her I didn't know how and she said, "Well, all you have to do is jump around!"  So I proceeded to jump, and lead a conga line, and shake my hips among 3-foot tall 5, 6, and 7-year-olds.  The only kids not dancing were the kids lined up to get water, huffing and puffing and catching their breath on the sidelines.  It.Was.Awesome.

3-5's dance party was next.  I went back to my office to get some work done and decided I'd drop by toward the end of the celebration.  Then I got a message that our AP needed my help in the gym.  I rushed towards the gym with all kinds of crazy images flashing through my head of kids getting injured while dancing.  But I walked in the gym and it was nothing.  Truly - nothing.  There were maybe 4 kids dancing a little here and there, and the rest of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders hugged the walls.  I was being beckoned for help in getting these kids moving!  I, too, felt a shyness come over me... I know... Me and shy is like an oxymoron.  But the mood in the gym was TOTALLY different than what it had been for the earlier dance party.

It got me thinking about the difference between students in grades K-2 and students in grades 3-5.  The younger students in the school are almost always willing to try.  They usually do not lack confidence, but are more in need of direction and guidance in all they pursue.  These students have a strong sense of self-efficacy, believing in themselves and their abilities.  It is in grades 3-5 that students begin to falter in their self confidence.  Rather than needing facilitation and guidance, these students begin to doubt themselves and thirst for someone to believe in them.  While all teachers must, well, teach, we must handle students of different ages in different ways.  Younger kids will often jump, or dance at the chance to try something new, while older kids are a little more hesitant and need the, "Hey, you can do this" nudge.

As for me and my dancing?  Well, I finally found my motivation after witnessing a 5th grader literally take everyone's breath away with her Michael Jackson impression.  But it wasn't just her - There was also a 3rd grader who, the entire time, stood in his own little area and danced like no one else was in the gym.  And I told myself, you may be in heels, surrounded by about 100 kids, and you may not have put your dancing skills to the test in awhile, but, "Hey, you can do this."  So I did - And I only stopped once I was pink-faced and needed a drink of water.

Don't Forget!

-January 24th-February 4th:  DIBELS MOY Benchmark Assessments

-January 28th:  Career Day
-February 2nd - 4th:  Moore Elementary Science Fair (for 5th graders)

Happy New... DAY!

Don't you just love the excitement that comes along with celebrating a new year?  Everyone seems so refreshed, so excited for a brand new start.  There's sort of a cleansing feeling in the air, an "I-can-do-anything" attitude.

My husband and I HAVE to be in the air at midnight on New Year's.  Yes, you read that right - IN.THE.AIR.  I know, it sounds crazy, but it's a tradition he brought into our marriage from his childhood.  We usually start on the coffee table (holding our dog, Bailey, because yes - she too, must be in the air) and we make a game plan of when to bend and jump and we count down and then we're in the air when the ball drops!  And then we clap and yell and celebrate the beginning of a new year.

What if we had that approach to life everyday?  What if at midnight every night, we stayed up to watch a ball drop, jumping off coffee tables and shouting, "Happy New Day!"

Wait... staying up 'til midnight every night?  Not likely.  Buuuut, in theory, it sounds like a pretty good plan.

Why do we have to wait until January 1st to set new goals, feel refreshed, wipe a clean slate, become energized with possibilities?  Why can't we feel this everyday?

Let's challenge ourselves to shout, "Happy New Day!"  Let's be appreciative for each new day we have.  If you feel like setting a new goal or challenging yourself to accomplish the impossible, make a "New Day Resolution."  Everyday we wake up we are given an amazing opportunity.  Don't forget the invincible feeling that comes along with the fresh start of a new year, and allow yourself to feel that each morning when it all begins again...

Happy New Day!!!

Don't Forget!
-January 5th:  Dr. Foster Visits 3rd Grade 10:00-11:20

-January 13th:  Moore Elementary Spelling Bee (for 5th graders)
-January 14th:  2nd Quarter Testing (Science)
-January 18th:  2nd Quarter Testing (Reading)
-January 19th:  Title I Literacy Breakfast
-January 19th:  2nd Quarter Testing (Math With a Calculator)
-January 20th:  2nd Quarter Testing (Math Without a Calculator)

-January 21st:  Teacher Work Day!
-Week of January 24th:  DIBELS MOY Benchmark Assessments
-February 2nd - 4th:  Moore Elementary Science Fair (for 5th graders)