Bravo Zulu! We have a Golden Apple Award winner among our ranks. Bravo Zulu Mrs. Beverly Mowrer who was announced this week as one of eight statewide winners of this prestigious state and national award. Beverly’s commitment to keeping students engaged in their learning by way of highly active hands-on experiences and wrapping the local community and industry around her school has leveraged resources and visibility for New Start and inspired many of our students to not only pursue, but continue their learning beyond high school. 
I do not need to tell you about Bev’s energy and excitement for teaching, and involving the community in the support of our students. As the B-Town Blog wrote, “This isn’t Mrs. Mowrer’s first award”, and we all know it. Since last year Bev has kept the honor and recognition coming to our school and students. Bev was named last year as the Highline Schools Foundation’s Outstanding Teacher of the year. Her students and class were named Earth Hero’s by King County Executive and Council last Spring. Though she is truly humbled by the hype, have no doubt, Bev’s recognition is well deserved. Beverly’s efforts have fundamentally changed the overall learning experiences our kids have in public schools and classrooms, and it is her incredible fortitude, commitment and enthusiasm for learning that I, and others, thank, and recognize her. Congratulations Bev, I and many more in our community are very proud of you.
http://www.b-townblog.com/2011/11/04/highline-teacher-beverly-mowrer-honored-with-kcts-golden-apple-award/Head’s up: The Golden Apple Award is a national foundation and network committed to recognizing excellence in teaching. Local PBS station, KCTS 9, with Pemco insurance, are sponsors and affiliates of this project which has been active in Washington State since 1992. The award is more than a Trophy. The Golden Apple is a process of media coverage, ceremonies, video and web presence throughout the year with the intent of fully recognizing our great teachers, such as Bev! There will be cash awards and television broadcasts and web events ahead honoring Beverly Mowrer and her selection as a Golden Apple Teacher.
Instructional Point: Student Talk
Can you assess student learning through their talk? As an observer of many classrooms, over many years now, a critical indicator for me that students are engaged, learning and making connections is what they say, and how frequently they are talking in a class. This week I want to ask you about your beliefs around Student Talk.
Last week I visited an elementary school (Mt. View). My colleagues and I visited four classrooms. I believe I can tell what students are learning simply by listening to them talk to their teacher, the class or their peers. Even in an elementary setting, we cited talk-based evidence that students were engaged in high cognitive activities. Students helped and explained to each other on their assignments. They made connections from what they were currently reading to their real life, emotions, feelings and early aged beliefs. They connected characters to others they had read about in previous books and stories. Less demanding, we saw students describe and identify. There certainly were mixed levels of cognition in each class, but the teachers worked hard to push students to their higher levels. The teachers used strategies that we use in secondary levels to bring out student talk.I witnessed turn and talks, holding all students accountable to answer questions, strategically calling on students, and conferring individually…in first grade.Interestingly, I saw teacher’s internal struggles finding balance between all-out student talk versus a quiet order for classroom management. I found that interesting, wondering which is most important. Good classroom management or students freely expressing or sharing their thinking, ideas and learning. What I found encouraging, though, is we will see these students in a handful of years.
Will their talk experiences be the same when they come to us? Will they come to us well practiced in communicating ideas, core content and what they honestly think? I hope so, and that the forums we provide for such talk are familiar to them.
Talk structures are an expressed interest of ours at both sites, in deed a focus ofour professional growth this year. Also, I saw Mrs. Greenberg lead a wonderful Great Books Discussion protocol with her students last week. We’ll learn more about such activities this year, but know these structures and protocols hold great promise for us in the arena of student talk. Please share with me some of your beliefs, and thinking for Student Talk.
PCT This week.
No PCT for you this week. We are off for Veterans Day! Though it is a short week please remember that all schools in Washington State a constitutionally driven to conduct some sort of recognition for Veterans. I will leave it to CHOICE and New Start to decide how that will be done. At any rate, enjoy the short week.
The Week Ahead…Here is my schedule. I am looking forward to a visit to Career Link on Wednesday, and Kim Thomas from the District to visit CHOICE on Thursday.
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
NS / CH | NS / ERAC | NS / CL / ERAC | CHOICE | OFF |
Nov 7 | Nov 8 | Nov 9 | Nov 10 | Nov 11 |
NS Observations NS Lunch Duty CH Observations SPU Ed Forum | Planning Time M/Navos Victor Place re: D/A Counseling NS Observation HIPP Advisory M/Tech Serv. Re: ALE Reporting | NS Observations Career Link Visit Principal Planning Meeting (ERAC) ALE Budgets Meeting (ERAC) | Host CHOICE Visit by Kim Thomas CH In Classrooms Weekly M/ Andrea Screen Office Asst. Applications (ERAC) | Veterans Day |
Have a Wonderful Week - Mike
No comments:
Post a Comment