Bravo Zulu!
This is sort of a bittersweet Bravo Zulu, but it was a highlight of my week last week. I was gushing with pride over virtually everyone’s response to our audit call at New Start. The audit process is never fun, but we stood up together in confidence and support of each other that blew me away! We were asked to produce learning plans and records for ten random students -- from last year -- in less than 18 hours. I saw New Start staff snap to it in a positive spirit like I have never seen before…everyone! Bravo Zulu New Start staff for your quick and positive response to please the auditor. Ann C found cum files that were just last month reorganized. Sheralyn worked directly with the auditor to provide count and schedule information. Bev, Richard, Katy and Casey scoured their records to find contract agreements and written learning plans. Former students were called personally at home and asked to bring in portfolios. Kati, Trina and Mica, knowing they didn’t have documents, jumped right into locating student records and information anyways. Andrea and Jackie explained program and offered support to the auditor at a moment’s notice. It was a true team effort, and I want to acknowledge and thank you all. Of course audit results remain to be seen, but the information asked for was provided in short time with a smile on our face. Bravo Zulu to Everyone on New Start Staff.
Instructional Point: Personalization and Rigor
You can create rigor in the classroom through personalization. There are many views about what academic rigor looks like in the classroom. I am in a camp that believes rigor is based in the interplay of connections; student to teacher, student to student, class to class, classroom learning to real life, and discipline to discipline. I believe when students are making connections of their learning to their own lives and experiences (learning or otherwise) there is a higher level of cognitive demand taking place. And that is rigor, deeper thinking.
Last week I was observing Math Teacher Nicole Starkey at CHOICE. To her algebra class she was teaching students the differences between describing in mathematical terms a rate of change and the idea of telling a story through a mathematical equation or graph. They are two very different things. And in order to “think like a mathematician” (Which is what Nicole is teaching her students to do) one must understand the distinction between describing and telling the mathematical story.
What I saw in Nicole’s class was application, therefore students making connections, and therefore rigor. Yay! When teacher Nicole presented a graph describing an unnamed event to her students, she opened the door for students to tell a story that related to them in mathematical terms. And that they did. I saw foreheads wrinkle, eyes focus, and students talk to each other about different scenarios in their lives personally, currently, that applied to what they were looking at on the board. They were beginning to think like mathematicians. They described multiple events using words like increasing, decreasing, rate of change and inverse. They told stories about coffee shops, bus stops, hot tubs and mud puddles. I believe I was witness to observable rigorous thinking by students, and powerful instruction (and planning) by their teacher.
How do you find ways to push students to make personal connections, applicable to their present lives, in your class?
PCT: Spring Break Safety Fair, Friday April 6, 2012
Friday before the break, we will review our safety and compliance work together. Between two sites there are similarities we can discuss together. Our meeting will conclude with a physical safety tour of New Start. CHOICE will be excused for a similar follow up tour at Woodside, at another time. So, all New Start and CHOICE Staff, Certificated and Classified, please report to Salmon Creek library at 12:30, this Friday, April 6.
My Schedule:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
New Start / ERAC | New Start / ERAC | New Start | CHOICE | New Start |
April 2 | April 3 | April 4 | April 5 | April 6 |
Morning Office Meeting Senior Meetings AP Meeting Eval Writing PCT Planning Weekly Counselor Drug/Alcohol District Committee meeting | Weekly Registrar Eval Writing District Principal Meeting Sped Meeting | ATT Grant Planning Meeting Staff Meeting Prep Senior Meetings New Start Staff Meeting | Senior Meetings Staff Meeting Prep Student Planner Meeting CHOICE Staff Meeting | NS PBIS Meeting HEA Update Meeting Weekly Kati PCT Prep PCT: Safety Wrap up before Break |
And there we have the week before spring break. I’ll be breaking some too, so no weekly blog next week. Our school offices will be officially closed but some of us may be around if you need to get in the building. I do however encourage you to rest and relax with family, friends or simply on your own. Third quarter of the year is a traditionally long and busy stretch in our school year, and this was no exception. You must recharge the batteries. Your break is highly deserved. Thank you for all you do. You really made me proud last week. I’ll see you at staff meetings this week. Have a good one!
Mike
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