Planning for and Facilitating Instruction

We are seventeen days into the school year and off to a very productive start!  Since we began our journey with professional development this summer (Restorative Practices, Accelerated Improvement Schools PD Week) and welcoming students to our building, we have seen tremendous growth in our school culture and learning environment.  Some examples of our growth include:

• Team planning for instruction with deconstruction of learning standards and use of district curriculum maps to build unit plans
• Use of student friendly learning targets and success criteria so students understand the roadmap or trajectory for daily and weekly learning, thus increasing student agency
• Implementation of circles for morning meeting, afternoon reflection, setting expectations for upcoming activities, and resolving issues within the classroom based on our Restorative Practice Training
• Implementation of PATHS social emotional learning curriculum to directly teach social skills for all students (tier 1 instruction)
• Implementation of Class Dojo school wide and the Dojo store with the help of Mrs. Holley and Ms. Forrest's students
• Implementation of teacher-led PLCs to drive student learning and analysis of learning results.  Ongoing training and support will be provided through monthly team leader meetings.
• Setting routines and procedures for learning and behavior to support the workshop model and full implementation of guided reading groups for all classrooms with the help of push in partners, instructional assistants or bilingual associate instructors
• We have assistants in K-2 and ECE SC who provide daily support for student learning and acceleration
• We have had our first MAP implementation training to support the use of tiered response plans based on student MAP achievement data and using the Learning Continuum for differentiation

Moving forward this month, we continue to build upon our foundation to construct and maintain a culture of high expectations for providing rigorous instruction, removing barriers, and empowering students so they believe in their own power to achieve success (from our school mission).

Classroom Instructional Framework

Last week, I placed a template of the Classroom instructional Framework in all certified staff mailboxes.  The template outlines a framework from which all lessons shall derive.  You may use the template to plan your lessons explicitly or use the language of the framework within your preferred lesson template. 

• The expectation is that you have an opening activity, anticipatory set (hook for the lesson), teaching and modeling expectations (mini-lesson, I do), facilitate guided practice for students to practice how to demonstrate the process or concept (we do), independent practice for students to demonstrate understanding (you do) and formative assessment (exit slip or check of independent work).
• On the template, you are provided reminders that tie back to our collective commitments of engaging all students, building relevance, and using culturally relevant materials. 
• Cultural Text Evaluation Rubric
• Use of the Classroom Instructional Framework is the expectation for daily teaching and for use with evaluation observations (thus, it is in everyone's best interest to internalize use of this framework).
• Last, preparation is key.  As we discussed and prepared materials during AIS week for classroom use, maintain the focus of having all needed materials ready for student use.  Teaching routines and procedures so that students understand their roles and can easily attain or return materials to designated locations will make your lives easier and classrooms more efficient, minimizing loss of instructional time.

As you plan and update plans this week, be purposeful with your use of the CIF and take note of how it impacts daily learning.

We will have faculty meeting this week -- we will meet as a group for about 10 minutes, then break into committees (all will have opportunity to sign up for a committee).

Reminders...

MAP testing continues this week; Check the Living Calendar; Be sure you have your sub folder in place (with a seating chart). 

Teachers, please turn in a hard copy of the learning checks for reading and math to Flener and Camp by September 10th.  Learning checks will be administered on September 13th.