Reminders

· ACHIEVEMENT BOARDS-are due November 15^th

· COLLEGE READINESS-November 5^th students can wear a college t-shirt to promote college readiness

· PLC-Grade level presentations November 27^th

· Newsletters-please email them to me or put them in my box every week. Thanks!

I will be out AGAIN...

On Thursday, November 8th and Friday, November 9th, Megan, Jen, and I will be in Southfield for Dean Regional Training. If you need anything, contact your team lead or you may call or email me.

Interesting Finds

In the Marshall Memo it mentioned three different websites that I thought you might find useful. Let me know if you do.

CLASSROOM LIBRARY ORGANIZER – This free software http://classroom.booksource.com creates a web-based inventory of classroom libraries. Teachers can enter a book’s ISBN by scanning it or adding it manually, and then use custom data fields to organize and display titles. Students can use the system to check books out and return them, and can also view the entire library list. Teachers can look at students’ checkout history and see patterns by Lexile levels. 

“News to Use: Taming the Library” in Middle Ground, October 2012 (Vol. 16, #2, p. 6)

ELECTION WEBSITES– These online tools help students understand the U.S. election process, focusing on this year’s presidential contest:

            • Rand McNally’s Play the Election: http://education.randmcnally.com

            • S-SPAN Classroom: http://www.c-spanclassroom.org

            • Scholastic Magazine: http://magazines.scholastic.com/election-2012

            • Time for Kids: http://www.timeforkids.com/minisite/election-2012  

“News to Use: Teaching About the Election” in Middle Ground, Oct. 2012 (Vol. 16, #2, p. 7)

 

COMMON CORE WEBSITE – ASCD has launched EduCore http://educore.ascd.org to provide support on the Common Core State Standards. The math resources come from the Shell Centre and include ideas on formative assessments. The literacy resources come from the Literacy Design Collaborative and include a template task bank that content-area teachers can use to work toward literacy standards.

“ASCD Community in Action: Product Spotlight” in Educational Leadership, October 2012 (Vol. 70, #2, p. 95)

Don't Cry, I'll Be Back...

Just wanted to remind everyone that I will be in Grand Rapids all next week for New Teacher Orientation (NTO) and Dean Management 101 Training. If you need anything, don't hesitate to contact Jen or Megan. You can also reach me by email or phone (313.585.7409).

Important Dates

Check out the right side of the blog for UPDATED important dates.

Which include:

• Wednesday, October 24th: Middle School Strive
• Friday, October 26th: $1 Jean Day
• Monday, November 5th: College T-shirt Day for College Readiness promotion

Don't forget:

• Tuesday, October 23rd: Charles & other NHA principal's visit

Wednesday, October 31st: Heroween

Thursday, November 15th: Achievement Board completed

 

Making Homework Meaningful

I read an article in the Marshall Memo that was interesting. I thought I would share it.

 

Making Homework Meaningful – and Less of a Burden

            “Is homework a subject or a method?” asks former superintendent Lee Jenkins in this thoughtful article in Middle Ground. “If it is a subject, shouldn’t teachers request that homework grades be included on the report card alongside other subjects? If it is a method, how can teachers justify grading students on instructional methods?”

            Jenkins likes the approach used by Minnesota teacher John McDonald, who doesn’t collect or grade homework but gives a short quiz at the beginning of class on what the homework covered. This approach is efficient and fair. “Think about it,” says Jenkins. “With this strategy, homework is no longer about writing something down to hand in; instead, it is about learning… The final goal is to know the answer to the questions.” This solves a number of perennial problems:

-    Students who know the content can skip the burden of doing redundant homework since the focus is on mastery, whether that comes from completing the homework assignment, paying attention in class, or background knowledge.

-    Nothing is gained by copying another student’s homework or having a parent do the assignment.

-    Lots of teacher time that would be used correcting homework is freed up to do more effective, creative things for students.

Jenkins has shared this idea with many educators and passes along two stories: A middle-school math teacher has early-arriving students roll dice to see which two homework problems will be featured in the quiz. This teacher says the percent of students getting D and F in his classes has dropped from 27 to 9 percent. And the parent of a high-achieving student reports that he spends part of his evenings fielding calls from classmates who need help with their math homework rather than doing assignments himself.

            “Homework should have a purpose,” concludes Jenkins, “and that purpose should be to increase knowledge and understanding.”

“Tackling the Homework Dilemma” by Lee Jenkins in Middle Ground, October 2012 (Vol. 16, #2, p. 22), http://bit.ly/QnszSY; Jenkins is at Lee@LtoJConsulting.com.

Math Fact Challenge

To help their students master multiplication facts, Dena and Nikki have a weekly math fact challenge. They line the students in rows by class, show them a multiplication fact on a flashcard, and the student who states the answer the quickest wins that round and gets to remain in line. The winning class is the last one standing. Read their thoughts about this interactive activity and view the competition in action!

“The math challenge has really encouraged my students to master their multiplication facts. They are excited about the game each Friday. Our students do a really great job of supporting each other during the challenge, it's a really fun learning opportunity.”
         -Nikki Van Sickle

“This was such an amazing idea.  My kids are really low in math, but this has stepped up their responsibility to learn their math facts.”
        -Dena Gyulveszi

Science Fun

Sandy conducted a science experiment with her students. Check out the fun they had while learning!

"We were testing brands of detergent based on cost.  Most expensive, medium and cheapest.  We used grape juice to stain our shirts and then washed our shirts in class.  We found the cheapest detergent worked best by far."
                 -Sandy Boe

Weekly Updates

• · Progress Reports go home October 19th
  oMark your calendar: January 25th and April 26th are the other dates for Progress Reports
  · Make sure to include lockdown and fire drill procedures in your sub plans. Refer to Jen's email for specific information
  · Charles and 10 other NHA principals are scheduled to visit October 23rd. Remember they will be looking for two things:
  1.      Rigor
  2.      Student Engagement
  · Descarte has been updated. Please make sure to go into the NWEA data base and check it out. You will need to print new DesCarte documents as many things have changed.
  · Hero-ween: students can wear a costume that represents a "real life hero" (police officer, astronaut, etc.) ...not a super hero or fictional book character. Also, feel free to have an autumn celebration in your classroom preferable the last hour of the day. Have fun with this!
  · Achievement Board:
  1.      You pick your achievement board location
  2.      The U-drive, achievement board folder, contain pictures if you need ideas
  3.      Achievement boards need to be changed four times: November 15th, January 15th, March 15th, and May 15th
  4.      November and March will be friendly competition. The winner gets to pick a day to leave an hour early or come in an hour late!   
  ·         October 21^st-25^th: I will be in Grand Rapids!

  o   Susan, Janelle, and I will be in Grand Rapids, October 21-24^th for New Teacher Orientation. Janelle and Susan will be returning October 24^th, but I will remain in Grand Rapids on October 25^th for Dean Training. If you need anything during that week, please see one of the other deans. Jen Bookout will handle MEAP Make-Ups for that week. (Hopefully, there won't be any!)

  
  

  ·         Please do not forget to email me a copy of your newsletter EVERY week! Thank you to those who have continuously done so.

  
  

  ·         Friday, October 19^th is the Staff Potluck and U of M vs. MSU Jean Day!

  §  I don’t own t-shirts for either of those schools, anyone have one I can borrow? J/K J

  §  I will be making my infamous (well at least I think so), delicious buffalo chicken dip for the potluck

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!

Attendance

It is very important to take timely and accurate attendance. Benita is spending hours every week going back and fixing attendance issues. At this point everyone is doing a great job, I just wanted to remind you to keep it up because beginning this week, teachers who show up on the weekly report as not completing their attendance by 5:00 each day will be required to print paper copies of their attendance.

Acuity-Assessment Tool

In last week's Up Periscope I read the following information about Acuity. I thought you might interested.

Have you seen the item banks in Acuity?

For the 2012-13 year we introduced Acuity, which contains assessment item banks with over 30,000 items covering grades K-8 in Math, ELA and Science.  Items include multiple choice and constructed response and will continue to grow.  An additional 900 items will soon be added, including constructed response items that are meant to represent the increasing rigor of the Common Core. 

In addition, eight pilot schools are testing broader assessment processes and features of Acuity:  Canton, Foundations, Landmark, Queen’s Grant, North Saginaw, Paragon, Timberland and Research Triangle.  Whether or not you are in a pilot school, the Acuity Reference Site contains documents to help you better use the system.

Looking for help navigating Acuity?

Information to help you use Acuity is now available on Teacher Central. 

Looking for help with Acuity access?

Technology Support Center:  877-675-4960, Monday - Friday, 7am to 6pm Eastern Time

Or via http://help.heritageacademies.com/

Looking for Training on Creating Assessments/ Using Item Banks?

Training coming soon…

·         Visit OnCourse to register for a webinar:

o    Wed. Oct 3, 4 – 5 p.m.

o    Fri. Oct 6, noon -1 p.m.

o    Mon. Oct 8, noon – 1 p.m.

·         Or view recorded sessions beginning the week of October 15

Topics:  Custom Test Creator, Item Bank Tips, Printing Assessments, plus Q&A

MEAP

 MEAP begins next week!!!

Please put testing dates and helpful testing tips in your newsletter (e.g. getting a lot of sleep, eating a healthy breakfast, being present and on time)

October 2012
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8 NO TESTING	91 Reading: Day 1 (3rd-8th)	10 Reading: Day 2 (3rd-8th)	11 Writing: Day 1 (4th& 7th) Reading Make-ups	12 Reading & Writing Make-ups
15 Reading and Writing Make-ups	16 Math (3rd-8th)	17    Writing: Day 2 (4th/7th) Science  (5th& 8th) Social Studies  (6th)	18 Make-ups for any subject, as needed	19 Make-ups for any subject, as needed
22 Make-ups for any subject, as needed	23 Make-ups for any subject, as needed	24 Make-ups for any subject, as needed	25 Make-ups for any subject, as needed	26 Make-ups for any subject, as needed Last Day for Testing!

Myrtle Beach

I appreciate a lot of you inquiring about my weekend to Myrtle Beach. J

Jason and I were so spontaneous this weekend we swam on the beach, rode on a helicopter; rode on a powerboat, zip lined, and went to the aquarium. It was one of the best trips I’ve had in a very long time. I thought that I would share a few pictures with you!

Helicopter Ride

Zip line

The Beach

(Jason wrote that)J

Alicia's Peer Recognition

Alicia has a brag board in her classroom that features peer recognition for the moral focus virtue. Read Alicia's explanation below to see how she implements it in her class.

"I use this form for students to recognize their peers when they are caught doing something extraordinary as it relates to the moral focus virtue of the month. Students must write a full detailed sentence explaining how and why their peer deserves to be recognized. I then take all of the peer recognition forms for the month and draw out 2-3 students to be the students of the month and to be recognized at the awards assembly. If you are recognizing a student, you must fill out the sheet and place it on my desk for approval. If I approve it, the students filling out the form receives one piece of candy. Students who receive the student of the month award receive the peer form, a certificate, and a homework pass. Honoring both the giver and the recipient helps students to continue to look for and act extraordinarily."

-Alicia

Example

Blank copy of Peer Recognition form: 
Peer Recognition Forms