Thinking of the NEW YEAR!

As the New Year approaches, I want to take this time to remind you all that I AM HERE FOR YOU!  I am your support system, your professional development, your resource finder, your tech support, your data collector, and so much more.  Please know that you do not have to wait for a PD class/conference to learn and explore something new or figure out ways to enhance what you are already doing.  I am available to support you NOW!  My goal for the New Year is to get into more classrooms whether it be to plan with a teacher, co-teach, model lessons, gather resources, provide training with technology or instructional practices, etc. Also, I know how busy you all are and that it can be difficult to attend some of the after school training classes.  If there is a specific topic/app/site/instructional practice that you would like to learn about, please share these with me.  I am planning on creating short videos on these topics that will allow you to learn about these concepts when you have the time - maybe while you are sitting on your couch at home with a warm (or cold) drink in hand! Please feel free to contact me at anytime for help and support!  You can just email me or fill out the coaching request form.

What is an Instructional Coach?
My main purpose as an instructional coach is to support and assist staff members to reach their goals for student learning.  As an instructional coach, I will provide individual or small group on-site differentiated professional development.

Goals as an Instructional Coach: *Be your partner *Meet teachers where they are and take them to the next step *Be Goal-oriented (student-centered) *ULTIMATE GOAL - Impact Student Learning

How Can I Support You?

*Focused discussions on using proven research-based instructional methods

*Data discussions and differentiated planning

*Modeling (demonstration lessons)

*Co-teaching (collaborative lessons)

*Observing & provide feedback (focused classroom visits)

*Videotaping , discussion, and feedback (For the BRAVE soul)

Informal Coaching:
I am also available for informal coaching support, if you are interested.  These will be one-time or short-term planning sessions.  This type of coaching tends to be more teacher-centered.

Formal Coaching Cycle: *Work together to look at student work/data & choose a focus/goal based on what would benefit your students most *Plan lessons once a week (30-45 min.) *Planning sessions will include analyzing assessments or student work & discussing best instructional practices *Model or co-teach   *Can last from 4-6 weeks (or longer, if needed)
*Student-centered

Welcome Back!

If you need any support these first couple weeks, please don't hesitate to ask!

Tuesday Teaching Tips - Formative Assessments

Formative Assessments

How will we know they are learning?

Formative vs. Summative

Formative assessments are assessments to inform instruction (for learning), while summative assessments are assessments of learning.

Why should we use Formative Assessments?

Only by knowing where each student is on their learning path can we truly differentiate their instruction.

Options of Formative Assessment:

*Individual Dry-Erase Boards/Digital Whiteboards (on iPads)

   

                   Digital Whiteboards

    

Educreations

*Self-Assessment (Ex. Stoplight/Show Me Wallet)

     

*Quick Writes

Give students two or three minutes to reflect on and summarize their learning.

*Why am I wrong? Give an incorrect answer or misconception. Students write why the answer is wrong.

*Index Card Responses (Respond to question about the lesson)

*Headline - write a headline to describe a key understanding from class.

*Who, What, Where, When, Why, & How? - Write about what they learned in the lesson.

*ABC Summaries - Give each child a letter (skip the difficult letters).  Students select a word starting with that letter that is related to the lesson.

*S-O-S Summary

*3-2-1 Summarizer

*Exit/Admit slips

  

Here is a great video using an Admit Slip Strategy called - My Favorite No

*Observation

*Anecdotal Notes (“+” or “-”)  Did they understand or not?  What additional support or differentiation do they need?

*Running Records

*Checklists/Rubrics

*Look and Listen (Eavesdropping on groups)

*Hand Signals

Ask students to display a designated hand signal to indicate their understanding of a specific concept, principle or process.

*Fist-to-Five

*Thumbs Up

*1-2-3 Show me (1 = know very little, 2 understand well, 3 = I could teach it to someone else)

Hint:  Keep fingers or thumb in front of chest.

*Pop-Quizzes (not graded)

Quizzes assess students for factual information, concepts and discrete skill. There is usually a single best answer. Some quiz examples are:

*Multiple Choice

*True/False

*Short Answer

*Matching

*Short/Extended Response

Formative Assessments Using Technology:

Click on the Assessment for video tutorials & suggested ideas.

*Google Forms

*Kahoot!

*Nearpod

*Padlet

*Plickers

*Geddit

*Testmoz

*StrawPollMe

*Socrative

Tuesday Teaching Tips - Weaving Digital Imagery into Everyday Teaching

Why bother weaving digital imagery into everyday teaching....
*All students matter! We can differentiate by using digital imagery.
*It is a requirement in standards.
*It encourages critical and problem solving skills.

Examples of Activities:

#1 Compare and Contrast
*Give students two images and ask them to tell you how the two images are the same and different.

*Give children a Venn diagram with pictures, students fill in with words.

*Give children a Venn diagram with words, students fill in with pictures.

#2 Choose an Image
*Give students 2 images.  They need to complete the set with a third image.
  

*Give students 4 images.  They need to give one word to represent all 4 pictures.



#3 Choose an image that explains/describes/expresses _____
*Students choose 3 images to explain/describe/express a specific topic or idea.
Ex. Students choose 3 images that express why people should be encouraged to recycle.  Challenge - Students are not allowed to use recycle or recycling in their image search.

Great safe and FREE site for finding images:  www.pics4learning.com

Top Ten

Top Ten Reasons to Sign Up For Coaching

1. Together, we can look at student work and decide your next steps for instruction.

2.  We can plan together.

3.  I can help provide valuable resources and materials for your lessons.

4.  I can observe your teaching and offer helpful feedback to help you go from GREAT to EXTRAORDINARY!

5.  I can observe students in your room and offer helpful feedback on what they are doing well, and we can focus on their needs.

6.  We can co-teach.

7.  I can model lessons.

8.  Two heads are always better than one!

9.  It’s fun!

10.  It’s FREE!!

Tuesday Teaching Tips - Formal Coaching Cycle

Formal Coaching Cycle

My goal for the rest of the school year is to find a couple teachers that are interested in a formal coaching cycle.  This would be a 4-6 week cycle focused on improving instruction in one area.  We would meet weekly to plan together.  Co-teaching, modeling, observation, video-taping are all options during this coaching cycle.

What will our initial coaching meeting look like and include?

Two Purposes of Initial Coaching Meeting:
1.  Identify focus area and goal for upcoming coaching cycle.
2.  Review coaching cycle logistics.

Part 1 - Coaching Focus:
1.  What are you thinking you would like to focus on during this coaching cycle?
2.  Discussion about students.
*How would you describe your students as learners in this focus area?
*What are your hopes for students in this area?
*What standards will you focus on?  Are there specific standards that seem tricky for your students?
*Pre-assessment 

Part 2 - Strategies for Coaching and Collaboration:
1.  Our coaching cycle will last 4-6 weeks.  We will meet weekly to plan.  When is the best time to meet for 30-45 minutes each week?
2.  For classroom visits, I plan on coming in 2 times per week with a short debrief after my visit.  This will allow you to reflect on your instruction and time for me to give timely feedback.  
3.  We will use Google Docs to track our progress and record our work.

Part 3 - Meeting the Teacher's Needs:
1.  Do you have any questions or concerns about the coaching cycle?
2.  Is there anything you want me to be sure to do as your coach or is there anything you would like me to know about you or your processing style?

Please let me know if you are interested in a formal coaching cycle.  I would love to work with you and your students!!

Here is a sample Initial Coaching Meeting:

Tuesday Teaching Tip - Differentiating Instruction

Differentiated Instruction:
Here is a great link with many ideas.

Differentiation strategies: content, process and product

The following are examples of differentiation strategies, defined by lesson variable. These strategies are adapted from work by Carol Ann Tomlinson. Consider using these strategies when planning lessons, selecting instructional strategies and determining topics for professional development, and exploring new differentiation strategies.

Differentiating Product Assignments for Advanced Learners

• Have students study key issues across time periods, disciplines or cultures
• Provide advanced-level resources
• Encourage students to use primary sources and original documents
• Allow students to work on long-term, ongoing assignments when they compact out of class work
• Allow students work with professional mentors