Let's Work Together!

Happy 2016-2017 School Year!

We can now officially say goodbye to summer and are in week 3 of the new school year.  The children have been taught routines and procedures, are getting to know their teachers and classmates, and instruction is now in full swing.  It is such an exciting time of the year, but also a time when teachers start to identify areas in which they may need support.  That is where I come in!  My job is to support, help, and aid in the development of a teacher's craft.  All in the name of improving student learning!!!

Each month, I will send out a Partnership Interest Form.  This is the fastest and easiest way for teacher to let me know of an area in which they would like support.  Once I receive the form, I will be in contact to set up a day and time to meet with the teacher and further explore the goal of the coaching cycle.

I have attached the link below with the Partnership Interest Form and I look forward to partnering with many of the great teachers here at WES!

Partnership Interest Form

Ongoing Coaching

One of my coaching goals for this school year was to engage teachers in coaching cycles that were more time intensive and committed.  I invited teachers to enroll for ongoing coaching cycles.  They would entail weekly meetings between the teacher and the coach, a focused goal that was chosen collaboratively, and classroom observation times for data collection.  Over ten teachers have enrolled in ongoing coaching cycles!  Some of the topics we have focused on have been higher order questions, independent writing stations, math instruction, co-teaching, instructional planning, growth of independent reading levels, writing, positive classroom management, and math performance tasks.  By means of the ongoing collaboration, we have seen students growth in academic areas and a reduction in problem behaviors in the classroom.  It is so rewarding to be able to work with a staff that is so dedicated to instruction and increasing learning opportunities in the classroom!

Up and Running as Professional Learning Communities- Day 2 of the School Year!!!

We have a had a strong start to the school year here at Waterman Elementary.  Our grade level teams have already met to set their norms, to begin the backwards design process for curriculum and instructional planning, and to create common assessments for learning.  It is important to reflect upon last year at this time, when those three tasks seemed daunting and overwhelming!  Now, it is just part of "what we do", or our culture at Waterman!


Setting Norms
Each team begins their PLC process by setting up norms for operating as a Professional Learning Community.  It is important for each team to establish their rules or guidelines for the important work that they do each week.  These norms guide behavior and thinking, and keep the focus of the meeting on the most important factor, student learning.  Grade level teams define the routines and procedures for working as a PLC, as well as roles within the team.  Our teams follow the cycle of:

1.  Backwards Mapping the Standard
2.  Create and aligned pre/post assessment
3.  Analyze pre-assessment data to create differentiated groupings
4.  Instructional planning for differentiated instruction
5.  Analyze post assessment data
6.  Plan for remediation/enrichment

It is important to revisit the norms periodically, especially if team members are feeling like their PLC meetings are not being used effectively.  I encourage our teams to come back to the norms at the start of each meeting for the first month, and then monthly for the rest of the school year.  Norms should be fluid and flexible, so that the time in PLC meetings is maximized for student benefit.

Working as a Professional Learning Community

Gone are the days when we pull out a folder of all of the activities we used to teach a concept last year, or the year before, or even the year before that!  We are planning smarter and working smarter.  As a result, our students are learning a lot more.  Our conversation has shifted from "What and how do I teach this?" to "What is it that students need to know, show and do to demonstrate mastery of this concept?"

At Waterman, all of our grade level teams are planning instruction using a backwards planning or backwards design approach.  This is a process that begins with a deep exploration of the Virginia Standards of Learning and the Curriculum Framework.  We begin by asking, "What is the content that must be taught to achieve this grade level standard?"  "What is the vocabulary that we need to be using when we teach it?"  "What is the essential knowledge, what are the skills and processes that each student needs to be successful?"  These questions drive us into in-depth conversations about the content of the standard.  We focus on the verbs included in the standard to be sure that the rigor of the standard is addressed.  How will students engage with this content?  We talk about the differences between the verbs identify,  describe, and construct.  This rich discussion occurs before anyone mentions an activity that will be used to teach the content.

We then use this discussion to create a visual map of the unit.  This map shows the progression that will be followed to reach the end of the unit.  Some maps are beautiful, and some are beautifully messy, just like learning is beautifully messy.  But all encompass a plan for our students to learn, and learn deeply.

Once the map has been constructed, we talk about common grade level assessments.  How will we measure if our students learned what we taught?  How will we know if the flexibility in thinking has occurred?  How will we challenge our students to think beyond the basic thinking skills or demonstration of skills, into the higher orders of thinking and application?  Using our backwards map, we construct questions that will assess our students to a level of proficiency that we deem as necessary for all students.  We expect success and hold our students to high standards and ourselves to even higher standards.

Once the common assessment has been given, we analyze the results.  We ask, "Which students successfully demonstrated their learning?"  "Which students need more practice?"  "Which students need an intervention to help them be successful?"  There are no excuses, and no boxes.  We are thinking outside the box, and talking about how instruction must look different in order for our struggling students to be successful.

From analyzing the data, we plan the intervention/enrichment opportunities, by asking "How can we maximize our time, and who can we ask to help us?"  This is a team effort, all hands on deck.

We are investing huge amounts of time into ensuring the success of our students.  They are worth it. We give up hours of planning time, as a commitment to our 500 students who are here, waiting for us to solve the puzzle that is learning.

Welcome Back to School!

I am so excited for the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year!  It is the best feeling to welcome back 500+ students who will come rushing in, anxious to be back in school.  I look forward to working with a dedicated and caring staff, who are willing to do whatever it takes to help our students grow, learn and reach their maximum potential.  I can't wait to partner with teachers to incorporate research-based instructional strategies and to help develop lessons that motivate and engage all of the different types of learners who will be sitting in our classrooms.  As you are considering partnering with me as your instructional coach, please remember that you can access the partnership interest form through the link below.  I look forward to working together!

Partnership Interest Form

Analyzing Data

When the 100th day of school rolls around, we start seeing the limited amount of time that we have with our students, and start contrasting that limited time with the enormous amounts of work left to do!!!  Sometimes it seems like a daunting task.  However, using data to inform ongoing instruction is an effective way to be using time effectively.

The mid-year point is usually the time when students are given a benchmark assessment, and we are able to use the benchmarks to measure growth, and to also see areas that are still in need of extra teaching and remediation.  It is important to analyze data correctly and to use the analysis to inform instruction.  Benchmark testing is not simply a task to check off a list, but rather a means of gaining information that will help guide your instructional delivery for the remainder of the year.

Listed below are some questions that are helpful when analyzing benchmark data.

1.  Which questions on the benchmark had already been taught?  It is important to target areas of weakness from instruction that has been given.  Just because we "teach" it, doesn't mean students have "learned" it!


2.  What were specific areas of weakness for the group of students that you instruct for a subject area?

3.  Which students would you flag as a concern at this point in the year  (Students who have not mastered/performed well on previously taught material, students who had a score that does not match their classroom performance, etc.)

4.  Look at the list of students that you have flagged.  Are there patterns of weakness, common areas that need remediation?  What are those areas?

5.  Think about your struggling students, what instruction/help are they getting that is additional and different than general instruction?  How can we build in additional opportunities for remediation?

Strategy of the Week #11: Graphic Organizers

From Your Instructional Coach….

Strategy of the Week #11: Graphic Organizers

Graphic Organizer:  A graphic organizer, also known as knowledge map, concept map, story map, cognitive organizer, advance organizer, or concept diagram, is a communication tool that uses visual symbols to express knowledge, concepts, thoughts, or ideas, and the relationships between them.

How does a graphic organizer work?

• A graphic organizer is a structure for students to organize ideas and thinking.
• It helps students to see their thinking in a visual format.

Why are graphic organizers important?

• A completed graphic organizer can help you assess the students’ understanding of a particular topic or skill.
• Brain activity is enhanced when students are taught to represent their understanding in a visual way.
• Graphic organizers make recall and retention of material easier for students.
• Graphic organizers are particularly helpful to students who have difficulty organizing information.
• Graphic organizers help students organize details to be used in high order thinking skills such as synthesizing and evaluating.

When could I use a graphic organizer?

• A graphic organizer can be used in any subject area.
• Some skills and thinking that lend themselves to use of a graphic organizer are: identifying similarities and differences, compare and contrast, sequencing, main idea and details, decision making, making predictions.

Where can I find graphic organizers?

• The HMH series for reading has graphic organizers that are used with every comprehension skill.
• Your reading specialists have tons of graphic organizers and resources that you could use for reading instruction.
• The following websites:
• Eduplace
• Edhelper
• Holt
• Enchanted Learning
• Scholastic
• Thinkport
• Education Oasis
• Superteacher
• Teacher Vision

If you would like to create a graphic organizer to be used in an upcoming lesson,  please fill out the form below.   I would love to support you!

Partnership Interest Form

Strategy of the Week #10: Making Sense of Language Arts Assessments

It seems like every day of every week, we are assessing students in the area of language arts/reading.  This week's strategy of the week will help make sense of what the assessments are, what they measure and when we give them.  Hope you find it useful!

Click here to see Strategy of the Week #10

Strategy of the Week #9: Increasing student interaction using Inside-Outside Circle

From Your Instructional Coach….

Strategy of the Week #9: Increasing student interaction using Inside-Outside Circle

Student Interaction:  a practice that enhances the development of the two very important language skills which are speaking and listening among the learners. This device helps the learner to be competent enough to think critically and share their views among their peers.

What is Inside-Outside circle?

• Inside-Outside Circle (Kagan, 1994) is a technique that gets students up and moving.  It provides a way to get students who normally would not talk to interact with others.  After students read a section of text, the teacher divides the group.  Half of the students stand up and form a circle with their backs to the inside of the circle.  They are partner A.  The other half of the students form a circle facing a partner from the first circle.  These students are partner B.  Partner A will speak first, quickly summarizing what they read.  This takes about a minute.  Then partner B speaks for the same length of time, adding to the summary.  If the teacher stands in the center of the circle, he/she can easily monitor student responses.

Why is student interaction important?

• Deeper Understanding of text:  When teachers structure good questions that promote discussion, the Inside-Outside circle provides multiple opportunities for students to summarize, predict or share opinions about something they have read.
• Oral language development:  Children will hear language above their independent speaking level, and be interacting with spoken language.
• Brain stimulation:  Engaging activities that are interesting to the students , including discussions, stimulate the pleasure parts of the brain.
• Reduced risk:  Students may feel threatened when called on in a large group to singularly answer a question.  This threat response inhibits the ability to focus on the content.  During an Inside-Outside circle, students have multiple opportunities to share ideas and risk is minimized.
• More processing time:  More information is retained when a period of direct instruction happens, followed by discussion of the material.

When could I use an Inside-Outside circle?

• The Inside-Outside circle is great when you would like students to compare and contrast, or identify similarities and differences.  For example, in math when there are multiple representations to show a number (a set of cubes, a numeric symbol, the name or word), students could each have a card showing the number and compare with each partner in the circle to determine if the amount, symbol or word is the same as their partner.
• The Inside-Outside circle could be used to orally share a piece of writing with peers.
• The Inside-Outside circle could be used to justify the way a student solved a problem.
• The Inside-Outside circle could be used during a morning meeting to share a time that someone was a friend, or a time when a child’s feelings were hurt.

If you would like to brainstorm how you could incorporate the Inside-Outside Circle into a lesson, please fill out the form below.   I would love to support you!

Partnership Interest Form

Strategy of the Week #7 & 8: Running Records

From Your Instructional Coach….

Strategy of the Week #7 & 8: Running Records

Running Records: One method of assessing a child's reading level by examining both accuracy and the types of errors made.

When do we give running records?

●     For the 2013-2014 school year, we will administer running records during the last week of each marking period.

●     The time-frame for running records will be:

○     1st marking period: October 21-25

○     2nd marking period: December 9 -January 16 (teachers may choose to give before or after break

○     3rd marking period: March 17-21

○     4th marking period: June 2-5 (or before)

What is used to give a running record?

●     Each teacher has an HCPS running record binder with running record passages.  These passages will be used to administer running records.

●     Each student will be given a passage to read, that is on their instructional level.  We are measuring the students’ accuracy, words correct per minute and comprehension.  Comprehension is based on a basic oral retell of the passage.

●     Students may need to read more than one passage in order to find out where the child hits frustrational level.  Students may test as instructional at more than one level.

●     Keep the hard copies of the running records that are administered to the students.  Please be sure to make notes about what kinds of errors the student was making.

What determines if a child is independent, instructional, or frustrational?

●     Here is a link to the Criteria for determining IRL.  Please be sure to read and have this with you as you administer your running records.

Criteria for Determining Instructional Reading Level

●     Once you have administered the running records to all of your students, please schedule a time with a reading specialist to discuss the appropriate instructional reading level that will be indicated on both the reading record document and on the students’ report cards.

Where does the information get recorded?

●     Keep the hard copies for a discussion with the reading specialist.

●     Add information onto the WES Reading Record document.  Here is the link:

WES Reading Record Sheet 2013-2014

●     Indicate the instructional reading level on each students’ report card.

If you would like to sit down and have a conversation about running records, or more specific training about the administration, please fill out the Partnership Interest form to set up a time.   I would love to support you!

Partnership Interest Form

Strategy of the Week #6: Wait Time

From Your Instructional Coach….

Strategy of the Week #6: Wait Time

Wait Time:  The pause between asking the question and soliciting a response.

Why is wait time important?

• Information processing involves multiple cognitive tasks that take time.
• Students must have uninterrupted periods of time to process information, reflect on what is said or observed, and consider what their response will be.
• Increased wait time results in longer student responses, more student questions and higher order responses.
• Increased wait time is especially beneficial for English language learners.
• In a typical classroom, average wait time is 1.5 seconds.  Increasing wait time to 3 or more seconds increasing correct answers, decreases “I don’t know”, increases the number of students willingly volunteering an answer.

When to use Wait time:

• Before calling on a student
• Gives the teacher an opportunity to count the students who have been answering questions, and which students have not.
• Gives the teacher time to assess which students might answer a question correctly.
• After calling on a student
• Gives the student time to frame an answer.
• Gives the teacher time to think of what a comprehensive answer could be.
• After a student answers
• Gives the student time to elaborate or complete an answer.
• Gives the teacher time to think about whether the answer is correct, partially correct, or incorrect.
• Provides time for the teacher to frame a response.

If you are interested in tracking the use of wait time in your classroom, be sure to fill out the Partnership Interest Form below.  I would love to support you!

Partnership Interest Form

Strategy of the Week #5: Total Participation Techniques

From Your Instructional Coach….

Strategy of the Week #5: Total Participation Techniques

(Adapted from Persida Himmele & William Himmele)

Total Participation Techniques (TPTs):  Teaching techniques that allow for every student to demonstrate, at the same time, active participation and cognitive engagement in the topic being studied.

Why are TPT’s important?

• Using TPTs provides evidence of active participation.
• Using TPTs provides evidence of cognitive engagement.
• All students demonstrate that they are learning and interacting.
• Deep cognitive engagement does not come from being talked at, it comes from opportunities to process, reflect, question and interact with each other.
• Students develop higher-order thinking skills.

TPT’s to try:

• Hold-ups: Each student thinks about and discusses their responses to a set of prepared questions.  Students should choose a response, discuss with a partner or group, and on cue, “hold-up” their response card.  
• Selected response hold-up:  Students choose a specific word to write on a card (Aquatic or terrestrial, fact or opinion)
• Number card hold-ups:  This might be used in math, with questions “Which of the two numbers is greater?”  “What is the sum of 23 + 42
• True/Not True hold ups:  Teacher would provide a statement and students vote if it is a true statement, or a false statement.  This might be used in content.
• Multiple choice (A,B,C,D):  Students are selecting a choice from multiple possibilities provided by the teacher.

• Movement TPTs: Students are manipulating objects or are out of their seats, interacting a processing learning together.
• Line-Ups:  Students stand in two parallel lines, facing a partner.  The partners are discussing a question or problem.  One line shifts, so the pairs change, and students discuss with a new partner.
• Inside-Outside Circle:  This is a similar activity to line-up.  Half of the students form an inside circle facing outward.  The other half of the students make an outside circle, facing the inside circle.  Students are discussing in pairs.  One line shifts, creating new partners.
• Bounce cards:  This is a structured brainstorm.  Students are in pairs and one student starts with an idea, “Butterflies go through distinct changes.”  The partner then “bounces” ideas from the original, using sentence starters, “That reminds me of…”, “I agree because…”, “True.  Another example is when…”, “That’s a great point…”
• Appointment cards:  This works to get students interacting with different peers.  Each student is given an appointment sheet with time slots.  They ask peers to sign up for a time on their sheet, and they sign up for the same time on the partner’s sheet.  The teacher then says “Meet with your 10:00 appointment.”  The 10:00 partners find each other, and talk about the topic.

• Guided Note taking: These TPT help students to identify important information to write down, when direct instruction occurs,  and how to organize it correctly.
• Graphic organizers:  Graphic organizers help students record information in a way that visually supports their understanding.
• Anticipatory guides:  These help promote thinking and background building prior to instruction.  They can be true/false statements, and students need to discuss and justify their choices with a partner.  The goal is for students to make connections.
• Picture notes:  These are meant to go with written notes to help students process what they have learned.  The teacher selects pause points, and students stop, process what they have learned, and draw a picture to illustrate the concept.
• A-Z sentence summaries:  At the end of a lesson or unit, each student is given a letter from the alphabet.  They must write a sentence about the topic, beginning with that letter.  For example, in a unit on life cycles, a student given the letter R, might write “Resembles parents from the time the animal is born, until it is an adult.”

If you are interested in incorporating Total Participation techniques in your classroom, be sure to fill out the Partnership Interest Form below.  I would love to support you!

Partnership Interest Form