This is a video of Brene Brown on the the power harnessed when you embrace your vulnerability. She talks about how embracing your vulnerability allows you to have more empathy and less fear or shame. Secondly, she talks about how vulnerability gives you the strength to be innovative and be prepared to be creative and find solutions to problems that seem insurmountable.
Let's face it it may seem like an uphill climb.
Our leadership team met and decided the course for our school improvement journey. We will continue the course. by working to understand the common core standards but will integrate the work with differentiation and feedback.
Let's take a look at the basics.
One UNDERSTAND THE STANDARD
The key to avoiding a fragmented and siloed lesson is understanding the ins and outs of a standard. This includes having clarity around the learning intention and success criteria. In addition, it's (like Paul Wise often says) knowing the potential misconceptions and making a plan of what you will do with kids.
- Plan your PLC!
- Use your Common Core Companion to understand, plan and write learning intentions/success criteria.
- Use your resources to determine what student work will look like.
- Use the student work as a DFA (daily formative assessment) to hit your 80% goal.
- Analyze the DFA results to determine next steps.
Two FEEDBACK
Feedback is directly tied to your learning intention and success criteria. The more you say it; the clearer it comes out; the more likely it will be that your DFA will produce strong results. I wrote about this last week when Becki Taylor made her math lesson crystal clear and produced a 75% result.
- Be Specific! Saying Good Job doesn't harm but giving kids actionable feedback using the specifics of your learning intention will scaffold for learning.
- The Sooner the Better! Catch them while they work. The most powerful place and time to give feedback is while students are doing the work. Release them from the mini or focus lesson at the standard. Then catch them where they land. Catching means saying the right thing to get the student to do the cognitive work.
- Involve students in the process. Listen First, Talk less. Student discourse (kids talk) is where you hear and can interject a prompt, cue or question to move them forward.
Three DIFFERENTIATION
Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Whether teachers differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment, the use of ongoing assessment and flexible grouping make this a successful approach to instruction. Andrea Smith capitalizes on differentiation daily and it's paying off. Her kids are 78% proficient in reading and math.
- SET IT UP! it's critical that you have students under a high level of engagement. Kids will behave and stay on target when they are working authentically (reading, writing, workplaces, math investigation) rather than on a worksheet.
- KNOW THY DATA! Observe, plan and target. You know from your data who may have most difficulty with the learning or who may need enrichment. Be prepared. You can not differentiate by the seat of your pants.
YEP! It's a lot.
To do it you have to embrace your vulnerability. Reflect on what you will focus on.
We are going to do it together.
Embrace the Opportunity!
Will I choose courage or will I choose comfort?
ReplyDeleteI personally like this question because it's often hard to change the way we look at things because there is safety in the comfort zone. In order to raise more achievement, we have to be willing to have courage and take risks on new ideas, new styles, etc. and reflect on what is best for our students.
Will I choose courage or will I choose comfort?
ReplyDeleteMy life story was full of me choosing comfort over having courage. This last year of my journey has been me finally choosing courage. We have to show our kids that we can be strong.
Happy Valentine's Day Bloomer Family!
I will show up and be brave even when I can't control the outcome. When students see their role models showing up consistently and working through challenges, it inspires them to do the same. Our world will always need hard working, brave, and committed individuals.
ReplyDeleteI will show up and be seen even when I cannot control the outcome. I will continue to set high expectations for all, to highlight when students are meeting and exceeding those expectations, and encourage others to do the same. We are all in this together!
ReplyDeleteM. Millar
ReplyDeleteHow do you let in what's constructive and not let in criticism that keeps you from trying to be brave?
I will continue to take in circumstances and other factors that can be bumps in the road for how our students learn, but instead of letting it stop me or make me believe that because of their circumstances they will not be able to be proficient and meet their goals, I will just take that information to help me adapt the way that I teach to meet each student where they are at in order to make them succeed.
HOW DO YOU LET IN WHAT’S CONSTRUCTIVE AND NOT LET IN CRITICISM THAT KEEPS YOU FROM TRYING TO BE BRAVE?
ReplyDeleteDrowning out criticism can be difficult. I have to continue to believe in myself and what I am capable of. I have to take constructive feedback and use it to grow in my teaching skill set. Using constructive feedback will help me to push my students and raise achievement. Believing in myself and use constructive feedback to fuel my drive will help me to be brave.
How do you let in what's constructive and not let in criticism that keeps you from trying to be brave?
ReplyDeleteI have always been my biggest critic. Over thinking and doubting my decisions have hindered me from realizing my potential. I am thankful for both feedback sessions and coaching cycles to provide me with the opportunity for constructive feedback. I often find the feedback I am given to be a small shift in what I am already doing which allows me to pull myself out of the pit of doubt. I also believe that I can apply the same approach with my students. Constructive feedback is a powerful tool that will help empower my teaching and my students' learning.
HOW DO YOU LET IN WHAT’S CONSTRUCTIVE AND NOT LET IN CRITICISM THAT KEEPS YOU FROM TRYING TO BE BRAVE?
ReplyDeleteThis resonates with me the most because it has always been my BIGGEST downfall in all aspects of my life. I am always going to be my worst critic, aren't most of us? I don't necessarily think it is a bad thing as self reflection is also a powerful tool. What I have come to realize and continue to fine tune though is that constructive criticism is such a powerful tool! I have always welcomed constructive criticism, I used to let it lead me to self doubt and then the downward spiral that followed. I am learning and want to continue to apply taking that constructive criticism and ask those clarifying questions. Offering my own thoughts when it is given and seeking out the clarification I need in order to be successful.
I am learning that there is no one right way. Sometimes the person giving constructive criticism can value how you see things also and it may tweak their thinking as well. I have learned and want to continue to be open to others points of views, because when I do this, I not only better understand where they are coming from, but it helps me to fine tune what I am doing also.
I am far from perfect and never will be, but can learn so much from those around me and the constructive criticism I receive. I am learning and want to continue to learn just how valuable constructive criticism is and how to continue to adapt and apply it to my personal unique situations and not let it define me or send me in that ugly downward spiral.
I believe this is also vital to use as a model for my students. Modeling and showing them how to take that constructive criticism, ask those clarifying questions and apply it to their learning can be so beneficial. Also how to really be open to others thoughts and ideas. Sometimes just seeing/hearing it from another persons perspective may not change your thinking entirely, but can and most likely will enhance it!
Will I choose courage, or will I choose comfort?
ReplyDeleteIt's so easy to stick with what I know, because it feels good. And often it seems right, too. I've been working on becoming more vulnerable, which has opened my mind to looking at things in a different way. It's allowed me to see that having the courage to step out and try something in a slightly different way can have big results. I'm such a rule-follower that it's difficult for me to do this - but courage is making me better and stronger every day.
Will I choose courage or will I choose comfort?
ReplyDeleteI will choose courage because I have learned in the last 2 1/2 years that feedback always lifts me and reminds me what I am doing right, then guides me along the process of teaching in a better way with a few examples. I no longer feel like I am guarded, I feel comfortable being vulnerable and open with Kim and my teammates. This is how I approach feedback with the kids, too. I start on a good note, "What are you understanding?" Then choose one or two points to help them in an area that they weren't understanding and remember to keep checking in with them on those points. I hope this makes them comfortable with getting feedback from me.