As a working mom with a working spouse, I understand the challenge of having school days off at random times. I want to thank you and share what today gave our teachers.
Today, our teachers spent some time talking about “thinking time” in the classroom. We looked at research, discussed and reflected on the impacts of providing more thinking time after asking a question, and “second thinking time” after a student response. This allows students to consider, elaborate on, reflect on, and expand their thinking. It also allows additional time for classmates to analyze the response and compare and contrast their own ideas.
We then continued our faculty book study of Engagement by Design by Fisher, Frey, et.al. and dove into the value of teacher clarity. We want students to always know what they are expected to learn, why they are learning it, and what their success looks like. This clarity promotes student engagement, ownership in learning, metacognition, and greater outcomes for all.
After time in their classrooms, teachers came back together to preview one of the newly adopted math curriculums for next year, so we can start eating that elephant one bite at a time now.
Our teachers are highly educated professionals and lifelong learners. Their dedication to making school as wonderful as possible for your students inspires me every day. Thank you for making these professional learning days work for your family. |
