Who is Doing the Talking?

Thank you again for your engagement in the professional Development during the Early Release. I want to thank our Digital Learning Team for giving us an overview of the expectations around digital portfolios, and Tara and Fran for working with us on Close Read- Alouds. Hopefully you have been paying attention to who is doing the talking in your classroom this week. I know as a teacher, I sometimes had the feeling that if students did not all hear the same thing directly from my mouth, they weren't learning it. We know now that students learn better when they are interacting with information and collaborating with their peers.

The third video video in the series on Close Read Alouds can be found here, and was sent in Tara's follow- up email.

https://eleducation.org/resources/behind-the-practice-close-read-aloud-in-the-primary-grades-with-sara-metz

In the video Sara Metz also talks about Total Participation Techniques that she keeps " in her back pocket" to use when students seem like they need to move. These offer yet another way for students to interact with the material and make meaning.

Here is a link to a website with a couple of ideas for Total Participation Techniques and a podcast with an interview with the author of a book on Total Participation Techniques.

https://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/truth-for-teachers-podcast/total-participation-techniques/

From the Classroom:

Fifth graders demonstrate their knowledge of biomes in different ways

Ms. Philips and Ms. Patterson wearing 100 well!

Mrs. Parrot's beautiful Point of View anchor chart

Mrs. Crabtree's class plan the autobiographical chapter books they will be writing

5th graders did an amazing job presenting on art careers!

Always a great mix of goods and services at the 2nd grade Economics Fair!

What principal doesn't need a stress ball?!