I believe we have been focusing WAY to much on Engagement. (You gotta continue reading to really smell what I'm cookin')
Engagement has long been the buzz word in the world of education. I hear it dropped on the daily from my bosses and at our weekly principal's meetings. If I had a nickel for every time I heard "engagement" or "fidelity" I'd have enough to retire to the Texas hill country. It's not their fault entirely for there is a long held belief that as we continue to increase engagement we will see an increase in test scores and improve overall student performance. I myself talk, again daily, about increasing student engagement in the classroom. It has been drilled into my head and is now a full blown habit. However, engagement is not without merit. I think engagement is a great starting point for creating excited students. But engaging students is only part of our job.
Engagement means getting kids excited about OUR content, interests and curriculum. After all engagement by definition is "busy or occupied." The biggest problem that comes to my mind when someone says increase the engagement is that engagement requires someone else to create the learning opportunity for the student. Without the WOW factor or entertainment aspect the learning ceases to exist. How can a student develop an ownership of their learning without them being empowered to do so? The real power in learning does not come from students being engaged. The real power in learning comes from "empowering" our students to become life-long learners.
Empowering our students means giving them the knowledge and skills to pursue their passions, interests and future in our society. Empowering our students means that we as educators are giving them the skills to be life long learners as well as the tools to positively impact the greater community.
Our students need to be empowered and NOT engaged. How are you as a classroom teacher going to ensuring that our students are becoming self-directed learners? How do we empower our students to take ownership of their learning?
As your campus leader I want to find ways to empower you as teachers. I often say "when we talk" or "at the next meeting"... It is high time that I focus a little less on checking boxes and focus more on ensuring you as teachers are meeting the daily challenges and achieving the goals we set for ourselves and the school as a whole. Get ready.
Generic Morning Announcement: New Video's Coming Soon!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6dAG5eWCok&feature=youtu.be
*** Oklahoma State Blueprints: ***
Available accommodations for the OCCT:
A quick guide to standards and assessments:
- English Language Arts: 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school year – PASS standards, PASS-aligned assessments.
- Mathematics: 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years – PASS standards, PASS-aligned assessments.
- Science: 2014-2015 school year – begin transition to science standards adopted into rule in June 2014; PASS-aligned assessments for grades 5, 8, and Biology 1 for high school for 2014-2105 and 2015-2016 school years.
- Social Studies: 2014-2015 school year – Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies as adopted in 2012; All four social studies assessments are OAS-aligned in Grades 5, 7, and 8, as well as high school U.S. History. All four assessments will be fully operational in 2014-2015.
- Fine Arts: 2014-2015 school year – transition to new standards adopted by law in June of 2014, The annual district arts assessment report will be due at the Oklahoma State Department of Education the end of May 2015.
- World Languages: 2014-15 school year – PASS standards, no state assessment. New standards will be written beginning fall 2014.
- Personal Financial Literacy: 2014-2015 school year – Oklahoma Academic Standards for Personal Financial Literacy as adopted in 2008, no state assessment.
- Health/Safety Education: 2014-2015 school year – PASS Standards, no state assessment.
- Kindergarten: 2014-2015 school year – PASS standards, no state assessments.
- PreKindergarten: 2014-2015 PASS standards; no state assessments.
Videos Worth Watching:
I was going to put a cat video here in honor of Hannah Briscoe's recent birthday, then I thought... NOPE!
Articles Worth Reading:
10 myths undermining #education... - via @justintarte
We May Not Be Perfect - via @pernilleripp
10 questions to ask yourself before giving an assessment: - via @justintarte
Real Education Reform Leaves the Government Behind - via @RonPaul
Advice For Teachers? 10 Things To Not Lose Sight Of This Year - via @TeachThought
Things A Teacher Should Never Ask A Student To Do - via @TeachThought
Classroom Management From Day One - via @ScholasticTeach - Some good ideas!
Blogging the unbloggable… #thefirstyear - via @8Amber8
How much homework is too much? - via @CSMonitor - Interesting read!
U.S. Schools Still Start Too Early, CDC Reports - via @educationweek
Oh, The Political Cartoons He Drew: Dr. Seuss's Surprising Side Gig - via @nhpr
Monday August 17, 2015 - LLI Training: K through 4 (All week.). IEP meeting at 8:00am
Tuesday August 18, 2015 - Grade Level Meetings during planning; Due to the upcoming Learner First Meetings we WILL have our faculty meeting after school. LLI Training: K through 4. IEP meeting at 1:00pm
Wednesday August 19, 2015 - LLI Training; Star360 Testing (Reading Day One)
Thursday August 20, 2015 - Ms West at an Asst. Principals meeting (8:00 am -11:00 am); LLI Training; Star360 Testing (Reading Day Two)
Friday August 21, 2015 - Spirit Day! LLI Training; Star360 Testing (Reading Day Three)
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