Teach Children Well: Learning Teaching Prep and Plans 2018-2019

2018-2019 Success Criteria

As I think specifically about the success criteria the program aims to meet in the days, weeks, and months ahead, I identify the following:

Meaningful introduction, practice, review, and assessment of all math and physical science standards
Thoughtful, purposeful student portfolios and family members-educators-student meetings
Engaging math/science/reading learning experiences that includes project-based learning and interdisciplinary writers workshop
Happy, invested class community
Warm, welcoming classroom
Apt collaboration with grade-level team members
Hands-on learning projects with kindergarten buddies
Continued professional reflection, study, and learning
Continued participation with The Teacher Collaborative, ATMIM, WTA Board, Online threads and share.

And I think to future paths, I am thinking about how to infuse creativity and writing more into this menu.

School Year Prep and Planning Chart

Spring/Summer School Prep for 2018-2019

Write/Print move-up letter/supply list, place on TeamFive 2018-2019 Website
Keep a supply list throughout the year and Order supplies
Plan a student orientation - work with leadership to make sure this happens without the bus problems we experienced in past.
Review and re-organize math website - ongoing
Revisit the curriculum night presentation
Meet with team to plan year ahead
- Re-look at scheduling with the team to even better our already good weekly schedule.
- Think carefully with colleagues about administrative expectations and build those expectations into the daily routine for students.
- Review curriculum map,
- create weekly teaching pattern (embed reading specialist ideas),
- attend to other items listed on this page and our team planning page.
- create homework patterns including student number, computation, problem solving, explanation
- Update orientation, Plan face-to-face student/parent meetings
- Plan field studies
- Review and plan well for Family-Student-Teacher Conferences
Plan Selfie Project/create exemplar for 2018-2019 - Example

Continue to Update local union website. Ongoing
Review and update curriculum map
Attempt to get all field trip phone calls, schedules, and paperwork completed during the summer since it's difficult to organize these trips during the school year.
Make the time to order more supplies in the spring so there's no need to buy supplies over the summer and into the fall. Keep a running list of supplies during the school year.
Determine classroom needs, complete order forms, shop for supplies, and keep receipts. The PTO gives us a few hundred dollars for supplies, but we have to turn in receipts to get that. . Match with system-wide initiatives

Teacher Prep Days at end of August:

Create five extra supply collections for potential new students or students who don't have their supplies.

Careful attention to scheduling so that all scheduling best meet individual/collective student needs
Meet with special educator(s), to review student services and schedules.
Communication Protocols , Establish Routines, Plans to recognize each child: lists, schedules.
Ordering: Check orders, put away all supplies.
Room Set Up
Team Meeting Summer Date(s) : August
Review, revise, and set up Class Data Chart - keep in mind fall/spring conference data reports
Assess/analyze MCAS scores prior to school year. (when scores arrive)
Set up file for important anecdotal notes, reminders w/regard to each student
Set up sub notebook

First Six Weeks of School Year

Focus on Character, school handbook, portfolio set-up, selfie project, and other community building projects
Do a better job checking that students have the supplies necessary at the start of the year, and contacting families of students who don't have the supplies to figure out next steps with regard to supplies such as headphones, portfolios, Sharpies, and more.

Begin embedding positive learning attitude/behavior: Learning-to-Learn Website
Have students set up showcase portfolios and complete Happiness Surveys at start of year.
Complete Mandated Online Trainings: This takes about a half day. Make sure that the trainings are up to date at time of completion. Summer/Fall 2017
Start of Year: Practice Routines that Matter
Complete The Selfie Project and Video with Students
Establish Math Routines, Teach Tools:

PLC Start: Establish overall focus, norms, roles, protocols. . . .
Send out forms, notices right away--and have extras at parents' night for parents to fill out there if needed.
Curriculum Night: Establishing the Learning Community, Extended time: one hour in gymnasium with a presentation/sound
Parent surveys: Paper survey worked better than online survey last year.
Send out weekly newsletters
Evaluation Professional Learning and Practice Goals: Update goals to reflect system-wide goals, summer work, review with admin., continue efforts to meet goals.
Create Classroom Culture with students:

Set norms with students
Practice following norms
Discuss classroom community.
Work to empower student voice, respect, and contribution from start of the year.
Create guiding signage with students Be explicit. Ongoing