Math and Literacy Connections Reflection Post 2:

What do you aspire to improve that will support balanced literacy in both the math and reading classrooms (or specialized classroom)?

Math and Literacy Connections Reflection Post 1:

After the professional learning on 12/07/17, please consider your instructional role and reflect on one of the following based on the content you teach:

Self-Contained Teachers (teach math and ELAR): How does the work that I do in my classroom help my students to be successful in mathematics?

Departmentalized and/or Specialists (only math/science teachers, SPED, Interventionists, Specials, Librarian, etc.): How does the work that I do in my classroom support Dr. Warren’s literacy goals for NISD?

4Dx Reflections Pages 77 -102

Recently the ILT worked to create a PLC Learning Cycle that incorporated the components of a WIG session.  After reviewing this section, specifically the purpose and components of a WIG session (page 82), what connections do you notice in our new PLC Learning Cycle and a WIG session? How well does the PLC Learning Cycle align with the WIG Session? What might need to be added to the cycle to  better/best support a WIG session?  What work do you believe will need to be completed by the team before the PLC meeting in order to make sure all components of a WIG session are consistently completed?

4Dx Reflection Pages 77-102

On Page 78, 4Dx defines accountability in the following way..."Accountability means making personal commitments to the entire team to move the scores forward and then following through in a disciplined way."  Pages 93 - 94 go on to describe a different kind of accountability.  After reading this section and focusing on accountability,  what implications do you see for yourself and your team in supporting the achievement of our campus academic/proficiency WIG?

Academic/Proficiency WIG:
Using the 4 Disciplines of Execution as a goal setting continuum to improve student achievement and close achievement gaps, students will move from their beginning of year reading level to meet or exceed identified proficiency standards by the end of the year.

4Dx Pages 65-76 Reflection 2:

Pages 70 and 71 outline the characteristics of a compelling scoreboard.  We have dabbled in scoreboards.  Based on the descriptions outlined in the chapter, what are we doing well?  What might we need to consider improving/adjusting?  Do our scoreboards flip the "game on" switch?

4Dx Pages 65 - 76 Reflection 1:

Pages 65 - 67 generate a sense of excitement and competition about the purpose and importance of creating a compelling scoreboard.  After rereading these pages, how would you respond to the following quote from page 66: "If the lead and lag measures are not captured on a visual scoreboard and updated regularly, they will disappear into the distraction of the whirlwind."? 

4Dx Pages 44-64 Reflection...What are Lead Measures?

Pages 44 - 64 bring a great deal of clarity to the difference between lag and lead measures.  In your own words, what are lead measures and why are they critical to WIG achievement?

4Dx Pages 44-64 Reflection...Brainstorming Lead Measures:

Lead measures eliminate the element of surprise that only focusing on lag measures will have.  If our campus wildly important goal is that students will demonstrate at least a full year's growth in order to meet end of year performance standards in literacy, what actions do you think will have the greatest leverage to move the lag measure?  What do we need to do differently as a campus, grade level, classroom teacher?  What barriers do you foresee and how will we overcome them?  What practices do we need to increase?  abandon?  What action do we need to take?

4Dx Pages 23-43 Reflection 3:

"As Steve Jobs often said, 'I'm as proud of what we don't do as I am of what we do.'" - 4Dx page 43-

After reading 4Dx and after our professional learning in August, what does this quote mean to you? What implications does it have for our campus, your classrooms, students, and you this year?

4Dx Pages 23-43 Reflection 2:

Our brains are hardwired to focus on one thing at a time with excellence.  Review the text on the bottom of page 25 - page 27. Students will often have more than one area needing growth or improvement.  If we push too many goals for students, it goes against the brain's hard wiring, yielding mediocre results at best.  We must look at each student carefully and ask ourselves, "What is the one area where change will have the greatest impact on student achievement?"  

How then will we determine what is wildly important for students?  What battles will we choose to win the student achievement war?  What if the wildly important for a student isn't in the content area you teach? How will we resist the urge to add more goals for students?

4Dx Pages 23 - 43 Reflection 1:

"To our wildly important goal we want to devote our best effort." - 4Dx-

What might happen if we (campus/grade level)/you (individual/classroom) spent 20% (or...76 minutes in the day) of your energy focused on the wildly important?

Collective Efficacy:

What evidence do you have that supports the notion that "ALL students will be successful simply because they are a LEADER at Seven Hills Elementary?"  After today's intentional planning, data dives, and vertical conversations, what evidence do you anticipate we will have in May?

What would an abundance mentality look like in your classroom as you work to help EVERY student make progress?