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?
We will use what we have learned from 4DX, our work with our Lighthouse team coach, ILT and feedback from all staff to help guide students toward their one WIG. Remember Mike gave us a lot of great ideas on our Aligning Academics day that helped with the brainstorming and process of helping students find their ONE WIG!
ReplyDeleteOne WIG...we will have one WIG for each student. I agree with everything Hayley stated above. I'd like to add that if we stand back and really look at our students, most of the time, the one area we choose will impact multiple academic areas; therefore, only one WIG will be necessary to fill gaps and build future successes in all academic areas.
ReplyDeleteGreat point! Just bc we are focusing on reading in the early grades doesn't mean their math and science won't be impacted as well! If we believe our students can make growth then they will. If we plan intentionally and individually for the lead measures each child needs and utalize the supports we have at seven Hills and in the district then the climb each of our students will take will have a storm team just like Erik's.
DeleteI agree with Tara, we have to choose the one WIG that will impact several areas. More than one WIG will deliver mediocre results. A WIG is well WILD so it should make a WILD impact when achieved giving us WILD results!
ReplyDeleteOne WIG...One Student! I highlighted and annotated a lot in this section! I am suck a multitasker. I put too much on myself and my "brain slows down." Focusing on one thing will get the students something to celebrate about! We will achieve the gaps and get awesome results!
ReplyDeleteIn order to choose what is wildly important for students we need to look at the bigger picture, what will help them succeed overall. This is why it is important for students to have ONE goal and not many. All goals, no matter the content area, build on each other and support all content areas no matter what. So just because it is not specific to your area doesn't mean it isn't beneficial.
ReplyDeletePowerful connections...you are absolutely correct, when we set the right goals for students, while they may initially focus on one content area, ultimately gaps will be filled in all content areas.
DeleteStudents need to see their learning as a whole and not content specific all of the time. If students have a reading wig it will also impact their ability to read a math word problem, introduce them to new words to use in their writing, and boost their confidence in other academic areas. I think we can resist the urge to add more goals by looking at the connections between content areas and realizing that one focused purposeful wig will impact the WHOLE student as a learner.
ReplyDeleteGreat point, Allyson! Any learning impacts other learning. If we are the models speak to this students will buy in and listen. I love your mindset on this and thinking about the WHOLE learner/child.
DeleteI believe that it is important to collaborate with data and those with experience to help narrow down what the WIG is per individual student. It is hard not to see all of the areas of need at once. It is important to know the student "steps" needed in achieving goals, so you will know where to start.
ReplyDeleteLove your connection to data amy. Using the measures the district and campus have in place to help pinpoint each S's area of need help determine the lead measures/ steps to take. We Have a number of support staff and knowledge on our campus that you do a great job of utilizing. :)
DeleteUsing the data is imperative. It can help us pinpoint the area that can yield the most growth for a student. If we can find that leverage point and help the student to succeed, then it is possible that the feeling of success they experience from achieving one WIG will light that fire we are looking for. I believe that allowing students the opportunity to get out of their own way and believe in themselves is half of the battle. For many of our kids, lack of confidence is as much of a road block as anything else. If we can use the data to help them find success then perhaps we will see a change across content areas regardless of the WIG.
ReplyDeleteGreat point on success produces more success. Some of our S's have never experienced that success. I know that you foster an environment in your classroom where success will happen because you believe in each of your students and will push them to achieve greatness! Thank you for all you do for our students at seven Hills!
DeleteData! The answer is in the data. When we can build confidence through WIG success, we will be able to support student growth and achievement in many areas. Our wildly important may be in one focus area, but there are implications beyond that content are.
DeleteI agree it is important to look at data. It is also important to evaluate whether or not growth in that content area will spill over into growth among all content areas. If the answer is yes and the data supports it, I believe that is a good place to start for a student WIG. Wherever you and the student decide to start, it is extremely important they only have one WIG so they can focus their efforts on achieving the wildly important.
ReplyDeleteData driven decision making! Right on target, Mackenzie. What does the data say is the greatest area of need? Start there and adjust as you see success and growth.
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ReplyDeleteThe wigs have a huge impact on what the students' main focus will be. It is important to have the student focus on one goal as opposed to many so that they can effectively improve. Put first things first.
ReplyDeleteSo often we think more is more. If we focus on everything surely something will improve. Right? We are learning with WIGs that less is in fact more! Focus on less so that we can move more! The trick is identifying what the one thing should be.
DeleteLooking at the data and what will give students the "most bang for their buck" will help students to decide on their WIG. Literacy affects all academic areas. Math problem solving (which is how students are tested on STAAR) is extremely difficult if a student has difficulty reading.
ReplyDeleteI think when setting academic wigs our student need to be completely involved in the process. Often times last year I just assigned wigs without letting the students understand and take ownership. This year, I hope that I can work with students to look at their data and be a facilitator of goal setting rather than just assigning them. This way students will have more ownership for their Wig. Having just one wig will help students focus on the wildly important as well. Wig setting and Wig achievement will be a snowball effect. Once students can find purpose and see results with 1 wig they will have more buy in to the process and then likely be even more excited the next time.
ReplyDeleteHaving students be active members in the process is going to make a big difference this year and will take time. With that being said we will need all hands on deck and will want shared ideas on what worked and what didn't to help streamline the process for the future. Great point Marisa!
DeleteAs the DRA window closes, I'm anxious to set their WIGS and get started on the lead measures for their success. I will work with whatever their WIG is to meet them and help them this year. With one wig they will be able, hopefully, to see gains and celebrate!
ReplyDeleteIt's all about finding the right leverage point! If students can't read then they can't do math problems. I think we need to look at students as a whole and work together as a team. It's not my kid it is our kid.
ReplyDeleteI myself felt overwhelmed with personal, professional, Team writing WIG, Team reading WIG, campus WIG etc.. I can see the purpose behind only having one WIG. When choosing a WIG we will have to consider what the greatest leverage point is for each student. What will ultimately help them close their achievement gap. As far as WIGs outside of our content knowledge, first we will have to remember we are educators. Not educators of a subject but of the "whole child."
ReplyDeleteAnd, we must remember that at 7Hills we believe in developing the whole child.
DeleteAt the end of the day, we must do what's best for students following the campus and district improvement plan. Those things are established for a reason. Our WIG relates to literacy. If students can't read and comprehend, it will negatively impact other content areas. We must think win-win in order for all learners to be successful. During LEAD time, my students will be working on their WIG. It is important for my students to see the connection to reading and the content areas that I teach. We struggle and grow together.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing...Haha. Less is best in this case. We can track other data but focus on the WIG.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely correct! The whirlwind is full of lag measures to monitor. Simply because we are narrowing the focus for the Wildly Important goal does not mean that the content areas left in the whirlwind don't need our attention. In fact, they should get 80% of our attention.
DeleteGuiding students to create a goal that will really support their greatest leverage point is essential. By making sure it is obtainable, they will gain confidence and take ownership in their learning and be able to grow even more.
ReplyDeleteGoals can scaffold up in many ways. It was mentioned that reading created more success in math. Absolutely. In Early Childhood, naturally we want students to learn colors, shapes, letters, etc. However the common denominator for being a successful learner is being able to function within the systems that are teaching you. Our students are foremost, learning "how to learn". Lining up, following directions, appropriate sharing of information, etc. are all critical to being able to being able to participate in learning all of the rest of the things that are to be taught. First things First.
ReplyDeleteYou start by looking at the areas of concern and the students area of strength. Then after analyzing their data you consider what will help them progress to the next level of achievement with ease and to feel confident in what they are capable of doing.
ReplyDeleteWe should start with data and focus on a goal that will have the biggest impact for their success.
ReplyDeleteI would start by analyzing the student data and determine the goal that would have the most impact on the students growth. Then figure out the actions or battles that would support the student to reach that goal.
ReplyDeleteWe must focus on what's best for the students. How can we bring our strengths together to help our students reach the summit? When everyone comes together with a common goal, looking out for the students' best interest instead of our own, then we will move mountains. It takes everyone.
ReplyDeleteIt will be tough to resist adding goals for our specific areas that we teach, but we must come together and see what is most important for each student and support them in their goals regardless of the subject.
ReplyDeleteI agree with so much that is stated above. By focusing on one WIG we can help the students see and/or develop the big picture so that they are able to begin with the end in mind. Helping them with the big picture will be crucial in them understanding the need for only one goal.
ReplyDeleteHoning focus is a difficult thing to do for adults which is why it is even more important for us to model and guide our students through learning how to do this. No matter how many areas of need they can be compared to find the one that will yield the most benefit.
ReplyDeleteI believe in order to help students choose what is Wildly important, we must first learn the students and understand their needs/desires for education. I think once we have the true understanding of them as whole, we can use the data to create a focal point.
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