MCA Prep

MCAs are right around the corner! Well... ok, in two months, but in the math world that is pretty close! My PLC has been trying a lot of new things to get math scores up. I just wanted to share what we are doing and also see if anyone else has good ideas!

Our students took the OLPA test, which is basically a practice MCA. We were able to get a ton of data from it. We have grouped our students into six different groups based on their scores. We are using these groups to pull students for SWAT (school-wide enrichment/intervention time). As we are able to see whichstrands were strengths and which were weaknesses, we can focus in on one or two concepts during a SWAT to reinforce specific skills. We have only done this once so far, but we did it last year and it had good results. Another thing we are doing differently this year is putting more MCA type questions on assessments and in our daily lessons. At the end of each unit, we will devote an entire day to going over the types of questions students may see on the MCA using the concepts we have just learned. We are also trying to build in more test prep questions into homework assignments. I am excited to see how far our students can get before the test at the end of  April.

What kind of activities or interventions will you use to prep for the MCA?

Bullying

Hi Everyone!

This is an article that my principal forwarded to our staff.  The article provides some interesting points to keep in mind as educators, so I thought I would share it with you.

http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/email/newsletter/1411641979

7 Reasons Teachers Should Blog

http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/seven-reasons-teachers-should-blog.html?m=1

Co-teaching

This semester, I am fortunate enough to be co-teaching one hour of English 7 with an ELL teacher. This is my first experience with co-teaching. Do any of you co-teach and have advice/suggestions to share?

Cursive Writing

A friend forwarded this article to me about cursive writing.  It is disappearing from most state standards as we move into an age when computer keyboarding skills are much more valued.  Still, some people think that cursive writing helps with brain development. It is almost like a foreign language - without it we couldn't read the Declaration of Independence! My second grade students are excited to learn it, but there are so many pressures to prioritize and maximize instruction time that I can see why cursive would be sidelined.  What do you think?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323644904578272151551627948.html

Beth

PBIS-Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies...

I've always been a huge advocate of rewarding students for doing the right things. As opposed to punishing students for doing the wrong things. For, instance, having a marble reward jar for students who make it on time to class with their supplies ready to go for the day's lesson. Do you have any other neat positive ideas to assist in student motivation both academically or behaviorally?

Literacy Pilot

Today we had our elementary training for the fourth curriculum in the literacy pilot.  As the grade-level language arts rep, I've been to all of the trainings and have been facilitating the pilot in my grade level.  It has been an interesting and in-depth process.  I was the science rep last year for my grade, and so had the same opportunity to engage with the science pilot.  I've found the piloting process to be quite a bit more extensive this year for language arts.  I have found it to be helpful to have the entire year to pilot the different materials, rather than one quarter.  The trainings have also been more in-depth and informative.

Have any of you been working with the literacy pilot?  What have your experiences been?  Do you have any thoughts on the materials?