When I’m visiting with teachers, it’s clear that their principals are encouraging them to consider student engagement. It is an important component of a strong learning environment.  It’s the time of the year when student engagement is waffling–the holidays and breaks from school brings out a variety of responses from both teachers and students.  I’m going to include more links on my posts in regards to student engagement, and I hope you’ll find it helpful as you consider your own students and classroom instruction.

AL A CARTE (12/13/2013)

 The Wingman – Check out this nice strategy for engaging those students who don’t want to engage readily.  Here’s a link to Docushare for the materials described in the video.

Age of Distraction – Speaking of engagement, here’s some thoughts on students and their inability to focus for long periods.

Thought Provider, or Thought Provoker? – I like how this author thought through his learning intentions, and follow-through, in the classroom.

Refocusing for a New Semester – We all want to improve our skills, our work with students. Here’s some suggestions for how teachers and students can prepare for second semester.

Like Your Students, Love Your Job – Rita Pearson is motivating and engaging.  Sadly, she passed away in June 2013.  This is her reflection on why relationships are important (and engaging for students).

We use rubrics regularly in education as it is a descriptive form of feedback.  We’ve had the Reader Traits Rubric now for six years (has it been that long??).   It’s a tool that has helped inform our instruction, our conferences with students and other stakeholders, and our thinking about the process of reading.  The genius behind any rubric (Reader Traits or otherwise) is that it is descriptive, not evaluative.  I mean, while we may use rubrics to evaluate performance, we know that the operating principle of a rubric is to match a student’s performance to the categorized description.  Then we can determine what further action needs to be taken towards that student’s learning, be it to adapt instruction of the current skill being assessed or move on to instruction involving a new skill.

I’ve been reading Susan M. Brookhart’s newer book (©2013) How to Create and Use Rubrics for Formative Assessment and Grading.   It’s a shorter read (at only 126 pages) encompassing two thoughts:  “All Kinds of Rubrics” and “How to Use Rubrics.”  You may be thinking, well, I know plenty about rubrics already.  Think twice, my learned colleague.  This book is well worth the read as it clarifies the purpose of rubrics and how to construct effective rubrics.  I catch myself creating a rubric sometimes that is more of a checklist of information:  “Yep, Student A got this category done, Nope, not this category”.  Brookhart clearly explains that rubrics really should have two aspects:  first, the rubric must have clear and appropriate criteria about the learning students will be demonstrating (not about the “task” they will be completing). Second, the rubric must have clear descriptions of performance over a continuum of quality.  A portion of the book explains how rubrics should assist with learning as well as assess it.   And, Brookhart outlines the difference between various kinds of rubrics (for example, general versus task-specific, and analytic versus holistic).  She clarifies when it is most appropriate to use each type, which I found helpful.  The two appendices provide plenty of examples from all grade levels and assorted content areas.  I particularly appreciated the discussions about:

• Common misconceptions about rubrics;
• Important differences between rubrics and other assessment tools such as checklists and rating scales, and when such alternatives can be useful; and
• How to use rubrics for formative assessment and grading, including standards-based grading and report card grades.

This book is a complete resource for writing effective rubrics and for choosing wisely from among the many rubrics that are available on the Internet and from other sources. And it makes the case that rubrics, when used appropriately, can improve outcomes by helping teachers teach and helping students learn.  This book validates the good work we do when using rubrics.  They are research-based best practice.  Please consider adding this title to your professional reading wish list, especially if you’re intrigued about the idea of how a rubric can be included in a percentage-based grade book.

AL A CARTE (12/6/2013)

 Remember Readworks? – Readworks, the website of free non-fiction passages, has added 100 new passages in the last week.  Check it out, especially if you’re looking for instructional materials to finish out the semester.

 The End of the Public University? – This blog made me think of our local university and the issues it deals with when it comes to funding a quality education.  As a graduate of a public university, it saddens me to think that many students may struggle to afford earning (what I think is ) a quality education.

Forget the Selfie — Loved this blog and thought what a good lesson it might make.  One could guide a thoughtful class conversation about social media or the idea of being other-centered..  December 3 is past, but it might be interesting to poll students about causes they find important, and help them think of ways they could help that cause (beyond sending money, like donating time or promoting their cause through social media).  ‘Tis the season for giving (back).

Close Reading, The New Buzzword – I’m hearing “close reading” cited so often in so many areas of education that I fear this important strategy will become overplayed.  Are you clear on the definition of close reading? Here’s Douglas Fisher, reading researcher and author about improving student achievement, sharing a solid definition.  When content area teachers ask you about close reading, this is a simple way of explaining it.

The Biggest Lie Students Will Tell – Thoughtful blog with good suggestions for those students who give up easily.

Do Your Students Know How to Converse?  – This blog gave me food for thought about classroom discussions. I often assume students know, by middle school, how to have a conversation.  Then I talk to my own children (5th and 8th grades).  I’m reminded that pre-teens and teens need guidance in the give-and-take of conversation (especially since we live in a world where conversation is most often virtual).

Pre-Thanksgiving Day, it seems appropriate to talk about thankfulness.  And in reflecting recently on the life and legacy of John F. Kennedy, I thought the quote most fitting to share with my colleagues.  I reflect with thankfulness throughout the year on my life, and often these thoughts are about the colleagues with whom I have the pleasure to work.  Without them in my lives, I know my mind would be duller and my life less fulfilling.  I’m thankful for our profession, despite all those things that make our jobs trying at times.  I’m thankful to be a reading teacher, because I know that I make a difference in students’ lives, and I know that you do, too.

AL A CARTE (11/22/2013)

How do you share gratitude? – Quick little article about the value of sharing gratitude with colleagues and students. It can be infectious, in a good way.

Tween Brains, Brains, Brains! – Nice little 3-part blog about the tween brain and why it ticks the way it does.  I kind of forget these things.  As the holidays approach, there were some good reminders about why those students do what they do, based on their brain development.

There’s Still Hope – An inspiring story about author Matt de la Pena, who was not a reader when growing up.  Now he’s a terrific author that your male students should know about.

How Books Can Open Your Mind – Maybe not for your classroom, but Lisa is very inspiring about the value of reading.  I like her thoughts on reading in multiple languages.

Chalk With Me – Fun website from Canada started by two women who believe tear down and put up walls between people.  You just have to check it out…could have some useful discussion ideas for future books.  And their art is pretty cool!

Grit, A New Educational Buzzword – Longer article (but worth the read) about a trend toward assessing students’ character attributes.  See what this author says about it.

Happy Thanksgiving!!  See you in December!

“The greatest part of each day, each year, each lifetime is made up of small, seemingly insignificant moments. Those moments may be cooking…playing catch with a child before dinner, speaking out against a distasteful joke, driving to the recycling center…. But they are not insignificant, especially when these moments are models for kids.”    – Barbara Coloroso (20th Century), U.S. Parent, Educator, Author. Kids Are Worth It (1994)

If you’re blessed to be a parent, you can probably think of a time or two when you’ve had a teachable moment with your son or daughter.  As teachers, we are blessed to have the privilege to experience teachable moments at work, too.  Have you experienced any teachable moments lately in the classroom?

One of the beauties of being a teacher is the opportunity to recognize and turn a seemingly inconsequential moment in the classroom into a powerful experience that provides students with a life lesson.  And those moments enhance all the planning and preparation of your well-crafted lesson, a little bit like the sprinkles on a cupcake.

You might be surprised to know that teachable moments aren’t something everyone does naturally.  It’s a skill that may take time to develop, but it is one of the strongest teaching tools to have in your professional “kit”.   Teachable moments aren’t necessarily accidental.  Teachers who are intentional about their work keep eyes and ears poised for teachable moments.  They are constantly observant, taking the time to notice, stop and engage with their students.  It means that they can adapt to the moment, not afraid (outwardly) of where the moment may take them.  Yet, they are willing to deviate for a few minutes from carefully developed plans because they value taking the risk to make learning real.  They know that, to meet the students where their interest and curiosity lie, leads to greater engagement and motivation.   It’s something that the pressures of data and testing and AYP can’t, and shouldn’t, eliminate from classrooms.  It’s what keeps intentional teachers (and hopefully you) coming back, day in and day out, to the classroom.

If you Google the term, you’ll see that “teachable moment” is broadly used in a variety of contexts.  What’s key to remember is that a teachable moment is a real benefit in our classrooms.  It’s spontaneous, addressing what sparks the interests of your students.   It may feel uncertain, yet it gives a different flavor to the learning.  It brings out change, both in the learners and the teacher.  What is more valuable than speaking to the moment? Don’t teachable moments make us glad to be educators?

AL A CARTE (11/15/2013)

Intentional Teaching – On the topic of teachable moments, I enjoyed this writer’s thinking through the idea of intentional teaching.  Nice reminders.  Made me ask myself: What techniques, cues, modeling tips and strategies do I integrate into my daily life as an educator to intentionally create learners?  I’d ask you the same.

Your Brain on Visualization – Cool infographic about how the brain stays focused on visual representations.  Now how can we transfer that focus to reading our classroom text??

The Secret to Successful Close Reading – I value the research of Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey. They always seem to be on the cutting edge of best practice.

 Gobstopper – This is the coolest app around! Oh, the day students have tablets, how easy it will be for them to read at home…and for us to keep tabs on how they are doing.

Q & A with Donalyn Miller – Thought you’d like to read about Donalyn Miller and her new book.  Here’s an older article that is also a valuable read.