3rd Week of January

DOK - How we respond when they fail to learn.

The first semester is over and some kids passed while others didn't.  Failure is a part of the learning process, but accepting failure shouldn't be.  How we respond to failure tells us if we truly believe in our vision, "Excellence for All" and our motto, "Where Every Child is Special".  If we believe in all kids, then we must also believe in our ability to work as a team to see those statements come to fruition.

There are 2 reasons that kids fail to learn.  There are kids who can't do the work, and there are kids who won't do the work.  When we can identify if this is behavioral issue (won't) or an academic issue (can't), we must work to isolate the root cause for their inability to demonstrate learning.  Here are a some questions that will help you isolate the root cause of failure.

Can’t	Won’t
Are they missing academic skills that are needed to help them learn? Does the student have a history of failure? Do they lack vocabulary or reading skills? What teaching style matches their learning style? (Kinesthetic, Auditory, Visual) What strengths does the student have in respect to learning the content?	Does the student have a history of persistent behavior problems? Is the student avoiding the learning task? Is the student seeking attention? Does the student lack organizational skills? Are there emotional or social issues? What behavioral strengths does the student possess?

With answers to these questions, you can begin to determine what can be done to change the conditions for learning.  By changing the conditions for learning, we can improve the chances that failure will transform into success.


Don't Give Up
These kids are counting on us, and I know that it is hard helping kids overcome failure.  To help you focus on not giving up on a child, read this.  "7 Things to Try Before You Give Up On A Student" http://t.co/nzQYdRKOmz via @pernilleripp 

Collaboration

Think of collaboration time as time for collective growth with your colleagues.  If we are learning with and from our colleagues, then we can find new ways to better help all students learn.   "The Growth Mindset – Not Just a Kid Thing" is a cool little piece that I found to help me focus on my own personal growth and development. I think you will find it beneficial as well.

College & Career Readiness - What's your College Knowledge?
Here are a few questions to ask yourself about college.

• What does a student need to do to be able to go to junior college in Texas?
• Earn a high school diploma and apply to the school.
• In Texas, the student must pass the TSI test to be able to take college courses.  They can be exempt from taking the TSI by earning a 4000 on their STAAR EOC in English 2 and Algebra 1.  If they make a certain score on  PSAT, SAT, or ACT, they can also be TSI exempt.  
• Which test is better for a 4 year university, SAT or ACT?
• It depends.  If a student is stronger mathematically, then ACT is a better test for that student.  If he is strong in language, then SAT is the way to go.  However, some schools place a heavier emphasis on one test over the other.  As your student becomes interested in a university, research the school to see which test they prefer students to take.
• Also, some schools don't require the writing portion of the ACT test.  Find out what scores the school looks for in their application process, and plan accordingly.
• What role does student participation in organizations play in the application process for college?
• A well-rounded student is what schools want.  A student who participates in school clubs and organizations is good, but to be a more attractive applicant, schools want students who have been leaders of or have accumulated honors through the organization.  Membership is important, but active participation increases an applicant's value.

TIP (Tech Integration Pic) of the Week

by Kristen Sweeney

The fourth graders at TES are using the app, Explain Everything. They are drawing pictures of polygons, including quadrilaterals. They are labeling parallel and perpendicular lines as well as specific angles. The great part about this app is that students can also record themselves talking about each shape and use their drawings as a slide show.  The app allows students to insert text, draw pictures, insert pictures and make neat slides to show the depth and complexity of their thinking.