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Reflection Fest Day 4: Favorite New Thing You’ve Tried
One of my favorite things is sharing resources with teachers. Today, let’s share the favorite new things that we’ve tried this year.
I still feeling like I’m learning so much about coaching. One of the things I’ve been doing this year is bring new teachers to observe veteran teachers.
I’ve done this before, but the twist this year is to observe with a focus on just one thing. For example, I went with a middle school ELA teacher to see a high school history lesson. We observed with a focus on all the routines that helped to make classroom management smooth. Of course we ended up noticing all sorts of other things too, but focusing in on routines helped us come away with a list of actionable ideas for the middle school teacher to try in her classroom.
Check out what teachers in our Tch community have been trying this year:
- “Applying a ‘less is more’ philosophy to unit planning. Common Core demands depth, rigor, and complexity. It takes time to teach the standards well. I have so many things I want to do with my class, but less truly is more.” — Esther Wu, High School English Teacher, Mountain View, CA
- “I have tried to teach writing in a new way — through comic books! It has been fun because I am able to teach students that they can be their own protagonists in their writing — a very powerful concept.” — Tita Ugalde, 2nd Grade Teacher, Los Angeles, CA
- “I have fallen in love with Sandra Kaplan’s Depth and Complexity Icons. The use of these icons immediately increases rigor and opens the door to rich conversation. I have used the icons during article analysis and during group discussions. Common Core requires students to use evidence and language from a text in their writings. I use the Depth and Complexity Icons along with graphic organizers to provide mentor texts for student writing.” — Sherwanda Chism, K-6 Gifted Teacher, Memphis, TN
Share your favorite new thing you’ve tried in the comments below!
More Reflection Fest 2013:
* Funniest Moment
* Most Inspiring Moment
* Biggest Challenge
* Your Goals for 2014
