Increasing Cognitive Capacity

Are students given ample time to talk during your lessons?  Is there a balance between the amount of talking teachers are doing and students are doing?  Are students asked to communicate their learning, the objectives for learning, or their goals for learning.  When students are asked to share their learning they are thinking more and it also can serve as a great strategy prior to writing which requires them to think yet again.  Classroom student discourse helps keep students engaged in learning as well.  Here is an article that I shared in previous years.  Never Say Anything a Kid Can Say


Amazing Accolades:

• I make today better:  Houses were asked to have students write how they make each day better.  The posters that were created were Amazing and what an awesome thing to have our students think about.  They do make each day better.  
• We love seeing the amount of students that are taking on leadership roles in classrooms around the school as we walk through classes, great job of engaging students in their learning. 
• Speaking of engaging students in their learning.  Kudos to Ms. Bronicki for giving ELL students a choice on which level of questions they will answer on an assessment and the student I witnessed chose the level three option over the level two option more often more of the time.  
• We continue to see more students using the iPad to record themselves and talk about their learning or their goals they have set for themselves.  Great use of technology to engage students in metacognition.  
• Feedback:  Teachers giving great feedback to students.  Remember the effect size of student feedback, 0.74.  This is awesome.  
• Kudos to our media students working hard to capture our students doing awesome things.  It is great seeing students working after school to interview and record our student athletes competing.  Their work helps create an awesome culture among students.  Be sure to watch announcements to see this great student work.  
• Kudos to Ms. DeLucenay for taking part in our HOPE classes and ELL classes.  She visits these classes on Fridays and it is a great way to help our students and for her to meet students.  
• House Challenge- We had our first House challenge this past week as the Blizzards were trying to earn some additional points to climb the standings.  House Lightning were not so generous as they held on to their points.  These challenges are great.  They should be done on Wednesdays during advisory time.  

Upcoming @ Lincoln:  

Monday PD-  Behavior RTI tomorrow-  This is our first behavior RTI collaboration of the year.  These meetings are designed as problem solving collaborations that move from identification of students to action steps to help students respond better in tier 1 expectations.  Remember that together we can make a difference as we respond to where students are and help them get to where they need to be to be more successful more of the time.  This is who we are.  

    Next Monday:  Academic RTI Collaboration 

Leadership Meeting Tuesday- 7:00 Darlene's room 

Immunizations-  We have approximately 40+ students who have yet to get their immunizations needed to attend school.  Starting Tuesday the students that are not up to date or have not indicated a plan for immunizations will be excluded from attendance.  As we work through this, students should have opportunities to make up work or have the work not counted against them.  I am pretty sure we will have students excluded.  They have Monday to get the immunizations or a plan.  I will keep you updated.  

Check In Week-  September check ins with teachers will begin this week.  Teachers should come prepared to talk about the following: 

• Focus areas in Math and LA 
• Increasing thinking, reading, writing in all areas
• Goals for the year 

School wide Fundraiser Coming-  Our PTO run World's Finest Chocolate Fundraiser will kick off on September 25th with a convocation at 1:00.  We will share an alternative schedule this week.  House points will be rewarded for the top selling Houses.  The top 3 houses that sell the most boxes of chocolate will earn points.  There will be an additional prize for the top selling house.  

College Go Week- September 23rd-27th

Lincoln PTO Meeting- Monday 6:00-7:00

immunizations