Engagement-  What strategies do you use to ensure engagement in the classroom?  How do you measure engagement?  How do you know students are engaged?  What type of work or assignments lend towards higher engagement?  All these are important things to consider when planning lessons.  We know students are more motivated when they feel success, there is a social aspect, and they find fun in what they are doing.  This week I share observations that I saw last week.  In one classroom students were working with partners to complete an assignment that connected to a fun activity they had done via a large group game. Students then starting a task that included an example posted in the room of what success looked like.  How do I know students were engaged you might ask?  Well students were able to explain what they were doing, they were able to make connections to prior learning, and they were able to transfer knowledge from the fun activity they had done several weeks ago and use what they learned to explain and complete the assignment.  This lesson had the components of an engaging lesson and students were engaged in learning.  We have amazing examples daily of student engagement.  Engagement leads to learning and success.  Ensure that your students are engaged.  

Advisory-  A key component of our advisory time with students is our community circles.  How are they going?  Are students developing empathy for others and learning from each other?  Remember that these community circles are probably more important than ever in our world today.  We can impact students through giving them opportunities to listen to others points of view and understanding others.  Connecting with other students unlike themselves and understanding others thinking is a life skill that we can help our student develop through our community circle.  If you are looking for prompts for your circles be sure to check out Audira's Advisory canvas page and let the students learn from each other.  

Accolades @ Lincoln 

Thanks to all teachers for having flexibility during our NWEA testing week.  Adjustments in the schedule always throw students off and we stayed together and were successful in completing the tests. Special thanks to Darlene, Shannon, Jodi, and Sam for stepping into rooms that we had subs.  Another example of what Team Lincoln is about.  Thanks for having each other back and helping in a moments notice.   

Jack Hildreth-  Have you seen his science classes new class pet?  A bearded dragon.  The pet was the product of a project that Jack did in his classroom first semester and now students will name the dragon and learn about various science concepts through taking care of the pet.  Great job of engaging your students Jack.  

Matt Harter-  Matt recently completed his annual Food truck project where students develop a food truck concept and figure out all the math that goes into the development of the food truck from design to role out of the truck.  In a normal school year students would finish the project by cooking the food and being judged in a sort of cooking competition.  This year students learn from real life food truck founders via Zoom and then presented their projects to the class.  The winners will receive a pizza party this week.  Great job Matt and yet another example of amazing student engagement here at Lincoln.  

Ashley Oliver- Ashley took on the job of scheduling our case conferences half way through the first semester and has done a great job with this important work.  Well done.  

Our 8th grade Boys Basketball team-  The boys head to the championship of the conference tournament Monday night.  They are a really impressive group of talented players.  They have represented Lincoln well and we wish them luck.  Great job to our coaches Cory Walters (Izabella's and Coby's dad) and former Lincoln student Brayden Davidson.  

Upcoming @ Lincoln:  

Tuesday PD- Tuesday Jan. 19th 3:20-3:50 CTE and Next Level Pathways

                      Tuesday Jan 26th- Department Meetings 7:15-7:45 

eLearning Day- Friday Jan. 22nd 

Spirit Assembly- Friday Jan. 29th

Check In Week-  Jan. 18th through Jan. 29th

Have an Amazing week!