Progress or growth? What do we measure?

Progress or Growth?

 

These two characteristics are measured by our state MAP tests.  We look at what each cohort does as it travels through the buildings, meeting each team or group of teachers.  They work their way through the system, growing and maturing.  We also compare this group to last year’s group, looking at how well they did in comparison to last year’s group of students measuring the effectiveness of the instruction, calling it progress.

Now that we are finished with the first quarter of the 2013-14 school year, we begin to wonder with renewed interest about our impending scores for this year.  We have made some adjustments in our schedule.  Now, each math teacher has agreed to teach multiple grade levels and abilities.  This allows us true collaboration since each teacher will have a partner, also teaching the same class.  Hence, the term common assessment, collaboration and a true PLC model becomes more than a few teachers each teaching their own content.  Now, these teachers can collaborate.  These teachers are able to look at this individual group of students, examine their area of needs and strengths.  Thus we see what this cohort does as it grows through the system.

Progress, however, attempts to examine a grade level, comparing this 8^th grade with last year’s 8^th grade.  Growth would be the students getting better and progress would indicate teachers making better connections with the students.  Together, they indicate the health and vitality of a school building.

Winfield Middle School improved in all our areas last year.  Math, English/Language Arts (ELA) and Science all scored increases.  Knowing the efforts in place last year and comparing them with our efforts this year, we can’t wait for July!  #onthemap will really mean something as each of the staff at WMS play their #partofthepuzzle in our students lives.  #sbg

What would you do with an extra 25 minutes every day?

After the initial shock and surprises surrounding the initial release of Missouri MAP score results in August, we must decide what comes next.  Winfield Middle School had growth in all three tested categories: MATH, ELA and SCIENCE  So where do we go from here?







 

A great take-away from PD training in Scottsdale Arizona (see picture above) at the effective schools (@effectiveschool) conference was______?

WHAT DO WE DO WITH OUR RESULTS?
More of the same or follow through with deliberate intentional adjustments based on research applying methods proven to effect students positively?

At Winfield Middle School, we have changed many things; room assignments, courses taught, lunch order.  All of these are designed to allow content teachers the ability to visit, collaborate and compare notes on a frequent and regular basis inside the school day, without extra time added to their schedules.  In fact, its like we found extra time!

What would you do with an extra 25 minutes every day?  With our extra time, we collaborate.

Pick your local Missouri school.  What role does collaboration play in their efforts?  Is there cooperation between the teachers or competition?

A great take-away from Professional Development training in Scottsdale Arizona (see picture above) at the effective schools conference was teacher collaboration.

What does the St Louis landmark The Jewel Box have in common with good communication?

How many ways of communication are readily available today?  What lessons can we learn from glass houses?

In St Louis, our Jewel Box is just a vehicle or environment for growing things, year 'round.  Like a communication tool is only as good as the effort we make to achieve successful communication.  Is our message shared and received, or just shared?  Things won't grow in there without care.  Nothing is automatic!



At school we are easing into additional technological communication.  Not to mandate but lead, model and practice, we began twitter accounts for everyone that wanted last year.  Some were willing.  Some were reluctant.  Others were adamantly opposed.  Regardless, we have found success, learned things and were able to apply some things to our classrooms, schools and districts.

This year, we are again progressing forward.  Winfield Intermediate School and Winfield Middle School are building and publishing facebook sites to better inform our constituents. We are willing to join their preferred mode of communication to try and connect with even more of them.  The facebook page will probably not be the sole provider of school related news but just another way to reach out.

Also new this year is the application called Remind101.  From their website, a teacher establishes an account base of parents and students in their classes and can blast a text msg to the entire group.  Sort of like a one way message.  It works because teachers establish a bulletin board type account.  They get a special phone number and access code.  Then the teacher supplies the access code and phone number to the parents.  The parents text the special code to the given phone number and its done.  From then on, the teacher sends out a message to the entire class group, just like sending a text to a friend. 

Twitter is still active. Our hash tag #onthemap has become # pieceofthepuzzle.  We tried to assemble a puzzle that was missing a piece.  Frustration and blame were the immediate outcomes.  We considered our struggling students may share those feelings when they are asked to accomplish a task, even e when they are lacking a component necessary for success.  Our positions as caring adults often give rise for us to be a piece in their puzzle.

 

Traditional methods are of course still available.  Email, phone and written correspondence along with old fashion face to face still provide accurate and effective methods of communication.  School is a place where we all work towards common goals, using various methods of communication.  What works for some, may not work for others.  Hence, variety is required.  In all this variety, nothing assures us the message will be sent, received and interpreted correctly. Just like in the Jewel Box, nothing guarantees the plants will grow.  Care and attention is necessary for successful communication and successful growth!

What does all this communication look like?

Blog, www.mrmccrackensblog.blogspot.com

Facebook, www.facebook.com search for the Winfield Middle School facebook site 

Remind101, www.remind101.com

Phone, 636/668-8001

Email, tommccracken@winfield.k12.mo.us

Web page, www.winfield.k12.mo.us

Press release, send to http://www.lincolncountyjournal.com/

Twitter, @McCracken63

School Reach calling service

Parent Portal for Grade Access, https://sdm.sisk12.com/WL/

www.youtube.com
Animoto Links http://animoto.com/
What is your preferred mode?

What does it mean:" I don't like to read?"

What can’t you do?  What is the last thing you learned?  Where was the struggle? 

"Deliberate Practice?" 

What does it take to change? Hope, change, inspire, faith, persistence, and resiliency.

We strive to have things under control.  We strive to do the best we can with what we have.  We strive to do as much as possible with what we have.

From our student’s perspective, we ask them to try something new every day.  We ask them to take risks.  We ask them to try again.  We ask them to persist, even though they may fail, over and over again.  (reminds me of Green Eggs and Ham)
 

But what if they don't know how?  What if there is no one in their life that models that type of behavior?  What if there are too many obstacles?  How will they be able to persist?  Educational Leadership speaks of Grit this month and what it takes to develop that attribute in others.  What is needed for educators to help kids try?  Here are some thoughts:

Environmental:

A safe environment, free from sarcasm from each other and the teacher is vital to trying new things. Often times, students know each other better than the teacher knows them.  The teacher is the new variable in the equation.  If kids have grown up using sarcasm, biting words and mean comments, the teacher is often the first one to recognize their mistreatment of each other, hold them accountable and raise a higher standard.  This is the beginning of creating a fail-safe environment and natural for good teachers.

Encouragement:

An encouraging environment, where risk is embraced, taking chances is encouraged and failing is natural is a crucible for change.  Students will be willing to risk failing if they know the sweet sound of praise from success and the soft encouragement to persist and try again. (sounds like Green Eggs and Ham) If encouragement is too hard to earn or given too freely, risk taking diminishes and students fail to grow.  The question becomes can a teacher be too hard or too nice?  (Econ 101:  The Law of Diminishing Returns)

Acceptance:

A loving and accepting environment, where approval is not based on actions but on humanity fosters esteem and self-confidence.  Students know they will be accepted for who they are.  Their behavior may become something that needs adjusting but as individuals, the students will develop and mature.  Attempts for attention through deviant behavior are often cries for help. 

Affirmation Building:

Positive talk to others, each other and to self.  Seldom do positive things happen without good talk to self.  This affirmation stage is foundational to preparing ones mind for success.  It seems obvious that a team should not talk trash to each other.  After a dropped pass, does the team need to remind the receiver to "watch the ball?"  But what about opponents?  Do they deserve trash talk?  Not from a true champion.  A winner does not need to berate others.  The loser wont have anything to say that really matters. Finally, SELF -TALK is the most important.  A dialogue that encourages and not tears down is something that needs to happen internally.  Believing in oneself is truly the beginning of success and accomplishment. 

A Worthy Reward:
The challenge has to align with the abilities.  It cant be too hard, nor too easy.  Either of those cases will reduce the effort.  There must be an authentic value to the goal for an earnest effort to reach the mark.  A great teacher aligns the steps, challenges and goals with the abilities of the pupils. 

 

Our Response:
So how do we respond when we hear: But I don't like to read!  I can't write!  I am not good at math!    What can we do to overcome these objections to learning?  They sound like things a salesmen may hear.  I don't like the color!  I can't afford it!  It does not fit!  None if these are saying:  I don't want it!  They are saying, I want it but don't know how to make it happen with my current resources! HELP is what they are truly saying.  Help me learn.  Help me want to learn.  Help me learn to learn.  I trust you!

It is a student who remarks about not being able, good at or understanding, NOT SAYING I AM UNWILLING!

He is crying for help to meet his unspoken or un-articulated goal!  That is for a teacher to jump in, get along side and help develop that skill!  That is a heavy goal.

Wow!  What an honor!

 “Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good.” - Malcolm Gladwell,

Communication about change from the middle school:

How many forms of communication about change are necessary to connect with constituents?

 This teacher has communicated in so many ways, there is no excuse not to know!

 

What is the best way to communicate?

Connecting, building bridges of influence, helping others grow regardless their position and enjoying progress are a few of the marks of master teachers.  Is this rare or is this the norm.  At Winfield Middle School, there are many solid educators striving to influence the future, one life at a time, all through exemplar communication. 
 

No longer.

To improve our communication from our teachers we are piloting a program called remind101. www.remind101.com  This allows staff to send a text message to every parent signed up.  Homework reminders, test dates and class announcements would be the primary purpose.  So when you want to know what happened, look at your text messages!

Parents, connect via Remind101:

text @mrmccracke to 573/629-1051

Social Media:  Twitter: @mccracken63
We are also using twitter for PD, personal and professional development and connecting with other professionals, as well as letting parents and followers know about teams, schedules, play by plays and even scores. Like us on Facebook for other timely information about what is happening here.

Subscribe to this blog:

This weekly blog www.mrmccrackensblog.blogspot.com shares the Principal's perspective of a variety of leadership topics, from teaching, serving, building champions to Green Eggs and Ham, all surrounding education.  There are over 75 posts devote to the advancement and development of our educational growth.

A daily email from our Office
Everyday, our students hear announcements but seldom do they make it all the way home.  A duplicate written version is published every day and sent out via a group email. Feel free to call or email to sign up to receive these timely posts.

Traditional modes:
Of course the cell phone, text messages and email as well as personal visits and letter writing are also allowed and even encouraged.  Gone are the days when we could say, "I never knew." or "Nobody told me."  If the desire to know is there, the mode is there. 

What is your favorite form of communication?

 

Tom McCracken

Winfield Middle School Principal

From #onthemap to #pieceofthepuzzle

Two of our staff back to school activities are...

This year we have opened with a puzzle theme!  Two lessons were stressed.

 Our back to school activities for teachers:

1.       Instead of sharing with a shoulder partner a few pictures of the summer everyone submitted a few pictures via email and a movie was made, set to the Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony! Each picture was shown for 10 seconds and we all shared a verbal vine about the scene.  The variety of all the submitted pictures ranged from Spain to Florida, to family and friends, beaches and mountains, with and without people!  To conclude, we pondered how our experiences in this room, over one summer were far more than those of most of our students, maybe even over a life time!  We did more in one summer than they may accomplish in their lifetimes.  This granted us the permission to begin our academic adventure painting a picture of a physical adventure, traveling from a place of sure footing to uncertainty.  We connected the educational risks with those geographical risks surrounding travel, adventures and summer trips!  We thought of the joy these adventures brought to our own children and how their eyes lightened and memories were etched in their minds.  We wondered what it would take to being that same passion and enthusiasm into the classroom.

2.       Additionally, later that same day, we built a puzzle with pieces we received earlier that day.  However, one piece was deliberately withheld.  When asked to assemble the puzzle, things were progressing smoothly.  We got to the end and noticed the missing part.  Many applications to this missing piece were discussed.  We talked about the contributions each of us makes to the students’ lives.  Additionally we wondered if our students were feeling these same feelings of frustration when they almost finished their projects but were not equipped to reach the final conclusion.  Often, they could not reach the mark due to circumstances beyond their control.  This only reinforced the student’s perception that the true locus of control was outside their influence.  According to the students, success is unattainable and extenuating circumstances always prevent them from reaching the finish line. 

Therein lays the issue.  Students often follow this thought process:

With no opportunity for success, why even try? 

If I can’t win, why would I even play? 

If the chances of success are so slim, I won’t even risk it!

Our answer is simple.  We deliberately reach out to students, even if they push us away, especially if they push away.  They need healthy relationships even more!  A student must learn self-affirmation and positive self-talk!  A student must believe in himself or her own value, regardless of the situation.  A student must have a positive example, role model, caring adult or some support team that breaks the negative cycle.  This comes through a concerned adult, caring enough to share their lives with the student’s lives and willing to follow the green eggs and ham example. 

How do we help foster success?  Build a relationship.  Make a connection.  These simple actions begin to act as bridges or pathways or routes out of the negative cycles and allow students to court with success.  This lays out a foundation for a future attempt, and sets up an exit strategy for those attempts that fall short.  A pattern of persistence and determination becomes the norm.  The illusive success becomes attainable and reachable becasue the pupil learns how to win and how to fail!

WSD is "Construct, Renovate and Change"

Q: What does it take to build anything, like New York City?   

A: One brick at a time!

Welcome
Thank you so much for the support for the students of our middle school.  This is a wonderful time in their lives and we here are honored to be a part of it.  We would like to share a few of the details surrounding some of the adjustments we are making here.

Technology

Parent: What did you do at school today?  

Student: Nothin.

No longer!

To improve our communication from our teachers, we are piloting a program called Remind101.  (www.remind101.com) This allows staff to send a text message to every parent signed up.  Homework reminders, test dates and class announcements would be the primary purpose.  So when you want to know what happened, look at your text messages!

Schedule

Research shows that teachers talking together actually helps students do better, especially when the teachers teach the same classes!  This is called collaboration.  We have grouped teachers geographically together by content this year:  math by math, grammar & reading together and sciences together!  This is designed to allow teachers to have lunch together every day, reducing competition and improving communication.

Lunch

Therefore lunch will be based on the 4th hour class, and not grade level.  Math and most science classes will eat first.  English second, and everyone else, third.  Some may even be allowed to attend their Jazz Band class early.  Another benefit is the number of students served per lunch is better aligned.  No longer do we have one lunch substantially different than another.  Our kitchen staff truly appreciates this! 

That is why the rooms are arranged differently.  We understand it will be an adjustment but together we can and will work through it.

Theme

Last year our theme was #onthemap.  We feel we have done a good job of putting Winfield Middle School on the map, and not just because of our flood assistance!  There were successes in every department, grade level, and class! 

This year, we are focused on a puzzle.  We know there are many types but in each, every part of necessary.  Here at WMS, EVERYONE is necessary, vital and valued, especially our students.  

These are some bricks we are using at the middle school.  What other contributions are available?  

 

Watch your thoughts; they become beliefs.

Watch your beliefs; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Parents:  text @mrmccracke to 5736291051 to get the latest announcements and pertinent information from the Middle School.