If you are a fan of football, or frigid weather, this weekend was certainly for you! I’m not a big NFL fan, and as such I’m not sure if I’ll catch the game tonight or not. I will likely tune in to try and see the halftime show, those are usually quite enjoyable, if they can stick to entertainment and leave politics on the sidelines. We had a wonderful weekend as the kids are getting used to our new dog, Bella. They are busy learning how to live with a pet, how she reacts to things like running in the house, or dropped pizza on the floor. Like I’ve been saying, getting a new pet is not so much about training the animal as it is about training the kids.
Last week I indicated that during my classroom visits I’d be curious about big ideas, and how these ideas were being made explicit to the kids. Some of the things I saw involved inviting kids to expand their thinking as they developed machines in grade 6, or how the kids were using their imagination through words and pictures in grade 2/3, or how the kids were relating perimeter and area in math. These were just three of the many things I saw, and that was during a short week with final exams kicking things off! As we head into our first full week of the second half of the school year, I find I’m reflecting on some of the words from Choice Words that Steve shared with us last week.
…the language that teachers (and their students) use in classrooms is a big deal…[t]hese words and phrases exert considerable power over classroom conversations, and thus over students’ literate and intellectual development
-Peter Johnston
This week when you engage with students and are trying to be aware of #20/80, what are some ways you can be intentional about the words you choose? What are you hoping the students hear? Is it the same as what you are saying? As I visit classrooms and pose questions I will try my best to be intentional in the words I choose as well.
Here’s what lies ahead this week:
Monday:
- Steve away marking provincial ELA exams
- Classroom visits: how is our language intentional?
Tuesday:
- Steve away marking provincial ELA exams
- Classroom visits: how is our language intentional?
Wednesday:
- Brenda & Joanne away at SERT meetings
- Classroom visits: how is our language intentional?
Thursday:
- Grad photos in the library all day
- Classroom visits: how is our language intentional?
Friday:
- High school career fair (in gym all morning)
- Bruce away (am only)
- Classroom visits: how is our language intentional?
As always, create a great week!
