Where Do We Go From Here?

We only have 3 precious years with them, and then, they are off....off to the land known as LHS to continue their learning journey.  And, learning definitely continues beyond the walls of TMS.  Check out what our former students are doing once they hit the high school.

More science experiments:  In the above photos, students are calculating distance and time by measuring the speed intervals of their "hovercraft."  That's physics, folks!

Stations!

Learn from great CT partnerships where both teachers have equal engagement --- this is evidenced by building shrines to those who are no longer with them (at least as a CT partner).  

Starting with the end in mind: as students participate in this class, they understand the ultimate learning goal.

Building connections between home and school.  Teachers listen, write, read, play, etc. outside of school too.

Building a community of learners:  this 9th grade warm-up includes ELA content as students learn about their classmates.  Check out that essential question too!

Including students in the development of classroom norms.

Practicing dialogue ---- in another language!  This is a game of clue where they try to solve the mystery.  Clever!

Practical technology - the countdown is on!

Writing happens....in another language.  Same skills, different language.

Make Sure to Stick the Landing

Strong closure to a lesson is imperative.  According to Tyler Reese in ASCD's article "Lesson Closure: Stick the Landing" the closure of a lesson "can affect a learner's ability to organize, evaluate, and store information presented in class."

Check out these great TMS examples of lesson closure:

Connecting Learning Goals to Student Successes!

Playing a game doesn't have to take a long time.  This quick game gives students an opportunity to practice their math skills and fluency as they race to "slap" the answer before their competitor.  Notice that the "audience" is also participating in the practice...not just those competing.

Connecting the objective of learning at the end of the lesson to bring it "full circle."

Providing a short video to reinforce concepts and make connections between prior knowledge and new learning.

Summarizing learning and reflecting upon the process helps make knowledge "stick."

Exit tickets can be a great tool to solidify learning; plus, they give the added bonus of teacher feedback for future learning needs.

5 out of 5 Stars

Over the past week, there have been so many Flyertime successes, engaging kids in getting to know one another, supporting our community by giving to kids in Ferguson, and great book discussions.

Flyertime success is a direct result of the tone we set and the effort we make to connect to kids and model the importance of the class.  Check out these great 5 star reviews (wording courtesy of Miss Marrone's summer reading discussion).

Using resources shared among TMS staff, this picture shows the value of formalizing Flyertime with a daily agenda.

In this book discussion, students discussed the book, rather than just reading the summary sheet.  By having students put down their summary sheet, we emphasize dialogue over "talk at you" presentations.

Setting up the classroom in a circle facilitates better discussion.  Kids make eye contact with one another and provide feedback to one another to continue the conversation.

Clearly, Divergent and Fault in Our Stars were popular reads this summer.  Students added their thoughts as these popular books were discussed.

Same Old, Same New...School Year

The return to school means earlier bedtimes, earlier wake times and inevitably, the feeling that we never left for summer.  Throughout TMS classrooms today, we've engaged students in back to school activities which help them connect to each other, us, the building, and of course, learning.  Check out these great examples...

Using QR codes as an introductory activity.

Getting to know one another:  "Would you rather????" requires that students make a choice and justify it with examples.  It's a good introduction to thinking processes.

Numbers that are important to you...But wait!  You have to make it an equation for someone else to solve.  This is a great example of integrating content and getting to know you activities.

A Letter to Me:  By having students begin writing on the first day of school, we set the tone for learning and give them an opportunity to express their first-day anxieties and excitement.

What does it take to be successful in math?  Here, students are thinking about how to be good mathematicians and setting goals for learning.

You can't hear, but this classroom's soothing atmosphere and expressive activities are enhanced by music.

Figuring it out:  students in this class are making predictions about the German language as an introduction to their new content.

Team building and problem-solving are the foundation to a successful science lab - it just makes sense to start the school year with such activities.

Students feel comfortable getting to know their neighbors and introducing them to other students in the class.

Perfect for 6th graders:  a book about the first day of school and anxiety that sometimes comes with a new school.

Student Rotations:  Students practice their logins, check in with their teacher, take notes, and in general, become familiar with the logistics of technology.

Building relationships starts on day one.  Here, students are showing one another what's important to them.  This is especially important in an intervention class when students often don't feel success.

It's never too early for safety!

Students are self-identifying their struggle with writing -- this is a great way to build buy-in for an intervention class!