Pen Argyl High School 2024

All resources can be accessed through the shared team drive linked here.

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Independent Choice Board

Always click the rocket ship icon to navigate through the interactive choice board.
Follow the directions on each slide.
Start by completing the Google Form in the middle.
Click the image to get started.

How do you keep up with grading extra assignments for higher students? I don't think it is necessary to put pressure on ourselves to grade everything. Feedback is important, and many times the activities students complete can be reviewed in a small group meeting. Additionally, I strive to create activities where the relevancy is higher and they are more motivated to complete it for that reasoning.

What are the strategies? For example, what does station rotation look like? We didn't see any of these techniques modeled, or when to use them. The choice board was one example of how to prioritize your time to meet with individuals or groups while providing students to work on something independently. However, you are correct and our next PD day will much more explicitly model those strategies.

What if certain students are on level together and make the most sense to match with each other, but those same students struggle to work together? Considering behavioral needs of students is a factor when creating groups. It is not always about academic level. The key is to group students based on the learning objectives and activities. If the students behavior together is a problem then only assign independent work. When they are in your group, you should be able to manage behavior. When they are not with you they can be sat seperately throughout the room.

How can we energize the class during reading? Consider adding in movement. Go for a walk while you read. Do a push-up between pages. Take breaks for questions. Also, consider eliminating some of the reading. Give students spark notes for chapters or page chunks that are less interesting or less essential. Evaluate the objective of the lesson. If it is to practice reading and comprehension skills then don't skip it. However, if it is to just learn more about the story in order to get to a future part where the comprehension is more important than summarize it for them. I'm not advocating for skipping reading, students should read. However, if it is a text they are less interested in why not give a little to gain a lot?

Activities or ideas to help with relatedness. Not all students are motivated to learn some things. How do we connect it more? One key strategy is striving to find real-world connections with what we are teaching. I find it best to do this as I pursue higher-level thinking skills. The reality is not all lessons can have those connections. However, when you consistenly add them in, you can motivate students through the more "basic" activities.

All resources can be found in the Team Drive "Ken Ehrmann Trainings"

How can we revise our lessons to be relatable? It is important to remember that relatedness includes peer to peer relationships. First, consider adding simple activities to encourage conversation amongst peers. Second, if you are using a small-group/independent work instructional style, consider your management style. Is a bit of socialization okay while students work? How would you be working in the same environment. If they are reaching our high-standards then perhaps it is okay. The small group instruction will also allow you to form stronger relationships with students.

What resources/techniques work for phonics for struggling learners. This is a key opportunity for small-group/independent differentiated work. Each phonics unit assess the students knowledge and ability. This will allow you to determine if they can practice the phonics skill independent or if they need direct instruction from the teacher.

How can I implement these practices specifically in elective courses. There are two frames of thought I will address with electives. They are not guaranteed but likely. Most or all of the content is new to students, so in theory, there is limited opportunity for differentiation. One, evaluate core content competencies students require to be successful in your courses unit. For example, if you are doing 3D CAD design, students needs foundational math skills including cubic measurement skills and graphing. Evaluate their competency on those topics and then create targetted mini-lessons. Second, consider a mid-unit check as students start to progress independently through hands-on projects. There will start to be a seperation in skills and then can allow you to create targetted mini-lessons.