Collaborating at Irving - Kayla, Hannah, and Kelly

Two highlights of this last full week of cold January –

1.  I recently “caught” Kelly Will in Hannah’s second grade classroom observing Hannah teach a math lesson.  Hannah was working with the “3 Acts of a Mathematical Lesson” that Kayla has been using in her approach to teaching math to her kindergarteners.  The interaction among this trio of teachers shows how we all can stretch, learn and grow as educators; Kayla has stepped up to lead us in learning a sound method to teach certain mathematical concepts, Hannah has run with Kayla’s approach and Kelly recognizes the potential that such an approach has for helping her students learn math!

Is this not a great example of how team players make public what in the past would have been private?  All three teachers are going to improve their practice – not only their individual practice, but the collective practice of all of us who inquire about how we might do something similar.

2.  Tuesday’s in-service on writing by Jennifer Servallo was thought provoking.   We can come away from such workshops feeling empowered and eager to do more.  The standards on writing are clear, but it’s probably safe to say that we need “more flesh” on the bone – the type of knowledge that Servallo offers.  Servallo walked us through the power of selecting a familiar setting and zeroing in on a meaningful activity within that setting to develop a written passage worthy of our time and effort.  Her use of mentor texts to help us structure a writing piece lifts a veil about why and how writers use certain techniques in their craft.

But how much can we undertake successfully as a staff? How many goals can we take on?   We know that many of the jobs of tomorrow will require good writing skills.  Perhaps some of you were inspired enough to wake the writing teacher in you – if you are so inclined, let us know and we will support you in every way.

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