So many exciting things have been happening with our students’ learning that it’s hard to keep up. Updates on Intervention Practices: If you haven’t recently looked at our Interventions page, you’ll be happily surprised there are new connected activities for you. If you need assistance, please email me. Consistent review of your data reports goes…
Category: Assessment Practices
Being Data Informed – Student Driven Conversations
Funny thing around data – when students are an intricate part of the conversation, it takes on a whole different meaning. Recently, I was facilitating one of our Joint Teams (LSS/Classroom partners and Learning Technologies) with a focus on supporting learners with written output challenges. There were several tools that provide significant success for students….
September in the Wind
Fall is definitely in the air, though I’m holding out for those rays of sun peeking out from the clouds. Some of you have started using the online Raz-Kids for your Running Records assessments, which is also available to any of your students. This will give you a fabulous pre/post running record of error counts…
Discovery and Relationships
It’s June and I’m really not sure what happened to this year. The ten months prior have whizzed by and here we are again. I wanted to take this moment to share some reflections of the year. Our Fast ForWord teams saw a boost and challenge in the delivery of this Tier 3 intervention program. The move…
iPad/iPod Apps ShootOut – Multisensory Blitz
District Pro-D arrived on February 22nd. Offered at two sites (Byrne Creek and Taylor Park) complete with video feed of our keynote to Taylor Park, it served as a reminder that connection, collaboration, ideas generation happen when we all come together. With over 110 sessions, it was an electrifying event. No small feat for a…
Quick Markers As Evidence Along the Way
We all understand that having current information about a student’s learning help in guiding our ongoing practice. When there are so many things that compete for time in our day, sometimes it’s difficult to get to those formative assessments. And it’s in these times that I find efficiency and speed is my friend. Even though…
Growing Readers
I just finished rereading A Corner of the Universe (A. Martin), an intermediate novel for Literature Circles next term. I was reminded once again how meaning can be taken to a whole new level just by the manipulation of words. What happens when there are monstrous barriers that make words impossible to decipher? Make no…
New Sessions – Launching Fast ForWord and Interventions
Hi Everyone, We’ve booked 2 sessions on the Staff Development calendar for ANYONE who is working at a Fast ForWord site (including satellite sites). If you came to the Introductory session in October, please consider attending Part 2. Part 1 (Wed. November 16th; 12:30-3:00) will focus on the following: brief introduction to neuroscience and implications to…
Assessments – Yearend
In our ongoing efforts to chronicle our journey, please complete the Yearend Assessment Data sheet and return by Thurs. May 26th 2011. I have also produced the form online (click here) if you would prefer that format. Student/teacher/parent surveys are optional, however, consider collecting those wonderful stories. The surveys can be found online:
Prevention is easier than Intervention
Imagine a week where no red flags appear in Progress Tracker – those crazy hints that you may have to readjust your teaching. This is one of the reasons that it is important to work through the exercises yourself so that you get a feel for any problems that may crop up for your students. …
Why No Progress! Intervention layers…
A small group recently got together to tackle Progress Tracker – the reporting engine that provides an incredible amount of data to sift through. Here are some of the highlights of what was gleaned at our Interventions learning session (January 18, 2011): Prior to an intervention process, assess the situation: direct observation of student (what…
January 2011 – Learning on the Calendar
Welcome to 2011. It’s the start of a new year and just the time to check what’s happening in the calendar. Since we moved our Learning Session Registrations online, we’ve had many people say how easy it is to check for events and to register. However, because it is so dynamic, sometimes in our busyness…
Coming Up
Kurzweil 3000 – Part 2: (This is really where the power of this tool takes off – ability to colour-code notes and annotate – making thinking come alive…) Monday Nov 29 (3:30-5:30) at Schou. We have a guest speaker who will take us through ‘going deeper with comprehension’. Destination Success – Using Assessment Features to…
Power in Interventions
Wow! We just finished our Interventions Day with Tom Chapin and what an amazing day. For some it was an introduction to Progress Tracker and the implications of what the data was showing us. For others it was a new twist on what we knew. Everyone took away a new found appreciation for both using…
Launching 2010 Year
What a great launch on September 30th at Byrne Creek. Thanks to all of you who made it after a long day of work. Discussion ranged from review of student selection criteria, intervention boxes, new assessment binders to support milestones of where our students are, to connecting with our colleagues at all the sites. Individuals…