March 8, 2019

We are going back to academic conversations.  WHY, you ask?  Simple.  The meet SO many targets that we need: high levels of student engagement, WAAAAYYYY more actual learning as our students learn from each other, and less behavior concerns.  

Let's face it.  Our students learn WAY more from sharing their learning than from listening to adults.  It's a fact.

How can you make this a routine part of your daily lesson?  Easy, I promise.  I have offered, and am happy to offer again, the multiple strategies that we have shared for having academic conversations in your classrooms for students to reference.  Take a look at THIS ARTICLE for more easy ways and the research behind why this is SO super important to PURPOSEFULLY include in your lesson planning.

Click on the links below to get some ideas on sentence starters, discussion stems, and academic conversations.  There are a TON out there.  We will print, laminate, and deliver.  Seriously, use them with our students!:

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/112024/chapters/1.-Academic-Conversation.aspx

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3Aec9fd3f8-3b98-492d-8dec-a6dcc1a31826

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByZ0eMz5vnK8QU9naDBFY1UxWWJYMlhjQnc4Zmsxd2t0ZjV3/edit

http://staff.esuhsd.org/danielle/English%20Department%20LVillage/SocraticSeminar/DISCUSSION%20STEMS.pdf

YEP!  We are gearing up for CAASPP!!!  This is coming in just over SEVEN WEEKS (YIKES!!!!) and there are practice tests for ELA/MATH/SCIENCE (CAST).  Please visit www.fsusd.org/assessment or CLICK HERE and click on the green button "SBAC Practice and Training Tests" to access the site!  

SUPER HERO SHOUT OUTS!

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• SUPER awesome shout out to Dave and Jason for working so hard with a family on Thursday!
• SUPER awesome shout out to Jason for coming to the rescue multiple times this week too!!
• SUPER awesome shout out to ALL TEACHERS for stepping up to cover classes all the time when there is no sub to fill them!  It is much appreciated!! ~Brenda
• SUPER awesome shout out to Elizabeth and Angie for taking care of business when I am not on site!
• SUPER awesome shout out to Rosa, Susan, Michele, Aida, PTC and 3 Honor Society students for helping make registration quick and easy!
• SUPER awesome shout out to ALL STAFF who took part in the tutorial discussion!  Thank you for your valuable input on the topic! ~Carol
• SUPER awesome shout out to Sandy and Leadership for the door decorating.  It's like a history lesson looking at the topics of each! ~Sue
• SUPER awesome shout out to THE STAFF who participate in Spirit Days! ~Sue
• SUPER awesome shout out to Brenda, Susan, Michele S. for their help and support while I have been out of the front office.  Thank you to Mimi and Jeanne for covering! ~Michele L-R
• SUPER awesome shout to Tamia for working so hard to keep her co-teach classes on track.  Very impressed with the amount of things (and students) on her plate that she is taking on!  Stay strong and keep rockin it! ~Aubry