Tag / start of year

Recently, a teacher asked in an online forum how the Danielson assessment system can be "worked" within a Comprehensible Input-focused classroom.  So I've included my rubric interpretation here. My disclaimer also should be that I rate myself high, but with rationale, and then ask my administrator to prove I'm wrong. But I want my administrator to give me specific things I should improve if they don't feel I'm doing the best possible job.  (Obviously, I totally know I can improve in many areas. But I'm not going to make it easy on them.) Please also remember that just because these can be connected...

Read More

Today I was reading some notes from a conference I attended a year or two ago, and realized something that hit me like a ton of bricks:  I need a system.  Truth be told, I need several systems.  And they need to work together. I work out at a great gym with franchises throughout the middle of the US called Farrell's eXtreme Bodyshaping.  I've been a member for 5 years.  (Please withhold the comments about how not so extremely my body seems shaped...I like cake.)  Anyhow, every day that I've gone there for five years, I walk...

Read More

At the start of every school year, I find myself faced with a dilemma.  No, not what to teach.  See my post on How I started the year to see why that isn't a stressor for me.  My dilemma surrounds my syllabus.  Syllabi. I know there is important information I want students to know.  I know that students don't want to read a long document.  These are 21st century kids.  Snapchat kids.  Twitter kids.  They want fast, brief information.  How can my grading practices possibly be described in 140 characters.  Well, okay,...

Read More