District Developments

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As we grow to understand the Danielson 2022 Framework for Teaching and how this will look in our schools, this month I'd like you to think about how you are modeling communication related to purpose and the introduction of content for students.

Purpose for Learning and Criteria for Success

• Teachers communicate the goals and objectives of learning activities and outline an instructional pathway for students to meet the established criteria for success.

Specific Expectations

• Student actions during each step of learning activities are clearly and effectively communicated with specific expectations articulated and reinforced throughout.

Explanations of Content

• Content knowledge is scaffolded and presented in multiple, engaging ways with frequent, integrated checks for student understanding.

Use of Academic Language

• Verbal and written content-related language used by teachers and students is academically rigorous, accurate, and subject and grade appropriate.

What’s an example of how to communicate the goals and objectives of the learning?

PreK-2 Classroom: Before a read-aloud on weather, the teacher says: "Today we're going to learn why the sky looks different on rainy days versus sunny days — that's called weather. When I read, listen for clues about how the sky changes." The teacher points to a picture chart of weather types already on the wall, connecting new learning to something familiar.

Grade 3-5 Classroom: The teacher opens a lesson on ecosystems by saying: "We've been asking the question — how do living things depend on each other? Today we're going to add a new idea to our thinking: the word interdependence. That means living things need each other to survive. As we look at this rainforest diagram, I want you to look for examples of interdependence — things needing other things."

Grade 6-8 Classroom: The teacher opens the lesson by saying: "We've been observing how different materials behave — today we're asking a harder question: How do scientists identify an unknown substance without being told what it is? That word — properties — means the characteristics we can observe and measure to describe matter. By the end of class, you'll be able to use physical properties as evidence to classify an unknown substance." The teacher briefly previews the two mystery substances students will investigate and the data table they will use to record their observations.

Grade 9-12 Classroom: An AP English teacher introduces a unit on rhetoric by saying: "For the next three weeks, we're going to study how language is used to persuade — and more importantly, how to recognize when it's being used on you. The essential question is: How do speakers and writers get us to believe things? Today we'll add three terms to your toolkit — ethos, logos, and pathos — and you'll use them to analyze a real speech." The teacher connects to students' prior experience: "Think about a commercial or speech that really got to you — that's rhetoric at work."

Our districts have worked hard on our 5essentials surveys! I would like to thank all of our staff and administrators who made this happen. Here are the final results!!

Book review by Shannon Kohnen.

Quick overview found on p 16- John goes to Japan to fulfill a life long dream of becoming a samurai. His sensei Akira states:

"Dream BIG.

Start Small.

Be ridiculously faithful.

Focus on what you can control.

Your greatest challenge during your time here will be faithfully keeping your focus on the process, while surrendering to the outcome."

Would you be interested in sharing a leadership book review with our staff? If you've read a good book or article related to leadership, we'd love to hear about it. Please fill out this google form to be considered for a future issue of District Developments.

It seems we are all readers, because our favorite indoor activity was curling up with a good book!

Reading a book won by a landslide of 45%. 📖📚

Baking/cooking came in a distant second with 15% of the votes.

Check out our Shop Super Local site to see the offerings from our creative colleagues.

D75 Shop Super Local

D120 Shop Super Local

You'll notice there are D75 and D120 versions available – don't worry, the content is identical! We've simply set up domain-specific access to ensure your personal business information stays secure and isn't visible to anyone outside our districts.

**If you'd like to add your small business to this site, fill out the Shop Super Local form.

💐March 20th - we're almost there! 🦋