For me, the big win in March was the metacognition discussion and resulting document. I feel like it will force very positive self reflection and discussion up the taxonomy about what counts most in our classrooms with the kids. How can we ask them to show up for class in the ways we want unless we not only tell them what that looks like (2010 Rules) but also foster daily discussion about how to get there (2012 metacognition piece)?
Another big win, in my view, was the reading discussion. I thought it was tremendous, and I feel like the only remaining parts for discussion on the reading piece (thus completing years of overall discussion here on the three steps!) is the Reader’s Theatre piece.
However, I did extend some notes on the general reading discussion which I will post here this week. If there is any area we are a bit cloudy on, it is reading. So that thread will continue, separate from the new posts on RT.
I am concerned that the blog content here has been so thick that we will forget stuff, major points made over the past months, in particular. I have done my best to place everything of real value in the Beginning the Year category, and there is the Four Pillars of Simplicity post as well. So much change and I feel like I can hardly keep up with it.
Honestly, how are we going to remember all that stuff? Of course, I feel better in knowing that everybody takes what they want from each discussion and implements in their classrooms those things that reflect their own TPRS/CI style anyway, so it’s not so bad.
I do know that I will be using a different set of posters next year, not all of them new, but that is one area that has changed for me this year.
We also had some good discussion about PQA (that started in mid February) and then we got to read Laurie on Rules and Expectations, and finally we created the Emergency Emotional Response Plan for the big lead pipe wielders and discussed, but without a document resulting from it, how to handle the little lead pipe wielders also.
I was also able to articulate from the recent general discussion here three schedules, one daily, one weekly and one yearly that I think will go a long way in helping me define next year for myself, anyway. I don’t think I’ve ever learned so much from this group, to be honest, as in the past three months. (The link to those three schedules can be found by clicking on the “schedules” category on the right hand side of this page.)
Also very soon – maybe this week – look for a new look for this site. It is an attempt to respond to the fact that there was so much information all over the place on the old site that it got to where it was pretty confusing, especially to people new to TPRS/CI. I hope the new site is more user friendly. And thank you to all who provided testimonials. That was very kind of you and my web guy loves testimonials so he put them all over the place.
So in April look for more on reading and more on assessment as per Robert, and more on standards. Ben Lev and Robert are working on some very important stuff right now about the CA State Standards, and I can’t wait to publish that here. Chris has, likewise, sent some stuff in on what is going on with the Ohio Standards and so we can look for discussion in the next few weeks on those and thank you Ben, Robert and Chris for that.