The Monthly Mojo – February 2019
Exclusively for TeamTom Teachers
My Scores Don't Match Reality!
If your school uses standardized or criterion-referenced assessments (aka CBAs, Common Assessments, Benchmarks, etc.), then you've seen how your scores don't show all the great stuff you're doing in class!
Worse, you might have someone on your case about it!
Here are a few tips:
- Create your own data. Gather fluency data, vocabulary growth, spelling growth, reading level growth, and other forms of sensitive data that actually show the growth.
- Have your data ready to show. Create a simple line graph that shows how the average of your class scores have increased over time. If you're using data like the examples above, these increases show growth, not just performance.
- Look for Misleading Data. Low scores don't mean low learning. High scores could be false positives. Be aware of the difference. And don't let someone tell you otherwise!
- Make a Celebration List. Find all of the other valuable strengths to celebrate: student social growth, attendance, energy and engagement in the classroom, kindness, and more.
Professional Reading
Here are the hot new (and classic) readings that will elevate your practice and thinking.
The Reading Strategies Book, Jennifer Serravallo
Softening the Edges, Katie White
Visible Learning Strategies, Nancy Frey, John Hattie, and Douglas Fisher
*We are an Amazon affiliate, which means any purchase you make will help pay for this website and keep the TeamTom Teachers resources free!
New & Upcoming
We just started a new series for our Texas teachers! It's STAAR Reading Review Weekly. It includes 5 days of half-page reading selections and 3-5 multiple-choice questions. Scaffolding is built into the week with two other practice pieces:
- Additional Open-Ended Questions for Response Skills and Vocabulary Development
- Note-Taking Room in the Margin.
- Additional Open-Ended Questions for Homework
At this time, we have two weeks (fiction and informational) published for 3rd-grade. Those will be bundled with a pre- and post-assessment. Then, we'll move into 4th- and 5th-grades.
A similar product is in development for math also!
Reading Review Weekly
Preview this weekly reading review on TPT.
Free Resources
Time To Take A Look At Dress Code by Jennifer Gonzalez
Is it time to take a look at your dress code? A serious look? A couple months ago, I saw two different news stories that broke my heart. Both were about dreadlocks. >> Read More.
New Sequencing Video by TeamTom Education
The free sequencing graphic organizers have been around for a few years, but now we have a new video to use with your students in class. >> Watch Here.
Build Confidence with a Sense of Mission by 822Tribe Collaborations
This week’s #822chat focused on the empowering mission. A school mission that builds confidence, liberates creativity, and supports the induction of new teachers. >> Read More.
