Here are some ways we will incorporate EL practices/protocols in our classroom:
As an overview, EL has identified student achievement as having three dimensions:
1. Mastery of knowledge and skills
2. Character
3. High-quality student work
Taking a Stand: Students will reflect on their opinions about controversial topics or questions. It provides practice in the social dimension of debate while encouraging students to support, reflect, and possibly change their opinions based on logic and evidence. We will use this protocol this week when asking students about their opinion related to Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples Day or should both be recognized.
Equity Sticks: Used during math, each student has a craft stick with their name on it. Anyone can be called on at anytime, and everyone is called on eventually. It ensures all voices are heard and every participates.
Turn and Talk: We've copied the language of our K5 students, to include "eye to eye, knee to knee" in our description of Turn and Talk. We use this protocol during morning meeting and reading and writing workshop to include student to student collaboration.
Annotating Text: Students read two different Newsela articles about the reasons for seasonal changes on Earth. They were focused on finding 12-different terms throughout both articles to better understand their meaning as well as how they are inter-related. This week students will create an Interactive Work Wall showing relational connections between the terms and then write their understanding incorporating those 12 terms.
Data Collection: On Monday students were asked independently, in writing to share the behaviors and responsibilities of the youngers and olders. We discussed that data throughout the week, noticing that although the olders may have more experience in MAC 3, everyone benefits when all voices and ideas are heard.
Self-reflection: Last week we discussed the Crew Learning Target: Through self-reflection I can see and honor each person's contribution to our classroom community. On Friday each student shared in writing what they did during the week that embodies our learning target.
Concentric Circles: in our morning crew meeting every other student stepped into the circle to form an inner and outer circle of students. The two groups of students faced each other and shared their thinking about leadership and sitting apart from friends. The inner circle of students shifted one place to the right and then shared again. Everyone shares and hears from more than one person.
Silent Gallery Walk: students shared their reactions to three different mentor texts/reading response entries by annotating the text and documenting their thinking on the paper around the example. They also responded to each other's written comments as well.
Fist-to-Five: purpose is to physically show degree of agreement, readiness for tasks, or comfort with a learning target/concept.
Sharing the Air: purpose is to hear from everyone in a group, to actively and intentionally include everyone's ideas.
Tracking Progress: In social studies students are setting goals related to their on-task behavior. They determine and document what they want and expect to accomplish and the self-evaluate at the end of the class, focusing on being physically and mentally on task.
Peer Critique: Our students are using peer critique to provide feedback for each other in preparation of revising their personal narrative.
Anchor Charts: used primarily in reading and writing, they make learning visible. Teacher created, they record content, strategies, processes, cues, and guidelines and allow students access at all times because they are posted publicly.