Carole recently attended the English Language Alliance conference and shared with me this week information that continues to support how important it is to maintain rigor for our struggling students. This came from a workshop, “Scaffolding Mathematical Tasks- Making tasks accessible for English Learner while maintaining rigor”
From the presentation, “There is a difference between scaffolding and modifying. A scaffold is a temporary support provided to students to help them achieve a learning goal. A modification changes the learning goals, standards and expectations for students.
Here are some examples of scaffolding
- *chunking skills
- *start simple-build complexity
- *gradual release of responsibility
- *talk time/processing time
- *Build background- pre-teach vocabulary, visual aids, connect with student’s lives.
Here are examples of modifying
- *reduce the difficulty of assignments
- *reduce the reading level
- *change the standard addressed
- *change the learning target
- *change the grade level materials used
- *change the difficulty of the task
How can we be sure our scaffolds are maintaining rigorous standards? Build a toolbox. Here are some tools to start with. Connect to prior knowledge. Start with a simple skill and move on. Give visual representations and models.” Carole is planning to share additional tools in the future.
Pam has been organizing and purging the upstairs storage area. If you have any questions about the storage of curricula, please ask her. Thank you!
As you look around Lava Ridge it is becoming more difficult to tell that we are one of the oldest elementary schools in Bend! Thanks to bond dollars and thoughtful accounting by Pam we have been able to upgrade our classrooms, lighting around campus, and begin to update some areas in the office. More updates are on the way! This summer we are having the carpet in the Music room replaced, new asphalt spread in the parking lot between Lava and Sky View and on the South Playground and new chairs delivered for the Staff Room and other parts of the office. We are making progress! We still have updating to do in the Media Center, Main Office and other areas of the school and plan to keep saving our nickels for updates, so Lava continues to look marvelous!
A note of thanks to Trevor, Jenn, and Amber for being part of the interview team that met with candidates interested in being our next Office Manager on Wednesday and Thursday. We had 29 applicants for this position and our team met with four outstanding people. As interview teams are needed we will continue to include (if possible, depending on the time of year) certified and classified members of our staff and also be thoughtful of the size of the team. Over the years, I have tried (and will continue to do so) to include a variety of people on these teams (ie. not just ICCLS or the first people to respond to an email of who would like to be on the team, etc) to meet applicants interested in joining our staff. I will have an update for you next week on the Office Manager position.
Week at a Glance for April 8-12
Monday:
Tuesday:
- 8:05 Reading Focused PLC Meetings
- 1:30 School Tour
- Book Fair Family Night until 8:00
Wednesday:
- 8:05 ICCL Meeting
- SIW: Conference Prep
- 4:30-8:00 Conferences 4:30-8:00; Dinner provided by PTO at 3:30
Thursday:
- Newsletter
- Conferences 4:30-8:00; Pizza Dinner ready at 3:30
Friday:
- No School…Enjoy!
