Author Archives: Gary Defrang

A note this week of encouragement for you from Carole Nase…This isn’t a teaching tip this week.  It is an encouragement. A true story. During the toughest year of my life multiple things happened.  I was on bed rest for … Continue reading →

I talked with Brad Henry about House Bill 3427, the new tax on large Oregon businesses that Governor Kate Brown signed into law on Thursday. Brad shared that the dollars raised from this tax would be part of the 2021-22 … Continue reading →

Are you interested in serving for the next two years as an ICCL? We have three open positions and will be interviewing for them in early June. A job description and details about the application process can be found here … Continue reading →

Happy Staff Appreciation Week! Thank you for everything you do make Lava Ridge such a great place. I feel very fortunate to work alongside you everyday. Our teaching tip this week is from Rachel and focuses on Building Background knowledge… … Continue reading →

Our Teaching Tip this week is from Stephany Dasen and focuses on engagement strategies that encourage student collaboration.   She included 7 strategies that she uses on this worksheet: Consensus Map, Two stay, one stray, Agree-Disagree Line, Four Corners, Gallery Walk, … Continue reading →

Our instructional tip this week from Carole is very timely and focuses on the importance of teaching our students (even those in non-state testing grades) academic testing vocabulary…This is critical for our 3rd-5th graders as we prepare them to take … Continue reading →

Our teaching tip this week is from Stephanie Dasen and focuses on her use of Classroom Discussion to reach all learners. In John Hattie’s research this has a very high (.82!) effect on student learning…In Math I evaluate student’s formative … Continue reading →

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 … Continue reading →

It was shared with elementary principals that the staffing for the new elementary school will not be finalized until mid-to-late April. Originally HR had planned to finalize this process the first week of April. I have not received our staffing … Continue reading →

Our Teaching Tip this week is from Rachel Schendel and connects with John Hattie’s component of Classroom Discussion: I like to use partner talk before cold calling students. For example, when we are learning information about a new artist, genre, composer, … Continue reading →