Presented By:

Kathy Kennedy, Ed.D.Associate Superintendent

Instructional Design and Innovation

Marcy CooperPrincipal

Southern Pines Elementary School

Presented By:

Kathy Kennedy, Ed.D.Associate Superintendent

Instructional Design and Innovation

Marcy CooperPrincipal

Southern Pines Elementary School

Growing Great Classrooms

Learning Targets ~ I can review how we determined the “Growing Great Classrooms” focus for MCS

~ I can identify and define the MCS characteristics of a great classroom

~ I can determine how to create a positive emotional climate with clear procedures and routines.

Growing Great Classrooms

According to Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, the worst enemy of great is good. In his most recent book, Great By Choice, Collins indicates greatness happens by choice, not by chance.

According to Dr. Spence, “Our hope is to move our very good school system to the great school system we choose to become.” Our focus on Growing Great Classrooms is one key part of this process. Implementing consistent, research-based, time tested effective instructional strategies in every MCS classroom will help all students achieve their best.

To begin our mission, MCS leaders surveyed staff members in

April 2013 to determine the characteristics of great classrooms. Over 12,000 years of experience from teachers and administrators of 23 schools and central office administrators indicated certain characteristics exist in the most effective classrooms. Six characteristics emerged and will serve as our monthly focus in MCS during the 2013-2014 school year.

Growing Great Classrooms

a positive emotional climate with clear procedures and routines;

an organized lesson built around clear, measurable learning targets;

actively engaged and motivated students;

meaningful and relevant learning for all students;

rigorous learning that is differentiated to meet the academic needs of all students;

performance feedback is abundant, immediate, and specific

6 Characteristics of Great Classrooms

a positive emotional climate with clear procedures and routines;

an organized lesson built around clear, measurable learning targets;

actively engaged and motivated students;

meaningful and relevant learning for all students;

rigorous learning that is differentiated to meet the academic needs of all students;

performance feedback is abundant, immediate, and specific

6 Characteristics of Great Classrooms

Nov/Dec Focus

Emotions and the Brainhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNY0AAUtH3g

The brain is not a thinking machine;It is a FEELING machine

that thinks.

Growing Great Classrooms

Positive Emotional Climate with Clear Procedures and Routines

• Read the information on page 4 individually• Circle two ideas in each column that are most compelling to you• With a partner, brainstorm additional ideas (at least 2) in each column• Add brainstormed information to the chart

Growing Great Classrooms

Growing Great Classrooms

Reflect on the video and the talking points

from the t-chart.How does knowing this information

contribute to a positive emotional climate?

The Emotional Coding of Memories

Growing Great Classrooms

Positive or Negative Memory

What patterns are you

creating?

Specific Details about the Memory

Positive Emotional Climate

Growing Great Classrooms

Students experience the classroom as not just an intellectual space, but also as a social, emotional, and physical environment.

Attentiveness to the academic, social, emotional, and physical environment creates a classroom climate conducive to student engagement with the content.

Positive Emotional Climate

Handout page 5

Growing Great Classrooms

4 ways to foster a positive emotional climate:

Academic environment Emotional aspects Social interactions Physical environment

Center for Innovative

Teaching and Learning

Indiana University

Positive Emotional Climate

Growing Great Classrooms

Reflect Solo: How do you attend to the academic, social,

emotional and physical needs of your students?

Individual Recordpage 5

Handout page 5

Growing Great Classrooms

1. Review the Aspects of Classroom Climate matrix below. 2. Individually, determine the current conditions in your classroom as reflected by the characteristics depicted on the matrix (+ or -) 3. Discuss your successes and limitations with a partner.

ACADEMIC

Theory to Practice

Handout page 6

Growing Great Classrooms

When procedures and routines are carefully taught, modeled, and

established in the classroom, students know what’s expected of them and can become more independent, thus feeling

empowered in the learning environment.

Having predictable patterns in place also allows teachers to spend more

time in meaningful instruction.

When procedures and routines are carefully taught, modeled, and

established in the classroom, students know what’s expected of them and can become more independent, thus feeling

empowered in the learning environment.

Having predictable patterns in place also allows teachers to spend more

time in meaningful instruction.

Positive Emotional Climate

Growing Great Classrooms

When a student feels intimidated, rejected, or at-risk, an overproduction of noradrenalin causes the student to focus attention on

self-protection rather than on learning.

Neural Downshifting is the ability of the teacher to reduce stress and threat in the classroom environment to avoid “survival

mode” thinking and to increase higher order thinking.

Teach Me, Teach My Brain Carol Tomlinson

Growing Great Classrooms

With a partner, brainstorm what a well-organized classroom looks and

sounds like?

LOOKS LIKE SOUNDS LIKE

With a partner, brainstorm what a well-organized classroom looks and

sounds like?

LOOKS LIKE SOUNDS LIKE

Top 10 Classroom Procedures and Routines

Growing Great Classrooms

1. Hand Raising to Respond2. Attention Getting and Non Verbal Techniques3. Giving Directions Explicitly4. 2 x 10 Positive Connections5. Repeat the Request/Delayed Response6. Engagement Techniques7. Transitions Every 5 -15 Minutes8. Teach and Pause9. Finished Early?10. Readiness Expectations

Rick Smith, 2007 Conscious Classroom ManagementHarry Wong, 1998 The First Days of School

Top 10 Classroom Procedures and Routines

Identify 3 important thoughts about the topic assigned

“ The important thing about _____ is _________. It is __________. But the most important thing about _______ is

_________.”

Growing Great Classrooms

Table Top Discussion

+

What does a positive emotional climate with clear procedures and routines sound and look like in a classroom?

Record team ideas on chart paperBe ready to share with whole group in 7 minutes

Growing Great Classrooms

The MCS Way!

3.

Practice in the classroom

daily

2. Discuss

in PLCs

1. Study4. Walk through visits to highlight evidence