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I liked that the teacher used a variety of ways to teach her students: power point, hands on, discussion and group work.

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I had the opportunity to visit Beth Wilson's class at the end of their reading block. The classroom was very quiet while the students were engaged with their work! They were reviewing some comprehension questions from a short chapter book they had finished. Beth circled the room many times and assisted students quietly when they needed it. Students seemed to feel comfortable and Beth made herself very available for assistance. She encouraged the students to take a guess even when they weren't sure of an answer. It was great to see a different set-up, and how different various EC classes can look as well!

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ELA Co-teaching: Inferencing

I really liked Triva’s “parking lot” white board idea.  She has one in the corner with a question and students can respond.  It creates a warm and caring environment in my opinion.  I am curious as to how she established the times and manners in which to write on the board.  I also noticed the colorful quotes on her windows added to the “cozy” and personable feel of her room as well.  The variety of seats and the arranged groups really allowed for collaboration and a “family” feel.  I would like to learn more about how she lets them choose and rotates them and how frequently.  I noticed all the teachers in the classroom helped everyone.  It felt very inclusive, while serving different needs at the same time.  Lastly, having their handout projected on the board was a great idea as it allowed her to model for the students.

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The Learning Walk was one of the best professional development activities I have been a part of. In 10 to 15 minutes, I observed practices in action that I will borrow to bring into my classroom such as writing on the desks. The lesson used current language, events, and social media to keep the students engaged and was action packed. Thanks for letting us drop in!

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As a new teacher, I was very recently introduced to the idea of "front loading" my lesson planning. While in the first days of contemplating what this might look like, I had the chance to observe Hannah's class and see it in action. It was extremely helpful for me to see how she had taken the time outside of class to put together a carefully planned out lesson via video that her students watched at their own pace while taking notes and pausing when needed. It allowed for Hannah to individually assist students and for students to go at their own pace. I imagine it would help ensure the main content is covered in an orderly fashion with more focused individual attention and then would allow for group activities/time to practice the main content after. Thank you for showing me this concept in action, Hannah!

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I had the pleasure of visiting the team of Nancy and Beth. It was fantastic! All students were engaged with the interactive use of the whiteboards. There were always multiple volunteers who were willing to share their answers and explain the process it took to get them there. Nancy is a master at formative assessment, and she owns the room. Beth used this FA to help different students during the 15 minutes I was there. It was a true team effort in this inclusion classroom, and it was obvious that student learning was occurring throughout during the time I was there. Thank you so much for letting me see your room. I don't feel yet that I'm doing what I need in my inclusion class. This LW helped me so much!

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I have the opportunity of being in so many different classroom during any single day and enjoy my visits, but these structured Learning Walks, where we had an opportunity to debrief afterward were amazing! Listening to the perspectives of others makes me remember that borrowing ideas from others is an easy way to be innovative! Can't wait to do more!

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I have the opportunity of being in so many different classroom during any single day and enjoy my visits, but these structured Learning Walks, where we had an opportunity to debrief afterward were amazing! Listening to the perspectives of others makes me remember that borrowing ideas from others is an easy way to be innovative! Can't wait to do more!

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I thought the teacher did a great job signalling out kids who may not have been fully engaged to reaffirm what she had just communicated to the whole class She made sure that questions were precise enough to make sure the "penny had dropped"

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I observed Hannah Magee and George Graham and the students had a video lesson constructed by Mrs. Magee. The students were focused, engaged, and had the option to rewind the video if they missed something or just needed to hear it again. If a student needed help Mrs. Magee and Mr. Graham were there to help. Her classroom was very encouraging and seemed like a great learning environment.

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I observed Hannah Magee and George Graham today. I loved that the students were taking notes from the video. They can always go back and review as needed at home to do their work. There were also colorful posters with reminders and hints in the classroom.  Plus as a parent who has had to help at home to reteach, I love that video which remains on google classroom to help me as a mother recall how to "work" the problems.  Wonder if we can find $ to purchase ear buds for some students who might need them.

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I was impressed by the transition movements/signals used to transition activities in Hannah Magee's room.  Great classroom management! (Specifically the "hands on your head to show you are relaxed and ready) Students were engaged and moving through the activity at their own pace (video lesson). Students were so comfortable with guests in the room, even asking for our assistance at times. Sure looked like they LOVE learning!!

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Nancy/Beth: What a delightful learning environment! Her classroom is beautifully accented with applicable vocabulary, interactive posts on the board, and materials that are student-friendly. Students worked easily in groups where they were encouraged to talk with clear expectations for those conversations - absolutely love the on-task chatter! My favorite part of today's class was the goal setting session where each student reflected about his current progress, considered ways to grow, and selected strategies to meet personal goals. The positive language and encouragement set the tone for a very successful lesson. Kudos to great teamwork!

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I loved the opportunity to be in your classrooms today!
Ken/Beth - Your co-teaching model was inspiring - would love to be a student in your room! So many great things happening: the passing of a ball when it's time for a student to answer a question, the use of "current" vocabulary like the word "Lit" to help make the lesson more relevant to students, having students "man" the power-point or be your time-keeper, and the best part - they got to write notes on their desks :)
Skyla/George - Loved the word wall.  Although I came in at the end of the lesson, students were using their time wisely, and asking questions of both teachers as they circulated the room.  Although, this is a co-teach/inclusion level class, I wonder whether there are some students who are stronger in math who could also circulate a bit to assist students?
Nancy/Beth - Loved that they were taking the time as a class to review math goals and then personalize them based on individual student strength and weaknesses. I noticed how both Nancy and Beth praised students and encouraged student questioning.
Triva/Debbie/Leela - I want to be in 7th grade again!! What an awesome, non-traditional classroom!  For an inclusion/co-teach class, I could not believe the level of student engagement - students were able to access the assignment easily via google classroom with clear, concise directions.  The three ladies worked together so well to make sure all students' needs were met by circulating the room. It was very apparent that there is a mutual respect among students and all 3 teachers.
Hannah/George - I have to say, I was skeptical about taped math lessons at first, in thinking that students would have a difficult time grasping the lesson, but boy was I wrong!  I was able to see the benefit of the entire class "tuned-in" to a lesson instead of "tuning out" their teacher as students accessed the math lesson individually on their chromebook.
This method allows for success for the auditory and visual learner.
I wonder if teachers provided the same math lesson the traditional way vs. providing the math lesson via video if there would be less student engagement and less acquisition of material b/ more students are talking, less focused, more distracted, etc.  We may be on to something !!!

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I enjoyed observing the innovation in Triva's classroom today. Her room was attractively decorated with motivational posters and displays from group activities. Her use of non traditional classroom seating must be motivating to her students, allowing them to feel comfortable as they learn. I was impressed with how focused and on task her students seemed to be on the lesson she had planned. Although we didn't arrive at the start of class, I would guess these teachers have done a good job of ingraining classroom procedures in the students as there didn't seem to be unnecessary moving around in the room during the lesson The students appeared to readily engage in her lesson on inferences which required them to interact with a video. Mrs. Whitaker and Ms. Harper did a great job of touching base with the students to insure they were on track.

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The activity that we observed was accessible to each of the students. I thought that the graphic organizer that Hannah selected was well thought out for students to keep track of their thinking and that the questions that she used pushed the students to think deeply on what they were learning. I also loved the way her room was decorated...it was very inspiring and comfortable.

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The activity that we observed was accessible to each of the students. I thought that the graphic organizer that Hannah selected was well thought out for students to keep track of their thinking and that the questions that she used pushed the students to think deeply on what they were learning. I also loved the way her room was decorated...it was very inspiring and comfortable.

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Hannah's room is an inviting learning atmosphere.  Her posted visuals and her lesson were understandable.  The students seemed to feel comfortable in her learning environment

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Hannah's room is an inviting learning atmosphere.  Her posted visuals and her lesson were understandable.  The students seemed to feel comfortable in her learning environment

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I loved being able to go into another classroom to see how other teachers teach and conduct their class and their environment. Nancy and Beth have an excellent partnership. Beth was running around and Nancy was teaching her heart out. Rigor in this co-teaching classroom looked like everyone was working the same problem together. I had no idea what Nancy was talking about but the kids did. I could tell that some kids were lost but they kept right along, writing down on their erase boards what everyone else was writing down. I was pretty impressed that a supposed "inclusion" class was doing this type of work. Again, I had no idea what she was talking about and I love math. There were several times when Nancy was very conscious about her questions and often stated them a couple of different ways.

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I really enjoyed the opportunity to set aside a specific time during my day to observe another classroom. It was exciting to see the interesting and resourceful information that was posted in Ms. Magee's classroom. The students were engaged in the lesson and moved quickly from one task to another. The use of videos to help flip the instruction is a wonderful way to help students get the hands-on help that they need and to help individualize instruction.

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Mrs. Day has an amazing,creative, colorful, inviting learning space where students are encouraged and valued. Mrs. Day executed a phenomenal lesson where all students were engaged and on task. This co-teaching model was exceptional with Mrs. Whitaker and Ms. Harper interacting with all students. A great experience! Thank you Triva, Debbie and Leela!!

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Really enjoyed the colorful inviting atmosphere of the classroom. Loved seeing all students engaged in the lesson.

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Rigor=students being challenged above "normal" expectations. Making their head hurt :) because they are thinking so much! 

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Rigor=students being challenged above "normal" expectations. Making their head hurt :) because they are thinking so much! 

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Loved seeing another approach to context clues.  The writing on the desk, the visuals that were included like color coding words really helped all be successful.  I was impressed with the movement that kept everyone on their toes.

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Loved seeing another approach to context clues.  The writing on the desk, the visuals that were included like color coding words really helped all be successful.  I was impressed with the movement that kept everyone on their toes.

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WOW! Loved observing a collegue and see such exciting things happening in a 6th Grade Language Arts Class. The two things I took away from this Learning Walk was the writing on the desks by the students. Something so simple but know the students enjoyed. I do wonder what happens at the end of class? Do they have those notes on canvas or do they get a copy digitally? The other strategy I took away from this visit was the ball thrown to students to get them to respond. I also liked the tie in to what's happening in the news. Great Lesson! Okay one more thing, I also liked the levels of thinking on the board and how he moved the magnet to let students know the level of questioning. Oklay I'm done now for real.

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So, I was excited to observe an innovative lesson and positive, beneficial peer collaboration.  When I reflect on the whole, I think the success and rigor of the activity was influenced by the overall sense of how individuality is valued in Triva and Debbie's classroom.   It's clear visually (through the positive displays on walls and boards), aurally (through hearing the conversations between students, and sustaining/redirecting and reinforcing comments of the teachers) and intrapersonally (through innovative seating and opportunities for students to collaborate with one another) that this classroom is a welcoming place for every individual, and that all students are important here.   The rigor of the assignment was shared in a group setting, and all students were expected/encouraged to participate.   Student contributions were celebrated!  I wonder 1) how class norms for collaboration were established, and 2)  how the groups were created, and 3) how seating was selected - because all seemed to be on task and the assignment progressed smoothly.   The use of technology and contemporary media made the assignment of interest to all students, and the use of the paper chart and board display helped guide students in their thought process.  I thought the co-teaching shown by the three teachers was phenomenal - very responsive, differentiated, and interactive with all students.

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So, I was excited to observe an innovative lesson and positive, beneficial peer collaboration.  When I reflect on the whole, I think the success and rigor of the activity was influenced by the overall sense of how individuality is valued in Triva and Debbie's classroom.   It's clear visually (through the positive displays on walls and boards), aurally (through hearing the conversations between students, and sustaining/redirecting and reinforcing comments of the teachers) and intrapersonally (through innovative seating and opportunities for students to collaborate with one another) that this classroom is a welcoming place for every individual, and that all students are important here.   The rigor of the assignment was shared in a group setting, and all students were expected/encouraged to participate.   Student contributions were celebrated!  I wonder 1) how class norms for collaboration were established, and 2)  how the groups were created, and 3) how seating was selected - because all seemed to be on task and the assignment progressed smoothly.   The use of technology and contemporary media made the assignment of interest to all students, and the use of the paper chart and board display helped guide students in their thought process.  I thought the co-teaching shown by the three teachers was phenomenal - very responsive, differentiated, and interactive with all students.

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Really liked the mix of tables and desks. Loved kids writing on the desks. Like how the co-teacher was pulled into the lesson yet still assisted the students that needed her help. Students were very engaged.

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There were many things I found useful while briefly observing Triva.  First, the obvious, I loved the seating.  We wondered out in the hall how much of the seating arrangement was responsible for the good behavior we witnessed.  There were very few distractions, if any, and overall the class seemed to have a positive attitude.  One of the other facets I enjoyed was the ambiance of the room.  Triva has a well decorated learning area with relevant posters and signage.  From a broad perspective, it makes the room a fun, safe, and colorful place to learn.  Finally, I appreciated Triva's Google Classroom layout.  Sometimes I wonder if mine is too busy.  After seeing Ms. Day's, the answer is yes.  Her's was simple, easy to follow, and user friendly for the students.  Not having to spend the extra minute describing where a doc can be located did so much for a clean transition from discussion to activity.  Finally, I like the way Ms. Whitaker assisted with operations. She knew exactly which students to hit and when. Transitions are a subject I often struggle with. After watching these two transition perfectly, I now know it is possible and not some unicorn I've been chasing. Well done Triva and Debbie; I was impressed!

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Triva has alternate seating. I enjoyed seeing students in this different setting as opposed to desks and chairs. It seemed that they were still engaged and focused and not distracted by this "new" seating. I wonder what steps she took to get them used to this model. I wonder if they stay in the same seats for a week at a time or if there is some kind of rotation for seating. I also noticed how quickly they were able to log in to Google Classroom. It was nice to see how quickly these students followed directions. Again, I wonder what steps she took to get them to this point. 

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Triva has alternate seating. I enjoyed seeing students in this different setting as opposed to desks and chairs. It seemed that they were still engaged and focused and not distracted by this "new" seating. I wonder what steps she took to get them used to this model. I wonder if they stay in the same seats for a week at a time or if there is some kind of rotation for seating. I also noticed how quickly they were able to log in to Google Classroom. It was nice to see how quickly these students followed directions. Again, I wonder what steps she took to get them to this point. 

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I enjoyed watching this co taught class in action.  It was amazing how engaged these students were.  Having taught many of those students last year, it was pretty cool to see how focused and "in to" the lesson they were.  Good job, ladies!

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I loved what I saw in the classroom that I visited.  I loved how interactive the lesson was with the students. The objectives of the lesson were clear and the students were actively playing a role in their learning. In this co-teaching setting, It seemed powerful to have the added teacher because it helped to encourage students to stay focused and be involved. Beth and Ken, you two are simply AMAZING!

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 Learning Walk -                        I wonder would it be more beneficial to student learning and success if one teacher was working thru sample questions with a small group to the side?  This could serve as a review or individual attention for the small group.  

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 Learning Walk -                        I wonder would it be more beneficial to student learning and success if one teacher was working thru sample questions with a small group to the side?  This could serve as a review or individual attention for the small group.  

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What a fun class to be in! I enjoyed seeing Mr. Middlemiss and Mrs. Wilson in action! Really liked the writing on the desks. Great idea allowing a student (who may be a challenge) to be in control of the slideshow. Liked the interaction between teacher and students and nice job making the lesson relevant to the kids. 

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What a fun class to be in! I enjoyed seeing Mr. Middlemiss and Mrs. Wilson in action! Really liked the writing on the desks. Great idea allowing a student (who may be a challenge) to be in control of the slideshow. Liked the interaction between teacher and students and nice job making the lesson relevant to the kids. 

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Often students are placed in a co-teaching classroom because they struggle. So, what might be a challenge to the average student, may very well be totally overwhelming to a student in the co-teach classroom. Therefore, rigor in the co-teach classroom may not look like rigor at all ...at first.  Once students' abilities are recognized, challenging activities can be part of the daily routine without overwhelming the students.

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Part 1
It is important for each student to be successful in what they are learning, whether it is a core subject or an elective. In my classroom, I have several classes that I have a second teacher in the room working with a particular student, BUT as they are in my room, they also interact with the other students and help me in teaching ALL students with what we are doing. My IEP student is being successful because of the interaction with everyone, feeling included in the classroom,  and my whole class students are being successful because they are working with each other in all different learning styles. Rigor is engaging, it is supportive, it is setting high expectations and encouraging students to believe in themselves.
Co-teaching can bring valuable support to the classroom.  Rigor does not have to be intimidating, it can allow each student to work at his/her own pace (with limitations/guidelines) to ensure success.

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One meaning of RIGOR is the quality of being fully accurate. It is important to teach with accuracy and thoroughly so students can grasp the concept that is being taught.

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Building over top of gaps will cause structures to insecure and possibly crumble....

If we continue to move past students' misunderstandings, they will continue to feel lost in the material they did not grasp to begin with.  Teaching for mastery may in fact be time consuming but is possible and very important- just like making sure the concrete is dry before building your foundation.  Worth the wait!

Click below for a smile :)

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Rigor produces grit in students to keep working and preserve when challenges arise. In turn also forcing students to take control of their learning.  In the co-teaching classroom rigor can be put into best practice in many cases - students can be grouped by ability, different learning styles can be used to help engage the dis-engaged student, and groups can focus on previous gaps of knowledge/mastery.

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Such an interactive classroom!  I loved that the students were able to write on the desk. I think that it helped them stay focused and it was something that is "fun" for them. Also, I think that getting the students to catch a ball to answer a question, gives them an incentive to answer a question. It grabs the attention of the other students because they want to see where the ball ends up!
He did a really good job of constantly walking around the classroom and I could tell that he has a good relationship with his students by how they interact with him. I saw that he gave one student a job, which kept that student on task and focused.
I think that the set up of the desks was really neat too. It is a good set up for discussions or for partner work.

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To students rigor is a scary word and if a teacher uses it in a classroom for a lesson or standard, many students would be scared or hesitant to attempt it. However, if rigor is explained, defined, and student's have clear expectations on what the teacher is expecting, then mastery can occur for all. With the help of a Co-teacher explaining and using different styles, all students can be successful.

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Rigor in the co-teaching classroom can have a variety of looks based on the standards/skills being taught, the academic/social support needed for the students in that setting, and the relationship between the two professionals in the co-teaching environment. Rigor does not have to be elaborate or extensive to be effective in encouraging the student to face an academic challenge. In fact, rigor could be a reading passage at a higher level or a multiple-step math problem, when those activities require an academic stretch by the student. When incorporating "mastery based learning", the needs of each learner drives the differentiation in instructional delivery, pacing, and evidence of mastery. A co-teacher brings a valuable skill set that targets these specific needs, ultimately increasing success for all students in the learning environment.

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CO-Teaching "Core/Math" Class
Sept. 30,2017
I did not understand what a learning walk was until this morning. I have always thought it a good idea to see what goes on in other classrooms. It is something I have never really had a chance to do, or made it a priority to do, observing what other teachers are doing in their classrooms. What a great way to learn and get new ideas I may not have thought of myself, looking at walls and observing students, observing interactions with teachers and students, etc.... So I had some thoughts to share and was thinking you may have ideas you could share with me. How do you accommodate  different learning styles, and what has worked best in your classrooms. As we know, we all learn differently. Especially in a classroom with a lot of different students, ex: IEP students, AIG students, ordinary, extraordinary, some hands on learners, some audio learners, some visual learners, and some of those "I do not want to be here learners," etc.... We also work at different paces, some faster and some slower. How can we successfully accommodate a classroom full of students that are in need of extra help (five hands going up at the same time,) the students that are"ok" working well on their own, the ones finished and talking to others who may or may not be done? Two teachers diligently working individually helping others. Lots of activity/chaos....To me, concentration seems lost with many of the students.  How can we engage those off task students so that all students are successful? I look forward to many more opportunities to learn from all of you. Your  knowledge and shared experiences help me become a better teacher .

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Co-teaching is a wonderful way to increase rigor and truly make learning individualized for each student. I have had the pleasure of being able to work in a co-taught classroom and our students truly benefited from having two teachers working together. We were able to work together to ensure that each student was able to apply what we were teaching in the classroom. Students were not expected to perform the same tasks because some students needed work in one area and others needed to focus on a different area. Through co-teaching we were able to provide differentiated instruction and move

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In my brain I see rigor as a way to cheer students on when they are challenging themselves (or being challenged by others) but at their own level.  In a co-teaching class there are 2 adults in the room that can be the "cheerleaders"!  In the co-teaching classroom, their can be several groups/stations happening at the same time.  The idea of supporting students to challenge themselves at their highest level could be made more feasible with 2 teachers guiding stations.  Not only can we be our student's cheerleaders in a co-teaching setting, but we can also be each others!

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Rigor in a co-teaching class would look divided, different groups doing different tasks that each challenge in different ways. Stations where students can learn on their own and then with two different teachers.

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Risks I would be willing to take

Listen and Network with other educators

Try new ideas in my classroom

Ask my students what they think

Learn new ways through visiting other classrooms and having others visit my classroom

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Examples of innovation within constraints

Using our personal Laptops or tablets for instruction but not being able to print on the school’s network from them.

Giving online benchmarks but giving the end of grade test on paper

Not allowing students to use their cell phones for instruction during school hours but many of them do seamlessly outside of school

Doing webquests with students but still requiring them to submit the assignment on paper

2. To understand those we teach, their families and the community we must:

Understand the learner - how do they learn best, what do they like, what are their passions

Understand their families- communicate to know what their hopes and dreams are for their children, communicate during good and bad times, when their student is struggling and when they are doing well

Learn about the community by being there, learning what makes it special, and attending events in the community

3. The school would be a place where children'sstrengths and weaknesses were developed and nurtured. Their passions should have avenues to grow and would prepare them for the future. They would be encouraged to become self starters, self learners and global citizens.

4. We collaborate, network, innovate and try new things

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Examples of Innovation

Keyless Entry to homes and cars

Microchips for Dogs

Speaking to type

Online student forms for registration

Flipped learning

2. Ways to create opportunities for innovation in my teaching

Video problems from Homework

Have students video homework or classwork solutions

Create or find math or science rich tasks and design ways for students to “Show What They Know

Have students do alternative forms of Assessments - I.e.program Alice Worlds that show the topic we are learning

Digital folders with Starters, Vocabulary, Problem Sets, Learning Targets and their Growth

Have Students Monitor their progress

3. Why our students need to be innovative

Job requirements and the number of different jobs they will have on their lifetime

how students get information

how they communicate now with their peers and how they will in the future

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While using rigor in the classroom the  teacher must not  keep students from productive struggle.

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Rigor can be includined in planning for the use of rich math tasks that include possibly different outcomes and those that allow for ways to get a solution

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Caring more about finding what works best for our students vs possibly failing is a risk I think is worth taking.

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The idea of teaching our students to develop a growth mindset also means that rigor will look different for ALL of our students.

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The idea of teaching our students to develop a growth mindset also means that rigor will look different for ALL of our students.

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Rigor is messy- outcomes are not fixed