• The inference can only go as far as the assessment.

• Validity and Reliability - There is no valid assessment but only valid interpretations.

SOLO Taxonomy (John Biggs): when you learn about something, you learn one thing about it, then multiple things about it, and then understand it relationally.

Advice for new teachers: teach to the test.

• start by asking "what is it we want kids to know, and then how do we design instruction to get there."

Books:

• Teacher Clarity Playbook

  • understand the quality of your instruction is less about what you do and more about are your kids cognitively engaged.

• IES practice guides

• Anything by John Biggs and Dylan Williams

Go-to assessments: myIGDIs (norm referenced) Dial 4 for preschool.

Work smarter not harder: think of your day as linear with little systems and routines incorporate within that linear.

Advice: lean on the support of your community within the school!

Books/resources:

• Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline by Dr. Becky Bailey (social-emotional for all ages)

• How to Build Equitable Classroom (addressing your own biases and the equity spaces your creating in your classrooms)

• The Conscious Kid on Instragram

They were very variety but a two main ones that seemed to reoccur was building relationships with students, parents, and staff, and then to collaborate with a team.

2. What are the strategies that you hear most often?

Small groups and the use of formative assessments.

3. What lessons will you add to your toolbox from listening to these mentors? 

I want to add a lot of lessons about expectations and social-emotional learnings.

4. Which Mentor did you connect with? Explain why!

I really connected with Tabatha Rosproy because I feel like we are very similar in both views and experience in education. Like her, I developed a love for teaching in a Pre-K setting. I currently am and have been a preschool teacher for almost 3 years now. Also like her, I want to work in special education (more on the elementary side). I want to work as a behavior specialist so I agree with her on her views on social-emotional skills applying to older students in elementary, middle, and high school. It is also so important to me to be aware of my own biases and create an equitable and safe classroom for my students.

5. What surprised you about any of the Mentors?

I think what surprised me the most was how different each of their reasons and experience of why they became a teacher.

6. What are 5 of the suggested books/podcasts you are drawn to? Why?

1. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper - I honestly have already read this book before I even wanted to be a SPED teacher and it is so wonderful to read. I love books that go into the minds of people with disabilities.

2. Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline by Becky Bailey - I want to learn more about how social emotional skills are relevant to older elementary students and beyond.

3. How to Build an Equitable Classroom - I will always strive to build a safe classroom. There's always something to learn!

4. The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald D. Davis - I have often heard people refer to certain mental or physical disabilities as a "gift" or even "superpower" in order to break the stigmas of these disabilities. With how much it affects a person, it might not feel like it to them. I guess I'm just curious about the concept of a learning disability being a gift.

5. When I am Little Again and the Child's Right to Respect by Janusz Korezak - like Andy Heinicke, I am very interested in child psychology.

7. What are one or two questions you would like to pose to a Mentor Educator?

• How did you "get through" and adapt to being the classroom your first couple of years?

Go-to Assessment: Exit tickets and "the quick assessment is the best assessment."

Work Smarter not Harder: Make the kids do everything (the more they have to do, the less you have to do).

Advice: Relationships! Relationships with your students are key! Actively engaged the whole time in the classroom.

Notes: exit tickets everyday helps you learn so much about your students.

Books/Resources:

• books and movies that help you connect with your students

Go-to assessments: whiteboards, learning continuum within map, and small groups.

Work smarter not harder: collaborate with your teaching team.

Advice: don't walk alone, work with the other teacher, and learn from them.

Books/resources:

• Twitter (look at other peoples classroom)

• How Do You Hug a Porcupine (mentor text)

Go-to assessments: FMPs (benchmark assessment for reading).

Work smarter not harder: Know the curriculum, and using the resources around you too.

Advice: Be careful about the people around you, and make sure you surround yourself around the positive.

Books/resources:

• Shut out the chatter and look at why you are a teacher.

• Behavior Snap

Go-to assessments: (Educator) rubrics.

Work smarter not harder: Rubrics help to work smarter not harder because there are clear expectations. Not everything has to be graded (formative assessment focus).

Advice: Procedures and routines from day one!

Books/resource:

• Learning by Doing

• Excellence in Every Classroom

Go-to assessments: Fast hands-on activities.

Work smarter not harder: Set boundaries and work with a team.

Advice:

1. Be extra nice to the secretary and the custodian.

2. Listen to your team.

3. Take risks.

4. Stay off your phone.

5. Don't yourself too seriously.

6. LEAVE YOUR HOME PROBLEMS AT HOME!

Books/resource:

• Out of My Mind (fiction)

• Representing all of your students in your books in the classroom.

• Power of everyday read alouds.

Go-to assessments: breaking down the standards into 5 essential questions for what students should know.

Work smarter not harder: Go slow to start with, and take all the information given at once in small parts.

Advice: care and know about your student! Relationships are so important!

Books/resource:

• The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle

• Deeper Learning by Eric Jenson and LeAnn Nickelsen

Go-to assessments: Small groups.

Work smarter not harder: Be a team!

Advice: Make relationships with the students, parents, and staff, and take the time to do it.

Books/resources:

• Despite the Best Intentions by David Sadzin

• The Morning Meeting Book (K-8) by Roxann Kreite and Carol Davis

• The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald D. Davis

Go-to assessments: MTSS or RTI assessments and formative assessments.

Work smarter not harder: Have a process where all team members are on the same page, and stick to it.

Advice: Respect your impact.

Books/resources:

• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

• Learning Disabilities by Jack M. Fletcher

• When I Am Little Again and The Child's Right to Respect by Janusz Korezak