Top LYS Tweets from the Week of March 5, 2017

If you are not following @LYSNation on Twitter, then you missed the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of March 5, 2017 when they were first posted.  And if you are on Twitter, you might want to check out the Tweeters who made this week’s list.

1. …Vouchers steal from the poor to give to the rich. This is a serious injustice for kids. (By @pastors4OKkids)

2. Successful leaders move toward difficult conversations, not away. (By @Leadershipfreak)

3. Every time we enforce a student expectation that we do not model, we are doing the opposite of relationship building. (By @LYSNation)

4. If I don't use the police department can I get a check to provide private guards at my home? No. That makes no sense. Neither do vouchers. (By @pastors4OKkids)

5. Oklahoma State Senator Pittman points out that when the private school fails a student and they go back to public school, the public school can't recoup voucher money. (By @okea)

6. Coaching is largely defined by the relationships you have with your players. (By @GeorgeRaveling)

7. When teachers believe, students achieve! (By @drpriddy)

8. People will work hard to avoid disappointing their boss, but they will do almost anything to avoid disappointing their teammates. (By @DrKing_BBJH)

9. All news organizations must refuse to attend briefings where major outlets are excluded because of critical coverage. (By @JoeNBC)

10. "The free press is a cornerstone of democracy. A free press, at its best, reveals the truth." (By @Newseum)

Visit Classrooms…  Beat Cancer!

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: The National Principals Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote) 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

March for a Cure Update (3/11/17)

March for a Cure? Yes, MARCH FOR A CURE! 

For every PowerWalks classroom observation conducted this month, LYS will donate 5¢ to the American Cancer Society. Every PowerWalks observer who conducts 200 or more classroom observations this month gets a March For A Cure T-shirt.   

I march for Gerald Burnett, Margaret Nold, and Phyllis Nold. 

Who do you march for?

Visit Classrooms… Beat Cancer!

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: The National Principals Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote) 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Reader Asks... Kindergarten and 1st Grade Critical Writing

A new LYS Principal asks the following:

SC,

I have been doing my PowerWalks since our training this Fall. I have just a few questions on what Critical Writing should look like in our Kindergarten and 1st Grade classrooms. Could you provide some examples?

SC Response

First, a reality check. In Kindergarten and 1st Grade classrooms you will see the least amount of Critical Writing. Which means you want to see A LOT of small group purposeful talk.

In Kindergarten, a commonly observed form of Critical Writing is student drawings with the students explaining their thinking or the story.

In 1st Grade the expectation is higher. Students should be able to write a full sentence explaining their thinking (don't worry about spelling and punctuation). 

Below are some Critical Writing ideas for Kindergarten and first semester 1st Grade classrooms.

Critical Writing in Reading

As the teacher reads a story to students, she pauses to allow students to talk about their predictions of what will happen next.  As students talk, the teacher records their thinking with a picture drawn in a windowpane organizer.

Draw/describe how the main character in a story feels at the beginning of the story.

Draw/describe how the feelings of the main character in a story change over time.

Critical Writing in Math

Draw a picture illustrating what is happening in a story problem.

Draw/explain what would happen if two groups are combined. 

Critical Writing in Science 

Draw a picture (then explain) of what you know about _________.

Draw a picture (then explain) of something new you learned about ___________.

Draw a picture (then explain) of the most important safety rule.  Defend your answer.

Critical Writing in Any Setting

Dictate or write the most important thing you learned about ____________________.

Dictate or write a question you have about ______________________.

Draw a picture of what you already know about ____________________. 

Visit Classrooms… Beat Cancer!

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: The National Principals Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote) 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook