Blog
PENN MANOR SCHOOL DISTRICT
PENN MANOR SCHOOL DISTRICT
As you start to settle into the routine of the school year, it’s always helpful for a refresher on the tools and supports that are available. Each month you will find a quick email highlighting a strategy from the Penn Manor Instructional Playbook and additional resources to add to your instructional toolkit. I hope this validates the work that you are already doing and provides a helpful glimpse into new ways of thinking!
We know that creating and teaching expectations is a huge focus at the beginning of the school year. If you’re looking at new ways to provide explicit and detailed instruction on routines and procedures, take a look at the Act, Talk, Move strategy. You can find this strategy and more under the topic of Community Building on the Instructional Playbook.
Interested in reflecting more on classroom management strategies? Take a listen to Jennifer Gonzalez’s podcast, Cult of Pedagogy, where she shares 4 Keys to Starting the Year off Right.
As always, please reach out if you would like to collaborate and don’t forget to follow #PMLearns for professional learning at your fingertips on social media.
Thank you for all that you do to support the work of teaching and learning in Penn Manor!
It’s hard to believe that we are in October, especially considering the temperatures this week! As the year picks up steam, I want to give you something to consider when taking pulse checks of learning through formative assessment.
In her book, Powerful Teaching, Dr. Pooja Agarwal offers evidence-based teaching strategies grounded in Retrieval Practice; the idea that calling information to mind enhances student learning. Retrieving past information is just as important as learning new information. Dr. Agarwal outlines the science behind retrieval in her book, and the implications for student success.
Want to hear more about her research? Check out this interview from the Cult of Pedagogy Podcast: Retrieval Practice: The Most Powerful Learning Strategy You’re Not Using.
In addition, if you are interested in trying some retrieval practice in your classroom, consider using Mini-Checks from the Formative Assessment page of the Instructional Playbook.
As always, please reach out if you would like to collaborate and check out the great things our colleagues are doing through #PMLearns on social media.
Thank you for all that you do to support the work of teaching and learning in Penn Manor!
As we gear up for our next month of teaching and learning, I would love to draw your attention to a relationship building strategy that significantly impacts disruptive behavior.
The 2 x 10 strategy is simple: spend 2 minutes per day for 10 days in a row talking with an at-risk student about anything they want to talk about. Check out Angela Watson’s Part I and Part II of this technique to help support relationship building in your classroom.
If you're searching for a strategy that helps support the management of your entire classroom, I highly encourage you to reflect on the Broken Window Theory. In short, when we pay more attention to tiny disruptions with swift corrections, it dramatically reduces more disruptive behaviors.
Finally, I’m excited to share a free resource that is captivating classrooms in our middle schools and high school. The First Five is a free daily resource that is sent right to your inbox and provides a variety of options for relationship building at the start of class. It includes daily meme check-ins, fun discussion starters, character building quotes, mindfulness exercises, and more. It’s the perfect way to support your morning meeting or start of the day routine.
Choose your grade level from the K-5 or 6-12 First Five resource. Click here to sign up.
As always, additional ideas for relationship and community building can be found on the Instructional Playbook under Community Building or in the Teacher Hub under Classroom Culture.
The work that you do matters. Thank you for continuing to build positive relationships and classroom communities to support the work of teaching and learning in Penn Manor.
As we enter a new month filled with excitement, joy, and a little extra student energy, I want to draw your attention to a strategy that hooks students into learning. Using an anticipatory set at the beginning of your lesson sets the stage for engagement and improved learning outcomes.
An anticipatory set grabs students' attention, activates what they already know, and prepares them for the day's learning. Our brains take in information through our senses while filtering out data that isn’t important. An anticipatory set is like a heads-up that helps the brain focus on the important information about a topic or problem.
For a successful anticipatory set, ensure it is relevant, creates a bridge to the objective, and is revisited during the lesson. Here are some anticipatory set ideas:
A thought-provoking question
An engaging image, video, or audio clip
A compelling quote or passage
A captivating story
A fun costume related to the lesson
A hands-on demonstration
For more ideas, listen to Cult of Pedagogy’s three minute EduTip Podcast Episode or brief research review.
Looking for more ways to engage your students in the learning process? Check out the Penn Manor Instructional Playbook and don’t forget to follow #PMLearns on social media.
Thank you for engaging students in the dynamic world of teaching and learning!
We recognize that January can be a thrilling fresh start while also a cold month of trying to regain motivation and excitement for the long days of teaching. I want to remind you that both things can be true at the same time; you can feel excited and tired, hopeful and filled to capacity.
One of my favorite resets during this time of year is reminding myself about the power of a teacher - it provides an energy boost to my day and reframes my interactions with students.
Although you are probably already familiar with her TED Talk, every year I listen to Rita Pierson’s eight minute reflection titled “Every Kid Needs a Champion.” I encourage you to put it on while getting organized for the day and see how her words provide a needed reminder during this time of year.
Looking for more ideas to support intentional reflection? Check out the Work Life Balance page within the Teacher Hub on the Instructional Playbook. Here you can find a curated list of podcasts and articles to support your goals of resetting and reframing the work that we do.
Thank you for all that you do to support teaching and learning in Penn Manor. The work you do matters!
p.s. - If you’re interested in geeking out, Edutopia just released their ten most significant education research studies of 2023. You can check out their list here.
Over the last few weeks I’ve been in awe of the incredible collaboration and innovative thinking taking place in the elementary division. Thank you for taking the time to dig into the Instructional Playbook and reflect on strategies that compliment your practice! I look forward to sharing a highlight reel next month of some of the amazing lessons taking place from our colleagues.
Today, I would like to share with you a new section that is gaining momentum in the playbook titled “Specialized Support” within the Teacher Hub. Thanks to Kathryn Cox and Kathy Houck, there are a variety of strategies, articles, and videos that can benefit your English Language Learners. Even if you don’t currently support an EL in your classroom, these strategies are fantastic ways to differentiate for the learners in our care.
One resource that is linked on this page particularly caught my attention. Cognitive scientist Dr. Lera Boroditsky’s TED Talk titled, “How language shapes the way we think”, captivated me by providing research and explanation as to how language does indeed mold our thoughts, culture, and understanding of the world. It begs me to wonder how this mindset can help us provide more grace and understanding to our English Learners as we work together for school success.
I hope you find these strategies and resources helpful to your practice. Please keep me posted on how I can continue to support the work of teaching and learning in your classroom! Thank you for all that you do.
When educators collaborate, share best practices, and take a peek into each other’s worlds, great learning takes place. Today, I would love to offer you a small glimpse into other classrooms to see how our colleagues are using the Instructional Playbook to increase student learning.
I am always captivated by the expertise in the elementary division and I hope that you find this quick highlight of learning beneficial to your practice. I encourage you to watch this three minute video to see how our colleagues are remixing what is possible! Consider reaching out to a teacher who is highlighted to pick their brain and collaborate on how a strategy can be applied to your room.
Our artifacts of learning are due March 27th and if you’re still lost on what strategy might best benefit your students, I hope this highlight provides some inspiration.
Finally, please keep your eyes out for a Learning Facilitator feedback form coming out later this month that will help us plan professional learning opportunities for next year and allow us to hear how we can better support your work as an educator.
Looking for more inspiration from our colleagues’ classrooms? Follow #PMLearns on social media for professional learning at your fingertips. Have a great day!
I hope you had a few moments to unplug over spring break and are gearing up for the final eight weeks of school! Thank you for sharing your artifacts of learning last month and applying strategies from the Instructional Playbook to strengthen the work of teaching and learning in our classrooms.
This month, I would love to share a super quick resource to help create visibly random groups for your students. Teachers across the district use many different tools to form small groups, and I hope this card sorter assists in a quick remix for your practice. This resource creates randomized groups of three by deciding which corner you want students to group by. Also, consider making a copy of these google slides and subbing out icons that meet your content area focus. This way you can maximize instructional time and form stronger connections to classroom content.
Finally, did you know that we can get inspiration from our colleagues’ classrooms with a simple touch of a finger? Our Penn Manor Learning social media pages are full of bite sized teaching tips and highlights of the incredible learning taking place across our district. Follow on Instagram: @pennmanorlearns Twitter: @PMLearns or Facebook: Penn Manor Learning.
Here is a peek at the content you will see on our pages to provide professional learning at your fingertips! Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade, Fifth Grade, Sixth Grade, PE
Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our students. I wish you a fulfilling month ahead as we work collaboratively to help students define and achieve their academic and life goals.
Happy May! The end of the school year can come fast and furious and there are times when we wonder how to capitalize on these moments. If you’re looking for a few ideas to end the school year on a high note, I rounded up my favorite posts to help us leverage creativity, active learning, and community building. Sometimes these are the weeks that students remember the most; you are creating closure on an essential part of their educational journey!
I also encourage you to check out last year’s Instagram reels where I highlighted various buildings and their favorite end of year activities. For example, check out LeTort 3rd grade as they engage students in reader’s theater and Central Manor teachers as they highlight their go-to projects!
In addition, you will be receiving the 2024-2025 professional learning options soon and I hope you find sessions that engage in your learning and growth. I especially want to highlight a few options that Tony and I are carefully putting together to support your work in the classroom.
Personalized Professional Learning is the way we complete coaching cycles with teachers. Check out this brief overview of what you can expect when you work in collaboration with a learning facilitator. Working together through a cycle can count for 6 hours of professional learning!
We’ll also be offering our High Impact Instructional Strategies two day session in August alongside Maria Vita and Larisa Garpstas. Last year, teachers had great things to say about this workshop. One even wrote, “Hands down one of the best professional development opportunities that I have had in my years in education.” We hope you can join us this year.
For teachers who joined us last year, we’re offering a “year two” version of our High Impact Instructional Strategies filled with more tips, tricks, and collaboration. We hope to see you again!
Finally, during the last week of school, keep your eyes out for a #PMLearns in June email. We’ll be sharing a teaser for a new project that will elevate our professional learning across the district.
Wishing you strength as we work through the final weeks of the school year! Thank you for all that you do to create lasting memories for our students.