Many of my "blog buddies" from UMUC are feeling overwhelmed and I am right beside them. I'm struggling to stay above water in my classroom, but on top of that I have two extra duties at school: ELA Department Chair and the FRIES club.
Let me explain FRIES... For CSI (Continuous School Improvement) we have to come up with a common problem and an intervention and two years ago, the school rightfully agreed that our students struggle with including supporting details. I knew of the acronym FRIES (Facts/Figures, Reasons, Incidents, Examples/Expert Testimony, Sensory details) and we chose that as our intervention and it became "my baby." You know how sometimes your suggestion becomes your burden, I mean baby? Well, that was me with FRIES. My principal wanted me to roll out this in a BIG way. Please watch this embarrassing video... I say writing about 4 times in 20 seconds. I HATE this video, but it does explain things... And it was a successful roll-out after 40+ hours of me and my ISS writing lessons for every discipline.
Now, I will say that FRIES has been a successful intervention. Even the Naval Base McDonalds has contributed 600 free fries coupons to our school and teachers give them as rewards for showing support (FRIES) in their writing. Students are showing improvement. But, I was tasked by my new Principal to host a FRIES club SY2014, of sorts, to ensure that every student is understanding our intervention. I have put this on the back burner and then suddenly I had an idea! In our 620 grad school class, we wrote projects for for our students and I planned to do this one with my 6th graders: a teen's guide to Yokosuka. But then (Thursday) I thought: what if every ELA teacher did this and our ENTIRE school wrote a review for a website. The students would be writing a meaningful project and my FRIES "club" students could put together the website. I'm going to attempt to sell this idea at my Department meeting on Thursday. Here's my page with the rubric and the instructions I wrote for my 6th graders. It's password protected: yms . What do you think? I am super excited!
So you know how I value my social life, I am going to get out in town this weekend to create some examples as models. I hope I have teacher buy-in. I finally feel like I'm climbing out of my hiding spot under this extra duty.
In other news: some super typhoon is headed this way. America is making it seem worse than Japan is letting on. Is it bad that I'm hoping for a Tuesday hit so we have a 4-day weekend?
WOW! What a big role you have! Glad McD's provided coupons. This seems like a great project to move student growth.
ReplyDeleteNo fair you have McDonalds!!! We have them but off base - to be honest they are better.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool program. I see our kids struggling with the same issues in writing - they miss the details, can't think of them or (my favorite) its just too hard!! Hope things continue to go well.
Hope you get your 4 day weekend!!