Hi!
Solid week here in Oregon. Unseasonably warm and nice to have a day off. Shout-out to all the veterans! Thanks for your service.
We’ve got one week left before Thanksgiving, and it happens to be the end of our trimester. The amount of students who are anxiously pulling out of a nose-dive to get to passing is always a little discouraging. But teenagers are going to teenage. (Though it’s still a small minority … most don’t wait until the eleventh hour).
Whatever your next week looks like, I hope it goes smoothly. And I hope you get a full week off for the holiday. The newsletter will take a break next week as I’ll be in and out of town, but we’ll resume on the 28th.
In the meantime, I hope you find this week’s PD and video helpful. I love this video. It’s quite touching and a tribute to those who commit fully to hope. What seems like the end is not always the end.
And I think this week’s Emailable PD is well-timed. As I head into a new term, it’s always helpful to remember that the new students I’ll soon receive can fake comprehension for a bit, but it’s not helping them to just accept the nods and confidence. I hope it’s useful!
Enjoy the next two weeks with your loved ones!
Mike
Weekly Video
Use in staff newsletters, encouraging emails, etc.
Possible Caption: A little hope goes a long way.
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Weekly Quote
"The most luxurious possession, the richest treasure anybody has, is his personal dignity."
Jackie Robinson
Weekly Staff/Student Discussion Question
Use in a staff meeting, student discussion, ask your own kids … see what happens!
Question: Would you rather have a fast-forward or rewind button for your life?
Weekly Emailable PD
Use in staff newsletters, emailable PD messages, etc.
Suggested Email Body:
This week’s resource focuses on checking for understanding: making student thinking visible so teachers can see what learners know and where confusion remains. A smooth lesson or a few correct answers can look like understanding, even when many students are still unsure.
The challenge is that volunteers and confident nods offer only a partial picture. Quick, low-stakes checks can give every student a chance to respond and help teachers spot misunderstandings before moving on.
These slides offer practical ways to gather and use student responses, from simultaneous reveals to targeted exit tickets. By checking, interpreting, and adjusting, teachers can respond to what students need and make each next step more useful.
