Week of January 28

Thursday Thoughts January 28

I am not sure if there is any research on the correlation of a full moon and student behavior.  But if I ever have to write a dissertation, that just might be my topic.  We have all earned our paychecks this week.  Thank you for your hard work and patience this week.  While we had a rotating door of students in the office, I am certain that there were quite a few more that should have made their way up to the office.  As adults, we must make sure that we nurture our students, reprimand in love and forgive quickly.  Every day should be a fresh start for kids and a day that they are encouraged to be better than the day before.  The next full moon will occur on February 22nd.  It will not catch us off guard!

Staff Spotlight

This week I would like to shine the spotlight on Lisa Pizzurro.  Lisa has fully embraced Genius Hour and is one of its strongest supporters.  Not only have two of her students successfully completed a school wide shoe drive project, but her students will now have a class pet funded by a grant from Pets in the Classroom.   They definitely had to pitch this idea to me a couple of times before getting the green light.   Another one of Lisa's students has already met with me to discuss starting a student newspaper.  Lisa takes pride in making sure students connect to their learning.  Lisa cultivates an environment that promotes creativity and student engagement.  This is evident in her ELA classroom and is now evident during Genius Hour.  Lisa thank you for lighting a spark in your students that has turned into a flame.

Personalized Learning

22 Powerful Closure Activities

Edutopia December 15, 2015             

Todd Finley

Blogger and Assistant Editor (Contractor)

         

Too many university supervisors and administrators criticize the absence of lesson closure, a dubious assessment practice likely caused by the improper use of Madeline Hunter’s lesson plan model (PDF) as a de facto checklist of eight mandatory teaching practices -- anticipatory set, objective and purpose, input, modeling, checking for understanding, guided practice, independent practice, and closure -- a custom that Hunter decried in 1985 (PDF). Although it offers multiple benefits, please don't view closure as a professional must-do.

What Is Closure?

Closure is the activity that ends a lesson and creates a lasting impression, a phenomenon that Colorado State University professor Rod Lucero calls the recency effect.
Teachers use closure to:

• Check for understanding and inform subsequent instruction
• Emphasize key information
• Tie up loose ends
• Correct misunderstandings

Students find closure helpful for:

• Summarizing, reviewing, and demonstrating their understanding of major points
• Consolidating and internalizing key information
• Linking lesson ideas to a conceptual framework and/or previously-learned knowledge
• Transferring ideas to new situations

Like contracting your bicep at the top of a dumbbell curl, closure squeezes an extra oomph into a lesson. See my favorite closure strategies below!

Creative Closure Activities

1. Snowstorm

Students write down what they learned on a piece of scratch paper and wad it up. Given a signal, they throw their paper snowballs in the air. Then each learner picks up a nearby response and reads it aloud.

2. High-Five Hustle

Ask students to stand up, raise their hands and high-five a peer -- their short-term hustle buddy. When there are no hands left, ask a question for them to discuss. Solicit answers. Then play "Do the Hustle" as a signal for them to raise their hands and high-five a different partner for the next question. (Source: Gretchen Bridgers)

3. Parent Hotline

Give students an interesting question about the lesson without further discussion. Email their guardians the answer so that the topic can be discussed over dinner.

4. Two-Dollar Summary

Kids write a two-dollar (or more) summary of the lesson. Each word is worth ten cents. For extra scaffolding, ask students to include specific words in their statement. (Source (PDF): Ann Lewis and Aleta Thompson)

5. Paper Slide

On paper, small groups sketch and write what they learned. Then team representatives line up and, one and a time, slide their work under a video camera while quickly summarizing what was learned. The camera doesn't stop recording until each representative has completed his or her summary.

6. DJ Summary

Learners write what they learned in the form of a favorite song. Offer extra praise if they sing.

7. Gallery Walk

On chart paper, small groups of students write and draw what they learned. After the completed works are attached to the classroom walls, others students affix Stickies to the posters to extend on the ideas, add questions, or offer praise.

8. Sequence It

Students can quickly create timelines with Timetoast to represent the sequence of a plot or historical events.

9. Low-Stakes Quizzes

Give a short quiz using technologies like Socrative, BubbleSheet, GoSoapBox, or Google Forms. Alternatively, have students write down three quiz questions (to ask at the beginning of the next class).

10. Cover It

Have kids sketch a book cover. The title is the class topic. The author is the student. A short celebrity endorsement or blurb should summarize and articulate the lesson's benefits.

11. Question Stems

Have students write questions about the lesson on cards, using question stems framed around Bloom's Taxonomy. Have students exchange cards and answer the question they have acquired.

12. So What?

Kids answer the following prompts:

• What takeaways from the lesson will be important to know three years from now?
• Why?

13. Dramatize It

Have students dramatize a real-life application of a skill.

14. Beat the Clock

Ask a question. Give students ten seconds to confer with peers before you call on a random student to answer. Repeat.

15. Find a First-Grade Student

Have kids orally describe a concept, procedure, or skill in terms so simple that a child in first grade would get it.

16. Review It

Direct kids to raise their hands if they can answer your questions. Classmates agree (thumbs up) or disagree (thumbs down) with the response.

17. CliffsNotes, Jr.

Have kids create a cheat sheet of information that would be useful for a quiz on the day's topic. (Source (PDF): Ann Sipe, "40 Ways to Leave a Lesson")

18. Students I Learned From the Most

Kids write notes to peers describing what they learned from them during class discussions.

19. Elevator Pitch

Ask students to summarize the main idea in under 60 seconds to another student acting as a well-known personality who works in your discipline. After summarizing, students should identify why the famous person might find the idea significant.

20. Simile Me

Have students complete the following sentence: "The [concept, skill, word] is like _______ because _______."

21. Exit Ticket Folder

Ask students to write their name, what they learned, and any lingering questions on a blank card or "ticket." Before they leave class, direct them to deposit their exit tickets in a folder or bin labeled either "Got It," "More Practice, Please," or "I Need Some Help!" -- whichever label best represents their relationship to the day's content. (Source: Erika Savage)

22. Out-the-Door Activity

After writing down the learning outcome, ask students to take a card, circle one of the following options, and return the card to you before they leave:

• Stop (I'm totally confused.)
• Go (I'm ready to move on.)
• Proceed with caution (I could use some clarification on . . .)

Download the PDF cards for this exercise. (Source: Eduscapes)
These 22 strategies can be effectively altered or blended. And they are great opportunities to correct, clarify, and celebrate.

Habitudes- (Growth Mindset)

Looking Ahead

Nothing new since the faculty meeting.

Week of January 21

Thursday Thoughts January 21

 

 

 

 

The phrase above was spoken directly to me today.  It is thought provoking.  In education, I think we spend so much time trying to make sure that everything is perfect that we don't acknowledge the small progress that we make on a daily basis.  We definitely miss some of the small accomplishments of our students because we are focused on the major "milestones" that we expect them to make.  Over the past few years, we have made tremendous progress (especially in technology use).  But actually, you don't have to look back over the years to see the progress.  You can take a look at a student's writing product from August to January, a STAR report/BAS score or even a Genius Hour project that lights a spark for a student.  As we move into the longest stretch of the school year, please don't ignore the small progress being made.  It adds up and it is the fuel we need to keep doing what we need to do for kids.

 

 

 

 

 

Staff Spotlight

This week I would like to shine the spotlight on Leigh Pope. Leigh is new to Medlock this year and she has jumped right in to assist in any way necessary.  Throughout the course of the day, Leigh is in at least four different classrooms supporting special education students and teachers.  Leigh pitches in and does whatever is asked of her.  She is a team player and her efforts do not go unnoticed.  We appreciate Leigh and her dedication to our students.

 

 

 

 

Personalized Learning

 

10 Signs of a 21st Century Classroom

Patrick Goertz , Science Teacher, STEM Coordinator

Edutopia    Posted 02/27/2015

 

One of my early challenges in coordinating my school’s STEM efforts has been determining exactly what is meant by a STEM school.  There are probably as many answers to this question as there are educators, but I have decided to focus on what goes on inside the classroom.  Not just in a science or math class, but in all classrooms.  There are some activities that have traditionally been done well by the STEM disciplines that can be cross applied to all subjects. 

I have narrowed these down to a list of 10 signs of a 21^st Century classroom.  I have been slowly introducing these concepts to the faculty at my school through informal discussions and incremental training during in-service days.

A few notes:

·          I am sure that there are many similar lists in existence.  This one is originally based on a reference I found in the article “Considerations for Teaching Integrated STEM Education”.

·         I have opted to drop the word “STEM” from this list because these ideas, while often associated with science and math fields, are applicable to and indeed seen in all disciplines.

·         Each of the following could fill an article or a book by itself, but I have provided just a few explanatory lines for clarification.

And, in no particular order:

1.      Technology Integration

Rather self-explanatory and covered very well in other sections of this site.  It involves more than just use of technology, but students using technology to achieve goals in a different way than was possible before.

1.     Collaborative environment

Many students prefer to work alone.  However, this is an option not often granted in careers.  In addition, collaboration fosters the development of new ideas and exposes students to opposing viewpoints.

1.     Opportunities for creative expression

This is where many schools will add an ‘A’ to form STEAM.  Creative expression not only yields surprising outbursts of understanding, but also builds student confidence.

1.     Inquiry based approach

Much could be shared here about the difference between guided inquiry vs. open inquiry.  The core idea of students approaching a new topic in the context of answering a question is a cornerstone of the current teaching models.

1.     Justification for answers

The largest problem that I encounter in my students reasoning is an almost complete lack of it.  Fostering an expectation of well-developed thoughts encourages students to approach a problem from a number of angles and discover what they truly believe.

1.     Writing for reflection

Journal writing is often considered a dying art.  This is a shame because as self-reflection goes, so does strong metacognitive reinforcement of learning.  If students use a blog for reflection, they may even be surprised to learn that others are interested in their thoughts.

1.     Use of a problem solving methodology

Problem solving goes well beyond engineering classrooms.  Having a go-to method of approaching new difficulties can aid students through writing a short story or solving an economics challenge.

1.     Hands-on learning

Long a staple of science courses, labs provide a wonderful opportunity to provide students with another anchor for learning.  But it doesn’t stop there.  Any opportunity to connect to the outside world is a chance to enhance student achievement.

1.     Teacher as facilitator

Modern realization of best practice in education no longer supports the idea of the teacher as an authoritarian figure standing in the front of the room scrawling on a chalkboard.  As educators, our role can be reshaped so that we work beside students providing support and encouragement for their personal journey.

1.     Transparent assessment

Students perform better and form stronger connections with material if they are able to understand what demonstration of knowledge will be expected of them.  Portfolios, rubrics, and formative assessments can help meet this goal.

I'd be interested in hearing the ideas of others who have introduced an integrated STEM approach at their schools.

 

Habitudes- (Growth Mindset)

 

 

Looking Ahead 

 

Please be reminded that we have a Faculty Meeting on next Tuesday 1/26 and all staff members are expected to attend.  At that meeting, I will share the scope of the EXTENSIVE construction that will take place at Medlock this summer.  Heads up.....no one (not even me) will be able to enter the building after the post planning day.  The last day of school this year is on a Thursday (5/26) and there is only one post planning day which is the next day, Friday (5/27).

 

 

Week of January 14

Thursday Thoughts January 14

I have enjoyed meeting with teachers to conduct the mid-year conferences.  I am only about half way through the conferences but there is one commonality among all of the teachers that I have met with thus far.  Teachers at Medlock are doing what it takes to bring their very best to students.  Veteran teachers are asking for tips on how to improve their practices and new teachers are eager to get constructive feedback.  I often tell parents that we have the best teachers and staff in Fulton County.  It isn't because we have revolutionized how to teach, but it is because we bring our best to the classroom daily.  We get to know our students, we know what they need and we stop at nothing to provide it.  New parents share how our school is so much better than their child's former school. And I am sure that parents who move away to other schools quickly notice the difference.  The work we are doing is not easy and I don't foresee it getting easier any time soon.  But it is rewarding and meaningful work.  Thank you for bringing your best everyday! 

Staff Spotlight

This week I would like to shine the spotlight on Janie Massey.  Janie works with all grade levels to help students make incredible gains.  There are so many children that are able to join their classmates and keep up with on grade level work after receiving instruction from Janie. She listens to the concerns of classroom teachers and provides feedback for her students that are in SST.   Janie also serves as a support for the new teachers at Medlock.  She has hosted monthly new teacher sessions this year and she assists them with the Fulton Online Teacher Induction Program as needed.  Most recently, we decided to have the Extended Learning Program during second semester.  We wanted the Extended Learning students to access the iReady adaptive software that Janie uses in EIP.  Although only some of her students will be attending the Extended Learning Program, Janie got all of the program's students loaded in the platform.  She even offered to load the IRR students into our newly acquired iReady Reading program.  We know that the EIP program is an important support for students who are below grade level and Janie quietly gets the job done. We are fortunate to have her experience and expertise in such a critical area.  Janie, thank you for all that you do!

Personalized Learning







Habitudes- (Growth Mindset)

Looking Ahead

The State Board of Education held its first meeting of 2016 January 13-14 in Atlanta.
 
The (Rules) Committee and later the full board agreed to the posting of the new Science and Social Studies standards. The standards will be open for public comment for a minimum of 60 days and will be considered for adoption at the March State Board meeting. 
 
 There have been very few changes in content. The primary change involved changing social studies standards currently taught in grades 4-5 to grades 3-5, providing more time for teaching the standards in elementary grades. One significant change is a change in terminology used in the standards. Native American becomes American Indian and African American becomes Black.   See a summary of the proposed revisions below.  I will let you know when the DOE website has the public comment ready.


Social Studies
Summary of Recommended Revisions
 From Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) to Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE)
 I. Overview:
 Financial Literacy was expanded in grades 6-8. There was more scaffolding of the existing financial literacy standards in grades K-5.

 The fourth and fifth grade U.S. History standards will now begin in third grade which allows teachers more time to teach the content.

 Overall there was a reduction in content based on the 9,031 teacher surveys stating that teachers did not have enough time to teach the standards.

 Student expectations via Depth of Knowledge was increased to reflect a deeper level of thinking in the Reading and Writing Standards for Literacy.

 Minor changes were made to content based on teacher feedback.

 In United States History, thematic standards were removed and all content was reorganized chronologically based on presidential eras.

 World Geography was reconstructed into a more conceptual course.

 The use of "Students will" as an opening to each standard was eliminated to match Science, ELA and Math.

II. Changes by Grade Level:
 Kindergarten-Second Grade: There was a slight reduction in content and clarification of the elements. Folktales were removed from first grade because most were fictional characters. Folktales are addressed in the first and third grade ELA standards.

 Third Grade: Third grade is now the first part of a three-year study in United States History beginning with American Indian Cultures and ending with Colonization. Key individuals previously taught in third grade are now incorporated in all three years of the course appropriate to the historical time period in which they lived. Economic, geographic, and civics and government standards were adjusted appropriately.

 Fourth Grade: Fourth grade is now the second part of a three-year study in United States History beginning with the American Revolution and ending at Reconstruction. Economic, geographic, and civics and government standards were adjusted appropriately.

 Fifth Grade: Fifth grade is now the third part of a three-year study in United States History beginning with the Industrialization and ending with the Digital Age. Economic, geographic, and civics and government standards were adjusted appropriately.

Science
Summary of Recommended Revisions
 From Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) to Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE)
 I. Overview:
 The characteristics of science and the nature of science standards have been embedded in the content standards.

 Content was modified when appropriate to bring it up to date with current scientific knowledge.

 Wording in the standards have been modified in some cases to reflect the following suggested changes:

 increase in expectations

 additional clarification

 Standards or elements were moved to a different grade level in response to survey data.

 Added clarification statements as appropriate.

 Included elements that addressed engineering practices, e.g., the engineering design process.

 Replaced "Students will" with "Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information" as the beginning language for each standard.

II. Changes by Grade Level:
 Kindergarten

 Describing the effects of gravity on the motion of objects (SKP3) was incorporated as part of the revised standard (new SKP2) that asks students to describe different types of motion.

 First Grade

 Recording changes in water as it relates to weather (S1E2a & S1E2b) were incorporated into the revised standard that asks students to identify patterns in weather and climate (new S1E1). Elements S1E2c and S1E2d, the idea of weight not changing under a physical change (conservation of matter) and the external conditions needed for water to evaporate, were not included in the revised standards based on survey feedback indicating they are not developmentally appropriate for first graders.

 Second Grade

 An element was added to S2E1, to focus on the visual characteristics of the sun as compared with other stars. The original standard also included an understanding of star patterns but this was not addressed in the original elements and has been removed in the new standard.



  Identifying sources of energy and how energy is used (S2P2) was removed based on the survey feedback.

 Third Grade

 Investigation of how heat is produced, the relation between temperature changes and heat, and the effects of heating and cooling (S3P1) was generalized to take the core idea of how heat energy is produced, transmitted, and measured. The standard addressing the concept of energy production and usage was eliminated in second grade.

 Investigation of magnets (S3P2) was removed. The ideas addressed in this standard were moved to first grade and fifth grade.

 Investigation of the habitats of different organisms and their dependence on this habitat (S3L1) was revised to correctly address the differences between habitats and geographic regions of Georgia.

 Fourth Grade

 The standard comparing and contrasting the physical attributes of stars, star patterns, and planets (S4E1) was reduced in scope to focus only on comparing and contrasting physical attributes of stars and planets.

 The standard analyzing weather charts/maps and the collection of weather data to predict weather events (S4E4) was extended to include the identification of the major cloud types (cirrus, stratus, and cumulus) as part of the type of data that can be collected to inform weather predictions.

 The standard identifying factors that affect survival such as adaptation, behaviors, and external features (S4L2) was moved to third grade to improve alignment to third grade concepts, i.e., S3L1.

 Fifth Grade

 Standard S5P1 that introduces the idea of conservation of mass by asking students to recognize that an object’s mass is the result of the sum of the mass of its parts was removed. Element "a" under this standard was incorporated under the new standard that asks students to explain differences between chemical and physical change (S5P1). Element "b" under the old standard was moved into the standard that asks students to compare and contrast parts of plant and animal cells (S5L3).

 A new standard (S5P3) was written to combine the existing standard dealing with magnetism with ideas on magnetism that were moved from third grade.

Week of January 7

Thursday Thoughts January 7

Over the break I watched a lot of television, probably too much.  I watched movies, dramas, comedies, sports and even the news. During my binge watching, I realized that we are living in a time when the world is quite unkind.  It is becoming harder and harder to distinguish between Reality TV and reality.  I noted that sarcasm has replaced sensitivity and people have lost respect for themselves and others.  People say anything with little to no regard of how it will make others feel.  Disagreeing in an agreeable way seems to be a thing of the past.  It is disparaging to think that our children are looking to adults to imitate how they should speak, act and resolve conflicts.  

As educators we can't control what children are exposed to on television or at home.  We can only make the commitment to be excellent role models for them while they are at school.  We can model how to be kind to each other.  We can teach them how to share their opinions without devaluing the opinions of others.   We can teach our students to be respectful of people's differences.  At Medlock Bridge, we can and we will be the example for students to imitate.

Staff Spotlight

This week I would like to shine the spotlight on Cara Vollberg.  Cara has not only taken on the responsibilities of grade chair in Kendra Deans' absence, but she has also volunteered to teach Extended Learning with Megan Rios this semester.  Cara is up for the challenge of Extended Learning and is even willing to brush up on her 5th grade math skills.  With these additional roles and the hard work that she puts into her classroom daily, you would think that this would be all that she wants to handle...but it is not.  Cara will also supervise a student teacher this semester.  Cara is working hard for her students and we thank her for that.  However I want to recognize Cara for branching out beyond the classroom and serving the grade level and our at risk 3rd and 5th graders.  Cara we appreciate what you are doing for Medlock Bridge.


Personalized Learning

5 Tips for Making Group Work Manageable

Edutopia

December 17, 2015

Kristina J. Doubet & Jessica Hockett

James Madison University Associate Professor & Education Consultant and Author

follow: https://twitter.com/diy_diff 

         

When teachers ask students to work on a task in groups, they issue an invitation for engagement and, potentially, for chaos! Here are five tips that can help encourage productivity and keep mayhem at bay.

1. Be clear and specific about the task.

There’s nothing more frustrating than launching group work and seeing ten hands in the air or (worse) hearing students complain to one another, "What are we supposed to do?" If possible, limit initial verbal explanations to a general overview of the task and process. Then, provide crystal clear, detailed electronic or paper-based directions to each student in the group. Anticipate potential questions and areas of confusion by using a checklist format, providing visuals, or recording instructions for groups to listen to on iPads (this is particularly helpful if you have English learners in your class). Consider instituting a "1-2-3, Then Me" format in which students get one minute to read the directions silently, two minutes to discuss the directions with one another or with other groups, and three minutes to plan their approach to the task before they can ask you for assistance.

2. Make production the outcome.

Putting students in groups to simply "discuss" is a recipe for disaster. If students have to work toward producing something to turn in, present, or share with another group, they are less likely to linger in off-task conversations. Products should require all group members' participation or contributions. This might involve a graffiti-like poster in the middle of the table on which everyone records ideas, or a graphic organizer that every student completes. If each student is doing his or her own version of the task, announce that you'll be collecting one paper per group, to be revealed at the end of the activity. When time is up, use random criteria, such as "person in the group with the shortest hair" or "person with the birthday closest to the teacher's" to determine whose paper it will be.

3. Model successful transitions and interactions.

Show (don't just tell) students the basic mechanics that are critical to success in your classroom. Maybe it's how to move between stations, the process for using a discussion strategy, or how to talk during a "think-pair-share." Devote the first few weeks of class to conducting dry runs (i.e., students moving from place to place, students retrieving and returning materials, students using technology appropriately, etc.). Use volunteers to act out example and non-example conversations with "elbow partners." Post or provide sentence frames as scaffolds for group dialogue. This kind of up-front investment will pay off when students are able to move, transition, and converse efficiently.

4. Monitor progress, time, and noise.

Make students partners, if not primary agents, in keeping tabs on their progress, the time, and the noise level. If groups are producing something tangible, they (and you) can see what they have left to do. Use a decibel reader app (e.g., Decibel 10th, a free app by SkyPaw Co. Ltd), or launch a site like Bouncy Balls (from Google Chrome) for visually appealing ways to gauge the volume of the room. Track time with an online digital stopwatch or another easy-to-see timer. (Try this fun five-minute countdown timer from YouTube.) Make sure to give students less time than you think they need in order to build a sense of urgency. Check in when time is running low to see if groups require more. ("Fist to five -- how many more minutes do you need?") If some groups finish before others, have a next-step question or task ready for students to tackle.

5. Incorporate community builders.

Sometimes group work falters simply because students don't know, like, or respect one another -- yet. Full-class community-building activities are critical; but smaller, deliberately planted, group-level bonding moments also reap rich rewards in helping groups gel, release tension, and exercise courtesy. This might involve using an opening prompt like, "Before you start, share your favorite ice cream flavors," or asking students to fist bump each other as they complete each step of the task. Consider displaying fun anchor questions for students to discuss once they are finished. Anchor questions keep students from drifting into uncharted work or conversations, while providing a structure that lets students stretch beyond the content to discover connections with one another. They can be related to the content or task (e.g., "Where have you seen this topic portrayed in real life or in the media?") or appeal to general interests (e.g., "If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?").
Teachers are more likely to design and implement meaningful group activities when they have the management strategies to do so. Taking the proactive steps like those we've described can enhance engagement while curbing the chaos.

 

Habitudes- (Growth Mindset)

Looking Ahead

You may recall the opportunity for teachers to provide feedback to the State a few months ago.  Please read the State Superintendent's response to the survey results.  The results are also attached.

Op-ed by Superintendent Woods: Teacher Recruitment and Retention Survey Results

MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org - Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram Op-Ed by Superintendent Richard Woods Currently, 44% of Georgia’s newly hired teachers are dropping out of the profession by year five. Equally alarming is that there was a 16% dip from 2010 to 2014 in the number of candidates entering Georgia’s teacher preparation programs. For students, this could mean larger class sizes, fewer opportunities, and a decreased chance of being taught by a quality teacher. To find the root cause of this growing crisis, the Georgia Department of Education surveyed current and former teachers to ask them what factors they felt were pushing them or their colleagues out of the profession. Within three weeks, more than 53,000 Georgia teachers – almost half of the state’s teacher workforce – responded to our survey (view the full report here), showing that teachers were ready to talk about this critical issue. The results were enlightening. The top reason teachers selected for leaving the profession was “Number of state mandated tests” with “Method for evaluating teachers” as a close second. Though “Compensation/Benefits” was an option and ranked higher than the average, it was not listed in the top three. Teachers were given an option to explain why they picked their top cause and their comments were striking. Many teachers not only explained how the cause they chose was pushing their colleagues out of the profession, but also how the cause was damaging to their students. Many teachers doubted that anyone would read their comments and that any change would come. Their comments weren’t made cynically, but were expressed in a candid tone that reflected on a profession that they felt was fading away. Some of their concerns are rooted in what’s reflected in the words of state law; others in the actions brought forth by the department’s interpretation and implementation of those laws. Ask almost any teacher, and he or she can tell you who inspired them to go into teaching. For me, it was Mrs. Phillips. Our survey asked teachers: “If you had a student about to graduate from high school, how likely would you be to encourage teaching as a profession?” Only 2.7% of teachers said it was very likely they would encourage their students to go into teaching, while 33.2% of teachers said it was very unlikely they would encourage their students to pursue teaching. This tells us the crisis will only get worse if action isn’t taken. In the short term, these are steps I am committed to taking: With regard to the teacher evaluation system, the department launched a tiered-observation pilot at the beginning of this year in a handful of districts. In keeping with the recommendation of the Education Reform Commission and my belief in a measured approach to accountability, we will be scaling this statewide so administrators are able to spend more time with newer or struggling teachers. We know one-size-fits-all doesn’t work for our students and it doesn’t work when evaluating our teachers, either. Working with the State Board and those in the General Assembly, I will be pushing for the elimination of Milestones testing requirements for students who participate in Move On When Ready and earn an “A” or “B” in their college classes. My goal for the long term is to look at other options like AP and IB exams to further reduce the number of Milestones students have to take. In addition to the above, we are conducting a statewide audit of testing, examining what, why, and how much we test, and the impact of testing on learning and teaching. Currently, 177 school districts have already voluntarily provided us with their testing requirements.  I have also instructed the Department of Education staff to examine testing and educational accountability within our state. I continue to be in contact with educators, elected officials, State Board of Education members, and a variety of stakeholders to discuss these and other issues. Some efforts will require the support of those beyond the department.  During my first school visit, a teacher told me she had discouraged her daughter from going into teaching. Since then, I have had countless similar conversations with teachers across Georgia, and more than 53,000 voices are represented by this survey. I ask that teachers continue to provide feedback to me and other elected officials. Over the past year, I have traveled to almost 70 counties in our state. The tireless efforts of our teacher workforce have been exemplary. Countless times, teachers have made the same request as I visit: "I just want to be able to know my kids and teach them what they need to know."  Their focus and concern has always been on the children of Georgia.  I am confident that by working together, we can restore to our current and future teachers the ability to teach their students effectively – and the joy of teaching. We must – and will – employ a teacher workforce that is second to none. Georgia public education is poised to offer our children great opportunities. We need to ensure there are great teachers to open these doors. http://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/communications/Documents/Teacher%20Survey%20Results.pdf