Edgemere Elementary School

Go for Gold: Everything Counts!

As we continue to teach students the standards and spiral content, its important to consider the
importance of engagement through creating a brain compatible classroom. Students tend to
remember best that which comes first in a learning segment, and remember second best that
which comes last. So my questions to everyone to reflect on: How are you opening your lessons?
- Are you hooking students to want more? Also, how are you closing your lessons?-Are your
students reviewing what they learned from the lesson?
When teaching a lesson, there are 4 ways to gain students attention. These 4 ways need to be used daily for maintaining their attention. It is crucial, that your
lessons have a purpose (why is it important to learn this?). Students come to school wanting to know new and different information (novelty) from your lessons.
They need to be making connections throughout the learning, and there has to be passion and enthusiasm (emotion) in the delivery of the lesson. Remember that
students will find ways to engage themselves (off task behavior) if they are not engaged in the lesson. As mentioned before, the teacher helps the child want to learn,
so we should not blame the child for not wanting to learn. It is up to the teacher to provide students a brain compatible classroom. Remember you are a GROWER of
dendrites!!!
The ten characteristics of a brain compatible classroom are:
1. Creating a positive environment

6. Students talking about content

2. Visuals/ Visualization

7. Students moving to learn content

3. Music 30%

8. High expectations

4. Relevant lessons

9. High challenge with Low Stress

5. Rituals taught

10. Content taught in chunks with activities

Announcements:
I want to thank the teachers and staff (Mrs. Hinojosa,Mrs. Newkirk, Mrs. Gamboa, Mr. Mattson, Mrs. Contreras, Mrs. Vasquez, and Mrs. Hernandez) who assisted
our EDGES Booster Club with the Mother and Son Dance. Thank you for taking time to help our school and making it a positive environment for our boys and their
mothers.
Since there will no school on Wednesday, February 17th, we will switch our PLC day on that week to Tuesday, February 16th. We will use Tuesday to get teachers to
calibrate for TELPAS. We will follow the same PLC schedule as we would do for Wednesday.
Mrs. Gamboa will provide everyone information about an attendance drawing for all employees similar to the drawing that we will have for our students parents at
the end of the year.
We need our community input. Parents will be asked to fill out a Parent Statisfaction Survey, so that we can use the feedback in our plans to continue improving our
campus. They will have the option to complete it online. We will provide every teacher with copies of the survey next week, so they can be sent home with
information from our Superintendent. Please collect these surveys. The deadine to turn in the paper surveys to the office is February 26th
Procedure/Routine Reminders:

Everyone must comply with deadlines and assigned duties/expectations.

Please update Book of the Month work samples.
Please check your mailboxes daily.

Future Events

UIL EnglishFebruary 13th

TELPAS CalibrationFebruary 16th
No SchoolFebruary 17th
Elementary Honors Band @ ACACFebruary 18th
1st and 2nd Grade Dual Language Chinese Performance @EPCCFebruary 19th
EDGES Science Fair for K-2February 23rd
Faculty MeetingFebruary 24th at 3:00
K-2 Chinese Evening PerformanceFebruary 25th at 5:30
CEICFebruary 29