December 2016

Be A Teacher Day

Over 350 students

participated in the second Be A
Teacher day at Bankers Life
Fieldhouse on November 18th. Secondary students who are
currently in an Education pathway were invited to attend.
The afternoon was started with inspiring words from the
Indiana Teacher of the Year, Jean Russell; the Indiana Deputy
Superintendent of Public Instruction, Danielle Shockey; and
Alyson McIntyre-Reiger, the IDOE State Program Leader of
Family and Consumer Sciences, Work Based Learning.
Concurrent sessions followed that allowed the students to
learn about various aspects of becoming a teacher. Barbara
Wylie from Ivy Tech Community College prepared a program
that helped the students see how community colleges could
be an option to enter the teaching career field.
Malissa Ayala from the Purdue University Division of Financial Aid guided students in
understanding the steps to making college financially feasible. Patrick Biggerstaff,
administrator from Area 31 Career Center filled in the gaps regarding what school
districts want and need from prospective teachers.
Although many college fairs take place on college campuses, this event brought
together thirty- two teacher education programs providing students with information
and resources unique to their programs in one convenient location! Utilizing the
university programs in this way was highly supported by those participating.
Information about Be A Teacher written by Carol Werhan, Family and Consumer Science
Teacher Educator from Purdue University

Office of Special
Education IDOE Website

Every Student
Succeeds
Framework
Short Share #1:
Conceptual
Framework

Short Share #2:

Equity & Access

Short Share #3:

Equity & Access
Continued
Short Share #4:
Universal Design
for Learning

The Office of Special Education

has been working hard to update
their website with the new Every
Student Succeeds Act framework.
The graphic/framework is now
on the home page and more
clickable updates will be
coming soon.
Click on the image to the below
to see the new website. Referring
to the graphic, as the arrows
indicate, this is a circular
framework that implies no one place to begin or end and
with all components relying on each other. These elements:
Ongoing Collaboration, Quality Instruction, Appropriate
Assessment and a Curriculum based on grade level content
standards, enhanced by a multi-tiered system of support and
Universal design principles, will provide the framework that
allows every student to succeed. The Office of Special
Education have also released a number of video short
shares that will enhance understanding of the framework.
Read more about related topics on the Instruction and Access
for All December page.

A Note from
Be A Teacher Day 2016
Attendees
The BE A TEACHER event was a
wonderful way to connect with
prospective students and to encourage
their interest in becoming a teacher. So
often, high school students are
discouraged from entering the teaching
profession by well-meaning adults who
think there are more lucrative or less
stressful careers for them to choose. This
event honors the profession and affirms
that teaching, more than any other career,
gives a young person the opportunity to
impact the future of our state.
Joyce Gulley, Ph.D.
Professor, Teacher Education
University of Southern Indiana
This is a well-organized day for students
to have an opportunity to learn about the
different teacher preparation programs
offered at a variety of
colleges/universities in Indiana. It is a
one stop shopping experience where
students can gain knowledge about the
expectations of being a student in
education along with the different
programs offered though out the state.
Patricia Bittinger Mansfield
Coordinator of Advising and Recruiting
Teachers College, Ball State University
I like every part of the experience. I
had a great time and it shined a new
light on the subject of becoming a
teacher.
A Secondary Indiana Student
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High Ability and Alt Education

Dual Credit, Bicentennial and HFR
Instruction and Access for All
World Languages
Elementary STEM
Elementary Literacy
Engineering and Technology
Secondary Science
Social Studies
Secondary ELA Page 1
Secondary ELA Page 2
Secondary Math
Business/Marketing
K-12 Computer Science
FACS and WBL
Agriculture Education
Fine Arts
Trade and Industry
Health and P.E.
Health Science

High Ability Coordinator:

Amy Marschand

Do you ever wonder why?

Sign up to get five intriguing links every Friday for free!

As we enter the holiday

season, perhaps a little
wonder in the classroom is
needed. Here is an idea from
a session at the National
Gifted Children Convention
presented by Ian Byrd and
Brian Housand. Ian Byrd has
a website that generates
puzzlement. Registration is
free and the puzzlement ideas
are emailed every Friday.
The purpose of the
puzzlement is to create
wonder and curiosity. There
is no homework nor
expectations. The purpose is
for students to ponder and
wonder.

Alt Ed Specialist: Julia Johns

SY2016-17 Data Reminder

September through January
Teacher/Student Surveys
memo will be sent out
September 2016.
December through January
FTE report memo will be sent
out by Friday, December 9,
2016.
April through June Grant
Renewal memo will be sent out
April 2017.
May through July DOE-AL
Reporting memo will be sent
out May 2017.

Fall Book Study:

Many thanks to all of you
who participated in our
study/discussion. All PGP
certificates were sent out
by 11/12/16. Please email
me asap if you did not
receive yours
jjohns@doe.in.gov

Please join our Learning

Connection PLC
to receive alt ed updates, find
resources and collaborate with
others in alternative education
IDOE - Alternative Education

Pinterest
Additional Resources
Dropout Prevention
Reading & Writing
Indiana History Rocks!
Indiana Authors
Page 2

Spring Book Study:

Our spring book study will be on
Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8, by
Debbie Thompson Silver.
Additional information, regarding
signing up, will be sent out in our
January Toolbox.
Noteworthy articles on helping
students develop growth
mindsets, perseverance, Tenacity
and grit:
Self-Management
True Grit
Developing Resilience, Grit &
Growth Mindset
Overcoming Obstacles
Perseverance
8 Ways to Build Student Stamina
How to Foster Grit

Dual Credit Update!

HLC Extension Application
At this time, the Commission for Higher Education has submitted
Indianas extension application to the Higher Learning
Commission. CHE anticipates to know by mid to late December on
if the extension through 2022 has been officially granted. Current
dual credit teachers should wait until that time to make any plans
regarding graduate coursework, as it will vary depending on the
institution and the number of credit hours needed.
IDOE and ICHE will communicate collaboratively regarding the
extension and will provide more detailed information to school
superintendents, principals as well as the individual teachers
currently teaching dual credit courses on next steps and signing up
for coursework.

Priority Dual Credit for LA and CTE

What is Priority Dual Credit? Priority dual credit courses (PDC) have
gone through an extensive review process AND meet the following
criteria:

The course(s) is taught by a high school teacher during the

school day

The cost to student is no more than $25 per credit hour (a

great cost-savings benefit to students!)

The course aligns with a post-secondary course on the Core

Transfer Library (CTL) OR is part of a technical pathway
leading to a post-secondary credential and/or degree.
A high school must have a formal agreement with the postsecondary institution to offer priority dual credit. All priority dual
credit courses are listed on the Priority Dual Credit Crosswalks for
Liberal Arts and CTE.

For questions regarding all things dual credit, please contact Jenny Berry at: jberry@doe.in.gov

Hoosier Family of Readers

More Bicentennial Fun!

Ignite the Future will take place on Statehood Day, Dec. 11, from
10 a.m. to noon at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Indiana Farmers
Coliseum. The two-hour program will include a variety of speakers
from diverse faith backgrounds as well as music, dance and more!
This celebration of Indianas history and future is an once-in-alifetime opportunity! The hope is that the event will inspire Hoosiers
of all ages to Ignite the Future and make the next 100 years event
better than the last 200.
For more information about the event, visit www.indiana2016.org
and click the tab Celebrate Indiana: Ignite the Future.

Please continue to encourage your students

to keep reading!
The goal by 12/31/16 2 million books!

Email us at
teacherstoolbox@doe.in.gov
*To subscribe send an email with your first/last
name, email, school corporation, and zip code.

Find past editions of Teachers Toolbox here.

Page 3

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

Universal Design for Learning: Implementation

As you begin to plan for second semester challenge yourself by
taking this opportunity to consider ways that you can begin to
implement UDL within your lesson planning and consider the
needs of all learners as instruction is designed. Instead of trying to
tackle all three areas of the UDL Framework, select one area and
plan to incorporate this into you lesson planning for the entire first
nine weeks. To assist you with this planning approach, there are
resources and links provided in this edition for designing lessons
that provide multiple means of representation. There
are three primary guide-lines for the Principle of Providing
Multiple Means of Representation. These three guidelines are :
Perception
Language Expressions & Symbols
Comprehension
Learn the basics of UDL and how to apply the UDL framework by
completing these two modules: UDL Online Modules
Teacher Resources for UDL in Practice
Sign up for a free UDL Newsletter with monthly tips
UDL Tech Toolkit

Get an Educator's Worksheet for the UDL

Guidelines (Word): A worksheet listing the UDL principles
and checkpoints with space for note-taking.

In what ways does UDL provide

access to grade level curriculum?
The UDL framework addresses access and its complexity
by encouraging thoughtful planning of flexible
curricula (goals, methods, materials, and assessments)
from the start, which meet the needs of all learners.
An important part of UDL is realizing that these supports
are also important for students who might be facile with
text. For example, a proficient reader might prefer to
listen to the text by using the Text-to-Speech function. In
short, lots of students benefit from the flexibility and
accessibility built into curricula designed using the UDL
framework.

Plan using the IDOE Standards Aligned Lesson Planning

Template. Steps 9 and 10 of this template address access for
all learners.
Page 4

In order for learning to occur, the information must be

perceptible to the learner. If accessing information in
the form it is presented takes considerable effort or
require assistance from another person, this can
create a learning barrier. Key information should be
provided in equally perceptible ways to all learners.
This can be done by 1) providing the same information
through different modalities (e.g., through vision,
hearing, or touch); 2) providing information in a format
that will allow for adjustability by the user (e.g., text
that can be enlarged, sounds that can be amplified).

Key Considerations
How does this help learners meet the goal?
How does this account for the variability of
all learners?
Can learners customize the display?

Resource for Providing Multiple

Means of Representation
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelin
es/principle1#principle1_g1_c3
All Resources, text and links for this edition are
products of the National Center on Universal Design
for Learning

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

The Interpersonal Mode: Writing

As we continue on our journey of the 3 modes of communication, we now move into the INTERPERSONAL mode!
As we know, this is an area where our students struggle in their native language, so our guidance is crucial for their
personal and world language development. I hope this Teachers Toolbox will provide you with ideas & resources
to support an increase in understanding of what the interpersonal mode is, how to employ it in the classroom, and
of course, how to assess it. Gear up for the January 2017 edition to focus on the other of the interpersonal mode!

What is the interpersonal mode of communication?

The interpersonal mode of

communication is truly 2-way communication where individuals can both interpret the information coming at them but
respond so they are understood by the people on the receiving end. This mode of communication can be in a written
context such as e-mails, letters, post cards, text messages, thank you cards, etc This mode of communication can also be
in a spoken context where speakers can understand the information shared by the other speaker(s) and participate in a
dialog with them. (See the January 2017 Edition.) ***Make sure students learn to ASK QUESTIONS to keep it 2-way!

Sample classroom activities involving Interpersonal Writing!

1.
2.
3.
4.

Share some sample invitations to social events and have students compose an e-mail RSVP.
Give your students a chance to serve as teacher or parent and exchange an e-mail about themselves.
Provide students with a voicemail regarding giving them the option to respond with a text message.
Engage your students in an ePals, pen pal, or sister classroom situation where they communicate with
their new counterparts in a new country. Provide some guidance for information for them to find out.
5. Have of your students serve as a Dear Abby and the other students write in for advice.
6. Give students an job posting and have them compose a response to the posting.
7. Have students write a letter to a mythical or fictional character like the tooth fairy.
8. Have students use a blog to respond to prompts and comments on their classmates posts.

Two resources for all levels!

National Capital Language Resource Center has

created a robust resource for WL teachers focused
solely on interpersonal communication. It includes
both speaking and writing, but this is a great guide
to give you ideas, Can-Dos, rubrics and much more.
I highly encourage a visit to this website. Also, if
you havent tried Orange Slice, it was created by
Matt Buchanan, a Hoosier teachers in Angola!

For Teachers of AP (& Pre-AP) levels

Check out this AP Spanish Language resource
with themed questions and prompts to help
prepare your current and future AP students for
that style of engagement! Heres an
Interpersonal Writing rubric to review!
From the Field Thank you for sharing!
Abby Daz from Clark Pleasant Middle School shares
the following resources: For free e-books in multiple
languages, visit the Gutenberg Project. For good
videos and a guide to staying 90% in the target
language, check out the Annenberg resources here!

Dont forget to connect with us at

www.learningconnection.doe.in.gov & join IDOEs

World Language & Cultures Community

Save these dates

IN-NELL Conference 2017

Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017 in
Indianapolis with a theme
of Student Engagement for
a Lifetime. Early Bird
registration by Feb. 13.

www.in-nell.net
CSCTFL Conference 2017
March 9-11, 2017 in
Chicago, IL with a theme of
Performance + Proficiency
= Possibilities
www.csctfl.org

IFLTA Conference 2017

Nov. 2-4, 2017 in Indy!
www.iflta.org
Well continue our
journey through the
modes of communication
this year. And the next
mode is Interpersonal
Listening & Speaking.
Page 5

Let our national organization help

guide you with samples in your
language. Click here to access the
webpage. Then, find your language
on the left. Click on it and choose
your proficiency level see a sample
writing at that level. To see the
general Can-Do statements that
your national leaders crafted for
Interpersonal Communication, click
here (pp. 6-11). For the ACTFL
performance descriptors for the
Interpersonal mode of
communication click here.

Jill Woerner @GlobalEDIndiana

Global Learning and World
Languages Specialist
jwoerner@doe.in.gov
317-234-5705

Teachers Toolbox

Focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

December 2016

Mathematics Instructional Best Practice

Pose Purposeful Questions

Effective teaching of mathematics uses purposeful questions to assess and advance

students reasoning and sense making about important mathematical ideas and
relationships.
Gathering information
Students recall facts, definitions,
or procedures.

Making the mathematics

visible
Students discuss mathematical
structures and make connections
among mathematical ideas and
relationships.

Probing thinking
Students explain, elaborate, or
clarify their thinking, including
articulating the steps in solution
methods or the completion of a
task.

Encouraging reflection
and justification
Students reveal deeper
understanding of their reasoning
and actions, including making an
argument for the validity of their
work.

Principles to Action, pg 35

Effective mathematics teaching

relies on questions that encourage
students to explain and reflect on
their thinking as an essential
component of meaningful
mathematical discourse.
Purposeful questions allow
teachers to discern what students
know and adapt lessons to meet
varies levels of understanding,
help students make important
mathematical connections, and
support students in posing their
own questions.

What is a Standard Algorithmic Approach?

This is a question that I receive a lot and I
think that there is a lot of misconceptions about it.
A standard algorithmic approach is when a list of
well-defined instructions or a step-by-step
procedure is used to solve a problem.
The key is that students are using a
mathematically correct standard algorithmic
approach to solve math problems. The other thing
to look at are the content and process standards to
see if students have developed a conceptual
understanding of them to understand why various
standard algorithmic approaches work.
Examples (to name a few):
Traditional
Partial Product
Lattice
Egyptian Method/Russian
Peasant
25+ Ways to Multiply

Math Edition
Have students make a decision but then
mathematically justify their decision.
http://www.wouldyourathermath.com/
Connect with me
Nick Flowers
E-mail: nflowers@doe.in.gov
Learning Connection Community:
Elementary Math, Science, and STEM
Twitter: @FlowersSTEM
Use #INelemSTEM to showcase the great science,
technology, engineering, and/or math activities
going on at the elementary setting.

Page 6

Elementary Literacy

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

Literacy FOCUS of the Month

The purpose the Literacy Focus of the Month is to provide guidance to administrators and teachers for supporting
a monthly, school wide instructional focus based on best practices and research-based strategies in literacy. This "userfriendly" FOCUS and support tools assist districts and schools in the implementation of reading instruction in
classrooms across multiple grade levels, as well as different subjects/content areas. The topics in the FOCUS range
from policies and procedures to the five essential components of reading as identified by the National Reading Panel.
The support tools are devoted to strengthen administration and teacher content knowledge and foster discussion by
focusing on one topic each month during grade level or faculty meetings. Although the monthly focus will highlight and
supplement a specific procedure or skill, it is impossible to teach the components in isolation; therefore, the Literacy
Focus of the Month should serve to present a school-wide shared commitment to literacy.
January
2016
Vocabulary
FOCUS

March 2016
Comprehension
FOCUS
February
2016 Writing
Connected
to Texts
FOCUS

June 2016
Teaching
Inference
FOCUS

April 2016
Fluency
FOCUS

August 2016
Phonological
AwarenessPhonemic
Awareness
FOCUS

K-5
Instruction/Intervention
Support Tools and
Guidance
December
2016
Writing
FOCUS

July 2016
Independent
Reading
FOCUS

September
2016
Instructional
Practices
FOCUS

May 2016
Vocabulary
Digging
Deeper
FOCUS

2016-17 Back
to School
Writing
Tools/Support

Page 7

Specialist Contact
John Wolf
(317) 234-6702

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

TSA Competition of the Month:

Future Technology Teacher
Participants (up to two individuals per chapter)
investigate Engineering and Technology Education
preparation programs in higher education and test their
preparation as a future Engineering and Technology
Educator by preparing and presenting a lesson plan.
This competition is for high school students.
2017 Indiana TSA Competitive Events Guide
www.indianatsa.org
Mary Rinehart| mrinehart@doe.in.gov | 317-232-0815
Page 8

Student Handout

Every day, you have the ability to impact what career a student
will choose. How can you share information with students about
Engineering and Technology Education? We need to recruit
students to fill the pipeline of future educators.
The Engineering and Technology Teacher Recruitment Taskforce
has recently come out with two NEW resources:
Teacher Handout - Gives information on how teachers can
inspire students to become future Engineering and Technology
teachers.
Student Handout Gives information about Engineering and
Technology Education as a both a college major and career
choice with information about programs at BSU, Purdue, and
Indiana State.
Follow @IndianaETE on Facebook and Twitter and post how you
are inspiring students to #TeachTechEd.

Teacher Handout

Looking for an Engineering themed gift for a child?

The Engineering gift guide by Purdue INSPIRE is a
great place to look for ideas.
http://www.inspire-purdue.org/EngineeringGiftGuide
Happy Holidays!

You have an opportunity to participate in a

project called TRAILS (Teachers and Researchers
Advancing Integrated Lessons in STEM)
conducted by researchers at Purdue University
and Ivy Tech Community College. Stipends and
PGP points are available.
More Information * Electronic Sign-up Here

Looking for a spring field trip idea?

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

With the holidays, it is easy

to fall into a humbug. Catching up on
grading, days getting shorter, etc.
can start to wear. Be sure to build in
some hands on fun with your students.
Holiday Science
Countdown to the holiday
Chemistree ornament

As the year
progresses, have you reflected on the
efficiency of transitions in your classroom
and laboratory? It is easy for routines and
procedures to become relaxed or neglected.
Take the opportunity to readdress, reevaluate,
and reinforce or introduce new now or when
we come back from winter break!

Teaching Transitions
Transition Time
2016 ISTEP+ Science
Results Available
http://www.doe.in.gov/ac
countability/find-schooland-corporation-datareports

Jarred Corwin jcorwin@doe.in.gov

Secondary Science and STEM
Specialist
Follow us on the
Learning Connection Science
Educators Discussion Group

Transition Routines
5 Steps to Transitions

Candy Chromatography
Holiday cookie mystery
Nclark Holiday Ideas

Check out the Indiana

State Fairgrounds
Virtual Learning
Program

Text book caravan will have exhibits and presentations at all of

the following sites and there will be digital versions of the various programs.
January 17th Marten House
January 18th University Inn, W. Lafayette
January 19th Avalon Manor, Merrillville
January 24th Swan Lake Resort, Plymouth
January 25th Memorial Coliseum, Ft. Wayne
January 26th Horizon Center, Muncie
January 30th Clarion, Clarksville- After school exhibit only
February 1st Huntingburg Convention Center
February 2nd The Landing at Fort Harrison, Terre Haute
Teachers can sign up by visiting their area Service Center website and it should
be listed under workshops or Textbook Caravan.
For additional information, contact Ron Buses at ron.buses@hmhco.com
Page 9

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

INDIANA STATEHOOD DAY

On December 11, 1816, Indiana was admitted as the 19th state to join the Union. On December 9, downtown
Indianapolis will come alive with many opportunities for 4th Grade groups to celebrate Indianas birthday. The
Indiana Statehouse will have a formal Statehood Day program including guest speakers from state government
as well as the reading of a winning Statehood Day Essay supported by the Indiana Center for the Book and the
Indiana State Library. Contact: Jennifer Hodge 317-233-5293, jhodge@idoa.in.gov for further information.

THE U.S. BILL OF RIGHTS WAS

RATIFIED ON DECEMBER 15, 1791

CROSS-CURRICULAR LEARNING
ACTIVITIES
Today, classrooms are turning towards cross-curricular
instruction to bring new life to lessons and enhance
learning. Try the following games and activities to
break down silos between disciplines and add a playful
twist to your social studies and science lessons.
Civil War
Integrates Social Studies, Art, Music, Math, and ELA.
How America Works
.
Integrates ELA, Drama, Math, Social Studies, and Art.
Simple Machines
Integrates Science, Social Studies, Art, and Math.

Click HERE for a chronicle of the creation and

adoption of the U.S. Bill of Rights

idm THE INQUIRY DESIGN MODEL

The Inquiry Design Model (IDM) is a distinctive approach to creating curriculum and instructional materials that
honors teachers knowledge and expertise, avoids over prescription, and focuses on the main elements of the
instructional design process as envisioned in the Inquiry Arc of the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3)
Framework for State Social Studies Standards (2013). Unique to the IDM is the blueprint, a one-page
representation of the questions, tasks, and sources that define a curricular inquiry. To learn more about IDM, be
sure to read this recent Social Education article by Swan, Lee, and Grant, 2015 The New York State Toolkit and
the Inquiry Design Model: Anatomy of an Inquiry. Visit http://www.c3teachers.org/

THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND THE POPULAR VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT
In this eLesson, students will explore the underlying principles of
republicanism and democracy behind the inclusion of this election
process in the U.S. Constitution. Students will explore the underlying
principles of republicanism and democracy that behind its design and why
they chose it over a nationwide popular vote. They will also study the
impact this system has on presidential campaigning and elections.
View the eLesson here.
Specialist Contact: Bruce Blomberg, Social Studies Specialist, bblomberg@doe.in.gov , 317-232-9078
Page 10

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

Instructing Secondary Students to Write Effectively

In November of 2016, What Works Clearinghouse released their Educator Practice Guide for Teaching Secondary
Students to Write Effectively. The whole guide can be seen here; beware it is a large document! In the document, the
WWC provides 3 evidenced based recommendations for helping students in grades 6-12 develop

effective writing skills.

Who is WWC?
What is an Educator Practice Guide?

What are the 3 Recommendations?

What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) is an

investment of the Institute of Educational
Sciences (IES) within the U.S. Department of
Education. The work at WWC is managed by an
IES team and conducted under a set of
contracts helped by several leading firms with
expertise in education.

Recommendation 1:
Explicitly teach appropriate writing strategies using a
Model-Practice-Reflect instructional cycle.
Recommendation 1a. Explicitly teach appropriate
writing strategies.
Recommendation 1b. Use a Model-Practice-Reflect
instructional cycle to teach writing strategies.
Recommendation 2:
Integrate writing and reading to emphasize key writing
features.
Recommendation 3:
Use assessments of student writing to inform instruction
and feedback.

An Educator Practice Guide is an IES publication

to provide educators with the best available

evidence and expertise on current

challenges in education. Developed by WWC
in conjunction with an expert panel, the

practice guide combines the panels expertise

with the findings of existing rigorous research
to produce specific recommendations for
addressing these challenges.

Teachers Toolbox explores

Recommendation 1A on next page, look
for 1B next month!

General Things to Note about the 3 Recommendations

The expert panel and WWC believe that the 3 recommendations can be implemented in
conjunction with the existing standards and curriculum.
The 3 recommendations complement each other and can be implemented
simultaneously.

Two Important Over-Arching Themes for

Delivering Effective Writing Instruction
1.
2.

Writing encourages critical thinking.

Writing occurs in every discipline.

These themes are connected related by the fact that critical

thinking occurs in every discipline and writing leads students to
think critically about content and ideas in all classes.
Page 11

Recommendation 1a.
Explicitly teach appropriate writing strategies.
Teach students how the different components of
the writing process work together so they can
flexibly move between components while
improving their writing.
Genre-specific and general strategies can
be useful to students.
Students should understand the
purpose of strategies and know how to
select an appropriate writing strategy.
Writing components may be implemented
in a different order or simultaneously.

Sample Writing Strategies

Planning

Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively What Works Clearinghouse November 2016

STOP Suspend judgment and brainstorm ideas for/against topic. Take a side on the topic. Organize ideas. Plan
more as you write. (Persuasive writing)
PLAN Pay attention to writing assignment by identifying what you are asked to write about and how you should
develop essay. List your main ideas after gathering and evaluating evidence. Add supporting ideas to each main
idea. Number the order in which you will present your ideas. (Informational/Persuasive writing)

Goal
Setting

SCHEME Skills check. Choose goals. Hatch a plan for how to met your specified goals. Execute the plan for
achieving your goals. Monitor progress toward achieving your goals. Edit. (any type of writing)

Drafting

WRITE Work from the ideas you developed during the planning component to develop your thesis statement or
claim. Remember to use the writing goals you established before you started to write. Include transition words. Try
to use different types of sentences. Use Exciting, interesting words. (Informational/Persuasive writing)
DARE Develop a topic statement to support your thesis as you write. Add supporting ideas to support your thesis.
Reject possible arguments for the other side. End with a conclusion. (Persuasive writing)

Evaluating
Look for an
example next
month!

Revising

Editing

CDO Compare, Diagnose, and Operate by reading a sentence or text and deciding if the sentence or text works.
Work to change the sentence or rectify a problem in the text. (any type of writing)
Color Code: using different color fonts or highlighters, color code your essay to identify different writing elements
(i.e. yellow=plot summary, green= supporting details, blue= commentary) (any type of writing)
WIRMI After composing essay, write a What I Really Mean Is statement and compare it to a partners What I
Think You Really Meant to Say Was response statement to your essay. Make revisions as necessary (any type of
writing)
STAR Code your essay for any necessary corrections; Substitute overused/weak/common words. Take out any
unnecessary repetitions or irrelevant information. Add details, descriptions, or expanded ideas. Rearrange
information to a more logical flow. (any type of writing)
COPS Capitalized correctly? How is the Overall appearance? Have I put in commas and end Punctuations? Have I
Spelled all words correctly?
Job Cards: Small group peer edit each paper by assigning each group member a job for editing. Rotate papers
until all have been done.

See more information from WWC about

Recommendation 1A on pages 7-18 of Practice Guide

Page 12

Melanie Martz
(317) 232-9013

Jill Lyday
(317)232-0867

Julia Johns
(317) 233-4936

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

The 12 Days of Christmas Math

This time of year can be very difficult for teachers.

With the holiday season, students and families can be
on edge with all the stress that is associated with this
time of year, along with the shorter daylight hours, and
nearing the end of the first semester. Teachers can help
alleviate many of the associated issues that come with
these trying times by keeping the math fun, relevant,
and still appropriately challenging for students.
One of my favorite ways to do this is using The Twelve
Days of Christmas song to create math problems. Most
students have heard the song The Twelve Days of
Christmas. The first couple of lines go like:
On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to
me: A partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to
me: Two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
and the last line is:
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent
to me: 12 Drummers Drumming, Eleven Pipers
Piping, Ten Lords a Leaping, Nine Ladies Dancing,
Eight Maids a Milking, Seven Swans a Swimming, Six
Geese a Laying, Five Golden Rings, Four Calling Birds,
Three French Hens, Two Turtle Doves, and a
Partridge in a Pear Tree.
This is a great song to turn into wonderful math
activities at many different levels.
First the main question. How many gifts are given in
The Twelve Days of Christmas song? (Hint, count A
Partridge in a Pear Tree as one gift to begin this
problem.) From there you can have fun and ask
students to go on and do so much more.
How many of each individual gifts was given?
How does the total number of gifts given change if you
count a partridge in a pear tree as two separate gifts?
How much would it cost to purchase all the gifts given in
the song? (http://time.com/12-days-of-christmas-prices)
How does The Twelve Days of Christmas song relate to
Triangular Numbers?
Represent The Twelve Days of Christmas song as a Series
and in Series Notation.
Represent The Twelve Days of Christmas song in
Summation Notation using appropriate symbols.
http://www.mathscareers.org.uk/article/the-mathsinside-the-twelve-days-of-christmas/

Differentiation in Instruction

First and most import classroom differentiation is NOT

different lesson plans or different lessons!!! Classroom
differentiation IS delivering the same lesson(s) using the
same lesson plans at a level appropriate and meeting
the needs for individual students in your class.
This can be as simple as making sure you are using
multiple modalities in your instruction. During my
teaching career, I have been lucky enough to co-teach
with a resource teacher. I learned more and improved
my instruction more while having another set of eyes
seeing a different perspective from what I thought I was
presenting in that days lesson. Teachers are great at
teaching to Visual learners and very good at teaching to
Auditory learners. Most teachers are weak at best with
teaching to Tactile Learners and rarely teach using
Kinesthetic Learning.
(http://csl.cofc.edu/learning_styles_modalities)
Teachers also think their directions for students are
thorough, clear, and concise. I will be the first to admit I
thought that when I was in the classroom. Guess what?
That isnt near as true and accurate as we think it is! Try
videotaping yourself or writing out your exact
instructions for the activity you want your students to
do, then ask a colleague (preferably not another math
teacher) to see if they understand exactly what you
want the students to do. This will be an eye opening
activity for you. Try incorporating Tactile or Kinesthetic
modalities into your math lessons. They can be fun and
make an amazing difference in students retention of the
math they are learning.
(http://www.mathedpage.org/kinesthetics/)
The other simple and easy way to differentiate your
lessons is using purposeful question. By asking the same
question as a DOK 1, DOK 2, and DOK 3 level questions
appropriately to different groups of students you can
easily can make the information perfect for all types of
students. This is demonstrate perfectly in the book by
Marian Small and Amy Lin: More Good Questions: Great
Ways to Differentiate Secondary Mathematics
Instruction. Overall teachers must force themselves to
include differentiation into their lessons if we truly want
ALL students to succeed as we all want them to do.

Bill Reed
Secondary Math and STEM Specialist
wreed@doe.in.gov - 317-232-9114

Page 13

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

Indiana Business Education Association

Honors Outstanding Educators
By: Scott Truelove, Churubusco High School

Nextech Computer Science PD

www.nextech.org for details
Computer Science Education Week
December 5-11, 2016
Hour of Code December 5-11, 2016
https://hourofcode.com/us
Indiana STEM Conference
(Purdue University) January 12, 2017

Dana Kunz, Kristin Lidstrom, and Ian MacLaverty

Dana Kunz received the Friend of Business

Education award and is in her 16th year as an
educator. Dana now serves as the eLearning
coach for the Greater Jasper Consolidated
School Corporation. She continues to serve the
Business Professionals of America (BPA)
organization as co-advisor of the JHS and the
JMS chapters as well as being a member of
the Indiana BPA Executive Board.
Kristin Lidstrom was presented with the
Secondary Teacher of the Year award and
currently teaches Principles of Marketing I and
II, Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Digital
Applications and Responsibility, and ACP
Introduction to Business Administration at
Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers,
where she has been for twelve years. She also
serves as her schools DECA Chapter Advisor.
Ian MacLaverty was the recipient of the
Emerging Professional of the Year award. Ian
currently teaches Entrepreneurship, Preparing
for College & Careers, and Digital Applications
& Responsibilities at Chesterton High School in
Chesterton. He is licensed in business
education, elementary education, and
language arts.
Continued in the next column

Page 14

ACTE Region III Conference

(Indianapolis) June 21-23, 2017
New Teacher Summit
(Marriott East Indianapolis)
September 20, 2017
Indiana ACTE Conference
(Marriott East Indianapolis)
September 21-22, 2017
Continued from previous column

Ian has an extensive background in sales,

marketing, and business management. He
draws upon his professional experiences to
teach life skills and practical applications in
the classroom.
Congratulations to this years awardees!!

State Program Leader

Dena Irwin
dirwin@doe.in.gov
317.233.6004

Teachers Toolbox

2017 Indiana Teacher of

the Year Semi-Finalist

Congratulations Julie Alano for

being named a 2017 Indiana
Teacher of the Year SemiFinalist. Julie is a mathematics
and computer science educator
at Hamilton Southeastern High
School and president of Indiana
Hoosier Heartland CSTA.

IDOE Computer
Science Contacts
Nick Flowers
Elementary Math
and Science
nflowers@doe.in.gov
Jarred Corwin
Secondary Science
jcorwin@doe.in.gov
Dena Irwin
Business, Marketing,
IT, & Entrepreneurship
dirwin@doe.in.gov

December 2016

Top 10 Paying Jobs in Computer Science

1. Applications Architect
Salary range: $66-183K
2. Manager, Applications Development
Salary range: $86-162K
3. Manager, Information System Security
Salary range: $115-160K
4. Software Engineer
Salary range: $61-160K
5. Network Architect
Salary range: $78-156K
6. Manager, Data Warehouse
Salary range: $115-154K
7. Data Architect
Salary range: $111-153K
8. Manager, Software Quality Assurance/Testing
Salary range; $67-150L
9. UX Designer
Salary range: $65-150K
10. Database Manager
Salary range: $107-149K
Source: http://www.computersciencezone.org/50-highest-paying-jobs-computerscience/

Hour of Code
December 5-11, 2016
https://hourofcode.com/us
Computer Science Education Week
December 5-11, 2016
Indiana STEM Conference
January 12, 2017
Purdue University
CSTA Annual Conference
Baltimore, Maryland
Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel
July 9-11, 2017
Conference Information
Nextech Computer Science PD
www.nextech.org for details
Page 15

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

Family and Consumer Sciences Day is December 3rd

Dine in on December 3, 2016 to celebrate
http://www.aafcs.org/fcsday/
1. Help your students, friends, and family sign up for Dine In Day
2. Ask your students to Dine In on December 3rd
3. Hang a Dining In poster in your classroom
where other students can see it.
3. Share information about Family & Consumer Sciences Day with school publications.
4. Integrate the topic and day into your classroom lessons and activities.
5. Ask those who are in charge of the school lunch to include FCS Day on the December menu.

(Celebrate December 3rd or any other day that week)

#MySmileMatters Youth Grant Program

Americas ToothFairy has open grant opportunities for youth- and studentled efforts to increase dental health literacy in their schools/community.
The project includes a resource kit that would be great for Education, ECE,
and Nutrition and Wellness courses. Click Here for more information

Advisory Committees and Work Based Learning

Strong Advisory Committees can lead to strong Work Based Learning Programs.
Increase in community support and awareness
More volunteers and resources
Real-time and relevant industry information
Proper outcomes for programs
Click Here for a resource on building advisory committees

Next Generation Teacher

Scholarship

The State of Indiana will provide 200

scholarships each year to highachieving high school and college
students interested in pursuing a career
in education. The scholarship pays
$7,500 per year for up to four years to
students who commit to teaching in
Indiana after graduation.

Deadline: December 31, 2016

Click Here for more
information

FCCLA State Leadership Conference

March 9-11, 2017
Horizon Convention Center
Muncie, Indiana
It is time to start preparing for the State Leadership
Conference. Information can be found here.

Indiana ProStart Invitational

March 10, 2017
Horizon Convention Center
Muncie, Indiana
Information can be found here.

Page 16

Alyson McIntyre-Reiger
317.232.9168
amreiger@doe.in.gov

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

The mission of the Global Learning Conference in Agriculture is

to create space for innovation and collaboration in developing
global learning opportunities throughout the K-20 education
continuum. The conference will be held online on January 27,
2017.
Core Values
Purposeful, meaningful global learning can occur on and off
campus.
There should be coordination from all levels of agricultural
education to ensure maximum student growth on the global
SIGN UP HERE!
competency continuum.

Ag Teacher Hack
(via New Teacher News)

"Each week in my floral design class, we review a topic

necessary to start up a business. These topics includes but
are not limited to: What does a floral shop need, orders,
choosing a customer base, types of business ownership,
policies, business plans and marketing plans. Their task as
we go along will be to create a Floral Shop with the goal
being to pitch your idea to the "bank" (meaning your
classmates) to get a small business loan for business start
up."

Lessons
available
Agriculture in the Classroom programs are implemented by
state-operated programs. National Agriculture in the
Classroom supports state programs by providing a network
that seeks to improve agricultural literacy awareness,
knowledge, and appreciation among PreK-12 teachers
and their students. Lessons available here
Page 17

Indiana State
Fair Glass Barn
Education Center
Virtual and In-person field trips available
Teachers and students who visit the Glass
Barn during class field trips often want to
learn more about what they saw or to
expand upon their experiences. Others
may not have had a chance to visit, but
would still like to use our educational
materials.
This is a place where youll find a wealth
of farming information literally at your
fingertips. Were constantly updating and
adding to our collection of education
resources downloadable documents,
teaching aids, videos and links to other
agriculture sites of interest on the web.
Make it your first stop when youre
looking for in-depth information on
farming. Well be happy to teach you
everything we know and to direct you to
where you can find out even more.

ISF Glass Barn

Nov. 29-Dec. 3 NAAE Vision

Jan 19 IAAE Winter Workshop

Celya McCullah-Glowacki
cglowacki@doe.in.gov
317-234-5719

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

Exhibition &
Professional Opportunities
Call for 2017 Teachers As Artists Entries
Get involved in the seventh "Teachers as Artists"
Juried Art Show. This competition is open to all
Indiana teachers/artists K-college level. Retired
teachers are also welcome. Submit images of your
work, JPEG only, with application and $25 nonrefundable fee by Feb 4, 2017.
More information here
NDEOs Online Professional Development Institute (OPDI)
offers online dance education courses featuring pedagogy,
teaching methods, history, assessments, research and much
more. OPDI will benefit the vast majority of dance educators,
teaching artists and administrators who are working in
private studios and schools of dance, community and cultural
centers, higher education, and K-12 education seeking
professional development. The courses are designed to
appeal to those professionals who want to learn more,
enhance domains of knowledge, learn new content areas,
and strengthen their own teaching and learning skills.

Education Theatre
Grants Available
The grants are for the 2016-17
school year and limited funding is
still available. More detailed
information about the New Troupe
Charter Grants program and
application process is on the EdTA
website at
schooltheatre.org/newtroupegrant
s.

LAST CALL
for all Dance, Theater,
Art and Music Teachers:

The quality and variety of the

contributions of Indiana's artists
have created legacies of regional,
national, and international
distinction that are highlighted in
honor of the state's bicentennial
year. Docent-led tours of the 19
Stars exhibition are available
daily.
For more information:
http://www.imamuseum.org/19s
tars
Page 18

In the 2016-17 school year the

Indiana Department of Education
plans to evaluate course standards.
If you are interested in being part of
the review committee please
contact your specialist listed below
with your name, subject area,
school and contact information.

Specialist Contact
Celya Glowacki
cglowacki@doe.in.gov
317-234-5719

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

Child Labor Laws and Career and Technical Education

For many CTE programs work-based experiences are an essential
component of the curriculum. This begs the question what guidance is
available to guide programs while protecting students and professional
partners from liability? While both Indiana and federal laws deem certain
duties as hazardous (and thus typically out of the reach of minors), it is
often still possible to place minors in roles that expose them to their chosen
occupation of interest. In fact, minors determined to be apprentices or
student learners are exempt from existing legal barriers and may perform
certain hazardous duties. This exemption to the hazardous occupations
rule can help jump-start students into real-world roles.
In regards to liability concerns, student learners are no different than any
other employee. Employers should call their respective insurance
companies with any questions they may have, and individual coverage will
vary. Nothing in Indiana law requires a different designation, with respect
to liability, for student learners in comparison to regular employees. For
more information on student labor laws visit
http://www.in.gov/dol/files/Child_Labor_Checklist.pdf and
http://www.in.gov/dol/2741.htm for more information or contact Davis
Moore at dmoore@doe.in.gov .

Resources

Events
Mark your calendars for the ACTE Region III Conference.
That happens June 21-23 2017 at the Wyndham
Indianapolis West in Indianapolis. This is a great
opportunity to find out what is going on in CTE
throughout the state and country and network with fellow
instructors. Additional activities include a tour of the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a tour of the Vincennes
University Aviation Technology Center, and a Downtown
Indy Adventure. There will also be industry tours and
culinary demonstrations. Early Bird Registration runs
through May 1, 2017 with a special rate of $190.
Accommodations will be at the Wyndham Indianapolis
West at a special rate of $99 per night plus tax. Call 317248-2481 or 877-361-4511 to make reservations. Use the
group name Indiana-ACTE 2017 to look in the group room
rate. For more information contact Patrick Biggerstaff at
biggerstafffamily@sbcglobal.net
Page 19

Odysseyware is a leading
provider of award-winning,
online K-12 Core, Elective and
CTE curriculum and eLearning
solutions for public, virtual,
charter, and alternative schools.
Odysseywares flexible tools can
meet and support each unique
learner at their current level of
achievement and place them on
a path to graduation, a career, or
college. Odysseyware is aligned
to 16 Career Clusters to equip
students with the specific skills
necessary for success in these
fields. To learn more contact
Kasey Gilliss, your Indiana
Representative at 317.671.1335.

December 2016

Teachers Toolbox

Healthy Non-Food Rewards

Rewards happen at many levels across a school. Teachers, administrators and parent groups
offer rewards to recognize and celebrate student accomplishments. The goal of rewarding
students is to help them internalize desirable behaviors and create motivation for learning that
comes from inside. The most effective rewards fit naturally into the context and mission of the school
community and should promote healthy living as a desired value of the community. Using food as a reward or
punishment contradicts classroom lessons on nutrition, adds empty calories to kids/ diets, teaches kids to eat
when theyre not hungry, and may create a lifelong habit of rewarding or comforting themselves with food; all
setting the stage for unhealthy habits that can last a lifetime and contribute to the childhood obesity epidemic
sweeping the country. Food, even healthy options, should never be used as a reward or punishment. Check
your schools wellness policy or school improvement plan to see if they contain any guidelines or goals about
healthy, non-food rewards. If they dont, find out what it would take to address this topic.

Non-Food Reward Ideas:

Sit with Friends Be a helper in another classroom Extra credit Computer time Walk with the principal or
teacher Late homework pass Free choice time or chat break at end of class Extra recess time Drawings
for donated prizes A shout-out in the morning announcements Call, email or letter home to parent Allow
student to select a special book Enter a drawing or raffle for a bigger prize (get your PTO involved) Pencils
or erasers Stickers Certificate, trophy, ribbon, plaque Fun physical break Free time at end of class

Answering FAQs about Adapted

Physical Education

After several years in development and collaboration

with The National Consortium for Physical Education for
Individuals With Disabilities (NCPEID), SHAPE America
recently released a FAQ as a resource for adapted
physical education professionals, special education and
physical education teachers, related services providers,
parents and youth programs. A link to the guidance
document of FAQs and many other helpful resources for
adapted PE can be found here.

Video Series Highlights Effects of

Alcohol on Developing Brain

Ask, Listen, Learn created a new animated video series with

corresponding lesson plans geared towards 5th and 6th
graders detailing the effects of alcohol on the developing
brain. These materials provide scientific facts about alcohol,
brain development, underage drinking, and living a healthy
lifestyle. You can use these free materials to optimize
student health by helping students learn about the health
risks of underage drinking and its impact on the body.
Page 20

Resources:
FREE Professional
Development

On August 27, 2016 the #PhysEdSummit

2016 was held. The #PhysEdSummit is
a FREE online conference hosted by
PHYSEDdagogy, a group of PE and Health
professionals. The mission of the conference
and its organizers is To provide digital
professional learning opportunities for health
and physical education professionals by
sharing, discussing, and reflecting on best
practices. You can find a summary of
PHYSEDdagogy here, and a summary of the
sessions offered during the Summit here. The
presentations that were provided at the
Summit have been archived on the
organizations YouTube channel which can be
found here at any time for your convenience.

Specialist Contact:

Sue Henry, BSN, RN

suhenry@doe.in.gov 317-234-0217

Teachers Toolbox

December 2016

IDOE Health Science Pathways

What is a Pathway? How many Health Science

Pathways does Indiana have? Have you worked with
your students on their Pathway Plan? A pathway is an
aligned sequence of secondary and postsecondary
courses that leads to an industry certification and/or a
college credential or degree. Students are best served
when they take a deliberate, intentional path through
high school and beyond, whether their future takes
them directly into the work force, military, or
education/training after high school. Pathways are
organized by Career Clusters. Career Clusters are
groupings of occupations, such as Health Science.
Indiana currently has four Health Science Pathways: 1)
Biomedical; 2) Dental; 3) Healthcare Specialties; and 4)
Nursing. The IDOE has begun the process of reviewing
and updating the Health Science Pathways so that they
will continue to represent the best for our students.
Stay tuned for ways that you can become involved in
that process, whether through comment or being a
part of a review team. For more information about
Indiana Pathways, visit the IDOE Health Science
webpage or contact Sue Henry

Program Highlight

Twin Rivers Health Careers

Washington, IN
Joining the Mannequin Challenge viral internet
phenomenon, the Daviess, Knox & Martin County
Twin Rivers Health Science students recently took
the challenge to a new level. Using what they
learned in the classroom to prepare for future lab
experiences, students recreated several different
healthcare related frozen scenarios. Check out
their video on the programs Facebook page at
http://bit.ly/2gf2Sc9

Would you like your

program highlighted in the Toolbox?
Do you have a creative classroom
project that youd like to share?
Contact Sue Henry

Resources:

Boiler Vet Camp

NOVA Classroom
Resources A wide
variety of topics available
with videos and classroom
support materials
www.ipl.org/ Internet
Public Library

Indiana HOSA
After adding 3 new chapters this year, Indiana HOSA
has 62 chapters and over 600 members! Indiana HOSA
is growing and strong! The latest Indiana HOSA EMagazine contains articles and valuable information for
both students and advisors. If you are interested in
starting a HOSA chapter in your school, contact Eddie
Erickson, Indiana State Advisor at
eerickson@msdwt.k12.in.us or visit
http://www.indianahosa.org
Page 21

At the Purdue University College of

Veterinary Medicine two summer camps
are hosted, Jr. Boiler Vet Camp (for
raising 8th and 9th graders) and Sr. Boiler
Vet Camp (for raising 10th-12th graders). These
camps focus on developing a young persons
interest in science with specific focus on
veterinary medicine. These are week-long inresidence camps on the West Lafayette campus
of Purdue University. Scholarships are available
to help a limited number of students to off-set
the camp fee.
Learn more at: vet.purdue.edu/boilervetcamp

Specialist Contact:
Sue Henry, BSN, RN
suhenry@doe.in.gov 317-234-0217