Class Meeting Example

Class meetings are applicable at all grade levels. It is important that class meetings are tailored to each individual class and correspond to the individual class needs. A second grade teacher at DGS shared insights into their first class meeting with her parents using the post below:

Toady was the first class meeting in the Second Street Cafe!
Classroom meetings aid in the development of life-long learners as they review their progress, goals, and overall status of the classroom.  Our classroom meeting happens on Tuesday mornings.  During this time, we:

• open with our TOP SECRET 2Z HANDSHAKE!
• review our mission statement
• read our ground rules
• analyze the data surrounding our SMART goal progress
• discuss the plus/delta chart (positives, and things to change) pertaining to 2Z
• problem solve any of the deltas as needed
• complete a consensogram (see photo) to help us pinpoint our next steps

Check in with your child about the class meeting today! What was their favorite part? Where did they move their dot on the consensogram?
See the pictures below taken during the meeting today!

Presenting our mission statement  from the stage!

Announcing our Ground Rules! Be ROYAL!

Checking in on what is going well, and what may need to change.

Our first consensogram of the year! I love the way this quality tool allows students to be anonymous while providing data immediately! These were two areas the students felt they needed to work on, so they each moved a dot to their area of focus for the future. Dots at the bottom were students who felt they were ok in both areas already!

Here’s to many more class meetings this year! I can’t wait until the students are using the 21st century skills to lead the meetings themselves!

Classroom Learning Commuities: Classroom Meetings

Classroom Meetings are a vital part of any classroom learning community. It is the time of the day when the class comes together to set goals, problem solve, engage in critical thinking and hone their communication skills. Classroom Meetings can take many forms, but have key components. 

In classroom meetings, students review their classroom mission and ground rules. They will reference their classroom data center and review any data that has been collected regarding classroom goals. In addition, students may review classroom feedback from a quality tool that has been placed in the classroom data center. 

Key in any classroom meeting is student ownership, accountability and participation. Classroom meetings are best implemented when control is gradually released to students and then facilitated by students. The process may take teaching modeling as the class learns the process. Using the Optimal Learning Model of "I do, we do, you do" can aid in relinquishing control and ownership to students.

Once implemented completely, classroom meetings have several benefits. Students that participate in classroom meetings cite a more positive classroom learning environment, improved abilities to problem-solve and communicate, and analyze performance and growth on key goals.

Plan on a Page

The Plan on a Page is a driving document to continuous improvement efforts.  Initiated at the district level through a district leadership team, mission, vision, values, beliefs are goals are developed and communicated through the Building Leadership Team and Professional Learning Community teams. 

Dunlap Grade School aligns their school improvement goals to district level goals. The goals at Dunlap Grade School are focused on creating a culture of readers, developing lifelong learners, and fostering empathy and problem solving through social-emotional learning opportunities.These goals are monitored on a school data center and on a school balanced scorecard. 

Teachers and students establish classroom goals that align to building level goals. Teachers and students than create a classroom plan on a page to document their plan for learning and growing. At Dunlap Grade School, no one escapes continuous improvement and key goals are communicated through the plan on a page.

Continuous Improvement Overview

    The start of a new school year drives a lot of excitement and opportunity for fresh-starts and renewed focus. The continuous improvement framework and leadership structures that are in place in Dunlap Schools are a vehicle for improving student learning and increasing stakeholder satisfaction.

   Our Building Leadership Team met this summer to develop building goals and action plans for achieving those goals. Representatives from each PLC serve on our BLT and communicate these action plans to their PLC teams. 

   Learn more about our perceptions of CI in Dunlap by watching the video below!

Teachers and Principals Talk about Continuous Improvement! from Matt Jensen on Vimeo.

PLCs at Work

Professional Learning Communities are the driving force for professional develop and collaboration in Dunlap School District. Each week, teachers receive one hour of job embedded time to discuss instructional strategies, review student data, set and/or monitor goals, and develop learning communities with each other. The video below demonstrates how two 2nd grade teachers at DGS use their PLC time to review their ground rules and goals, analyze student data, discuss and share instructional strategies, and set future learning and teaching goals.



Professional Learning Community at Work!

Student-Led Conferences

Dunlap Grade is mid-way through spring conferences for Kindergarten-2nd Grade. I will follow up with details about what is involved in the preparations and implementation of student-led conferences, but I wanted to share this quick iMovie.

Classroom Learning Community: A Video Overview

At Dunlap Grade School, Continuous Improvement is a journey. Implementation begins with one step and can flourish into increased student engagement, improved student achievement, and student empowerment. The promotion of classroom learning communities comes from empowered staff that embrace teamwork, collaboration and shared leadership. We are finding our greatness at DGS!

Enjoy the video below.