1. One of the purposes of this
newsletter is to build e-mail partnerships
between educators with similar interests.
Ryan Marx is a high school health teacher
who has had wonderful success with LtoJ at
Plainview-Elgin-Millville, MN high school.
You can contact him at ryan.marx@isd2899.k12.mn.us.
2. In the same district, Laura
Claussen had her students calculate their
own spelling grade from the LtoJ data.
Students were provided 400 spelling words in 3rd
grade. Each week they took a spelling test
of 20 words, randomly selected from the
400 at the time of the test. At
report card time, the students averaged their
score from weeks 7, 8 and 9. The
expectation was to have an average of 5 or
higher. At semester they averaged weeks
16,17 and 18. Now the expectation was for
students to have an average of 10 or more words
correct. In a few weeks they will complete
the same task again, but will
be expected to average 15 or higher for the
3rd quarter report card.
3. In every LtoJ seminar I share the
amazing story of Darren Overton and his
discipline improvement record in Pine Island,
Minnesota. Darren has developed a one-day
seminar on school discipline. If
interested contact Darren at DOverton@pineisland.k12.mn.us
or call him at 507-356-2488.
4. Follow-up is crucial. On a
number of occasions I have returned to school
districts after a two-day seminar for
follow-up. The typical process is to meet
with the kindergarten teachers for 45 minutes,
then the first grade teachers,etc. until the
whole school has met with me in small
groups. With middle schools and high
schools I usually meet one department per
hour. This follow-up can be conducted by
several different LtoJ associates .
5 For those within driving distance of
Rochester, MN, consider attending an
LtoJ one-day conference next August
22nd. Details are not yet finalized, but
the bulk of the day will be 50 minute
presentations by Rochester area teachers
regarding their LtoJ implementation. All of us
will benefit from many classroom ideas.
6. Jeff Burgard, author of
Continuous Improvement in the Science
Classroom, is holding a summer conference
in Tahoe. Click on http://www.jjburgard.com/summerinstitute/welcome4.htm for
detailed information. Those of you who
have attended a LtoJ seminar have heard me
mention what I've learned from Jeff. You
might want to spend a week learning from Jeff
and his wife, Jacquie.
7. Last week I spent three days in
Lexington, NE. They have chosen to
implement LtoJ with vocabulary, K-12, because
all teachers have vocabulary expectations.
In the foyer of the schools are run charts
showing the total correct for the WHOLE
school. Staff tell me that students pay
more attention to this 4'x6' graph than the
grade level charts. (A photo
is attached at the bottom of this
newsletter. Note the dots are connected with
yarn.) From more information on this
district-wide effort contact Julie Otero,
Director of Education, at jotera@esu10.org.
8. Who am I?
a. I was born in
England.
b. I was a slave for
six years.
c. I escaped,
returned home to England and then went to France
to study in a monastery.
d. I returned to the
country of my enslavement as a missionary.
e. I lived in the
300's and 400's.
f. Through my
teachings, many Irish became Christians.
g. The anniversary of
my death is celebrated every March 17th.
Answer: I am Patrick. If
interested in more information about me and my
influence upon generations of Europeans,
read How the Irish Saved Civilization,
http://www.amazon.com/Irish-Saved-Civilisation-Thomas-Cahill/dp/0340637870/sr=8-1/qid=1172506933/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-9550460-6920818?ie=UTF8&s=books.
10. All prior newsletters and
attachments are now posted on the LtoJ
Consulting web site, www.ltojconsulting.com.
If you change e-mail addresses, please go the
web site and sign up as if a new recipient of
the newsletter. Please include name,
e-mail address and state, if USA, and country if
outside of the US.
Lee Jenkins, Lee@LtoJConsulting.com
