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Less Physics Mo Problems

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Why am I writing this personal entry? Well, it is not an attempt to gain any sympathy. It attempts to show what is possible if a clear intention and goal serve the learner's needs.  In May of 2022 just near the end of another fantastic school year, I do not remember what happened. But, I was unable to finish the school year and was unable to teach the following year.  Why? On May 21st, 2022, I fell down a flight of 16 stairs (luckily carpeted) from the 2nd to 1st story of our home.  I was found at the bottom of the stairs. I was found foaming at the mouth. This would lead to a 2-month hospital stay which included an induced coma because my seizures would not stop, several rounds of lumbar punctures, and relearning basic physical movements like something as simple as being able to roll in the hospital bed. Simply put, when I was admitted to the hospital, I was diagnosed as being “critically ill.” Please take a moment and read those words: critically ill. They are not terms...
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Habit Infused Standards

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I’ve spent the first part of my summer doing some professional reading and am ready to start putting that thought into my practice. As I've been reading, I'm aware that it's summertime. The time for infused waters to drink on a hot day and infused oils to accompany our garden fresh salads.
As we look to bring habits of mind into our classroom we need to be cognizant that they are already a part of our classroom work.  But, we may not be including them explicitly in our assessment pieces.  As we look at our course standards we need to be sure that they are infused with these habits of mind and brand them that way.
As I am aligning my course to Next Generation Science Standards, I am realizing that the overarching standards for my course will be based on science practices not simply content. When looking at these practice standards, it’s clear that habits of mind are deeply integrated in them. I have created proficiency scales for each of the practices and will continue to refine them once I put them into practice.  But it is clear that each practice standards contains multiple habits of mind.
If we are looking for our learners to adopt strong habits of mind, they need to be explicit in our practice, our classrooms, and standards. How do your standards lineup?

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