The 7 Laws of Success/Accountable Talk

Good Afternoon fellow bloggers!

6th Graders have been busy finalizing their six word memoirs.

7th Graders have been writing their first pieces of flash fiction.

8th Graders are about half way done with their "My Name" assignments.

While working on these assignments students have also been learning and implementing accountable talk in the classroom:

Accountable talk is used to help students learn through discussion. It asks students to listen to other students and be able to respond or counter argue what other students have said. The talk must also require prior knowledge to the subject and rigorous thought.I have been asking my 7th and 8th grade students to conduct accountable talk in circle style seating about a text that all students have read. I provided my students with accountable talk sentence starters and a poster to get started:

7 Laws of Success:

As teachers here at WSMS, we have been asking ourselves, how do we help students build their character? It has come to our attention that character building has become more important to a student's success in the future than perhaps, their IQ, for example. The 7 characteristics of character that are most important are: 

1.) Zest

2.) Self-Control

3.) Grit

4.) Optimism

5.) Curiosity

6.) Social Intelligence

7.) Gratitude

Students learned about each term and then, with a group, we asked to write on each poster with each term on it, an example of how to display the characteristic or the first thing that comes to mind. Below are just some of the finished posters: 

This week is a short week because of the holiday. I sincerely wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving and remind all to express their GRATITUDE this week! 

Secret Words: 

6th Grade: Zest

7th Grade: Optimism 

8th Grade: Self-Control