#PhenomenalFriday: “Don’t Compete, Dominate”
As I reflect on the week, I thought about the theme for the week in The Phenomenal Room: “Don’t Compete, Dominate.”
For the first three weeks of the 4th quarter of the school year, I’ve taken my two Bubble Groups(May or May not pass State Assessment) through Pre-STAAR Prep–where I retaught some core skills.
This week, I started official STAAR Prep and activated STAAR Mode–my version of Mamba Mentality.
To illustrate the new focus, I shared the theme with the students and related it to them. I told them that competing is dangerous. When you compete, you’re the same as the competition. Even if you score 90 percent, someone else probably did.
You gotta separate yourself.
Would they take heed to the message? They did.
Tuesday
Skill Focus: Analyze Characters
Daily Passage: Tom Sawyer Whitewashes A Fence
Group 1
This group stepped their game up and brought it, although they could have done better on the Exit Ticket.
Pass Rate: 90 percent
Exit Ticket: 60 percent
Group 2
The evening group was locked in but came in a tick under the morning group but performed better on the exit ticket.
Pass Rate: 86 percent
Exit Ticket: 86 percent
Wednesday
Group 1
Skill Focus: Figurative Language
Daily Passage: OMG! Where Is Danny?
The morning group decided that they wanted to set themselves apart. They all passed the daily passage. Adding to that, there was a glow.
When I gathered data for the TEK Tracker, the kids saw that all of them got a question correct. They cheered.
Me(In My Head): Let’s go.
Pass Rate: 100 percent
Exit Ticket: 88 percent
Group 2
The morning group attempted to pull away from the evening but 100 percent of them passed the daily passage, as well. They did better on the exit ticket, too.
Skill Focus: Making Connections
Daily Passage: Grocery Store Pirate, Pirate Story
Group 1
Understanding that Poetry and Making Connections was the genre, I expected the kids to dip a bit. They did but not by much.
Pass Rate: 82 percent
Exit Ticket: 55 percent
Group 2
The evening group dipped, as well, but I had an encouraging conversation with a student transitioning back from the session.
Student: “I had a bad day.”
Me: “How did you do?”
Student(Pausing before speaking): “Five out of Eight”
Me(In My Head): Yea…she’s internalizing her performance.
Friday, I realized that kids aren’t the only ones ready to Dominate. I am, too.
Collaborating with one of the teachers, we were able to confirm her student at a level O. A 7 level improvement from the beginning of the year. Another one of her students improved from an I to a P.
A third student tested at a level L, which is 5 levels from when I first received her in the 3rd nine weeks.
These students’ individual results ended a banner week.
Students put the team above themselves, Set High Expectations and they’re displaying exponential growth.
Don’t Compete, Dominate.
Be Phenomenal, Mr. Short
The Phenomenal Student 
Thank you
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