go to the source

Well, we've almost all made it completely through all of our beginning of year testing. The Performance Series resulted in scores in Reading and Language Arts, and the students have been given their results in Reading, along with completing a goal-setting and reflection form. It’s important to commit ourselves to the important work of reading each and every day, and being intentional as we read to focus our minds and be aware of our practices. In order to see growth through the course of the school year, we must push ourselves to improve and recognize the steps necessary to achieve it. The Writing Assessment, which several will complete on Tuesday, will provide information regarding skills in writing, especially argumentative writing. It will take some time to gather those scores, but the information will be helpful in providing a direction and the steps necessary to achieve growth.

I've created and added the above picture to illustrate a habit of mind that is very important for all students to develop. GO TO THE SOURCE! It's basically an answer to many questions, or a response to many situations. If you have a question, GO TO THE SOURCE! The source could be a textbook for a class, a reading book, a website, an instructional manual, or even a person who is an expert. Specifically, if you're being asked a question about something you've read, GO TO THE SOURCE! There's no reason to memorize a passage of what you've read; use the source to answer the question you're being asked. So, if you have a question, GO TO THE SOURCE! Don't guess at an answer, and don't be satisfied without an answer; find someone or something with the answer.

And that leads me to the final thought, and the logical result--cite the source. Find an answer. Come to a conclusion. Learn something. But don't take credit from someone else. Especially when in school, and especially when writing, always give credit where credit is due. The source provides the answer, the information, the knowledge. Give credit to the source; cite the source.