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Every administrator knows the importance of observing instruction in classrooms, but they also face ever-changing demands of their time that often results in less time in the classroom and more time in the office. The 2-Minute Principal Observation Form allows the observer to get into and out of classrooms quickly by focusing on one and only one important aspect of instruction: on-task behavior. The main thing the form is designed to capture is the approximate percent or number of students that are following the teacher's instructions consistently. The observer doesn't need to stay in the classroom the full two minutes, just long enough to determine how many of the students are on task.
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For those familiar with the 5-Minute Observation Form, the 2-Minute Form can be used in conjunction with 5-minute or other observations. It can also be used as a screener to identify groups that are struggling, which should be followed by a more in-depth observation to determine the precise problems.

Want to check it out for yourself? Download the 2-Minute Observation Form and instructions from NIFDI and get into classrooms today!   

Julie L. Thompson, M.Ed., BCBAJulie L. Thompson, M.Ed., BCBAJulie L. Thompson is a doctoral candidate in Special Education at UNC Charlotte who anticipates graduating in May 2014. She also earned her Master’s degree from UNC Charlotte. As a recipient of the NIFDI Research Fellowship Grant, Julie was able to conduct a study investigating the effects of proximity fading and task breaks on student responding during small group Direct Instruction in mathematics with students with ASD. Results demonstrated a functional relation between the intervention and students’ ability to actively respond during small group instruction. One student, an English Language Learner, required an instructional cue in her native language to increase her participation to mastery level. Following the promising results of this study, Julie is continuing this line of research for her dissertation and plans to extend the research by measuring generalization of active responding across DI curricula (Connecting Math Concepts and Language for Learning) as well as measuring accuracy of response and assessing mathematics skill acquisition using distal standardized measures.

Flores Ribbon CuttingSAN ANTONIO (September 27, 2013) – IDEA Public Schools, a nationally recognized public charter school network, celebrated the opening of its thirtieth school, IDEA South Flores, with a ribbon cutting earlier today while highlighting expansion plans. The ribbon cutting featured Mayor Julian Castro, IDEA founder and CEO Tom Torkelson and IDEA San Antonio region executive director, Rolando Posada.

The addition of IDEA South Flores to IDEA Public Schools’ growing network brings the San Antonio total to four schools serving nearly 1,000 students. IDEA Public Schools entered the San Antonio region when it partnered with The Carver Academy, founded by NBA legend David Robinson, in February of 2012. Robinson, an IDEA San Antonio regional board member, was unable to attend the event, but left a video message for the audience. “IDEA Public Schools is committed to doing whatever it takes to closing the achievement gap, and we’re just getting started,” he said.

Soledad O'Brien CNN Black in America Special

CNN aired a special on Friday, August 30th hosted by Soledad O'Brien that looked at African American students in education today and the gap in achievement between these students and their white counterparts. The special - Great Expectations: A Black in America Special - followed the stories of three at-risk students for a year at Harvest Prep/Seed Academy in Minneapolis where Direct Instruction is utilized. 

Earlier in the day, Ms. O'Brien sat down with CNN's morning show to discuss the documentary

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