Appreciation and resilience...
This last bit of reading was really hard for me to comment on. I know that telling you all that we appreicate all the tremendous hard work that you do doesn't get it done. In life it is the actions, not the words, that truly tell the story. I didn't get on here to try to give everyone a venue to tell Vickie or I how fantastic we are. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses. I don't want people to tell me what they think I want to hear and so trying to put something together for the appreciation chapter was very difficult. Because of that I'm pretty much going to try to let the actions of the past several years hopefully speak louder than the words that I can peck out here as I sit at the computer.
I didn't post this on time because I didn't post last week's on time, so I wasn't sure if anyone would try to "knock out" their responses to two of my posts if they were back to back, but then a funny thing happened. Sometimes my procrastination works in ways that are enlightening to even me. Hopefully my procrastination doesn't hurt me in that people think it's over and there won't be any responses to my post.
I'm going to take a chance by trying to address the resilience topic when all the waters aren't totally calm. I love the quote at the begining of that chapter by Martin Luther King, Jr.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
There are going to be times in life, and in this little microcosm that we all live in called the education profession, where things get rough, either directly personally or indirectly as the whole educational profession seems to come under fire. Know that when you persevere through the thick and the thin, an ultimately do what we do - put kids first - that things have a way of working out. The rough patches smooth over. Sometimes decisions are made that are bigger than any one of us, and it may be difficult to see from all perspectives on a single issue. If any of you get the Columbus Dispatch you probably have a good idea of some of what I'm talking about. Right now, education is getting hammered in the press.
See some of the articles from today's paper:
http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/02/13/copy/gop-proposal-means-big-changes-for-teacher-contracts.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
If you really want to get fired up, read some of the posts that people responded to that article:
http://www.topix.net/forum/source/dispatch-politics/T7IM5252KBM97776E
or this article...
http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/02/13/copy/columbus-must-fix-worst-schools-or-lose-millions.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
The point is, education is changing at a very fast pace, and I'm not sure that all of it is being done with a whole lot of careful thought by those who are forcing these issues about the actions and consequences of what they are trying to do to the profession. Our governer has some very interesting ideas about what he would like to do regarding collective bargaining and education as a whole, but my point is, when things get tough we need to band together and be resiliant.
Know that you have the support of your peers to work through the tough times. You are encouraged to take risks that are for the benefit of our students. Be creative. Be responsive to your kids needs. Be engaging. Be enthusiastic. Feed off of the kids energy and they will feed off of yours.
I challenge you in this last post to offer one bit of advice for each other. The last two posts of mine have had a twinge of negativity to them to point out that in the darkness it is always easiest to see the light. Offer up one or two suggestions to your peers to lift them up. These can be cliche' or straight from the heart, elloquently spoken, or straight shootin'
I want to thank you all for perseveing with me through my "timeliness" and for giving me reason after reason to come back to see what the next person said. Talk about lifting each other up, as Ron Clark says. I have once again learned from this blogging experience - in differently ways than what I thougth I might - but the one unchanging piece through all of this is that I get to work with amazing people every day. I know I don't let you know how much I appreciate you nearly as often as I should. Through all of the gunk in our lives together, You are what makes the education field the very best there is.
Thanks for letting me be a part of what you do on a daily basis.
Dave
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Vickie's Question - Week #6 - Last week :)
I first want to thank everyone for joining in the blog(s) this year. I truly believe that we have all learned a lot from each other.
This week you should have finished the rest of the book. Something important that I took out of the closing was...
"One teacher really can make an impact that will inspire children and motivate them to touch the people they meet in their lives with compassion, appreciation, humor and love."
"One teacher can spark a child to seek adventure, to have confidence, to take risks, and to truly try to make the same impact on others that was made on them."
You are impacting and changing lives every single day.
This week, instead of asking questions I would just like for you to give overall feedback on the book, ask any questions that you would like answered and give book suggestions (titles) for future book studies if you have any.
Thanks again for participating. I have learned a lot from each of you.
Vickie
This week you should have finished the rest of the book. Something important that I took out of the closing was...
"One teacher really can make an impact that will inspire children and motivate them to touch the people they meet in their lives with compassion, appreciation, humor and love."
"One teacher can spark a child to seek adventure, to have confidence, to take risks, and to truly try to make the same impact on others that was made on them."
You are impacting and changing lives every single day.
This week, instead of asking questions I would just like for you to give overall feedback on the book, ask any questions that you would like answered and give book suggestions (titles) for future book studies if you have any.
Thanks again for participating. I have learned a lot from each of you.
Vickie
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Vickie's Question- Week 5
Appreciation and Resilience
The two chapters you are reading this week (or atleast commenting on this week) were both very good chapters. As I read the chapter on appreciation there were many times that I had questions in my own mind, like ... "Do I do that?" , "Do staff members know just how much I appreciate them?", Do parents feel appreciated", etc. As much as I enjoyed reading the chapter, I have found it very difficult to ask questions about it. If I ask you if you feel supported/appreciated by your administrator (whether that be Rick, Dave, Diana, Eric, Matt or myself) I am not sure what kind of honesty we would get with your names attached to your responses.
Before going into any kind of question, I want to let you know that I truly appreciate all that each one of you do. Both chapters talk a lot about how educating children is very difficult, but you all do it with such ease. You are all wonderful at what you do and I know that comes with a lot of effort, time, stress, and much, much more. One goal of mine when coming into administration, is to always remember what I felt like as a teacher. There were times (in 15 years) that I didn't feel appreciated and I promised myself to put showing appreciation at the top of my to do list. In the past 1 1/2 years, every time Dave and I ask for volunteers, we always get a lot of staff members willing to help out. I am not sure that all administrators could say that. If you are in the elementary building, I hope you feel valued and appreciated by both Dave and I. We truly value and appreciate you and are very thankful to work with such a wonderful staff.
Now for the questions...
I am mainly going to focus on Chapter 10 (Appreciation) although some of it does overlap with Chapter 11 (Resilience).
Ron Clark breaks this chapter into 3 sections that I want to focus on.
1- How can Administrators Show Appreciation for Teachers?
2- How Teachers Can Show Appreciation for Parents
3- Tips for Superintendents
The first two questions are mainly to help the administrators in our district grow. If we know what makes you feel appreciate it is easier to know what we need to do to get better or even know what we are doing right. The third question is mainly to share ideas that others can use.
Question 1-
Give two or three ways your administrator (principal) can show you appreciation. This could be something that is already being done, or something you wish could be done. Make it almost like a top 2 or 3 list, although I know there are many more that could be listed. If you have a good story (from any administrator) or more details that you want to share, feel free to do so.
Question 2-
Give two or three ways Mr. Smith can show you appreciation. Same as before, it is almost a top 2 or 3 list.
Question 3-
What do you do to show parents that you appreciate them. I would like for this question to be something that other teachers/staff members can learn from. I have seen staff members do things that really show parents appreciation and I actually think we could list more great ideas than Ron Clark even put in the book. This question is your chance to share.
Thanks for the wonderful discussions that are happening every week on the blog. I know that we are all learning a lot from each other.
Have a GREAT week!
Vickie
The two chapters you are reading this week (or atleast commenting on this week) were both very good chapters. As I read the chapter on appreciation there were many times that I had questions in my own mind, like ... "Do I do that?" , "Do staff members know just how much I appreciate them?", Do parents feel appreciated", etc. As much as I enjoyed reading the chapter, I have found it very difficult to ask questions about it. If I ask you if you feel supported/appreciated by your administrator (whether that be Rick, Dave, Diana, Eric, Matt or myself) I am not sure what kind of honesty we would get with your names attached to your responses.
Before going into any kind of question, I want to let you know that I truly appreciate all that each one of you do. Both chapters talk a lot about how educating children is very difficult, but you all do it with such ease. You are all wonderful at what you do and I know that comes with a lot of effort, time, stress, and much, much more. One goal of mine when coming into administration, is to always remember what I felt like as a teacher. There were times (in 15 years) that I didn't feel appreciated and I promised myself to put showing appreciation at the top of my to do list. In the past 1 1/2 years, every time Dave and I ask for volunteers, we always get a lot of staff members willing to help out. I am not sure that all administrators could say that. If you are in the elementary building, I hope you feel valued and appreciated by both Dave and I. We truly value and appreciate you and are very thankful to work with such a wonderful staff.
Now for the questions...
I am mainly going to focus on Chapter 10 (Appreciation) although some of it does overlap with Chapter 11 (Resilience).
Ron Clark breaks this chapter into 3 sections that I want to focus on.
1- How can Administrators Show Appreciation for Teachers?
2- How Teachers Can Show Appreciation for Parents
3- Tips for Superintendents
The first two questions are mainly to help the administrators in our district grow. If we know what makes you feel appreciate it is easier to know what we need to do to get better or even know what we are doing right. The third question is mainly to share ideas that others can use.
Question 1-
Give two or three ways your administrator (principal) can show you appreciation. This could be something that is already being done, or something you wish could be done. Make it almost like a top 2 or 3 list, although I know there are many more that could be listed. If you have a good story (from any administrator) or more details that you want to share, feel free to do so.
Question 2-
Give two or three ways Mr. Smith can show you appreciation. Same as before, it is almost a top 2 or 3 list.
Question 3-
What do you do to show parents that you appreciate them. I would like for this question to be something that other teachers/staff members can learn from. I have seen staff members do things that really show parents appreciation and I actually think we could list more great ideas than Ron Clark even put in the book. This question is your chance to share.
Thanks for the wonderful discussions that are happening every week on the blog. I know that we are all learning a lot from each other.
Have a GREAT week!
Vickie
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Dave's Question - week 4 - Confidence Humor & Common Sense
Confidence, Humor & Common Sense...
Let me first apologize profusely for getting so far behind on this. Vickie was on me about getting my post up on Monday (exhibit number 33,956 that I should just listen to what she says without question) and then we were off Tuesday -Thursday (which coincided with me being sick as I have been in quite some time) and I stayed home on Friday even though everyone else was back because I have/had strep throat and hadn't been on medication for a full 24 hours (of course I ran into Jessica at Kroger on Thursday while I was getting my prescription filled and as she approached with Unie I told her that I didn't want her to come any closer because I have strep. Poor Jessica...protective mother...she looked like I just told her I had bubonic plague. Probably not funny at the time, but now that I'm trying to think of what to write about on the topic of humor, confidence, and common sense well...you get the picture. Here it is 10:50 on Saturday night, and I finally peeled my butt out of the now somewhat permanent dent in the couch where I have been most of the week because I finally feel halfway decent.
Now...what was it that I actually intended to say once I got on here?
On humor...I won't spend much time on that topic because Vickie hit on it pretty nicely, and more importantly, you all responded with some great questions and comments. Great conversations. Brought a smile to my face, although there is no one here to see it as I type up in my office in the dark. If you can't laugh at yourself in whatever it is you do, I think that job would be terrible. I think I've learned not to take myself nearly as serious as I did when I first came to North Union, and I think that has made me a better leader and hopefully has helped somewhat with the overall feel that we have going at the elementary. I know I love it there, and there is rarely a day that goes by in the office anyway where one of us doesn't say something totally inappropriate about and to each other (in a loving way). We have a ton of fun up there and it really has made quite a difference as far as I am concerned.
Confidence...
I love the quote at the beginning of that chapter by Henry Ford. Actually, I think I may have used it in a weekly update at one point. "Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right." I love this so much because it really summarized everything that we need to strive for in education and as people, really. If we want to be Excellent with Distinction we have to believe that we will do it without doubt right down to the very core of our beings. Obviously there is work that comes with that belief. If the Wright brothers just believed that their contraption was going to fly without doing all the behind the scenes work and they just shoved something off a cliff and hoped for the best, they probably wouldn't be famous for anything (yes I know that they didn't fly off a cliff, but it helps with my illustration) If you believe that our students will accomplish great things that belief comes from a true trust in yourself that you've done everything humanly possible to give them the greatest chance for success.
Caution: Before you read any further, please note that this part is going to challenge you in ways that I don't think I have done before.
Common Sense...If I had any, I probably would stop right here. :-)
Well, I don't know that I am the right person to be preaching on that subject! Actually, the thing that I think I want to say about common sense is this. This really is what I feel like is the biggest issue in education today, not just at North Union Elementary, or North Union Local Schools or Central Ohio, or Ohio, or the Midwest, but across this nation. Set your personal feelings aside before you read ahead on this one because this is not an attack on anyone that I know, but a statement about what I think that many people think public education is as a whole.
The students we have today are not the students that we had 10 or 20 or 30 years ago. We HAVE to teach kids in a different fashion in order for them to learn what is going to be needed. Teaching implies learning. There are things about our current students that drive me crazy. My own children fight like cats and dogs over who can have my Droid smart phone when I'm home because they think they have to be constantly entertained. The fact of the matter is, they are different that what we might desire for them to be, or long for "how kids used to be" but we have to respond to that with teaching that is different than what it was in the past. Differentiation is probably the biggest natural response to how we address this, but think outside of our little bubble. Do you believe that in inner city Cleveland there is a whole lot of differentiation going on? Cleveland Metropolitan Schools met 2 of 26 indicators on the 2009-2010 report card. The graduation rate in 2008-2009 was 54.3% I point this out because it is very intentionally FAR outside of our "neighborhood" but don't you think there are just as many promising kids in Cleveland as there are in Columbus? Common Sense says that we have to get to a place in public education where we are doing something differently that does not allow or stand for that kind of results.
The last part of this post has been very intentional to get you to see what people outside of education see of education. To make you a bit uncomfortable. To challenge your thinking. They don't see the cozy little North Unions of the world. There is a lot of talk nationally right now about how education is failing our kids. There are movies about it. I want to warn you that if you choose to follow these links you may end up very mad about how education is being portrayed - but that is exactly why I'm putting it out there for you. You need to know what you are up against nationally. There maybe isn't this feeling locally, but our local "world" is part of this much bigger national issue.
Youtube clip for "The Cartel":
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gzIfTmD8UUc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>.
Youtube clip for "Waiting for Superman":
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZKTfaro96dg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
My challenge to you in this post is this, and it is no small task...offer one or two "common sense" suggestions that need to be put in place in education as a whole that will help turn this tide.
Let me first apologize profusely for getting so far behind on this. Vickie was on me about getting my post up on Monday (exhibit number 33,956 that I should just listen to what she says without question) and then we were off Tuesday -Thursday (which coincided with me being sick as I have been in quite some time) and I stayed home on Friday even though everyone else was back because I have/had strep throat and hadn't been on medication for a full 24 hours (of course I ran into Jessica at Kroger on Thursday while I was getting my prescription filled and as she approached with Unie I told her that I didn't want her to come any closer because I have strep. Poor Jessica...protective mother...she looked like I just told her I had bubonic plague. Probably not funny at the time, but now that I'm trying to think of what to write about on the topic of humor, confidence, and common sense well...you get the picture. Here it is 10:50 on Saturday night, and I finally peeled my butt out of the now somewhat permanent dent in the couch where I have been most of the week because I finally feel halfway decent.
Now...what was it that I actually intended to say once I got on here?
On humor...I won't spend much time on that topic because Vickie hit on it pretty nicely, and more importantly, you all responded with some great questions and comments. Great conversations. Brought a smile to my face, although there is no one here to see it as I type up in my office in the dark. If you can't laugh at yourself in whatever it is you do, I think that job would be terrible. I think I've learned not to take myself nearly as serious as I did when I first came to North Union, and I think that has made me a better leader and hopefully has helped somewhat with the overall feel that we have going at the elementary. I know I love it there, and there is rarely a day that goes by in the office anyway where one of us doesn't say something totally inappropriate about and to each other (in a loving way). We have a ton of fun up there and it really has made quite a difference as far as I am concerned.
Confidence...
I love the quote at the beginning of that chapter by Henry Ford. Actually, I think I may have used it in a weekly update at one point. "Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right." I love this so much because it really summarized everything that we need to strive for in education and as people, really. If we want to be Excellent with Distinction we have to believe that we will do it without doubt right down to the very core of our beings. Obviously there is work that comes with that belief. If the Wright brothers just believed that their contraption was going to fly without doing all the behind the scenes work and they just shoved something off a cliff and hoped for the best, they probably wouldn't be famous for anything (yes I know that they didn't fly off a cliff, but it helps with my illustration) If you believe that our students will accomplish great things that belief comes from a true trust in yourself that you've done everything humanly possible to give them the greatest chance for success.
Caution: Before you read any further, please note that this part is going to challenge you in ways that I don't think I have done before.
Common Sense...If I had any, I probably would stop right here. :-)
Well, I don't know that I am the right person to be preaching on that subject! Actually, the thing that I think I want to say about common sense is this. This really is what I feel like is the biggest issue in education today, not just at North Union Elementary, or North Union Local Schools or Central Ohio, or Ohio, or the Midwest, but across this nation. Set your personal feelings aside before you read ahead on this one because this is not an attack on anyone that I know, but a statement about what I think that many people think public education is as a whole.
The students we have today are not the students that we had 10 or 20 or 30 years ago. We HAVE to teach kids in a different fashion in order for them to learn what is going to be needed. Teaching implies learning. There are things about our current students that drive me crazy. My own children fight like cats and dogs over who can have my Droid smart phone when I'm home because they think they have to be constantly entertained. The fact of the matter is, they are different that what we might desire for them to be, or long for "how kids used to be" but we have to respond to that with teaching that is different than what it was in the past. Differentiation is probably the biggest natural response to how we address this, but think outside of our little bubble. Do you believe that in inner city Cleveland there is a whole lot of differentiation going on? Cleveland Metropolitan Schools met 2 of 26 indicators on the 2009-2010 report card. The graduation rate in 2008-2009 was 54.3% I point this out because it is very intentionally FAR outside of our "neighborhood" but don't you think there are just as many promising kids in Cleveland as there are in Columbus? Common Sense says that we have to get to a place in public education where we are doing something differently that does not allow or stand for that kind of results.
The last part of this post has been very intentional to get you to see what people outside of education see of education. To make you a bit uncomfortable. To challenge your thinking. They don't see the cozy little North Unions of the world. There is a lot of talk nationally right now about how education is failing our kids. There are movies about it. I want to warn you that if you choose to follow these links you may end up very mad about how education is being portrayed - but that is exactly why I'm putting it out there for you. You need to know what you are up against nationally. There maybe isn't this feeling locally, but our local "world" is part of this much bigger national issue.
Youtube clip for "The Cartel":
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gzIfTmD8UUc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>.
Youtube clip for "Waiting for Superman":
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZKTfaro96dg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
My challenge to you in this post is this, and it is no small task...offer one or two "common sense" suggestions that need to be put in place in education as a whole that will help turn this tide.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Vickie's Question - Week #4
The reading this week was on Confidence, Humor and Common Sense.
As we have talked about before, building relationships with students is very important. The second section Humor first talked about how "when we laugh we connect with each other in ways that help us relate, understand each other, and feel comfortable in any situation." Ron Clark also talked later in the chapter about how appropriate humor is a tricky one for him and that he sometimes uses it when not appropriate. He also discussed examples of when he had embarrassed students with his humor and that he "learned to never use humor that could humiliate or make his students feel uncomfortable in any way."
Ron Clark later talked about how "Good teachers are always trying to find ways to spice up lessons and keep the learning process enjoyable and entertaining."
So the questions for the items discussed above are...
1. How do you use humor to build relationships but keep the healthy balance to ensure that students do not get embarrassed?
2. Tell about atleast one thing that you have done to try to "spice up" a lesson that you taught. How did you know that it worked and/or did not work.
Thanks for the great conversations on this blog. I know that people are getting a lot of new ideas and enjoying all that you have to say.
Have a Wonderful Week!
Vickie
As we have talked about before, building relationships with students is very important. The second section Humor first talked about how "when we laugh we connect with each other in ways that help us relate, understand each other, and feel comfortable in any situation." Ron Clark also talked later in the chapter about how appropriate humor is a tricky one for him and that he sometimes uses it when not appropriate. He also discussed examples of when he had embarrassed students with his humor and that he "learned to never use humor that could humiliate or make his students feel uncomfortable in any way."
Ron Clark later talked about how "Good teachers are always trying to find ways to spice up lessons and keep the learning process enjoyable and entertaining."
So the questions for the items discussed above are...
1. How do you use humor to build relationships but keep the healthy balance to ensure that students do not get embarrassed?
2. Tell about atleast one thing that you have done to try to "spice up" a lesson that you taught. How did you know that it worked and/or did not work.
Thanks for the great conversations on this blog. I know that people are getting a lot of new ideas and enjoying all that you have to say.
Have a Wonderful Week!
Vickie
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Vickie's Question- Week #3
My question for the week isn't specifically about one of the chapters, but was discussed at the beginning of Chapter 5 (Balance).
In this chapter Ron Clark discussed how he wanted to "turn his students into excellent writers".
"I didn't care if they had to write down to the bone, they were going to become great writers. I would stay up late every night, making corrections to their work. I would sit with the students individually, showing them their mistakes. We wrote, we wrote, we wrote, and in the end their handwriting got much, much, much better. For the most part, however, the content did not, and at the end of the year the class scored dead last in the country in writing. I didn't understand what I was doing wrong."
Several years ago, I can remember Bruce Hoover calling me into the conference room and asking me "How are you going to improve your reading scores?" I also remember thinking... "If I knew what needed fixed, I would have already done it." I spent a lot of time asking other teachers for ideas on what they did to first keep students interested in writing and second make them better writers. The following school year, I completely changed everything I did in writing. I knew that after teaching students the components of writing I mainly needed to focus on student interest and motivation. I knew that the students could do better but getting them to take the time to do it was another story. That following year my writing scores were significantly different but I could have never made the changes in instruction without the help of others.
It doesn't matter if you are talking about one student who doesn't perform as well as they should, or a whole class it is discouraging to know they can do it, but that they choose not to.
This week I would like you to answer the following questions...
1. Tell about a writing lesson and/or activity that really motivates or motivated students.
2. Tell about a lesson that integrated writing with another subject area and tell if that helped create more excitement for the lesson.
3. When January/February hits and students moan when they hear you say "you are going to write a story" what do you do to get them excited and motivated to do their best?
I hope this spring colored background is helping you get through this cold, snowy winter.
Have a GREAT WEEK!
Vickie
In this chapter Ron Clark discussed how he wanted to "turn his students into excellent writers".
"I didn't care if they had to write down to the bone, they were going to become great writers. I would stay up late every night, making corrections to their work. I would sit with the students individually, showing them their mistakes. We wrote, we wrote, we wrote, and in the end their handwriting got much, much, much better. For the most part, however, the content did not, and at the end of the year the class scored dead last in the country in writing. I didn't understand what I was doing wrong."
Several years ago, I can remember Bruce Hoover calling me into the conference room and asking me "How are you going to improve your reading scores?" I also remember thinking... "If I knew what needed fixed, I would have already done it." I spent a lot of time asking other teachers for ideas on what they did to first keep students interested in writing and second make them better writers. The following school year, I completely changed everything I did in writing. I knew that after teaching students the components of writing I mainly needed to focus on student interest and motivation. I knew that the students could do better but getting them to take the time to do it was another story. That following year my writing scores were significantly different but I could have never made the changes in instruction without the help of others.
It doesn't matter if you are talking about one student who doesn't perform as well as they should, or a whole class it is discouraging to know they can do it, but that they choose not to.
This week I would like you to answer the following questions...
1. Tell about a writing lesson and/or activity that really motivates or motivated students.
2. Tell about a lesson that integrated writing with another subject area and tell if that helped create more excitement for the lesson.
3. When January/February hits and students moan when they hear you say "you are going to write a story" what do you do to get them excited and motivated to do their best?
I hope this spring colored background is helping you get through this cold, snowy winter.
Have a GREAT WEEK!
Vickie
Dave's Question - Week 3 - Balance and Compassion
Balance:
There are a couple things in the chapter about Balance that are what I want to address this week. The first is "Balancing Instruction To Meet Different Learning Styles" and the second is "Balancing Life With Teaching." The first question that I have for you is on the Balancing Instruction To Meet Different Learning Styles section. I see lots of this going on in our classrooms. Kids are on the computer, working at the SMART board, doing things with manipulatives at their desks, over a a listening center with an iPod and headphones on, reading silently in a corner on a bean bag, reading out loud to a classmate, speaking out in the front of the classroom where they are expected to be the teacher. I know there are lots of great examples of this thinking that happens every day in your classrooms. I guess my first question isn't a question at all, but a prompt. The first think I'd like you to comment on is simply sharing something that you might think of as a normal, everyday, routine, run of the mill task that has to happen in your classroom, and how you have done something different to make it potentially more engaging. Here's an example...many of you have listening centers in your classrooms. This seems to be more prevalent in the younger grades, but that's not to say that it doesn't happen in older classrooms as well. Jen Davis has iPods that she uses for her listening center, and I know that Amy Klempa regularly is downloading mp3s from the Columbus library for her kids to listen to books. It may be done on the computer, or on an mp3 player or "the old fashioned" way of a tape or CD player, but it is a very effective way for kids to have a model for what good reading sounds like. Give an example of something that maybe isn't reinventing the wheel, but is made more effective because you found a way to change it up a bit. The second topic that struck me as critically important in this section was "Balancing Life With Teaching." I'm not sure that I really have a question per se on this one, but just that I want you all to know that I am keenly aware of the crazy amount of hours that you put in. I have long held the belief that elementary teachers put in far more hours than middle and high school teachers, (hopefully that doesn't offend anyone - I just believe it to be a truth) but one of the things that I think I need to try to do a better job of is to validate the work that you do. Linda Davis has told me on a few different occasions about the difference in the approach of our teachers at the Elementary when she came to us from the Middle School. Again, I hope no one takes this as me trying to knock someone else down, but I just want you all to know that I know how hard you work and I don't believe I could find a group of people who could "out work" you. You are amazing people. I guess the comment that I'd like for you to share, which could be a quick one, is share some of the ways you deal with the work load and still maintain a relatively healthy home life. Example which may or may not be real: I only stay till 9:00 on Thursday nights, every other night I leave by 5:00...or, I come in every Saturday from 12:00 to 2:00 while my husband is watching football. :-) I guess what I am really getting at is: What are some "rules" that you put in place that allow you to maintain your sanity?
Compassion:
Reading this chapter has caused me to do some soul searching about the job I am doing as a parent. I think I am at times too hard on my own kids. I am guilty of pointing out the things that Nathan does that are hurtful to his sisters or when he talks back, how that is disrespectful to either myself or Allyson. I realize a great bit of it is just siblings being siblings, but I hope to learn some parenting ideas from this as well. It got me really thinking about how and why things for me, seem to be very different at school vs. at home. I think, Ron Clark is really right on when he talks about being clear with kids about what we will and will not tolerate regarding the behaviors in the kid to kid relationships that we try to help foster in a positive manner. I do think we are going in the right direction with both Second Step and the whole Wildcat Way thing. The point of both, obviously is to point out the way we expect things to be, and help give kids the "ammo" for when things don't go that way so that they can handle themselves with using their words to make something that might have been a negative experience into a positive one.
There are, however, a few students (you can probably name them at your grade level) who don't seem to "get it" as far as applying what we are trying to teach about being socially conscientious and compassionate, productive members of the "society" that we are building within our walls, and obviously, we want that to transfer beyond our walls. For those tough kids that saying a pledge or getting a sticker doesn't seem to ring true for more than keeping their behaviors where we want them to be - in the moment - share some ideas that you have either through years of teaching experience, parental experiences, or otherwise brilliant insight that you might have that teaches kids to be compassionate. I believe this is going to be a hard one to try to address, which is why I put it out there. I was speaking with a teacher the other day about how she is able to get kids to want to please her, and specifically kids who don't seem to have that same care for other teachers that they work with. I want you to be really analytical with this one. Think about some of the tricks that you have in your bag that helps you reach kids that maybe someone else might not have had success with, because, despite what that teacher I was talking with the other day said, it isn't just "magical." There is something or a process, or a relationship that is built, etc that allows you to be successful with a student that is one of the tougher cases. I believe it starts with us being compassionate and showing our pride in our kids, but maybe together we can hash this out and really get onto something that is hard to quantify. What is it that you do that makes kids WANT to do the right thing?
Sorry I was late last week. I know I wrote a lot this time, so I wanted to give you as much time as you might need to respond. Have a fantastic week!
Dave
There are a couple things in the chapter about Balance that are what I want to address this week. The first is "Balancing Instruction To Meet Different Learning Styles" and the second is "Balancing Life With Teaching." The first question that I have for you is on the Balancing Instruction To Meet Different Learning Styles section. I see lots of this going on in our classrooms. Kids are on the computer, working at the SMART board, doing things with manipulatives at their desks, over a a listening center with an iPod and headphones on, reading silently in a corner on a bean bag, reading out loud to a classmate, speaking out in the front of the classroom where they are expected to be the teacher. I know there are lots of great examples of this thinking that happens every day in your classrooms. I guess my first question isn't a question at all, but a prompt. The first think I'd like you to comment on is simply sharing something that you might think of as a normal, everyday, routine, run of the mill task that has to happen in your classroom, and how you have done something different to make it potentially more engaging. Here's an example...many of you have listening centers in your classrooms. This seems to be more prevalent in the younger grades, but that's not to say that it doesn't happen in older classrooms as well. Jen Davis has iPods that she uses for her listening center, and I know that Amy Klempa regularly is downloading mp3s from the Columbus library for her kids to listen to books. It may be done on the computer, or on an mp3 player or "the old fashioned" way of a tape or CD player, but it is a very effective way for kids to have a model for what good reading sounds like. Give an example of something that maybe isn't reinventing the wheel, but is made more effective because you found a way to change it up a bit. The second topic that struck me as critically important in this section was "Balancing Life With Teaching." I'm not sure that I really have a question per se on this one, but just that I want you all to know that I am keenly aware of the crazy amount of hours that you put in. I have long held the belief that elementary teachers put in far more hours than middle and high school teachers, (hopefully that doesn't offend anyone - I just believe it to be a truth) but one of the things that I think I need to try to do a better job of is to validate the work that you do. Linda Davis has told me on a few different occasions about the difference in the approach of our teachers at the Elementary when she came to us from the Middle School. Again, I hope no one takes this as me trying to knock someone else down, but I just want you all to know that I know how hard you work and I don't believe I could find a group of people who could "out work" you. You are amazing people. I guess the comment that I'd like for you to share, which could be a quick one, is share some of the ways you deal with the work load and still maintain a relatively healthy home life. Example which may or may not be real: I only stay till 9:00 on Thursday nights, every other night I leave by 5:00...or, I come in every Saturday from 12:00 to 2:00 while my husband is watching football. :-) I guess what I am really getting at is: What are some "rules" that you put in place that allow you to maintain your sanity?
Compassion:
Reading this chapter has caused me to do some soul searching about the job I am doing as a parent. I think I am at times too hard on my own kids. I am guilty of pointing out the things that Nathan does that are hurtful to his sisters or when he talks back, how that is disrespectful to either myself or Allyson. I realize a great bit of it is just siblings being siblings, but I hope to learn some parenting ideas from this as well. It got me really thinking about how and why things for me, seem to be very different at school vs. at home. I think, Ron Clark is really right on when he talks about being clear with kids about what we will and will not tolerate regarding the behaviors in the kid to kid relationships that we try to help foster in a positive manner. I do think we are going in the right direction with both Second Step and the whole Wildcat Way thing. The point of both, obviously is to point out the way we expect things to be, and help give kids the "ammo" for when things don't go that way so that they can handle themselves with using their words to make something that might have been a negative experience into a positive one.
There are, however, a few students (you can probably name them at your grade level) who don't seem to "get it" as far as applying what we are trying to teach about being socially conscientious and compassionate, productive members of the "society" that we are building within our walls, and obviously, we want that to transfer beyond our walls. For those tough kids that saying a pledge or getting a sticker doesn't seem to ring true for more than keeping their behaviors where we want them to be - in the moment - share some ideas that you have either through years of teaching experience, parental experiences, or otherwise brilliant insight that you might have that teaches kids to be compassionate. I believe this is going to be a hard one to try to address, which is why I put it out there. I was speaking with a teacher the other day about how she is able to get kids to want to please her, and specifically kids who don't seem to have that same care for other teachers that they work with. I want you to be really analytical with this one. Think about some of the tricks that you have in your bag that helps you reach kids that maybe someone else might not have had success with, because, despite what that teacher I was talking with the other day said, it isn't just "magical." There is something or a process, or a relationship that is built, etc that allows you to be successful with a student that is one of the tougher cases. I believe it starts with us being compassionate and showing our pride in our kids, but maybe together we can hash this out and really get onto something that is hard to quantify. What is it that you do that makes kids WANT to do the right thing?
Sorry I was late last week. I know I wrote a lot this time, so I wanted to give you as much time as you might need to respond. Have a fantastic week!
Dave
Friday, January 21, 2011
Dave's question...Week #2 - Creativity and Reflection...
Creativity and refletion...
I think the reflection part is a natural part of what you do as a teacher. If you aren't constantly evaluating the effectiveness of your lessons and how you are reaching kids, well...you know that isn't effective, but I also know that you all are fantastic at reflecting on your practices. I know that we talk about reflection in evaluations and there is a very great difference from teacher to teacher and grade level to grade level as to what reflection looks like, but I also know that reflection needs to be personal, so I don't really believe it is my place to mandate to you as to how you should formalize your reflection. That being said, I think it does need to be formalized in some manner because if you only "think about how it went" and then never make notes or journal about lessons, a year later when it is time to do something similar, the changes that you were thinking about in the moment aren't going to be fresh in your mind. Please share some ideas of how you reflect on your lessons. How do you know that you are improving your lessons? How do you judge the levels of improvement that are being made?
Creativity...
Wow! There is just so much that goes on here, I don't even know where to begin. Actually, one thing that we've been thinking about a lot and having much discussion around is the topic of integration, or a term that Beth Hoch through out the other day, which I actually like much better is "comprehensive teaching." Give an example of how you have used your creativity and the resources that exist in this building to put together a fantastic lesson that you really felt reached kids on a deeper level. I love to hear people sharing what they do so that others can piggy back ideas on what you are sharing and adapt for your appropriate grade level or subject.
I think the reflection part is a natural part of what you do as a teacher. If you aren't constantly evaluating the effectiveness of your lessons and how you are reaching kids, well...you know that isn't effective, but I also know that you all are fantastic at reflecting on your practices. I know that we talk about reflection in evaluations and there is a very great difference from teacher to teacher and grade level to grade level as to what reflection looks like, but I also know that reflection needs to be personal, so I don't really believe it is my place to mandate to you as to how you should formalize your reflection. That being said, I think it does need to be formalized in some manner because if you only "think about how it went" and then never make notes or journal about lessons, a year later when it is time to do something similar, the changes that you were thinking about in the moment aren't going to be fresh in your mind. Please share some ideas of how you reflect on your lessons. How do you know that you are improving your lessons? How do you judge the levels of improvement that are being made?
Creativity...
Wow! There is just so much that goes on here, I don't even know where to begin. Actually, one thing that we've been thinking about a lot and having much discussion around is the topic of integration, or a term that Beth Hoch through out the other day, which I actually like much better is "comprehensive teaching." Give an example of how you have used your creativity and the resources that exist in this building to put together a fantastic lesson that you really felt reached kids on a deeper level. I love to hear people sharing what they do so that others can piggy back ideas on what you are sharing and adapt for your appropriate grade level or subject.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Vickie's Question - Week #2
I decided to focus the discussions this week on creativity.
As I read this part of the book I constantly thought of the many creative staff members we have in our building and district. I see creative ideas all of the time, but many of you may not describe yourself as creative.
A few quotes I found about creativity were...
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."
Scott Adams
"Another word for creativity is courage."
George Prince
"The principle goal of education is to create women/men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done."
Jean Piaget
"The man who has no imagination has no wings."
Muhammad Ali
"As a teacher, the more creative strategies you have in your bag of tricks, the better."
Ron Clark
My questions for this week are...
1. Ron Clark gave an example of a creative lesson that he did while his fifth graders were reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Give an example of a creative lesson you did or saw someone else do. You could also give a creative idea for classroom management.
2. Ron Clark discussed the fact that after going through tests with his students he realized that the students did not know the vocabulary. He came up with a Rockin' Words book where his class worked hard to master a list of 1,000 words. As you know, Vocabulary is one of our weaknesses when it comes to OAA testing. Share some of your ideas to help build vocabulary. Also be creative and try to think of something new to try, then let us know how it goes. Think outside of the box... take risks... then share your stories!
3. Another thing that Ron Clark talked about was using those teachable moments. Share a teachable moment that you have had.
Thanks for the great discussions! It is great hearing your stories and reading what others have to say about it. Keep up the GREAT WORK !
Have a great week and try something new and creative!
As I read this part of the book I constantly thought of the many creative staff members we have in our building and district. I see creative ideas all of the time, but many of you may not describe yourself as creative.
A few quotes I found about creativity were...
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."
Scott Adams
"Another word for creativity is courage."
George Prince
"The principle goal of education is to create women/men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done."
Jean Piaget
"The man who has no imagination has no wings."
Muhammad Ali
"As a teacher, the more creative strategies you have in your bag of tricks, the better."
Ron Clark
My questions for this week are...
1. Ron Clark gave an example of a creative lesson that he did while his fifth graders were reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Give an example of a creative lesson you did or saw someone else do. You could also give a creative idea for classroom management.
2. Ron Clark discussed the fact that after going through tests with his students he realized that the students did not know the vocabulary. He came up with a Rockin' Words book where his class worked hard to master a list of 1,000 words. As you know, Vocabulary is one of our weaknesses when it comes to OAA testing. Share some of your ideas to help build vocabulary. Also be creative and try to think of something new to try, then let us know how it goes. Think outside of the box... take risks... then share your stories!
3. Another thing that Ron Clark talked about was using those teachable moments. Share a teachable moment that you have had.
Thanks for the great discussions! It is great hearing your stories and reading what others have to say about it. Keep up the GREAT WORK !
Have a great week and try something new and creative!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Dave's Question - Week 1
Enthusiasm and Adventure...
I'm interested to see if you are seeing anything (positive or negative) with kids getting called down to the office to get recognized, because down here, we're trying to make it kind of a big deal. Kids seem very proud to be getting their sticker. I don't know really how that is playing out in the classroom, but the enthusiasm that they are showing here makes me think that it probably is a good thing. I'd love some feedback on that. I guess this is sort of the same question that Vickie already asked, but is there a way that you think we ought to tweak that to make it more effective to get kids more enthused about their learning? I also would love to have other stuff to announce rather than only Study Island and MAP scores. I love talking about those things, but I don't want people to think that because they don't have Study Island or because we only do MAP three times a year, that they don't have something worth talking about on the announcements. I'd love to be talking about the number of sight words a child knows, the fact that your whole class knows their letter and correlating sound identification for every letter, the fact that they beat the sit up record in 4th grade...I don't care what it is as long as you are proud of it, and you want it to be something that the kids strive for. I think about how things seem to work out and I'm somewhat amused that we happen to be talking about enthusiasm and adventure as we are solidly in the dead of winter with a potential snow storm on the way, but it is so perfect, because at least when I was in the classroom, I know I kind of felt that Christmas letdown and the heat was starting to really be put on about being prepared for what was then the Ohio Proficiency Test, and my principal was on us about whether or not we thought we were going to get certain indicators, and I think about how easy it is to lose the enthusiasm and energy and excitement all in the name of "gotta get 'em ready for the test." I'm not advocating for getting away from test preparation, but I guess that brings me to my second question. Please share an idea or two about how you can and have made test preparation fun and engaging in your respective grade level/classroom. Test preparation shouldn't be something that we do, "Oh it's January, time to kill you with old test questions." but something that should be embedded into what we do as a part of the regular routine of the classroom. Now, that being said, I think I'd be a fool to say that there isn't some additional pressure that comes with the turning of the new year.
Adventure...
How many of you want to go on the field trip and then roll down the sand dune? We don't have any of those around here, so obviously it becomes more challenging to do some of the things that Ron speaks about, but give some ideas or share some thoughts that you've had about, "It would be really great if we could take kids to _____________ so that they could have this wonderful experience. It would make their love for learning grow tremendously." This doesn't even have to be about field trips, per se, but what experiences would you want to give kids that we currently aren't doing? Maybe if we get some of that type of thinking out there, there could be a way to make it happen. I'm not promising anything, but don't censor your ideas. This is kind of what we ask kids to do when we are doing a brainstorming activity before trying to write. Don't decide, "Oh, that's a dumb idea, I'm not going to write that down." Write it down, and then after we are done brainstorming, go back and look at what you've come up with to decide what you really want to try to accomplish.
Have a fantastic week. Use your enthusiasm and think adventurously. It's contagious and the kids thrive off of whatever you put out there for them.
I'm interested to see if you are seeing anything (positive or negative) with kids getting called down to the office to get recognized, because down here, we're trying to make it kind of a big deal. Kids seem very proud to be getting their sticker. I don't know really how that is playing out in the classroom, but the enthusiasm that they are showing here makes me think that it probably is a good thing. I'd love some feedback on that. I guess this is sort of the same question that Vickie already asked, but is there a way that you think we ought to tweak that to make it more effective to get kids more enthused about their learning? I also would love to have other stuff to announce rather than only Study Island and MAP scores. I love talking about those things, but I don't want people to think that because they don't have Study Island or because we only do MAP three times a year, that they don't have something worth talking about on the announcements. I'd love to be talking about the number of sight words a child knows, the fact that your whole class knows their letter and correlating sound identification for every letter, the fact that they beat the sit up record in 4th grade...I don't care what it is as long as you are proud of it, and you want it to be something that the kids strive for. I think about how things seem to work out and I'm somewhat amused that we happen to be talking about enthusiasm and adventure as we are solidly in the dead of winter with a potential snow storm on the way, but it is so perfect, because at least when I was in the classroom, I know I kind of felt that Christmas letdown and the heat was starting to really be put on about being prepared for what was then the Ohio Proficiency Test, and my principal was on us about whether or not we thought we were going to get certain indicators, and I think about how easy it is to lose the enthusiasm and energy and excitement all in the name of "gotta get 'em ready for the test." I'm not advocating for getting away from test preparation, but I guess that brings me to my second question. Please share an idea or two about how you can and have made test preparation fun and engaging in your respective grade level/classroom. Test preparation shouldn't be something that we do, "Oh it's January, time to kill you with old test questions." but something that should be embedded into what we do as a part of the regular routine of the classroom. Now, that being said, I think I'd be a fool to say that there isn't some additional pressure that comes with the turning of the new year.
Adventure...
How many of you want to go on the field trip and then roll down the sand dune? We don't have any of those around here, so obviously it becomes more challenging to do some of the things that Ron speaks about, but give some ideas or share some thoughts that you've had about, "It would be really great if we could take kids to _____________ so that they could have this wonderful experience. It would make their love for learning grow tremendously." This doesn't even have to be about field trips, per se, but what experiences would you want to give kids that we currently aren't doing? Maybe if we get some of that type of thinking out there, there could be a way to make it happen. I'm not promising anything, but don't censor your ideas. This is kind of what we ask kids to do when we are doing a brainstorming activity before trying to write. Don't decide, "Oh, that's a dumb idea, I'm not going to write that down." Write it down, and then after we are done brainstorming, go back and look at what you've come up with to decide what you really want to try to accomplish.
Have a fantastic week. Use your enthusiasm and think adventurously. It's contagious and the kids thrive off of whatever you put out there for them.
Vickie's Question - Week #1
My questions will mainly focus on the first section in the book Enthusiasm.
I truly enjoyed reading this part and pictured different staff members as Ron Clark gave specific examples of things he has done in his classroom. I am going to list a few questions and do not expect you to respond to them all, but choose a few and respond to them.
Before I list the questions I want to say that I see lots of enthusiasm in our district and building. With that being said, we also know that all days are not great for everyone. I can think of days when I was feeling stressed and the positive comments and enthusiasm from someone else really helped to make my day better. Many times my day gets better just by watching people teach. The energy and enthusiasm in the classrooms is always enough to make anyone feel better. As OAA test time gets closer, it is easy to let the stress level rise and take over how you are feeling. Hopefully these questions will help you have some new ideas on how to deal with that stress and stay positive along with give Dave and I ideas on how to help keep the enthusiasm going.
1- How do you keep your enthusiasm going?
2- "Enthusiasm is Contagious"- Give an example of a day that you were feeling down, pressured, stressed, etc. and the enthusiasm of someone else was contagious and helped to make your day better. You don't have to give names, just the other details.
3- What can Dave and I do to keep the enthusiasm in the building going?
4- Give an example of when your enthusiasm has helped an unmotivated child. Once again, no names needed, just the details.
I truly enjoyed reading this part and pictured different staff members as Ron Clark gave specific examples of things he has done in his classroom. I am going to list a few questions and do not expect you to respond to them all, but choose a few and respond to them.
Before I list the questions I want to say that I see lots of enthusiasm in our district and building. With that being said, we also know that all days are not great for everyone. I can think of days when I was feeling stressed and the positive comments and enthusiasm from someone else really helped to make my day better. Many times my day gets better just by watching people teach. The energy and enthusiasm in the classrooms is always enough to make anyone feel better. As OAA test time gets closer, it is easy to let the stress level rise and take over how you are feeling. Hopefully these questions will help you have some new ideas on how to deal with that stress and stay positive along with give Dave and I ideas on how to help keep the enthusiasm going.
1- How do you keep your enthusiasm going?
2- "Enthusiasm is Contagious"- Give an example of a day that you were feeling down, pressured, stressed, etc. and the enthusiasm of someone else was contagious and helped to make your day better. You don't have to give names, just the other details.
3- What can Dave and I do to keep the enthusiasm in the building going?
4- Give an example of when your enthusiasm has helped an unmotivated child. Once again, no names needed, just the details.
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