Surfing

Teachers,

Sorry, I thought this went out Thursday Night. Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday. 

Surfing—

We were sitting on the beach watching the birds and the waves roll in and out. Then I started watching the surfers. It was about 4:30 when they started making their way to the waves. It looked like some high school students, some college students, and a few that had their brothers or dads drive them. What I noticed is how they grouped up and worked with each other as they each took turns catching their waves. There was a respect and a way of sharing the waves as they worked on their craft. When two would go at the same time, one would bow out and wait for another wave. They took turns. The younger took almost twice as many as the older surfers. Was that on purpose or were they just taking every chance they could and the older surfers let them at it. As I sat there I thought about how learning would be if students used this same kind of idea. Helping each other. Cooperating with each other. Letting those that need a little extra help get the extra help or helping them out to bring them up to the level of everyone else. How can we teach students about how the group together can move further than one on their own. The ideas and support can bring everyone to the level they need to be and they will learn more about how the world should work than trying to do it on their own. We should not work alone. The ideas we can put together as a team or group will take us further than we could ever do by ourselves.

Quote I’m pondering —

Many a calm river begins as a turbulent waterfall, yet none hurtles and foams all the way to the sea. -- Mikhail Lermontov

What’s Happening This Week —

Mon., Sept. 23 - Short Day. Out at 12:15. Training Day.

Mon., Sept. 23 - Start with Hello Week

Wed., Oct. 3 - Picture Day

Wed., Oct. 3 - Storytelling Festival - Please promote this.

October - Fall Break, Dance Festival, Halloween

Favorite App This Week —

Bouncy Balls

This was something I was looking at to curb sound in the lunchroom. It is an app that listens to sound and the balls bounce. If you use something like this, use it sparingly. The sound sensitivity can be changed. It was just fun to play with.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you for all your preparations and work you put into literacy night. The karaoke was a big hit. The parents I talked with enjoyed the presentations by the teachers and felt what they were shown could be used at home to help their students. We appreciate the time you put in for our students. Nights like literacy night are so important for us to get to know and help our parents. I appreciate what you put together to help the ones that came. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work.

Busy, Busy

Teachers,

Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday. 

Busy, Busy—

This year is moving along. It has been very busy. You have put in long hours and stressed over how you will get everything expected into your shortened day, and we are starting the Power 50 which will throw another wrench in the fire. Don’t forget to stop and take a breath. Get everything done humanly possible and just do your best. My mom told me once that Angels could do no better. We appreciate all that you are doing in your classrooms. If the students are not doing what you need, stop the program and restart procedures. The program will be there tomorrow or the next day. This is not a license to not teach once a week because you want a break, but to let you know that sometimes you need to stop and breath. Check the structure of your class. How is everything set up? Are students clear on how you want them to get places, pick up supplies, and get in and out of the room? If they are not doing those things the way you need them to, stop and retrain. After each long weekend, there should be a little retraining. Retrain on real long weekends and after Christmas and Spring Break. We are busy, and there is a lot to teach, but we are in the business of teaching students, not teaching programs. Teach the students how to learn and what they need to do to be ready to learn and they will learn. You are amazing at what you do. I just want you to know that. 

Quote I’m pondering —

You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. -- A.A. Milne (in Winnie-the-Pooh) 

What’s Happening This Week —

Monday, Sept. 17 - Constitution Day. Every teacher needs to teach a short lesson about the constitution. Read a book. Talk about how it came about. 

Monday, Sept. 17 - Power 50 starts. Hopefully, you have touched base with the Aides so they have an idea what they will be doing.

Tuesday, Sept. 18 - iReady Training (refer to your email for times. Please be ready and back to your class for the next group. Thank you.

Thursday, Sept. 20 - Jennifer Throndson Observations

Thursday, Sept. 20 - Literacy Night from 6:00-7: 30 pm.

Friday, Sept. 21 - Jennifer Throndson Training Day. (refer to Emil for training times)

Favorite Article This Week —

Teacher Learns Valuable Lessons From Students When One Smashes Cup on a Desk

Sometimes stunners can teach us more than we know.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you, Jeremy, for picking up when Kirby left. He has some big shoes and Jeremy has done well with lunch and getting the main things Kirby did for us. Thank you very much, Jeremy, for cleaning up the things we don’t really want to also. Teachers, please make sure you tell him thank you and let him know if there anything you need. We also have some substitute veering custodians filling in and Jeremy has jumped in when something has not been done in the evening. Thank you again, Jeremy, for your help. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work.

How Do I Learn?

Teachers,

Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday. 

How Do I Learn?—

One of the most important things we can teach students is how to learn. They should know that what we are doing is beneficial to them and, the most important thing, that they can learn it. Some students come to us with a fixed mindset and tell us they can’t do something. Some come to us and act as if it is not important to them. Everything we do is important to students and we just need to show them or convince them that what we have will help them grow. How do we do this? Relationships is the first way. Students learn to trust what we are teaching them is important because they know we will not lead them astray. We show them they can do things that are hard and make it through. They also need to know they can fail and life will still be ok. Students also learn how to learn when they track their own learning. Giving them a goal to work towards and then have them track their learning on the journey to that goal. Students want to learn. Look at all the things they do outside of school. They are searching to learn something new. The lessons we teach will open their worlds and provide more opportunities for them to learn and grow. We just need to teach them how to learn.

Quote I’m pondering —

Every day of our lives, we are on the verge of making those slight changes that would make all the difference.

— Mignon McLaughlin 

What’s Happening Next Week —

Tuesday, Sept. 11 - Grade Level training for all Kindergarten 8:30-11:30 (K)

Tuesday, Sept. 11 - Grade Level training for all First Grade 12:30-3:30 (1st)

Wednesday, Sept. 12 - Grade Level training for all Second and Third grade. 8:30-3:30

Wednesday, Sept. 12 - Worldwide Warrior Student Leadership Training Thursday, Sept. 13 - Grade Level training for all Fourth Grade 8:30-11:30 (4)

Thursday, Sept 13 - Grade Level training for all Fifth Grade 12:30-3:30 (1st)

Monday, Sept. 17 - Power Hour-10(Power 50) Starts

Thursday, Sept. 20-21 - Jennifer Throndsen Observations and Training

Thursday, Sept. 20 - Literacy Night 6:00 - 7:30pm

Favorite Podcast This Week —

Thoughts for Teachers: What is Your Label?

Three important ideas to remember as we start this year.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you kindergarten for all thou have done to prepare for your first couple weeks of school. Starting a new schedule and figuring out how OEK and English Classes will work has been a long process, but with the team working together it is working. Thank you for all you do for the students and making sure they come first. Thank you for all you do. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work.