The Curse of Knowledge

Teachers,

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

The Curse of Knowledge—

The Curse of Knowledge is that once we know something we find it hard to imagine not knowing it. Our knowledge has “cursed” us. We have difficulty sharing it with others because we can’t readily re-create their state of mind. We are not always able to put ourselves in their shoes when they do not understand what we already know. I taught that to you yesterday. You should know it today. My 16 yr. old son has this curse. He expects that because he knows something, everyone should know it and when we do not, he gets angry at us. As teachers, most of us were the perfect or semi-perfect student in our own education. We did what we were asked, tried to stay out of trouble, and got our work done. We loved school. If this is us, how do we relate to the students that are not perfect and do not do their work? We break the curse of knowledge by living up to the concrete language we say when we describe ourselves as teachers. “Every student can learn.” “We will do what it takes so every student will be successful.” Stories force us to use this concrete language. We tell stories about a student that has overcome something and was successful. We read stories that bring us hope and excite us to be more engaging or to teach the lesson that we could sell tickets to. Use these concrete lessons and stories that we share with others of why we are in this profession to remind us that students are worth our every moment. Students are tiring sometimes, but they all need something and you can give it to them. Concrete language of who we are and stories of why we do what we do brings success and defeats the curse of knowledge. Defeating the Curse of Knowledge helps make students more successful. 

Quote I’m pondering —

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. --Henry David Thoreau

What’s Happening This Week —

Mon., Apr. 1 - TAT with Kinder grade 8:00

Tue., Apr. 2 - PTA Meeting 12:15

Tue., Apr. 2 - Student Council Meeting 12:15

Wed., Apr. 3 - PLC 8:15 Library

Wed., Apr. 3 - 1st Grade Program 9:30 and 2:30

April 1-5 - Lunch Workers: Paxman and 2 from Ping/Cox

Mon., Apr. 8 - TAT with 1st grade 8:00

Tue., April 9 - PD Lunch

Wed., Apr. 10 - Faculty Meeting with Tami Curtis 8:00

April 8-12 - Lunch Workers: Fuchs and 2 from Tuitavuki/Beraz

April 19-22 - Easter Break

Favorite Article This Week —

Simple Tips for Boosting Teacher Resilience

We are at the time of year when testing is starting and we are feeling the pinch that the end of the school year is closing in. Here are a few ideas for being resilient. Do your best. Don’t wipe yourself out.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you Kellie, Michelle, Julie, and Jeff for all your help. Keeping us in line and helping Kim and I understand what we are doing. We appreciate all your patience with us as we get questions and are figuring out the new things we are doing. There is the principal of a school and then there are the people that run the school. The secretaries and custodian run the school. We are a testament of that statement. The school will keep running because the secretaries keep the schedule moving and everyone where they need to be. The custodian keeps the school moving and running smoothly. Thank you for your help. This school does not run without you. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work.

Building Stars

Teachers,

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

Building Stars —

I was at Death Valley NP during Spring Break. It is my family's yearly trek for a family reunion. The Rangers do talks about the park each night and on Saturday they did a Star Walk. They had a telescope showing amazing constellations and bright stars. One of the rangers started talking about the Orion Nebula. To find the Orion Nebula you find Orion’s belt, three stars in a row in the Western Sky, and right below the belt is a haze. That is the Orion Nebula. He told us that a nebula is where stars are made. Nebulae are made out of interstellar gas and dust and as it comes together it compacts and bang, a star is made. So when I heard this I started thinking about what teachers do. You take all this knowledge, information, behavior modification, life skills, and fun and start to build people our of our little ones. As they gather all this learning from you, Bang, they turn into little stars. We are the Arrowhead Nebula taking the knowledge and creating little stars. As we get close to RISE testing, we will see how well our stars are doing. How much knowledge they are retaining. We do need to remember that tests do not make stars, learning does. As long as we are keeping our students engaged and they are learning, they will become the stars we know they can become. 

Quote I’m pondering —

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
―Epicurus

What’s Happening This Week —

Mon., Mar. 25 - TAT with 5th grade 8:00

Mon., Mar. 25 - PLC Day Early Out 1:15

Mon., Mar. 25 - RISE Testing begins

Wed., Mar. 27 - PLC 8:15 Library

Fri., Mar. 29 - School Store

Fri., Mar. 29 - Team Leader Meeting 2:15

Mon., Apr. 1 - TAT with Kinder grade 8:00

Tue., Apr. 2 - PTA Meeting 12:15

Tue., Apr. 2 - Student Council Meeting 12:15

Wed., Apr. 3 - PLC 8:15 Library

Wed., Apr. 3 - 1st Grade Program 9:30 and 2:30

Favorite Article This Week —

Hattie’s 2017 Updated List of Factors Influencing Student Achievement

A reminder about what research says about what works and what does not work in the classroom. If it is not effective and high impact, we need to rethink what we are doing in the classroom.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you for another great week. I want to thank 3rd grade for the great discussion about technology during their PLC meeting. I have found that everyone has such a great attitude about Arrowhead and what we can do to help the students be more successful. I appreciate the work you do as teams. Thank you for all you do for students and the care for their success. Thank you for being amazing teachers. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work.

You Got This

Teachers,

5 Point Friday is a little email I like to do each week to share with you a few thoughts, a quote, an article or video, and the calendar items for the next few weeks. I hope you enjoy something in it. If there is something you would like to see more of as we go through the year, please let me know. If you don't enjoy it at least read the calendar. Have a wonderful day.

Teachers,

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

You Got This—

This was sent to me in an email this week and I thought I would share it with you.

“It's not where you are right now, it's where you want to go. It's where you plan to go. 

Where are you going to go? Do you know what you want to master?

Can you see yourself, deep in the process? Loving the process? Totally absorbed in the process?

There are a million distractions in the world right now. You could easily distract yourself from your dreams. But you know how it feels when you're in a state of avoidance. When you're just passively passing the time. That's not where you want to be.

Be active. Get focused. Shut-out the noise. 

99% of the world is distracted right now. They don't have a vision. They aren't absorbed in the process. They aren't pushing through powerful boundaries and going deeper and deeper into the flow.

This is a brilliant opportunity you have. Choose, based on your values and perspectives, which makes the most sense to master. 

Become the best version of yourself. Get clearer and clearer on what is most essential to you. Become more courageous and confident by blocking-out the non-essential. Complete those things you've been procrastinating.

You've got this. —Ben Hardy”

You are amazing teachers. You’ve got this. 

Quote I’m pondering —

Your vision of where or who you want to be is the greatest asset you have. Without having a goal it's difficult to score."- Paul Arden

What’s Happening —

Mar. 11-15 - Spring Break

Mar. 18 - 4th Grade TAT 8:00am

Mar. 19 - Choir 7:45am

Mar. 19 - BTAT

Mar. 19 - Principals Meeting

Mar. 19 - Spring Portraits

Mar. 19 - PLC-Character Ed./STEAM

Mar. 20 - Earthquake Drill 2:55pm

Mar. 20 - Faculty Meeting 8:15am

Mar. 20 - PLC-Character Ed./STEAM

Mar. 20 - Class Lists

Mar. 20 - Music

Mar. 21 - Choir 7:45am

Mar. 21 - Music, PE

Mar. 21 - K-PLC 11:50am

Mar. 21 - K-2 Digital Training 9:00am

Mar. 22 - Meet The Masters 8:15am

Favorite Video This Week —

Compasses Mejor Conjunto Festival

I always thought the maracas were a toy for kids. Not with this maraca player. He is mesmerizing. If you only watch 30 seconds, start at the 2:00 mark and watch him. This reminds me that the littlest items can actually make the biggest difference. And a lot of practice.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you for helping Kim and I this week. It was a whirlwind of new schedules and new school layout and just a lot new. We appreciate you helping us and being patient. There are so many amazing things going on here at Arrowhead. I am so excited to be a part of it. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work.