Assemblies

Teachers,

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

Assemblies —

I think assemblies are the bane of my existence. Not what we have them for, but the whole management of it. So in talking with the 5th grade they set me straight and here is the plan we will follow from here on out. We will face the direction of the playground. The persons doing the assembly will be in the center of the cafagymatorium and not to one side. If you have your class sit in two lines it is easier to get to students, if needed. Please monitor your students. If there are students you know will need some guidance during the assembly, please put them close to you. Jeff and Harvey will have chairs at the yellow lines for teachers to sit on. We want to keep an aisle in the middle for access for whatever is needed. 

Facing the front we will have the first grade on the right side of the cafagymatorium starting at the green line and going to the yellow line. Behind them will be the second grade. On the left side will be 3rd grade green line to the yellow line. Behind third will be fourth grade. Fifth grade will stretch across the back in their chairs from yellow line to yellow line in 2-3 rows starting on the green line in the back.

Assemblies will be far and few between and will be kept to Fridays, when possible. I really appreciate your patience as things come up and we are learning what is the expectation and norm at Arrowhead. It might be a good idea to practice going into the cafagymatorium and help the students know where they will go and what they will do in an assembly. Up to you. 

WE are in the middle of having a new sound system installed in the cafagymatorium and having a projector mounted also. This will make it easier for presentations and programs you will have in the cafagymatorium. As soon as it is completely installed we will have training for the team leaders. 

Quote I’m pondering —

When you renounce something, you're stuck to it forever. When you fight something, you're tied to it forever. As long as you're fighting it, you are giving it power. You give it as much power as you are using to fight it.”

— Anthony de Mello

What’s Happening —

This Coming Week	In Two Weeks
Tue. Sept. 17 - Picture Day Wed. Sept 18 - TAT Fourth Grade 8:00 am Wed-Thu Sept. 18-19 - Dixie State Students Thu. Sept 19 - Hogle Zoo Visit - 2nd Grade Fri. Sept. 20 - Jog-a-thon Fundraiser Start Fri. Sept. 20 - Meet the Masters 8:15 am	Sept. 23-27 - Just Say Hello Week Mon. Sept 23 - Community Council Meeting Tues. Sept 24 - Storytelling Starts Wed. Sept 25 - TAT Third Grade 8:00 am
PTA Jog-a-Thon Friday, Oct. 4

Favorite Article This Week —

Starting from Where the Learner Thrives

What we teach should be about the learner. What are their needs? What is best for them? 

A Big Thank You —

Thank you, Jeff and Harvey, for keeping this school running. It is true that the custodians and the secretaries actually keep the school running. We appreciate all that you do for Arrowhead. Keeping the school inside clean and sparkly for the students and helping keep students safe. We appreciate all you do to keep the outside safe and keeping our school looking amazing. We appreciate your hard work in the morning (Jeff) and in the evening (Harv). The school runs smoother with you here. Thank you for being amazing custodians. Thank you for all that you do. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work.

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.

The Path is Clearer

Teachers,

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

The Path is Clearer—

The DIBELS data from the Middle Of the Year is looking very good. I compared last year's BOY through EOY and this year's BOY to MOY and the students have improved a little more in half a year then they did the full year last year. Even with the new sections in First and Third. The work you have done for the last couple of years is showing and it is amazing. The path we have been on is showing dividends. We appreciate all you have done. As we keep on the path Jennifer has helped us with the students will see success in many ways. Thank you all for all you do. 

Quote I’m pondering —

If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment. -- Marcus Aurelius

What’s Happening This Week —

Mon., Jan 21 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day (No School)

Mon., Jan 22 - 25 - No Power 50 this week

Mon., Jan 22 - 25 - Aides will be coming to all PLC’s this week to discuss Power 50 lessons

Tues., Jan 22 - iReady Training grades 5th:8:10-9:30, 4th:9:40-11:00, 3rd:12:00-1:20

Tues., Jan 22 - Hundredth Day of School

Tues., Jan 29-30 - Jennifer Throndsen training and observation

Favorite Article This Week —

There will be a total eclipse of the moon over Utah Sunday night

If you are in Utah on Sunday night, take a peek at the moon about 9:00PM to watch the eclipse.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you to our new custodian Jeff for all you have done to keep our school going. It has been great to have a head custodian again and has kept the tradition of cleanliness at Dixie Sun. We appreciate your attention to detail and for helping with our new evening custodians. It has been hit and miss with our custodians for a while and we appreciate all you have done so far. You are a great addition to our school. Thank you for all you have done so far. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful 3 day weekend.

STOIC

Teachers,

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

STOIC —

The training Kim and I went to the last couple days was an amazing reminder how important classroom management is to student learning. It provides a safe, civil, and productive school. The trainer, Trish, gave us amazing ideas that we will talk about in small doses and then do a full training on it the beginning of next year. We know that you do many of the things she talked to us about. The great things we learned were clarifications of ideas and information we have been using for years. We just need to tighten up on a few things. This includes  The first idea I want to share with you is stoic. It is an acronym for Structure, Teach, Observe, Interact, and Correct.

The first two are what we what we talked about the most.Teaching students how to behave responsibly in the classroom. So here are a few questions I want you to think about and if you say no to any of these questions, reteach your class. It is a great time of year to reteach the procedures and get them in the right way to learn. 

• Have you created lessons on expectations and explicitly taught them for classroom activities and transitions?
• Have you created lessons on expectations and explicitly taught them for classroom routines and policies?
• Have you provided teaching and reteaching as needed?

The part she stressed is creating lessons. Are they explicitly taught and expectations explained and practiced. The other part is Structure. Organizing the classroom for success. The thought I want to leave with you is the story Trish told about most high schools that have a rule about not wearing hoodies on their heads during school. But in the school store they sell hoodies. The lesson here is that if we are giving students the tools to break the rules, we are part of the problem. So the structure needs to be looked at and changed. One area we are addressing is playing tag during lunch recess. We take away tag and don’t put something in its place that provides the running and playing students need, they start getting in trouble play fighting, or playing tag again. So we need to change the structure. We are looking into adding some organized games during lunch recess to give students options to play and run. We hope to have these in place in the coming weeks. That is one area we needed a change. Look in your classroom and look for areas, times, or procedures where the most misbehaving happens. How can the structure be changed to avoid these behaviors? We are doing the same thing in the in all areas in the school. I will write about Structure and the rest of the STOIC framework in other 5 Points.

Quote I’m pondering —

“We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are.” —Anaïs Nin

What I’m Watching —

The Fastest Way to De-Fog Your Windshield

I love science. This is a good refresher course on the water cycle and condensation. I watched this a couple days ago and I am going to try this over the next couple days.

Favorite Article This Week —

Op-ed: Escaping the provocative self

I found this interesting and yet very informative. I need to look at situations this way. Especially when my kids are not happy with me.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you Kirby for all you do. The care you put into this building and grounds to make it beautiful and safe makes you so important to our school. Thank you for helping everyone at lunch to open milk, open tacos and frozen juice. To clean up after all the students each day. Keeping our floors clean and shiny. Keeping your eye on all the little things that keep us safe. I appreciate your humor and putting up with all the crazy things we all do. We appreciate your helpers Jack and Nick as they take care of us at night. We appreciate their help and support as we do evening activities. We appreciate all you do, Kirby. We also appreciate Jack and Nick. Thank you for all you do to make our school a better place to be. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful weekend.

Why do You Do This?

Teachers,

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

Why do You Do This? —

We are close to being done. This 5-Point Friday has been something I have wanted to do for a while. I based it on a 5 Bullet Friday that Tim Ferris does every week. His is more about items and ideas he uses to hope people be better, but I wanted to do something that forced me to learn something new every week. This email is more for me to write about my thoughts and hare the articles, videos, and a few ideas and share them with you. I feel that I need to model the learning I want teachers and students to do. If I am an Instructional leader and I expect those around me to learn, I had better model that by learning and sharing my learning with those around me. It has forced me to read more, keep my eyes open for things that would help you as well as me, and hopefully somewhere in these emails there will be something you can use in your classroom or just cause you to reflect about teaching. Some Thursdays I have not wanted to write, but I felt I needed to whether anyone reads it or not. If you would like to look back at some of these 5- Point Friday’s I keep them on a blog (5pointfriday.blogspot.com) to make sure I don’t double up on anything. I learned that I needed to do this early on when I did just that. If you are interested in blogging, let me know and I will help you get started.

Quote I’m pondering —

“If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right. And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made—that you made—and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better." —Adm. William McRaven

What I’m reflecting on —

The Common Application Announces 2017-2018 Essay Prompts

When I started reading these prompts, they really demanded some serious reflection. They also sound similar to interview questions I have heard 

Favorite Article This Week —

Don't Quit: 5 Strategies for Recovering After Your Worst Day Teaching

I’ve had more than my share of these days in my career. Breathing and taking a little time to get a little perspective kept me in the game. What is it that gets you back into the game?

A Big Thank You —

Thank you Kirby. Thank you for all the work you do behind the scenes that keeps our school shiny and in great working order. Thank you for all your work you do with students during lunch, opening rolled tacos, rolling tacos, opening milk and creamies, and keeping our lunchroom clean and orderly. We appreciate all you do. We understand it is not an easy job cleaning up the various things that you clean up. We just appreciate all you do just because you know it needs to be done. Thank you for all your hard work. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a great Cinco de Mayo and a wonderful weekend.

Professional Learning Community

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

Professional Learning Community —
What can I say about PLC’s that has not already been said? Well, the name says it all We are professionals and should be treated and act as such. We should always be learning and growing as teachers to benefit ourselves and especially our students. We are a community of teachers trying to do our best to teach our students. So we move into our Team meetings to build our Professional Learning Community. As we worked together this week I have noticed there has been great work on our GVC’s and Learning Targets. In a couple weeks, Annette will be here to work with 3-5 grade on focusing our GVC’s and targets. We will look at building formative assessments to make sure we are testing what the are teaching and finding out the information we want to know from our students. As we finish this training, Alma and I will work with the younger grades to help focus our targets and assessments. I don't want you to think this will be a ton of more work. GVC’s and Learning targets need to be reviewed and refined often. This is one reason we look at GVC’s and Learning Targets each week as well as the tests we are giving. I had a great question asked this week. Do we need a test every week to discuss the data? No. We will work with the data we have and discuss interventions and extensions. We will discuss students and their needs. The data should confirm who needs what and then we plan our next steps. The CSIP is what we use to document what we are doing. I appreciate all your help and work.

Quote I’m pondering —
“Before you can inspire with emotion, you must be swamped with it yourself. Before you can move their tears, your own must flow. To convince them, you must yourself believe."
—Winston Churchill

What I’m watching —
Audri's Rube Goldberg Monster Trap
When we inspire students, they go home and want to do more. That is the ultimate homework. Something they do themselves because of what a teacher did to inspire them. I do not know if it was a teacher that inspired Audri. But if it was…

Favorite Article This Week —
100 Percent is Overrated
This article quotes one of my favorite educators, Jo Boaler. She is a Professor of Math at Stanford and has done research on how Math should be taught. It is a change from what is traditional math teaching. I was fortunate to take an online math course from her about How to teach math. Her research is fascinating. If you are interested, I have the videos on my Google Drive I can share.

A Big Thank You —
Kirby is the man. He keeps our school clean, in working order, and well stocked. We have a few issues, but those are beyond Kirby’s control. He has taken this school and made it a work of art. The halls are always clean and the students are always taken care of in the lunchroom. He may say he doesn’t like opening milks, but I am sure he does deep down… really deep down. He loves this school. He loves making sure we are all taken care of. He is the man behind the scenes that makes our school run smoothly. Thank you Kirby. Thank you for all you do.

Thank you teachers for all you do. I appreciate all your hard work. Have a wonderfully long weekend.