Scheduling Is Fun

 Teachers,

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

Scheduling Is Fun —

I hope the schedules are starting to feel a little easier to follow and that you are getting into the swing of things. Just a reminder that the names on the schedule are home room classes. If you have your partner’s class and they are the homeroom teacher, please make sure you go to their Specials class. We want to make sure the students are getting each special class they need and not doubling up on one they already had. To recap, Check the schedule, look at which homeroom class you have, take your class to the right special. Thats all I have to say about that.

NOTE: I had a request for the parent emails to be sent to the teachers. That will start next Friday. You will get the emails and texts we send home to parents.

Quote I’m pondering —

“The willow submits to the wind and prospers until one day it is many willows — a wall against the wind.”

― Frank Herbert, Dune

What’s Happening —

This Coming Week	In Two Weeks
Mon. Sept. 7 - Labor Day (No School Tue. Sept. 8 - PD Day - Goal Setting Wed. Sept. 9 - SEP Conferences 4-7pm Thu. Sept. 10 - SEP Conferences 4-7pm	Mon. Sept. 14 - Early Out Teacher Training Day- Red Bird Training 1:30 Mon. Sept. 14 - WIN Time Starts Tues. Sept 15 - Emergency Drill-Shelter in Place Tues. Sept. 15 - Picture Day Thu. Sept. 17 - Egg Drop Build Day Fri. Sept. 18 - Egg Drop Day
September 21-25: Start With Hello Week

What I’m Learning about Google This Week —

Google Contacts

Click on the link above and you’ll see something I haven’t accessed for a while. The frequently contacted will tell you who you have emailed the most. I wanted to know whom I’ve emailed most often from the inboxes. I am cleaning out some of my emails and contacts.

What I’m exploring On The Line This Week—

Walt Disney's Chili

Disneyland sent out a few recipes during the World Closure in April and May. I am going camping this weekend and this is our dinner. I like it. My kids like it. Chili over a bowl of rice and topped with sour cream and cheese is a great meal.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend.

Priorities

Teachers,

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

Priorities  —

My son came to me yesterday and showed me that he is getting an amazing award from his high school. He treated it as something that was not important. He is being awarded something that not many students get. Then in the same conversation, he talks about things that seem so important to him, but in a month will not make any difference to him because he is graduating. As I talked with him about these two different things I am reminded that as we go through the next month wrapping up our year, getting all the teaching and learning in that we can, we need to remember what our priorities are in teaching. Our question should be, “What is best for the student”. In each situation, we need to decide if what we are saying or doing will help this child grow and be positive for them. Students are doing out of the ordinary things during this time of sunshine and realization that the end of the year is near. Make your learning interactive and activity based. Less computer time and more activity, move around time, and learning activities will help students keep focused. There will be paper-pencil work to do. There will be teacher talk time. Mix it up a bit. Take an extra breath when your student that has done the same thing all year and it still gets on your nerves when they do it. It will be worth it to them and to you. The priority is the student. 

Quote I’m pondering —

“Life is like a straw, only you can make it suck.” – Travis Wood

What I am Watching —

The Amazing Race - Educator’s Version...

Gerry Brooks video. Need I say more?

Favorite Article This Week —

Google Forms Basics

Here are 7 steps to getting a google form made and out to your students. Any student can use them. It is all in how you put it together.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you for all your hard work with the dance. Jamie you need a big thank you for all you did for the dance festival. All the planning, all the work you did getting the school dance put together, all the posters, and just putting it all together. Thank you for all your hard work with music this year. Music is such an important part of the school. The arts give our students opportunities that help with academics. Jamie, Thank you. Teachers thank you for all your work getting ready for the festival. Thank you for all you do Thank you.

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

What are Your Intentions

Teachers,

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

What are Your Intentions —

I have been talking to my son about dating these last few weeks and we talked about his intentions for dating. Is he looking for a girlfriend or is it to get out and have some fun with friends, or to find what he is looking for when the thought of marriage comes up in 10 years... It was a great discussion we had. Then I thought about teaching. An intentional teacher makes  every moment count in the classroom. Creating lessons that use learning targets from end to beginning. Creating common formative assessments and working backwards. Teaching beyond the subject. use the opportunity to integrate something extra into every lesson that adds to the learning. A life lesson. Science or social studies into a language or math lesson. Building and using learning targets and GVC's to guide what our lessons are going to look like so we know what the learning will look like. That is what makes our teaching intentional. When there is intention, there will be lessons learned and successes to be celebrated. I know that you put a lot of thought into your lessons and teaching. There are amazing lessons going on all day long. Making each lesson a piece of the puzzle that will end up in a masterpiece of learning in the end helps every student maximize their potential. Being intentional in our teaching helps each student maximize their potential. Students deserve every lesson to be intentional. Every lesson should fit into the puzzle. As I watch our fifth graders get ready to show-what-they-know I know they will show how they have progressed through their years at Dixie Sun. They are the masterpieces we have helped build. They show our intentions. Celebrations are coming, I can feel it.

Quote I’m pondering —

“What is learned out of necessity is inevitably more powerful than the learning that comes easily.” -Malcolm Gladwell

What I’m watching —

Text Talk Time

I was at a training this year and as I was looking through the videos I have kept to watch again, I found this one and watched it again. Great lessons and amazing questions to get students thinking and talking. It is a fifth grade class, but great questions work for most grade levels. 

Favorite WebsiteThis Week —

Google Forms Basics in 7 Steps

This is an easy way to make a quick test, survey, ask opinions, or give students a chance to be a part of decision making. This is a quick tech training. East to do, easy to use, and it gets information put together quickly in beautiful graphs. Enjoy.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you Amanda. Thank you for working with our students that need a little guidance and help in social areas. Thank you for all you do with Safety Patrol. Thank you for being here at our school to help with issues we are not always prepared to work with. Thank you for being our counselor. Thank you. 

Thank you Fifth Grade. Interviewing for a position is not an easy thing to do, especially when there are great candidates. Not as great as #freakingpaul, but Daryl  is a great fit and will do well in Fifth Grade. Paul will be taking his amazing teaching to another school where he will shine. Thank you Fifth grade for all you have done with your students. Thank you for all you do. Thank you Paul. Take luck and care for it.

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