What is the Difference?

Teachers,

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

What is the Difference? —

I went to a new doctor yesterday and after my check-up we go to talking about stuff. I was his last appointment of the day. We talked about places and people, then he asked what I did. After I told him I was a teacher he went on about how important teachers are. He felt that teachers make a difference in every person's life. Every person has a teacher they related to, remembered, and made a difference in their life. He went on about how his profession just keeps people comfortable and moves them along in life, but do not make the impact teachers do. He has always felt we need more support and pay. I just wanted to relate that to you. Teachers do make a difference. You make a difference in each student’s life. You control what students can and cannot do. You matter in each child’s life. You are the difference. Thank you. Happy Valentine’s Day

Quote I’m pondering —

“Gardening is not outcome-oriented. A successful harvest is not the end of a gardener's existence, but only a phase of it. As any gardener knows, the vitality of a garden does not end with a harvest. It simply takes another form. Gardens do not ‘die’ in the winter but quietly prepare for another season.”

― James P. Carse, Finite and Infinite Games

What’s Happening —

This Coming Week	In Two Weeks
Mon. Feb 17 - President’s Day  Feb 18-21 - White Ribbon Week Feb 19-20 - Dixie College Students Practicum	Feb 24-25 - Kinder SEP’s (No School) Feb 42-27 - SEP Week Feb 24-27 - Book Fair
March 16-20 - Spring Break

Favorite Video This Week —

What Teachers Make

What do teachers make? A Difference. 3 minutes of truth and enjoyment about teachers. 

A Big Thank You —

Thank you Kelli, Annette, and Julie. To keep Kim and me on track is quite a job, but to work with the students and parents to keep the school going is almost superhuman like. It is true that the administration comes and goes, but the secretaries are the ones that keep the school moving in the right direction. Thank you for all you do for the students, teachers, staff, parents, and for Kim and I. You are amazing and deserve to hear it more than once in a while. Thank you for all your help. Thank you for all that you do. Thank you.

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

In Memory of Persistence (revisit)

Teachers,

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

In Memory of Persistence —

My best friend from high school passed away 3 years ago. He was pretty amazing. He was the kid in school that always had to do everything differently. It drove his teachers crazy. It was fun for us to watch. After he graduated he had many different jobs and adventures. He taught English in Japan for a year and when he came back he opened a clothing store with his own designs. He painted and drew art that he tried to sell and eventually took a job in the graphics arts field. He worked for a couple different newspapers and marketing companies while starting his own marketing company. He decided he wanted to help others so he became a life coach while still painting, using his graphic arts skills, and keeping up with his marketing company. All this while he raised his small family. He was a pretty amazing guy. The one big thing I learned from him was persistence. No matter what happened, how bad it got, or the roadblocks that showed up in his path, he went on to the next thing and made it work. Shaun had persistence. What I saw was that he did not get stuck if something went wrong, he pushed through it and found something that worked.

So how do we teach persistence with our students? Have high expectations and relate them to the students. Push them, but know when to stop. Persistence needs to be worked on like anything else. It takes practice. How can they push through problems if they only see problems that take a couple seconds to answer? Introduce problems that take time and might have more than one step are needed. Teach what to do when the going gets tough. Model what to do and have them practice it. Teach students to be positive and to tell themselves they can do it. Being negative teaches students they cannot do something that is hard. They can get that negative talk anywhere. We need positivity. Convince them they can do it. Students need to know there is a future that they control. Some cannot see past next week, or even the next few days, but we can expand their view with education. Show them where they can go. Give them a road map and take them on the trip. When they persist and succeed, point it out. When they persist and don’t succeed, praise the persistence and show them the map of where they are going. Give them the confidence that they can do anything with education. That builds persistence. Thank you Shaun for the road map you showed me. You were truly my life coach.

Quote I’m pondering —

“We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are ”

-Anaïs Nin

What’s Happening —

This Coming Week	In Two Weeks
Mon. Jan 13 - Pie with the Principal 9:30am Mon. Jan 13 - PTA Meeting 12pm Tue. Jan 14 - STEM, Music Char. Ed start up Wed. Jan 15 - Acadience Testing All Day (see schedule on your email) Wed. Jan 15 - Chinese PD 1-3 All day Thu. Jan 16 - Chinese PD 4-5 All day	Mon. Jan 20 - MLK, Jr. Day No School Wed. Jan 22 - Acadience Testing at Santa Clara (aides gone morning) Thu. Jan 23 - Acadience Testing at Santa Clara (aides gone morning)

Favorite Article This Week —

What’s the Real Origin of “OK”?

The precursor word of LOL, OMG, and WTSH. I love words and their origins.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you teachers for all the love and kindness and competition. It is so much fun to be a part of a staff that is all in when it comes to activities, lunches, and games. Thank you for all the fun you bring to school each day. I love being a part of such a wonderful school. Keep doing what you are doing. Thank you for all you do. Thank you. 

I appreciate all of you and your hard work.

Holy Freak

Teachers,

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

Holy Freak—

I can prepare for change all I want, but when it shows up it is always a little scary. I have been so privileged to work with you over the last couple of years. I have seen improvement in myself as well as everyone here at Dixie Sun. Everything you have done to keep this school going has shown me the love you have for the students at Dixie Sun and your love for teaching.  I just want to say Thank you for all you have done for me. I think I have come away learning more than I could ever have taught you. Change comes and goes throughout our lives and no matter what changes it is, we seem to make it work and keep on moving. There is so much for each of us to learn in this life. Without change, we would not learn as much as we should. I really appreciate you. Each one of you. Thank you.

Quote I’m pondering —

Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles, it takes away today's peace. -- Anonymous

What’s Happening Next Week —

Monday, Feb 25-March 1 - SEP conferences. Out at 12:15. Please make sure you have report cards finished and printed. Kim will have a letter for you. Let Heather know about your IEP students. 

Monday, Feb 25-March 1 - Dr. Seuss Week. You ready for a play on Friday?

Monday, Feb 25-26 - No Kindergarten

Friday, March 1 - Dr. Seuss Assembly

Friday, March 1 - 2:15pm Utah Food Bank

Friday, March 1 - Spell a thin Money Due

March 11-15 - Spring Break

Favorite Video This Week —

KitBull

Even if we feel like we are beaten down and on our last straw, there is always someone we can help or befriend. Be the kitty. 

A Big Thank You —

Thank you for all you have done. You all make a huge difference in every student’s life. We have made huge Gains in reading so far. Keep up the amazing teaching you are doing. It is getting close to Spring break. After the testing starts. Don’t give up. Keep your class moving until the last week of school. Be positive and loving. The students will keep it together as long as you do. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. One last word. Relationships.

Positivity

Teachers,

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

Positivity—

We are at the point in the year when students feel cooped up inside because of the cold weather, rain, possible snow, and “Dinner and a Movie” time during lunch. It is important to take an extra 5 seconds and breathe before ‘working’ with a student that has made a poor choice. Right now is the time to build up relationships and let students know that we care. With the varied situations students come to us we need to give them someone to trust. We don’t have to be their best friends and we definitely need to help them do their work and hold them to assignments the best we can. How we talk to students needs to be firm, but positive. The tone of the voice can get in the way of the message that is said. Finding a solution and teaching two to be appropriate in situations where students are making poor decisions need to be the norm. Not just getting rid of a behavior, but teaching how to replace the behavior with a positive one. I catch myself not making a good decision when talking with students and I have to back off and come back to them with a better plan of action. They are learning. They are young. In some cases they are unlearning what they have been taught since birth. It will take time. Being positive about and with all students will make a difference in their lives. We may never see it, or we may have a student tell us 10 years down the road that we made a difference in their lives in that one year they were with us. It only takes the one to make that comment and it makes it worth it. For every one that makes the comment, there are 100’s more that think it and live the lessons we teach. 

Quote I’m pondering —

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure. -- Oprah Winfrey

What’s Happening This Week —

Tues., Jan. 29 - Jennifer Throndsen Observation Day

Wed., Jan. 30 - Jennifer Throndsen Training Day

Sat., Feb. 2 - EdCamp at Tonaquint Intermediate School 8am-3pm. Show up and learn. No cost. 

Favorite Article This Week —

Ryan Speedo Green: From juvenile delinquency to opera stardom

All it takes is a little love and a reminder that we should not let a bad moment in time define who we are or define the students we work with.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you, Fourth Grade, for all you have done with your students. They have shown great growth this year and are moving and grooving with the programs you have put together. We have seen a change in their attitudes and behavior and it makes a huge difference in the lunchroom, on the fields, and with their academics. You are making a difference in their lives. Thank you for all your planning and work together. We appreciate all you do for the students and for the school. Thank you for all you do. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work.