Staff Meeting

After reading each group’s notes on their “do’s” and “don'ts”, all of us pulled out the major points from the EdWeek article   I wish we would’ve had more time with the article - because discussing ideas allows us to extend our thinking.  But as we find our way in these next months we will return to many of these insights.     


Below are some thoughts expanding on some common threads we all pulled from the article:
  • Do play to your strengths.  I hope you know your strength/s; your strong characteristics and your best practices will enable you to be successful.
  • Do reach out - in other words, do not go it alone.  Share the work.  Share the wealth of what you know with each other.  Others may have tips/experience - ask...ask...ask. For help. 
  • Do streamline your work load.  Most of us are in the midst of transition - kids on screen and kids in person.  What you're doing right now with remote learning with the entire class, may continue to be very effective in this hybrid situation. In other words, bring your current remote program into the classroom with students sitting in front of you to start.  As you find your way, give yourself permission and time to “try different approaches on”.  Daily you will find your way.  Patience...patience...patience - above all with yourself.   

Finally, as Im writing this, I’m realizing that our focus here is on us.  And, well that it should be, our students are also so important.  Our well being is intertwined - tied to our students’s success.  Our kids need to know that they are succeeding, that they are moving forward and are learning. So broadcast their success. Do “shout outs” what you are doing that is working to engage your students and foster learning.  

Have a great 3-day weekend!

Marty

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Slice of life

Good evening  I am curious about your own writing.  Do any of you have a writing practice, such as, journaling?  Just wondering.  If I were a betting man, I’d put money on it that many of you do have a writing habit of sorts – if not now, perhaps earlier in life.  Please consider sharing a posting with us – or even on the bigger stage of Two Writing Teachers Blog. Last week I talked about the blog – Two Writing Teachers. This blog offers us the opportunity to share a piece of our own writing on pretty much any subject. You will find the means to do that under “Slice of Life” .  Just wanted to throw this out to anyone so inclined.  I’m going to push myself to post something.  Courage, right?    At any rate, my thoughts on writing focused on Heart Maps or Close to the Bone maps.  It seems to me that such a map would be beneficial for different writing responses, and most especially when we require students to write to an on-demand assessment.  We want to get a baseline
Read more

Friday Reflections - ELs

Image
I valued  Francisco and Lucy’s presentation earlier this week on our  ELs. District 100 is fortunate to   have both of them who   dedicate so much to helping all of us meet the needs of   our ELLs. A  special shout   out to Francisco   – he  has the same back story   as do many of our students -  Francisco’s story is a great story of the   American   immigrant.    He grew up in   Nicaragua speaking mainly Spanish and had to learn English while being immersed   into the   American culture. And now, Francisco is teaching us how to best   support our EL students.  Bravo,   Francisco – you have   some “creds” on the subject of ELs.   Francisco   and Lucy’s presentation included a wealth of information – much of the   information I have heard before, but I   have to admit that I need more exposure   to how ELLs learn the language of school. Studies suggest that it take five to   seven years for students to become proficient in learning academic English. Lucy and Francisco   ended their
Read more

Phase 2

Amanda Gorman wrote and delivered the perfect message for all of us.  The poem’s title is spot on “The Hill We Climb” - and its message is so fitting for schools. This week we moved up the hill when our kindergarten and first grade hybrid kids came back into our school -   their school .  A kindergarten girl came into the building and said "I've been waiting years for this day".   A first grade parent stopped and said we were thinking about the timeline and our daughter has spent more time in remote learning then actually in the school; parent and child were both excited to be back in school and the girl remembered most of the building. And, when teaching began, you began the delicate balance of teaching to the kids now in front of you and teaching to the Zoom kids.  You are the maestros conducting the wonderful orchestra of learning.  For sure, hybrid throws off your rhythm, rattles your securities, but what you accomplished this week is monumental! It’s you climbing up
Read more