Challenging Our Students Everyday!

Over the next seven weeks, I am going to review the Seven C's and ask you to begin thinking how they relate to our Mission as well as our Vision Statement.  I also want you to reflect on how these values are evident in the daily work you do.



This week our focus is Challenge.  Our students will be high school graduates in 7-9 years.  They will be on their own...making their way in the world.  Will they be ready for the challenge?  Are our lessons and activities preparing the students in our care for their futures?

I think the answers to these questions can be discovered in our daily verbal interactions with students.  One example of creating challenge in our lessons is through our questions.  Higher Order Thinking has been a HOT word lately but is HOT evident in our questioning?  I can say going in and out of classrooms that it is and it isn't.  You know as well as I do that you have to plan for the HOT questioning...you can't just expect it to happen.

I was excited to see a CHALLENGING exchange in Mrs. Hayes's room last Friday where she not only walked students through math problems but also asked them to explain the why behind what they were doing.  And across the hall, Mrs. Lee was working with 4 AIG students in a cooking recipe that involved students having to convert measurements and I believe I saw
"smoke" coming out of their ears.  These interactions made my day.  I also saw questioning that involved simple recall answers.  This is okay but we must hold each other accountable that this can not be the level of questioning everyday.

We need to challenge students through rigorous lessons and pressing students to display effort!  Whom better to explain the importance of effort than one of the most intense men I've ever seen...Ray Lewis!

Week of November 17-21, 2014
Monday, November 17

• Morning Meeting
• LF Mtg at 3:30 in Conference Room

Tuesday, November 18

• 3rd Grade PLC- LF Day #1 Review
• 4th Grade PLC- LF Day #1 Review
• EC Coaching Initiative Mtg in Conference Room at 8:50 
• Hill at Erwin Chamber Mtg at Noon
• Pierce Benefits Mtg (mandatory for certified staff at 3:30)

Wednesday, November 19

• 5th Grade PLC- LF Day #1 Review
• Benefits Mtg for Classified Staff at 10:15
• Benefit Enrollment Day (Sign Up For Times At 11/18 Mtg)
• PEP Mtg. With GPS at 12:00

Thursday, November 20

• Symphony Field Trip for 4th Grade
• Coaching PD for Lemon, Cowan,Hill, and Backus in Pinehurst

Friday, November 21

• Coaching PD in Pinehurst for Lemon, Cowan, Hill, and Backus
• Bright Ideas Grant Luncheon- Congrats Mrs. Lee!  Lee and Hill to attend :)

Hope you have an amazing week!

Angela