Endurance is defined as the fact or power of enduring or bearing pain, hardship.  The second definition is the ability or strength to continue to last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions, stamina.  This is the time of year when the stress can cause you to question if you can make it to June 10^th.  Some of you might also wonder why you do what you do and if you might have missed your calling.  This is a natural place to be.  When stress invades your world, things seem to be lined up against you.  Stress can cause your view to become warped and view life as something you have to battle instead of something you have control of.

I encourage you to take on a spirit of endurance these next few weeks.  Athletes train to have endurance and I feel that top teachers do as well.  These professional teachers have an arsenal of exercises that have strengthened their endurance and they are able to thrive during the last weeks of a school year.

Want to endure and thrive? Here’s Three Easy Steps to Endure the Next Seven Weeks:

1. Take Time For You: So, take one day a week to NOT work from home.  How about truly taking a Saturday for yourself and /or your family? No Facebook responses to parents/co-workers, no papers to grade, no reading about  Behavior Management Plans or How to Deal With A Difficult Co-Worker.  Just time to replenish your spirit and soul.
2.   Focus on the BIG GOAL: Where do you want your students to be on June 10^th?  What accomplishments can you celebrate this year that your couldn’t last year or even earlier this school year.  Rest in that and continue to move forward and run your race.  Those moments will come when you don’t perform as expected and you do not measure up.  But rest assured that if you keep your “eyes on the prize” you will endure those moments and be a better teacher because of the struggle.
3.  Remember the Past:  Each of us have had disappointments and received news that basically said to you that the dreams, goals and desires you have in your life had to wait or were denied.  Hopefully you didn’t give up and those delayed blessings came to you later or in an entirely different form.  As a wise school counselor shares with me often, the best predictor of future behavior is someone’s past behavior.  Look back at those moments where endurance paid off and use those opportunities to remind yourself that if it happened before it can happen again.

Thank you again for all you do and I wish you an awesome week.

Angela

Week of April 25-29, 2016

Monday, April 25

• Mid Term Grades are due at 8:00 AM! No Exceptions.
•  One on One Meetings with Homeroom Teachers; Please see email for your time.  You’ll need to bring anything we discussed at our last meeting (if you had an assignment to bring something to the meeting).
•  Staff Meeting at 3:30

Tuesday, April 26

•  Arts PLC at 1:45

Wednesday, April 27

• Math PLC K/1: 10-11; 4^th-6^th: 11-12; 2^nd and 3^rd: 12:15-1:15
•   IS for WCL/Drama: 1:45-2:45
• Department Chair Mtg at 3:30

Thursday, April 28

• EC PLC at 12:00
• IS for V. Arts/ Music at 1:45-2:45
• SST Mtg. at 3:30

Friday, April 29

•  Progress Reports Issued
•  IS for Media Arts/ Dance at 1:45-2:45

Next Week:

EOG Administrator Training on Monday, May 2 at 3:30

EOG Pep Rally on Tuesday, May 3^rd at 2:30.

Warm Demander

When I taught 3rd grade, I had one student who the 2nd grade teachers warned me about.  Each lady would walk the halls and check out the rosters of their coworkers and offer words of "encouragement" on how to handle the students and/or their parents.  When they saw J's name on my list, all I heard was lock up your purse, don't turn your back on him, stay on your knees in prayer, etc.  Because of my nature and my strive to be the best around , I decided that I would reform J.  He would become a model student and I would show those teachers that every child can be a success.

I will not lie...that school year was not easy.  J had built some walls that were hard to tear down.  He truly believed that he was "stupid". He also believed that because he did not have a family that spoke English,  he would never measure up to his native English speaking peers.  I didn't give up and during the year my focus changed from how I could save him to giving him skills to save himself.  I knew no matter how far we came that year,he would most likely have a teacher, the next school year, that would see him as less than.  J needed to build the resilience to stay focused on the task and to have that inner drive to persevere.

By the end of that school year, J passed the EOG and had been identified as Academically Gifted in Math.  He couldn't believe it and soon he was walking around class with a swagger that made me smile.  He would approach his classmates and ask them if they needed help, in math, and to my surprise his classmates would welcome it.  J and his classmates had began to see J as I saw him way back in August...as a student who had so much potential and more than enough to share with others.

I wish I could tell you a happy story of J going off to college and writing me a FB post of how I had changed his view of life way back in 2004.  I can't.  I followed up on him, yearly, finding his teachers at conferences in our district.  I heard things were starting to go downhill in middle school and by high school he was in and out of the alternative school.  I lost track of him a few years ago but I truly hope that he did graduate high school.  I wish that he could have seen himself like I saw him.  A young man full of potential but I have discovered that until the person can see that reflection, you are just providing them a glimpse of who they are...and a glimpse can only go so far.

As I read the article below, I realized that they termed what I did for J and countless other students (and adults) is the role of a warm demander.  Who was (is) that warm demander for you?  Are you filling that role for the kids in your class (life)?

Please take 5 minutes to read this article.  I promise you it will be the spark needed to help you finish the year strong!

The Warm Demander: An Equity Approach: 'Warm demander' teachers expect great things from their students, convince them of their own brilliance, and help them reach their potential in a disciplined, structured environment.

Week of April 18-22, 2016

Observations will continue for homeroom teachers
3rd-6th Grade Teachers: By Friday, April 15th-- You should email Mrs. Lett with your outline/theme of your "Banner" that will represent your class during the 4-week span of EOG Boot Camp, along with any supplies you may need to create the banner.

Monday, April 18

• Assistant Principal Interviews (Hill, Salisbury, Caine, and Paddock)
• ELA PD: Independent Studies will be completed. Classroom teachers will need to bring their guided reading plans with them to complete peer review. K/1: 10-11; 4th-6th: 11-12; and 2nd/3rd: 12:15-1:15
• SIT Mtg at 3:30
• Board Mtg at 5:15

Tuesday, April 19

• Progress Monitor Students in red
• Hill Out from 8:30-3:30 at NC Principal Ready Mtg in Fayetteville (can be reached via text or email)

Wednesday, April 20

• Deadline to sign up to attend the dance
• Progress Monitor Students in red
• Math PD PLC- K/1: 10-11; 4th-6th: 11-12; and 2nd/3rd: 12:15-1:15
• Beginning Teacher Mtg at 3:30 in Falls's Room

Thursday, April 21

• Hill Out At Conference
• EC PLC at 12

Friday, April 22

• Spring Pictures-Only students who prepaid will have pictures taken
• Spring Fling
• Hill Out At Conference
• From EOG Email: Friday, April 22nd-- Email the outline/roughdraft of standards that will be focused on during EOG Boot Camp. (standards should be chosen based on student performance, data director assessments, performance series, etc.)

Next Week...

Midterm Grades Due on Monday, April 25th at 8:00/ No Exceptions!!!!

From EOG Email: Friday, April 29th-- Standard break-down per day that will be covered. (for the following week)

Collaboration Collisions

In an article by Elena Aguilar entitled Teacher Collaboration: When Belief Systems Collide Aguilar shared that it is impossible for groups of educators to work together without conflict.  The job that we do, as educators, is truly a personal job.  Our personality and our ideals can be seen in our lesson plans and can be heard in our conversations with students and peers. Her research states that our beliefs systems drive our work in schools and these beliefs will "rub up" against others and lead to conflict.  Conflict is not bad.  When people with differing beliefs systems can come together and share what drives their decisions in the classroom and find common ground, conflict can drive a team towards a common goal.  The problem arises when one feels their way of thinking/ doing is the only "right" way or when groups of people do not articulate their belief systems which leads to misunderstandings and strife. Aguilar also shares 6 ideologies that influence educators' decision making (taken from the book Cognitive Coaching by Robert Garmston and Artgur Costa):

1. Religious Orthodoxy: This ideology aims to teach the habits and values that will lead to that religion's realization of how life ought to be lived in accordance with that faith. Educators driven by religious orthodoxy strive to help students learn appropriate norms and morality and to conduct their lives according to these norms.
2. Cognitive Process: Educators who are primarily aligned to this stance believe that the central role of schools is to help students learn to think, reason, and problem solve. Cognitive processors select instructional strategies that involve problem solving and inquiry.
3. Self-Actualization: Those who believe in self-actualization believe that the purpose of teaching is to bring out the unique qualities, potentials, and creativity in each child. They value student choice and self-directed learning and are keen to provide for students' unique and multiple needs, interests, and developmental tasks.
4. Technologist: Technologists place strong emphasis on accountability, test scores, learning specific sub-skills, and measurable learning. They might be "driven by data," and frequently use terms such asaccountability, time on task, mastery, diagnosis, and prescription. This is an ideology which as been adopted by many policy-making bodies in recent decades and is associated with external assessments, high-stakes testing, and teacher performance.
5. Academic Rationalism: Academic rationalists believe that knowledgeable adults have the wisdom and experience to know what's best for students. They often deliver teacher-centered instruction, are drawn to the Classics, and use instructional strategies such as lectures, memorization, demonstration, and drill. They evaluate students through summative exams and content mastery.
6. Social Reconstructionism: Social reconstructionists believe that the purpose of education is to help students become good citizens who can help take care of the world. They view learners as social beings who ought to be concerned with social, political, and environmental issues. They believe that education is an instrument of change and that schools are an institution charged with the responsibility of bringing about a better future and world.

I would like for everyone to take time this week and read the above descriptions to identify which of these beliefs drive you the most.  I will be discussing these in one-on-one meetings with homeroom teachers but don't be surprised if I stop and ask any of you what belief do you mostly operate under.  Talking it out now can save us so much more time in the future.  That saved time can be used to focus on our kids and their growth!

Have an awesome week!- Angela

April 11-15, 2016

Monday, April 11

• One on One Mtg (Please look for an email later today with your individual times- homeroom teachers ONLY)
• Committee Mtgs at 3:30 in Cafe

Tuesday, April 12

• Arts PLC at 1:45
• Progress Monitoring of Yellow Students
• Child Abuse Prevention Mtg at 3:30

Wednesday, April 13

• Progress Monitoring of Yellow Students
• Hill out until 9:30
• K/1 PLC at 10; 4th,5th and 6th PLC at 11; 2nd/3rd PLC at 12:15
• Hill Skype Mtg at 12:30

Thursday, April 14

• Hill at Regional Meeting 9-12
• EC PLC at 12
• SST Mtg at 3:30
• Hill out at 3:30
• Skype Interview at 4:30 (includes dept. chairs/leaders)

Friday, April 15
Nothing out of the ordinary :)

This Week:

• Final Observations of Staff Members Begin
• Last Two Art Staff Observations

Little Things Make A Big Difference

As I reflect over the past few weeks at TCEA, I have witnessed small "things" that I know can and will largely impact our school and more importantly our students.  These small "things" seem small when viewed on their own and when they occur infrequently...lack of email responses, missing homework assignments, late to pick up students from arts classes, raised voices at students and co-workers, etc.  Growing up I also heard my elders say that it isn't the BIG things you needed to keep your eyes open for because those BIG things you would see coming and with a little work/attention you can try to move out the way to save destruction.  No...it was the small "things" you had to keep a look out for.  You know the not eating right here and there that would lead to weight gain or health issues.  The side way glances and "lip smacks" that would lead to your mama asking you to get a switch to use on your behind.  The girl that lends a listening ear to your boyfriend after each argument leads to the two of them getting married five years later. Didn't happen to me but I was there to comfort my friend when it all went down.

Anyway...the small things really do matter and it doesn't matter how well the BIG things turn out if we don't manage the small things.  These small things (emails, deadlines, etc.) they will pile up and block out the success that we were headed to.  It is time for all of us to commit to doing the small things well.

When thinking about this topic and reading about how to share the importance of the small things with those I serve with, I ran across the term called "social proof".  This fundamental principal of human behavior states that people's behavior is shaped by what is done  by those around them and more importantly those whom they strongly identify with. So if people think that no one cares about the small things and doing those with excellence doesn't matter then our environment becomes one where those vital steps are ignored and those areas will build and create issues in the future.

I don't want to lead a school where those vital and intricate things are ignored.  Especially when the lack of doing those small things impact our kids in a negative way.  Sonya Levien shared that "Small things have a way of overmastering the great.  This small press can destroy a kingdom."

Isn't our "kingdom" worth fighting for?

Week of April 4-8, 2016*

Monday, April 4

• Literacy PD: K/1 at 10; 4th-6th at 11:00; and 2nd/3rd at 12:15
• Staff Mtg at 3:30

Tuesday, April 5

• Progress Monitoring Red Students
• Arts PLC at 1:45
• Child Abuse Training at 3:30-4:45

Wednesday, April 6

• Progress Monitoring Red Students
• Math PD:  K/1 at 10; 4th-6th at 11:00; and 2nd/3rd at 12:15

Thursday, April 7

• EC PLC
• EOG Night 6-7 PM

Friday, April 8

• FEO Mtg at 8 AM

* Observations of Art Staff Will Take Place This Week