Don't Lose Your Mind...

Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year!  Each weekend I will post on my blog about what to expect the upcoming week and also anything that will help guide discussions in PLC and Faculty Summits.  If you have any suggestions on what I should discuss or cover please feel free to reach out and share.  I started this blog a few years back so if you want to learn more about me feel free to look at previous posts.  I enjoyed getting to know each of you more last week and I am looking forward to watching awesomeness take place this year!

 Week of August 29-September 2, 2016

Our school utilizes strategies and procedures from the Teach Like A Champion book written by Doug Lemov. 

 "Teach Like a Champion (TLaC) offers effective teaching techniques to help teachers, especially those in their first few years, become champions in the classroom. These powerful techniques are concrete, specific, and are easy to put into action the very next day. Training activities at the end of each chapter help the reader further their understanding through reflection and application of the ideas to their own practice."

Last year, TCEA focused on the following strategies:

SLANT

Show Call/ Cold Call

Thresholding

Do Now

Entry Routine

Tracking

No Opt Out

Over the next 3 weeks we will focus on these strategies in our PLCs. You will need to start the first day of school off with Thresholding and you can introduce these: SLANT , Entry Routine, Tracking, and Do Now during the week. Below are short descriptions of each. You should have a TLaC book in your room. If you can not locate it please see me for a copy. You don't have to have these perfect but just be aware and try to implement. Please take a few minutes to read up on these and personalize for your room. Videos are located in these descriptions to make sense of things.

Thresholding: http://teachinglikechampions.weebly.com/threshold.html

SLANT: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/prepare-students-to-learn

Entry Routine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw6m3-fnahw

Tracking: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/increase-student-focus

Do Now: https://youtu.be/PEz07gZ6zPk

What's Happening This Week?

Monday, August 29

• Teacher Workday
• Procedure Mtg at 9 AM
• All Blood-borne Pathogen and First Aid Assessments Due to Hill
• PBIS Refresher at 11AM

Tuesday, August 30

• Pay Day!!
• First day of School!!!
• Quick Debriefing Mtg at 3:30 in Cafe

Wednesday, August 31

• School Leader Mtg in PLC Room 3:30-4:15

Thursday, September 1

• Emma M Nutt Day (nothing out of the ordinary happening so found an event to share)

Friday, September 2

• Spirit Day for students and staff (please see handbook for dress details and remind parents and students of expectations on Thursday)

Things to remember this week...

1. Stay Flexible
2. Teamwork makes the dream work!
3. Procedures! Procedures! Procedures!
4. Enjoy these moments!!!
5. Communicate
6. I appreciate each and every one of you!

The End Is Almost Near!!!

Please take time to view the video below.  It shares the misconception teachers and students have about our upcoming break. Hope everyone has had time to recharge this weekend...it's going to be a busy week!!!! Thanks for all you are going to do to make this upcoming week a stellar one.

Week of June 6-10, 2016

Monday, June 6

• K-2 Climate Survey Visits
• 3rd-6th Student Survey Window Open (see email for link and deadline)
• Code Red Drill 
• EOG Mtg at 3:30 in Cafe (Grades 3-6)
• Jeans if you please for staff
• Student Dress Down Day (if present for all days of testing)
• Drop Everything and Read at 2:00

Tuesday, June 7

• RtA Test
• K-2 Climate Survey Visits
• 3rd-6th Student Survey Window Open (see email for link and deadline)
• Jeans if you please for staff

Wednesday, June 8

• Awards Day1st Grade at 8 and 2nd grade at 9
• Paper Makin Class for CCC Students at 1 in Cafe
• 3rd-6th Student Survey Window Open (see email for link and deadline)
• No Jeans since we will be having awards day!

Thursday, June 9

• Awards Day 3rd Grade at 8; 4th Grade at 9; 5th/6th at 10
• Camp Day for Kindergarten 11:30-12:30; 1st-6th grades 1:00-2:30 (more information will be sent Tuesday AM)
• Kindergarten Graduation/ Awards Day at 1 PM
• 3rd-6th Student Survey Window Open (see email for link and deadline)
• No jeans since we will be having awards day/ Staff volunteering for hike duty can change after awards day

Friday, June 10

• Field Day
• Health Inspection (Make sure rooms are clean and decluttered)
• Last Day Of School!!!
• Jeans if you please for staff!!!

More information regarding Camp Day, Field Day and Yearbooks will be sent later this week.  Please make sure that you keep a check on emails this week :)

Education A Great Equalizer???

I, like millions of people, saw this speech and couldn't get it out of my head.  I feel we want all of our students to be able to vocalize their feelings and thoughts in a way that it infects others and begins to create positive change.  It does not have to be spoken word...it can be in any form and still be powerful.  This teacher wants all students to realize their potential.  He tells us to WAKE UP  and to recognize the greatness that lies in all of our students.  "The sky is not the limit.  It is only the beginning."  Please keep this phrase in mind as we work with our kids this week.   We are tired.  We are busy.  More importantly...we are educators (all that work in this building).  We set the tone.  We are required to Finish Strong!!!

Have a great Memorial Day and see you on Tuesday!

Week of May 30-June3, 2016

* Jeans all week for staff!!!

Monday, May 30

• No School!

Tuesday, May 31

• Progress Monitoring Yellow Students
• EOG Pep Rally at 1:30
• Testing Meeting at 3:15 in Commons
• Art Studio Exhibit at 3:30 in Cafe

Wednesday, June 1

• EOG Math

Thursday, June 2

• EOG ELA
• Art Studio Exhibit at 3:30 in Cafe

Friday, June 3

• EOG Science

And did I say DENIM all week?!?  Please let me know if I missed anything or forgot anything!!!

Just Can't Give Up Now....

It is easy to see the finish line and begin to "slack off" and just finish the race...not really caring how you finished or how digging deep might shave off a few seconds from your finish time.  But a true professional does not view the finish line that way. A professional doesn't see the finish line as the end.  They see it as another goal that they reach that will actually help them reach their ultimate goal...being the best ______ that they can be (fill in the blank).

Professionals in education see the end of the year as a reflection of their entire year and a time to assess their effectiveness as an educator... not just as time for summer vacation.  I have worked with educators who made the last weeks of school a "free for all" where students just watched videos and played games all day which led to an increase in discipline referrals and set students up to be disciplined.  But not the professional educators...their students were so engaged that many of them were sad to see the last day of school come.

Which are you?  The teacher who keeps crossing the days off and submits plans that contain busy work or the teacher that knows how important the finish is and had planned reflection activities that allow for student voice and choice?  Only you can answer that.  And you can't blame anyone else for what happens in your room these next three weeks.  As I have stated over and over again...

 No day needs to be an "off" day between now and June 9th June 10th is Field Day).  Students should be encouraged to attend everyday.  Movies will not become the norm because it is the end of the year.  Do you think that Steph Curry stops training because it is close to the end of the playoffs? Ummm...NO! He actually trains harder.  Are our students more important that a trophy and bragging rights? YES! So, you can not stop now!  Please do not forget that we were classified as a low performing school so we definitely can not stop doing Good Work. If you have concerns or questions, please see me.

It is our duty to set the tone and to model the respect learning and education deserve.  

Week of May 23-27, 2016

This week summatives and EOY PDP Meetings galore!!

Monday, May 23

• Staff Mtg at 3:30
• Board Mtg at 5:15

5/23 1:45-2:45 - 3rd-6th grade rehearsal (K-2nd grade OFF)

• 1:45 - 2:15pm
  • Payton: Bryant & Daniel
  • Scriven: Gibson
  • Kline: Griggs
  • Brownlee: Falls
  • Nelson: Jones
  • Morrison: McLaughlin
  2:15 - 2:45pm
  • Payton: Griggs
  • Scriven: Bryant & Daniel
  • Kline: Falls
  • Brownlee: Jones
  • Nelson: McLaughlin
  • Morrison: Gibson

Tuesday, May 24

• 2nd Round AP Interviews (throughout the day)
• Progress Monitoring
• Meeting with Lett

10am K/1 PLC 

11am 4-6 PLC 

12:15pm 2-3 PLC

5/24 - K-2nd grade rehearsal (3rd-6th OFF)

• 1:45 - 2:15pm
  • Payton: Russell
  • Scriven: Foxx
  • Kline: Pearsall & Lee
  • Brownlee: Jackson
  • Nelson: Grunden
  • Morrison: Vaughn
  2:15 - 2:45pm
  • Payton: Jackson
• Scriven: Vaughn
• Kline: Foxx
• Brownlee: Pearsall & Lee
• Nelson: Russell
• Morrison: Grunden

Art NIght Schedule

6:00-7:00 PM ~ K-2nd Grade

6:00 PM ~ Encore Ensemble Kickoff!!!

6:10 PM

• Payton: Russell

• Scriven: Foxx
• Kline: Pearsall & Lee
• Brownlee: Jackson
• Nelson: Grunden
• Morrison: Vaughn

6:40 PM

• Payton: Jackson

• Scriven: Vaughn
• Kline: Foxx
• Brownlee: Pearsall & Lee
• Nelson: Russell
• Morrison: Grunden

7:30-8:30 PM ~ 3rd-6th Grade

7:30 PM ~ Encore Ensemble Kickoff!

7:40 PM

• Payton: Bryant & Daniel

• Scriven: Gibson
• Kline: Griggs
• Brownlee: Falls
• Nelson: Jones
• Morrison: McLaughlin

8:10 PM

• Payton: Griggs

• Scriven: Bryant & Daniel
• Kline: Falls
• Brownlee: Jones
• Nelson: McLaughlin
• Morrison: Gibson

Wednesday, May 25

• Turn in Book Study HW at PLC Times
• Progress Monitroing Kids in Red (Optional- Had to let Grunden know)
• Book Fair Preview Day (Buy one, Get one free)

Schedule for Previews
9:00 - Russell
9:15 - Lee 
9:30 - McLaughlin
9:45 - Gibson

11:00 - Bryant
11:15 - Jones
11:30 - Vaughn
11:45 - Pearsall

1:00 - Falls
1:15 - Daniel
1:30 - Griggs
1:45 - Jackson
2:00 - Grunden
2:15 - Foxx

The book fair will also be open Thursday and Friday afternoons, 2:30-3:30. (Do NOT send your students during the day Thursday and Friday to make purchases at the book fair; we will only have volunteers there 7:30-8:00 and 2:30-3:30.)

• Department Chair Mtg at 3:30 in Small Group Room

Thursday, May 26

• Thursday (5/26), the FEO is hosting Muffins with Moms 7:30-8:00 AM so moms/grandmas can come in and purchase books with their student. (So, you will probably have a few students trickling in a few minutes late that day.)
• SST Mtg at 3:30

Friday, May 27

• FEO PJ Day
• Friday (5/27), FEO will host Doughnuts with Dads. 

This is a busy time of year so please make sure your ask questions, regarding the schedule, if you need to!

You're Captain Of Your Destiny

You might not believe this but this time of year is the not one of my favorite times of the year.  I am not "good" at ending things.  I struggle with transitions and I am the type of person that is always thinking about how I could have done something better.  The goodbyes are tough and knowing that I won't see some of the kids next year is hard.  Another challenge for me, this time of year, is that I am already thinking of next year and what I need to do differently to get better results.  

As you can imagine, being in the present and in the future at the same time can be frustrating.  You are ready to move forward and begin a new journey with new goals but you still have a duty to yourself and those you work with to finish strong.  I have tried a few ideas, as a school administrator and as a teacher, to help end the year well while preparing myself for the next year.  I really hope you use some of these ideas these next 4 weeks of school.  They really are more helpful to you, as an educator, and to your students than showing another movie.

Ideas For The EOY 

 Ideas Taken From Here

All of the next suggestions begin with building a master list. It has four categories:

A. Major things you will definitely do

B. Minor changes you will make

C. Major things you will never do

D. Minor things you will never do

1. Have students write essays based on the question: If you were the teacher in this classroom, what would you do differently and what would you do the same?  Ask students to seriously think what helped them learn this year and what things distracted them for learning.  Tell them that some things are off the table (rules, no HW, having to learn at all) and make sure they know that what they share is helping you be a better teacher.  Younger students can draw pictures or even share during a discussion (small group or one on one).  I will warn you.  Just like I have to do when I receive feedback from adults in the building, you'll need to put on your "big girl (boy) panties (boxers) and receive the feedback and then use the information to guide your next steps.  Remember: Your value doesn't decrease based on some one's inability to see your worth. BUT you're value can increase, in your own eyes, when you recognize a chance to grow and become a better version of you!!!

2.  Hand our index cards and ask your students to list five things that you did that helped them learn this year and on the back, of the card, list five things that distracted them from learning.  While they are doing their cards, take time and make a similar list and see if your can predict what they are writing.

3.  Divide your class into small groups and give them time to role play you as a teacher.  Ask them to recreate a lesson they remember you teaching.  Watching the students "become you" is sometimes as painful as watching yourself teach but you will be able to see mannerisms and hear words used that you might want to add to your list of change.

4.  Have the students write a letter to your future class about what they learned this year and how to have a successful year in your class/ grade.  This is an awesome beginning of the year activity that your future students can do in August.

5.  Have your class create a Class Yearbook where they review each month and list what they learned in each subject and what they remember about the topic.  This is a good reflection activity for them as well as you.  You might realize that a lesson you feel needs to go for next year might be the most effective and engaging lesson that kids remember.

As I shared earlier, these are ideas I have used since 2001 and was so pleased to run across someone using similar ideas on Edutopia.  Hope everyone has an awesome week !

Week of May 16-20, 2016

Monday, May 16

• Performance Series Make Ups
• Reading 3D Assessments Continue
• NO PLCS
• SIT Mtg at 3:30 in Cafe

Tuesday, May 17

• Arts PLC at 1:45
• Performance Series: Vaughn and Jackson
• LAST DAY FOR READING 3D ASSESSMENTS

Wednesday, May 18

• Goal Turn In At PLCs: K/1-10; 4th-6th-11; and 2nd/3rd: 12:15
• Performance Series: Vaughn and Jackson
• BT Meeting in Cafe at 3:30 (Don't forget reflections)

Thursday, May 19

• Performance Series: Russell, Lee and Pearsall

Friday, May 20

• Performance Series: Russell, Lee and Pearsall

Coming Up Next Week

Arts Night Rehearsals on 5/23 and 5/24

5/23 1:45-2:45 - 3rd-6th grade rehearsal (K-2nd grade OFF)
1:45 - 2:15pm

Payton: Bryant & Daniel

Scriven: Gibson
Kline: Griggs
Brownlee: Falls
Nelson: Jones
Morrison: McLaughlin
2:15 - 2:45pm
Payton: Griggs

Scriven: Bryant & Daniel
Kline: Falls
Brownlee: Jones
Nelson: McLaughlin
Morrison: Gibson

5/24 - K-2nd grade rehearsal (3rd-6th OFF)
1:45 - 2:15pm

Payton: Russell

Scriven: Foxx
Kline: Pearsall & Lee
Brownlee: Jackson
Nelson: Grunden
Morrison: Vaughn
2:15 - 2:45pm
Payton: Jackson

Scriven: Vaughn
Kline: Foxx
Brownlee: Pearsall & Lee
Nelson: Russell
Morrison: Grunden

Remember, if you can not attend please email Mrs. Nelson ASAP!!!

Happy Mother's Day! IT APPLIES TO US ALL! READ ON!

I know that all on staff are not mothers but we all serve that "mother" role each day at TCEA to students and to co-workers.  The definition of mother (verb) is: bring up (a child) with care and affection.

So in honor of this special day and as present to myself, all the blog includes is this cute video.  Have an awesome Sunday and I'll see you tomorrow!

Angela 

WEEK OF MAY 9-13, 2016

observations continue

Monday, May 9

• Reading 3D
• One-on- One Meetings
• Surprise Assembly at 1 PM for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders in theater
• Committee Mtgs in Cafe at 3:30 (all staff meet for quick reminders before attending committee meetings)

Tuesday, May 10

• Proctor Training at 8am
• Reading 3D
• Arts PLC at 1:45

Wednesday, May 11

• Reading 3D
• Performance Series Testing
• PLC K/1 at 10; 4th-6th at 11; and 2nd-3rd at 12:15
• Last Day of Jeans Week

Thursday, May 12

• EC PLC at noon
• Performance Series
• Reading 3D
• Proctor Training at 3:30 and 7:00
• BOG Night at 6PM

Friday, May 13

• Pay Day
• Reading 3D
• Spirit Day
• Student Placement Parent Survey To Go Home
• Summatives Finished (fingers crossed)