Week of December 17

Thursday Thoughts December 17

 

 

Have a wonderful break, you deserve it. 

It is such a pleasure working with you. 

You truly are the best!

 

 

I am already in vacation mode so there is nothing serious in this week's blog.

Please enjoy the cartoons. 

 Happy Holidays!!

 

 

Week of December 10

Thursday Thoughts December 10

 

 

 

 

One thing I miss about having small children during the holidays is the joy and excitement that I got from giving them gifts.  Of course now my children want money and I do not get any joy from that.  But seriously, there is a certain joy that you get from giving something to someone who can't repay you for what you have done.  This is most evident in teaching.  Students and parents can't pay you enough for what you are giving to children.  You purchase more items and supplies for your class than we could ever reimburse.  You give more of your time than the district could ever compensate.  And most importantly, you give your heart to students everyday without expecting anything in return.  The Medlock Bridge staff members are some of the most giving people that I have ever met.  You give to charity, you give your time to help colleagues and you give your energy daily to make sure that every student is successful.  Thank you for what you give to our school.


 

Staff Spotlight

This week I would like to shine the spotlight on Dr. John Burger.  John is our social worker and he has been working double time to meet the needs of our students.  Earlier this year, Dr. Burger wrote a grant on behalf of our school to secure more funds to recognize students for their excellent attendance.  He works closely with Karen on monitoring attendance and follows up with families often.  John goes out of his way to support our families with resources, assistance and sometimes just good old advice.  Before I can even mention a student who may be in need, John has already made contact with the family and lets me know what else needs to be done.  Although John is only here one day per week, his impact is felt and his assistance is appreciated.  We thank Dr. Burger for looking out for our students who need it the most.


Personalized Learning
 

8 Things to Look For in Today’s Classroom

The Principal of Change

January 8, 2013 by George Couros 

 

As I think that leaders should be able to describe what they are looking for in schools I have thought of eight things that I really want to see in today’s classroom.  I really believe that classrooms need to be learner focused. This is not simply that students are creating but that they are also having opportunities to follow their interests and explore passions.  The teacher should embody learning as well.
Will Richardson recently wrote this in a comment on one of my recent posts on what teachers need to be like in our current day and the focus that needs to be on learning:

…we need teachers who are masters at developing kids as learners who are adept at sense making around their own goals. Teachers who are focused on helping students develop the dispositions and literacies required to succeed regardless of subject or content or curriculum
This moment is all about learners having an amazing new freedom to learn, not teachers having an amazing new freedom to teach. I’d love to see 2013 all about making that shift in our thinking around education.

Although technology is not the focus, it does give us many opportunities to magnify the opportunities I list below.  So with that being said, here are some things that I believe will help the learner of today be successful in our world, both today and tomorrow.

1.  Voice – Students should have the opportunity to not only learn from others but also share their learning with others as well.  We live in a world where everyone has a voice and if we do not teach our students to use this effectively, they will definitely struggle.  To me, this is so simple yet so essential.
2.  Choice – This is not only about how students learn, but also what they learn about.  How do they further their learning in areas of interests to them?  Throughout the first few years of university I did poorly, yet in my final few years my grades were better than they ever had been.  What was the difference?  I actually cared what I was learning about.  Strengths based learning is extremely important.
3.  Time for Reflection – Classrooms are an extremely busy place and I understand that many feel that they are rushed through the curriculum, but I think that taking the time to connect and reflect on what is being learned gives learners a better opportunity to really understand what they have learned.  I know many classrooms have DEAR time (drop everything and read), so why do we not have time to simply write and reflect?  This is not only for students, but for teachers and administrators as well.
4.  Opportunities for Innovation – Recently I visited Greystone Centennial Middle School during “Innovation Week” and saw students that created a hovercraft (not kidding) using things that they had around the house.  They were able to guide it around the gym and it was able to carry people around.  These kids were in grade 9.
When I asked the students about this opportunity, they had told me that they had saw something similar on YouTube but it was missing a few elements that they wanted to add.  They made it new and better.  I can only imagine what the students will do after they leave school because of this day, not in spite of it.
5.  Critical Thinkers – In the “factory model” of education, students were meant to be compliant and basically do “as they were told.”  This is not something that sticks with a child only, but goes into adulthood as well and it creates “yes” people who tend to lose all originality.  One of my best friends and my first admin partner, told me to never just let him go out on his own with his ideas without questioning them and sharing my thoughts.  His reason?  He wanted the best ideas, not his ideas.  He wanted me to ask questions.  He wanted to be successful.  It was not his ego that was important, but the success of his staff and students.  I have learned to ask the same of all those I work with and although it can turn into spirited conversations, it is was best not only for school but all organizations.  We need to have students that are able to ask questions and challenge what they see, but always in a respectful way.
6.  Problem Solvers/Finders – Ewan McIntosh has a brilliant Ted Talk discusses the notion of “problem-based learning” and how it is not beneficial to give students problems that aren’t real.  Instead, he focuses on the idea that students need to be “problem finders”; being able to find some tough challenges and then being able to solve those problems.  Megan Howard shares a wonderful story of how one of her grade six students was able to see that there was a problem with classmates losing their school uniforms and then being able to use QR codes to be able to identify them.  Let’s start asking kids to really look into finding what the problems are and giving them some purpose in solving something real.
7.  Self-Assessment – I don’t think that I have ever heard a teacher say, “I can’t wait until we get to write report cards!”  That being said, I think we spend too much time focusing on being able to tell others what our students can do and know, and not enough time helping students understand those things themselves.  Portfolios are a great way to share this knowledge and will actually have students develop their own understanding of what they know.  If you can write in a report card that a student can do something in October, yet they can’t do it in January, is that report card still relevant?  I think that we should spend more time working with students to teach them how to assess themselves and not just do it for them.
8. Connected Learning – When I first started teaching, I remember really struggling with science.  It was a subject that I struggled with as a learner and that continued on as a teacher.  I now think that if I was in the classroom, that the best person to teach science wouldn’t be me, but a scientist.  With most people that having a computer also having a Skype account, there are many that are willing to share their expertise in different areas.  This does not only have to be via technology, but we should also be bring in experts from our community to talk to students.  I know many teachers have done this for a long time, but technology opens the doors to people that we could not even imagine being a part of our classroom even ten years ago.  Even Shaquille O’neal has made some time to  Skype with students in one school.

Now I believe that all of these things are extremely important to the success of our students in the future, but there is one thing that is important to all of this; that our students are good people.  One of the things that I have told my students over and over again is that it doesn’t matter how smart you are if you are considered a jerk.  Treat others with kindness and consideration. Always.
Finally, let’s start to really tap into the wisdom of our rooms and have students not only learn, but teach each other.  There is a saying from my time as a referee was that the best officials are the ones that you never notice.  Does the same hold true for a teacher?  I have walked into classrooms and have been unable to identify who the teacher was immediately because they were, as Chris Kennedy would say, “elbows deep in learning” with their students.  Students were  also teaching others along the way.  If we start to acknowledge that everyone can be a teacher, and everyone a learner, I really think that you will be able to see more of the elements I have discussed in our classrooms today.

 

  

 Habitudes- (Growth Mindset)

 

Looking Ahead

FCS Superintendent Search Survey

Please take a moment to complete this brief survey of six questions to provide your input. Your answers are anonymous and will be given to the Fulton Board of Education for their consideration.  Updates on the search process will be shared on the Fulton County Schools website and at upcoming community and board meetings. The goal is to have a new permanent superintendent named and on board by the summer of 2016.

Click here to launch the survey or copy the following into your browser: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FCSsuptsurvey

Week of December 3

Thursday Thoughts December 3

 

 

 

One of the benefits of working at an elementary school is that you are literally in your own world each day.  You really don't have a sense of what is going on in the "real" world while you are at school.  I know that this isn't necessarily a good thing, but lately there has been so much despair in national and world events that it feels good to stay sheltered from the chaos for a few hours each day.  Working with young children is tough, but their smiles, laughter and innocence gives me hope that better days are yet to come.  If we can teach our students how to respect and value themselves and each other, we are doing our part to make this world a little bit better.


 

Staff Spotlight

This week I would like to shine the spotlight on Brittany Randolph and Rebecca Ferguson.  These two ladies have joined Medlock at a time when we are going through unprecedented change in special education here in Fulton County.  The expectation to move from room to room and provide both co taught and pull out services for multiple grade levels everyday is a challenge.  This would be a challenge for veteran Medlock teachers, let alone teachers who are new to our school.  Brittany and Rebecca are making the most out of their circumstances.  They are taking time to get to know the students and are making every effort to provide quality instruction alongside their co teachers.  They are participating in the New Teacher Induction Program as well as the New Teacher Special Education Meetings that Ingrid Parham has initiated monthly.  They are continually seeking guidance from Debbie, Ingrid and Janie Massey on the best strategies to use with students.  They are working hard to manage difficult student behaviors and although they have every reason to complain, they don't.  I am thankful that Brittany and Rebecca joined the Medlock Family and I appreciate the work that they are doing with our students.


  

Personalized Learning

 

 

 

 

 

 Habitudes- (Growth Mindset)

 

Looking Ahead

The 15th Annual FCS Technology Competition will be held on Jan. 30, 2016 at Centennial High School.  Please consider volunteering to serve as a judge or volunteer at the registration desk or in any other capacity.  See Poonam for details.