11-20-2020

 Thanks to Heather G for doing an outstanding job filling in for Mark this week.   It is nice to know we have an internal solution in these situations.

Teaching kids media smarts when watching the news.

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/teaching-kids-media-smarts-during-breaking-news?utm_source=%5Btwitter%5D&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=&utm_term=&utm_content=

Melissa arranged for a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to Zoom with our students.  It was fun having a professional musician present and answer questions from our students. Very inspiring for our young musicians. 

Kids leave messages for their military dad serving overseas by using the Ring Doorbell. 

Just so you know the custodians have switched to working these hours during the normal school year.

Mayeli 2pm - 10:30pm

Maria 2pm - 10:30pm

Arie 3pm - 11:30p

For Thanksgiving week we will have the building closed on Thanksgiving Day but you can come in the rest of the week, or you could do this bizarre thing outside the teaching world called TAKE A BREAK!

Just me? 

Thanks to Dr. Woell and the school board for helping to celebrate the weirdest American Education Week ever by getting some Pot Belly for everyone tomorrow. Thanks to Jen for organizing it and to all of you for your tireless service to children.  

Good teaching is not just about best practices. Good article:

https://www.edutopia.org/article/good-teaching-not-just-about-right-practices

The PTA  had a Zoom meeting tonight  I passed along your gratitude for the many supplies they have purchased in recent weeks and also for making the process so easy.

Saw this from a teacher on Twitter:   :)

I'm going to finish all of my grading today. ⓘ 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴

Thanks to Kim and Ellen for working together to get the grades out to families and to you guys for working through the Kami issues.  

7 questions to continually ask yourself.  

https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/7-valuable-questions-you-should-consistently-ask-yourself

Thanks to the Team Leaders for meeting several times this week and giving up your plan time to help get decisions get made for when we return from Turkey Time.  Hopefully this schedule will help students, parents and teachers. We will send it to parents tomorrow and start it on TUESDAY, December 1, with kids.

I always read those travel books before I travel.  Here is some that I have read in preparation for my Thanksgiving break travels:

Thanks to Kathy Hansen for staying busy in the LMC, with coordinating loaners, getting books ready and labeling keyboards, you made me tired just watching you this week. 

Thanks to Nicole for putting out the nice looking version of the schedule for staff and to Ellen for changing the template for students and fixing the bells.  

5 ways to support students with ADHD during remote learning

https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-ways-support-kids-adhd-during-remote-learning

I have been calling a lot of parents lately to try to help keep kids on track.  

Emails get reactions. Phone calls start conversations.

Simon Sinek

Remote Learning makes it harder to build relationships with parents. Here are some ideas.

https://www.chalkbeat.org/2020/11/17/21564443/parent-teacher-relationships-remote-learning

I hope everyone has a relaxing break.

"My destination is no longer a place, rather a new way of seeing."

-- Marcel Proust