12-4-2020

 Thanks to all of the Tech Liaisons for sharing information with teams this week and to everyone for getting needed website and app information to Greg. 

How to help students focus on the learning, not the grade.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-help-students-focus-what-theyre-learning-not-grade

Early Feedback on the new schedule has been positive.  Please share any insights you have with me in case we make changes/improvements in the future.  

The staff learning meeting was fun and I was able to learn much more about everyone.  We are going to compile the book and movie recommendations and send them out. I was able to make my way around the building in-between Zoom meetings and it looked like everyone also had a productive day of planning.  

4 criteria for effective directions:

https://www.edutopia.org/article/4-criteria-effective-directions

Congratulations to Courtney who has shared with me the upcoming birth of her first child. We are all so happy for you and know you will make a great mom!

I have been walking the halls a lot lately and have been extremely impressed with the tone and fluctuation of voice that I have been hearing from our staff as they talk with their students via Zoom.  I know that is a weird complement but it really does go a long way to increase student engagement so nice job.  

Thanks to Teachers Learning Loss not as bad as expected: 

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-11-30-thanks-to-teachers-learning-loss-this-year-was-not-as-bad-as-projected-nwea-finds

Thanks to Nicole and Melissa for their assistance in helping with supply pick-up on Tuesday.  We had a little over 3/4th of the parents come and have had many pick-ups the last two days.   Kim also eblasted the parents yesterday to please come and pick-up their supplies if they had not done so already. 

Thanks to MJ and Kerry for the work they are doing to help their students remotely and keep them engaged in learning.  These classes will stay remote until sometime after winter break.  

Monitoring your emotional Gas tank.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90580362/why-monitoring-your-emotional-gas-tank-is-critical-to-fighting-burnout?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss

Thanks to Nicole for getting the "student check in" button implemented on their computers.  This allows the students who may be struggling or  have a question to quickly check-in with her.  Also, obviously thanks to Greg for the behind the scenes work for getting it pushed out.

I watched a documentary called the Social Dilemma on Netflix.  It shows how social media is changing and influencing our lives in many ways, most of them not good.  It is definitely worth a look and part of it deals specifically with its effect on students. Please watch this short trailer: 

  

I think I mentioned it before, but I was able to jump into Specials Team yesterday and I love their positive Thursday where everyone goes around and talks about something that has worked well with their students or projects/lessons.  It is such a great way to hear from others all of the positive things that are happening in the building and also gives ideas for lessons/activities

Thanks to the 8th grade team for meeting with the high school yesterday to start the transition process for this years 8th grade students. 

"This is my report on how to live... They say the best way is just to live one day at a time... If you try to live seven days at a time, the week will be over before you know it." -- Charles M. Schulz

Never regret a day in your life. Good days give happiness, bad days give experiences, worst days give lessons, and best days give memories. —Professor Richard Feynman