Retention SOL#16

In school we always think about retention relating to what our students retain. Will they remember what they learned with us this year as they play over summer? Our school has another focus - retaining students. We are an independent school, who has a new head. This is her second year, and her focus is not just retention but it is her hyper-focus. There is much pressure felt by me and my team because we have a competitor's school that begins in fifth grade. My team teaches fourth and fifth.  We have problems in our middle school program. We had students last year that graduated eighth grade and didn't place in the math they should have. Parents of course were very upset. The talk and pressure continued to be focused on our grade. Our parents that are planning on taking their students out for fifth grade to begin at this other school tell us that they aren't going to have their child attend our school for Middle School because the program is not strong. I learned on Wednesday that the middle school math teacher went and met with the competitive school, showing them his "calendar" and that he believes he only has 30 days of actual teaching time. (Our calendar has not changed since the beginning of the year and he has a pacing guide.) He let them know he's not going to be covering the complete curriculum; he did not cover it last year, either. He wanted to know from them, the competitor, what is okay to touch on versus master.  My frustration is through the roof. This competitive school tells prospective families that they need to come in fifth grade to guarantee a spot. This has never been the case in reality. We've never had a student not get in, whether they apply for fifth, seventh, or ninth. But now, they can truthfully say to the prospective parents from our school, that our teacher has said the curriculum will not be fully covered. Our students will not be prepared. Our administration and our head, that is so hyper-focused, has congratulated him on reaching out and making a connection with this school. Is it just me, or is this crazy? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

Mondays SOL#16

Mondays -

A beginning

to something new,

the school week.

An end

to something precious,

the weekend.

We begin again,

repeating,

working,

worrying,

planning,

grading,

writing,

reading,

interacting,

conferring,

playing,

joking,

growing,

learning.

A beginning

to something new,

the school week.

Monday.

Mornings SOL#16

I love my mornings.  I'm up before anyone else in the house. My dog wakes me, walking back and forth on the bed. My cat slowly stretches out from being curled up next to me. I take them out, while the coffee is brewing. When the coffee is ready, I pour a cup, curl up in my chair, pulling out my computer, and I begin to read blogs I love, check email, and these days, write. I love reading through the posts linked on TWT for SOL#16. This has become my daily inspiration. I begin my writing, get my thoughts down, go back, reread and revise. Finally, I post. All this in the quiet of morning, before everyone is up and the day begins.

Home SOL#16

There's nothing like coming home.

Being away,
taveling in airplanes,
Being away,
driving in taxis,
Being away,
sleeping in hotels,
Being away,
interacting with new people,
Being away,
connecting with colleagues,
Being away,
talking with strangers,
Being away,
waiting in airports.

Being home,

There's nothing like coming home.

Disappointing PD SOL#16

I was super excited to go to professional development this week. My colleagues and I visited this school in the fall, and we were invited back to experience a "deeper dive". I have to say, we were all very disappointed yesterday. The five of us split up into different categories - preschool, elementary, and middle school, with the presenters focusing on those areas specifically. The last time we were here, we received a binder full of documents, samples, rubrics, etc. We had in-depth presentations about how projects were generated, planned and carried out. This time all we received was a folder with an agenda and a map. Not one of us heard something new yesterday. We're hoping today will be better. Unfortunately, I feel this way often with pd: disappointment. Ever the optimist though, I hope we are surprised today and get to that "deeper dive".

Busy, Chaotic Day SOL#16

Today was a teaching day and a traveling day. I began in a scurry - trying to get ready for the two days I will be gone from school.  I worked last night getting ready for the time I will be gone. I planned and planned and worried. Up at 3:00 in the morning worrying about how things will go when I'm gone. My students are so smart and work so hard. We just started our poetry unit. We've looked at figurative language. We've immersed ourselves in poetry. We noticed. We've taken note. I hate to leave my kiddos when we're just beginning the hard work. I hope what I've left will inspire them. I hope what they work on will bring forth their confidence and creativity. I am looking forward to returning on Monday - seeing what they've done while I'm gone.

If We Look Around #SOL16

I began my morning with a check in on the Two Writing Teachers' blog to see what is in store for today's Slice Challenge. There was a link to a blog post, "Power-less" by Michelle Haseltine at One Grateful Teacher. Reading her post made me think about the struggle my students face when they think they don't have anything to write about. As I face this Slice of Life monthly challenge, I am understanding their fear and feelings about this. I know that Lucy Calkins tells us to notice the every day, notice the little things - keep a writer's notebook and always jot what you see, think, feel into it. This, I do not do. I have never considered myself a writer, BUT I strive to be what my students need, therefore, a writer I must become. Michelle's post brought home the power (no pun intended) to notice what is around us...or what isn't there - in her case, power.  This is my goal - to notice and write.

I love that the Two Writing Teachers are introducing me to new blogs and colleagues to read and learn from.

Thank you Michelle for this morning's inspiration and TWT for pushing me out of my comfort zone!