Excitement in the Air SOL#16

For the last two years, our school has undertaken something called a Country of Study. We've had two teachers go visit a specific country during the summer - visiting as many sites and schools, and learning as much as they can in two weeks. During the year, each grade weaves this country into their curriculum in some way. Last year we studied Japan. This year the country is South Africa. When you walk into our building, the second grade has transformed it! You enter through Table Mountain and see beautiful artwork of animals and African instruments made by the second graders. You walk through an open shark's mouth up the stairs, while seaweed streamers hand down, and can see the research and writing the students completed on animals, posted on the sides of the stairs. At the top of the stairs set against black paper backgrounds in cubbies, are beautiful sea scenes they painted.  This is just a snippet of what the campus looks like. As you travel through the primary building, you go on a safari, looking for the Big 5. In the lunchroom, there are water filtration systems created by the third grade. My students, the fourth and fifth graders, chose different topics to study and represent - everything from history and native tribes, to education, to traditional dance and foods, to sports and games, to famous people, to tourist attractions like the Cooling Towers and God's Window, to a whole host of topics related to wildlife and nature. The students did display boards, paper mache, dioramas, used clay, paint, and so much more - even creating videos and a website. All the students will have a 15 minute time slot this afternoon to docent for their exhibit. Last year we had over 500 visitors on campus. Hopefully, today will be a big success. The students have really worked hard to create museum quality work, and now, the excitement is in the air.

Man's Best Friend SOL#16

There she sits.

Her eyes, big and round.

She watches.

She waits.

Her ears, soft and velvety.

She listens.

She hears.

Her tongue, long and pink.

She licks.

She loves to lick.

There she sits.

She's watching me.

She's waiting.

What am I going to do?

Where am I going to go?

She's always ready.

Wiggles, my pug.

Man's best friend.

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".