Day 11/180: Spiritual Emphasis Week

Today marks the beginning of  Spiritual Emphasis Week featuring guest speaker Donnie Moore.  It is always a blessing to hear Pastor Donnie who has shared his message with over 150,000 students in schools across the nation.

Day 10/180: Social Media Release Form

This summer I had the privilege of tuning in to RSCON to hear Theresa Stager discuss ideas for "Branding your School".  She was fabulous and had tons of great ideas from designing a logo to adopting a personalized hashtag!  During the webinar she also mentioned a social media release form that her school uses to ensure parents' permission is obtained prior to posting student pictures to Twitter, Facebook, and the web.

She was kind enough to share the verbiage she used and I have adapted it to fit our needs.  So, we now have our first social media release form...just in time for the yearbook staff's request for pictures on Twitter.

Day 9/180: Excited to Sub

I am trying something new this year...subbing.  It is a portion of the plan to help new teachers succeed.   Part of my job as AP is to plan for staff development with a beginning teacher assistance program as a huge part of the overall plan.  In fact, I'm passionate about it.  I want to help those new to the teaching field find their voice, develop their style, and reach their full potential in the classroom, because I believe that investing in people is the absolute best use of my time.

"In the coming year, thousands of college graduates will enter the nation's classrooms to begin their teaching careers.  Most will have received high grades in the teaching methods courses and student teaching experiences.  Most will have a genuine affection for young people and will be committed to making a difference in the lives of their students.  Despite the good intentions and high expectations of these beginners, 40 to 50 percent of them will drop out of teaching within the first seven years, most within the first two years." - How to Help Beginning Teachers Succeed, page 1.

The statistics are sobering and to me they are a call to action. Though research results vary from study to study, most agree that new teachers most often need help with:

• Managing the classroom.
• Acquiring information from the school system.
• Obtaining instructional resources and materials.
• Planning, organizing, and managing instruction, as well as other professional responsibilities.
• Assessing students and evaluating student progress.
• Motivating students.
• Using effective teaching methods.
• Dealing with individual students' needs, interests, abilities, and problems.
• Communicating with colleagues.
• Adjusting to the teaching environment and role.
• Receiving emotional support.

Why sub? I covered a class so that a new teacher could go and observe a similar class.  Yes, the new teacher has a planning period, but the class that we felt would be most helpful to see was scheduled during a time when she was teaching.

So, after getting the students off to a strong start and assigning meaningful work, she went to observe someone else and I got a chance to see some of our top students in action. It was a great morning!

Day 8/180: Calling New Families

After reading Beyond the Bake Sale last month, I truly wanted to make an effort to call families new to our school.  This year, we had a little under 100.

I decided to call a grade a day right up to Back to School night next Tuesday.  As of now, families of grade 8 students have been contacted!  I receved lots of great feedback, had the opportunity to personally invite them to next week's event, and made new friends. I'm so glad I called!

Day 7/180: Back in Math

There is no place like home!  For the past 13 years, I have been blessed to call A-5 just that...well, at least my home away from home.  This year, someone else is teaching DE math and I now spend my days solely helping with curriculum issues.  This week though, I have had the opportunity to sub all week.

So, just after getting my old lessons packed away, I am pulling them back out, dusting them off, and teaching.  30 new friends - so fun!!!

Day 5/180: Essentials of Excellence

Several years ago, after our visit to the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta and learning of Mr. Clark's Essential 55, a group of teachers from our school wrote our own essentials called Essentials of Excellence.  One essential a week is shared with all middle schoolers through class discussions, postings on the syllabi and on the website.  This year our middle school students are sharing a bit about each one via You Tube.

 Today, I had the opportunity to help film. I can't wait to see our collection as the year progresses!

Day 4/180: Marshmallow Challenge

Can you make a free-standing structure that will hold a jumbo marshmallow using only 20 pieces of spaghetti, 1 yard of string, 1 yard of tape and a pair of scissors?

7th grade STEM students studying Engineering Design not only build it, but also attempt to create the tallest structure.