Happy FRIDAY to all... I don't know about you, but I am ready for the weekend! (and please note this Fast Friday Focus will cover the next two weeks)! Before I move on, I would like to officially welcome Rachel (working with Team Alites) and Maria (working with Jen & Jill) to the Cantiague family. We know you will love it here and will make us even better!
I would like to begin by wishing you all a Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving holiday next week - a much needed four day weekend before report cards go home and conferences begin (have a bottle of water with you for conferences)! May it be filled with delicious food, great memories with family and friends, some fun, and some much needed rest and relaxation. Felix and I are actually hosting Thanksgiving this year, which I am super excited about - love gathering with family over a good meal. Fortunately, Fairway will help with the good meal part and Felix and I will set up tables and chairs so its all good! :)
This time of year always makes me happy because I am reminded that I have so much to be thankful for – my incredible family, supportive friends, personal well-being and of course, each of you (the ONLY reason I can call myself Dr. Sinanis today is because of the support of our Cantiague family)! I cannot really express how much you all mean to me and how honored I am to be a lead learner of this incredibly special community of learners (educators, students, parents, etc.)! Not a day goes by that I don't walk around this building with a smile on my face. Although the daily pressures and demands can be extremely difficult at times (some days I'm convinced that I am on candid camera), one could never tell while walking around this building because each of you handles everything with such patience, high levels of professionalism and pride for our craft as educators. Each of you manages to put the needs of our students and colleagues at the forefront and that is what makes Cantiague so special! THANK YOU for all that you do and know that I am extremely thankful that each of you are in my life because you make me a better father, educator and man!
Recently, while exploring the Twitters (little joke), I came across the graphic below and it really got me thinking about my work as an educator and our collective work for the children of Cantiague. I found myself shaking my head and thinking... YES, we do that! YES, we do that too! And then I was thinking, OH, we need to do more of that!
As you look over this graphic, what stands out as the stuff you do well? What would you like to do more of? Is there an area we should be focusing on collectively to enhance our craft? How often do we do this with each other as colleagues? How often do I do this with you as a leader? I encourage you to keep this graphic in mind as we continue learning with our students and each other and please feel free to leave a comment reflecting on your reaction to the graphic. Thanks to my friend Jay Posick for sharing the graphic and to my other buddy George Couros for creating it.
#EDUWINS for the week included...
- While visiting Tali's room they took on a Native American STEM challenge and the results were AMAZING! The children worked in small groups to build either wigwams or longhouses using only the materials they brought in or Tali provided. They had paper, some twigs, leaves, pipe cleaner and a few other resources but the end results were impressive because it tapped into a whole other side of the brain and it was interesting to watch which kids thrived! AWESOMENESS!
- The students in Melanie's class had their first MakerSpace experience and it was AWESOME! The children were given the opportunity to create something that represented the class read aloud using the resources from the MakerSpace and they did incredible work. They were engaged from the moment the activity launched and were incredibly thoughtful about what they were making and why they made it - it was AMAZING to watch!
- I was in Carly and Nancy's room during writing workshop where the children are immersed in a poetry unit of study and were having conversations about tone and mood reflected in their poems... WOW! Second graders discussing tone and mood?? Seriously?? YES!!! And the results were really impressive! BRAVO!
Blogs Worth Reading...
Empathy in the Classroom: Why Should I Care? by Lauren Owen
12 Rules of Great Teaching by Terry Heick
A Few Ideas for Better Writing Conferences by Pernille Ripp
Staff Reflection/Blog...
Our latest post comes from Ally who shares an important reflection on how she is navigating the daily challenges of having a homeless child in her classroom who is emotionally impacted by his environment...
Aiden is a 5 year old boy who has been in my class since the first day of school. He is one of 11 children who are currently homeless and living in two hotel rooms with their two parents. Three of Aiden’s siblings, Robert James, Hope and Faith, joined our school several weeks ago in Jill, Nancy and Carly, and Meryl’s classes.
What is it like having Aiden in my class? Aiden definitely presents quite a few challenges. There are days when he comes into school and sleeps for two hours on the table, because he has not gotten enough sleep the night before. He has not yet completed a full week of school, and the lack of consistency is definitely an issue. When there is something he does not want to do, or he is tired, he is angry, scared or frustrated, some of his go-to reactions are to shut down and crawl under a table, or bang his head. He can also become violent as a result of his anger, sadness or fear.
Aiden’s mom shared with us that he was taken from her at 6 months old, an important time developmentally in an infant’s life to build trust and attachment. With that information I learned that much of Aiden’s behavior comes from fear and anxiety. Sometimes simply holding his hand in an overwhelming situation or a little bit of preparation can help him to know that he is safe.
How has Aiden affected my year? I've done a lot of thinking, asking and reflecting as each day presents different challenges. I have gone through every emotion from helplessness and frustration when he shuts down, to sadness when he's too tired to function to total elation when shows pride in himself or has a good moment. I'm learning that there's no handbook on any child, and there no shame in asking for help from my family, friends, mentors and colleagues. I'm starting to see and understand what many continue to tell me, that simply creating an environment where he feels safe and loved could be the most important thing that he gets out of this year. I’ve done a lot of learning, and I have most definitely carved out a special place in my heart for this little boy.
What has Aiden taught me? Through my experience with Aiden, I’ve gained perspective. I've learned that when he's in my room, I'm relieved to know he's cared for. I’ve learned that even though he brings incredible challenges every day, that when he’s not in school I’m disappointed. I’ve learned that he if he needs to sleep, I'm not failing by letting him. I’ve learned that many of his challenges are based on survival skills. The lunchroom was a challenge for him in the beginning because he was afraid of the other children taking his food, which he says happens at home.
I’ve learned to celebrate his successes. So many of our students are celebrated dozens of times a day from the time they are born, for the simplest things. I picture families in thunderous applause when their child has almost unintelligibly sang “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” for the hundredth time. I imagine in a struggling home of 13 people, celebrations of the “small stuff” are rare. So even 5 minutes after Aiden has had a violent tantrum, we’ve learned the importance of celebrating and highlighting the things he is doing right. I’ve learned to hug him often, because it strengthens his trust in me, and because he needs it! I’ve learned that under all of his anger, fear, violence and difficulty that he is a little boy who when he feels safe and happy has the most genuine and beautiful smile. A smile that can light up a room and can make your entire day. The more we learn about him and how to help him through a day, the more we are seeing that smile.
As the weather has taken an abrupt turn, and the days are getting shorter we are approaching the holiday season. Next week we will all have some time off to spend with our families, and think about all we have to be thankful for. My list of things to be thankful for certainly changes every year, and there is a whole category of thankfulness that involves Cantiague. I am thankful to have landed my dream job in a school where we are encouraged to do everything in the best interest of our children. I am thankful to work among the greatest teachers, mentors and friends, who are some of the biggest reasons I laugh and smile all day. I am thankful to work in a place where everyone's first instinct is to want to give advice or help. I am thankful for the children in my class, who since I don’t yet have my own, are the closest thing I have to “my kids.” And with all of the difficulty Aiden continues to face, I am truly thankful for his smile.
Monday, November 23
"A" Week
PTA Joint Council at Seaman - 9:30am
Spirit Day - Students Dress Up/Staff Dresses Down
Tuesday, November 24
"A" Week
PTA Joint Council at Seaman - 9:30am
Spirit Day - Students Dress Up/Staff Dresses Down
Tuesday, November 24
FEO at 3pm for all staff - reflecting on culture!
Spirit Day - Pajama Day - wear comfy (but appropriate PJs)
Spirit Day - Pajama Day - wear comfy (but appropriate PJs)
Wednesday, November 25
Happy Wednesday!
First Marking Period Ends
Spirit Day - Cantiague/Jericho Spirit Day - wear your gear!
First Marking Period Ends
Spirit Day - Cantiague/Jericho Spirit Day - wear your gear!
Thursday, November 26
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Monday, November 30
"B" Week
Tuesday, December 1
"B" Week
Tuesday, December 1
Holiday Boutique in the AM
FEO cancelled to prep for conferences
Report Cards posted online!
Tony out of the building
FEO cancelled to prep for conferences
Report Cards posted online!
Tony out of the building
Wednesday, December 2
Holiday Boutique in the AM
Thursday, December 3
CST @ 1:20pm
Parent/Teacher Conferences till 9pm!
Holiday Boutique in the AM
Parent/Teacher Conferences till 9pm!
Holiday Boutique in the AM
Friday, December 4
Happy TGIF!
Happy TGIF!
School Closed for children for Parent/Teacher Conferences
Reminders...
- Next FEO meeting will be November 24th for a discussion on CULTURE!
- Report Card comments should be focused on academic progress and goals - please make the comments as specific as possible - they don't have to be long - just specific!
- Be on the lookout for a Holiday Potluck Breakfast in the next couple of weeks...
- If you want me to read report card comments, please share them ASAP!
