March 11, 2016

Curriculum Connections...

Happy Friday to everyone! Here is a to a great and relaxing weekend ahead. I am super excited to be celebrating my birthday with my family this weekend. We have the whole family coming over on Saturday night for some dinner and cake (should be interesting but fun). The birthday thing has taken on a new meaning for me over the last several years. Certainly, being a parent has shaped my feelings about the experience because watching Paul celebrate his birthday is a lot more fun for me than even celebrating my own. I also know that finding my own happiness and inner peace (I now understand that I am responsible for my happiness and that I can't look to others to make me happy) makes my birthday seem like another wonderful day. I am also incredibly fulfilled just by being surrounded by those who I love and respect, which includes our entire Cantiague family. So, thank you for making every day feel like my birthday and for bringing so much happiness into my world.

That whole notion of happiness and fulfillment seems deeply connected to our conversation at the FEO this past week where we talked about stress, expectations and perceptions. I do thank you all for hearing me out on Tuesday and for all the wonderful feedback after the meeting. I am hopeful that our conversation on Tuesday has helped us all get back to a good place where we are comfortable and confident in the work we do each day. I am also hopeful that the conversations don't stop here - let's keep the discussions going because we get better together. If you are stressed, share it with someone. If you are uncertain about something, ask someone. If you are frustrated by something, talk to someone. Together we are better! So, let's continue to build on this positive space so we can sustain and support each other when times get tough. Our work as educators is draining, challenging and difficult but the work is also incredibly rewarding, fulfilling and empowering if we can pause, take a step back and see all the positive we have accomplished. So, if you are having a tough time seeing the positive, ask a friend to help you see it because it is there! Remember, TOGETHER WE ARE BETTER! Let's continue to grow together! 


#EDUWINS for the week included...

• Loved watching Rande and Mandy's classes get together for buddy time to participate in the NOT A BOX activity - it was AWESOME! The children were incredibly engaged throughout the activity and the end results were impressive as the children created things like a computer, a bakery and an airplane - WOW!     

• Spending time in Meryl's classroom during reading workshop was great. It was so awesome to see all of the children actively engaged in some type of reading - some kids were reading independently, some kids were meeting independently in a book club while others were meeting with Meryl for their book club - it was like a beautiful orchestra - everyone was playing their part! AWESOMENESS!

• Melissa's kids were involved in book clubs where all the kids were leading and facilitating their own literacy experiences and it was impressive! All of the groups were discussing, reflecting and going back into the text to support their thinking with evidence. It was awesome to watch!  

Tech Tip of the Week...
Check out 7 Google Tricks To Try During Spring Break! 

Blogs Worth Reading...
Stop Letting Good Students Do Bad Presentations by Lisa Nielson

HW Is Wrecking Our Kids by Heather Shumaker

More Picture Books to Teach Theme by Pernille Ripp 


Staff Reflection/Blog...
Our latest post comes from Harriet Mitchel with a perspective based on her experiences as a LC Instructor...

Ready or Not

As I think of “ready or not”, it brings many thoughts to my mind as a woman, a mother and a teacher.

When we are growing up we think, am I ready to date, to marry, and to have children? The answer to these questions depends on many factors. What are my parents going to say? Do I love this person? Am I going to be happy? When it comes to having children, there are always many questions most of us ask ourselves such as, are we financially ready for this? Are we emotionally ready to be responsible for another life?

 As a first time mother, I was shocked to think that I had to make a decision whether or not my son was “ready” to attend a three year old program in a private school.  When I called the school to inquire about their programs, the director of the school asked me if I wanted to retain my son because his birthday was at the end of November and the school cutoff is December 1st. I didn’t even know what she meant. How was I supposed know if he was ready at three to start kindergarten in two years? I let my son go to school and he achieved success even though he was the youngest because I guess he was “ready”. When do we let our children drive by themselves for the first time or take the train to the city by themselves? We just have to have confidence that they are ready. There are so many more examples, but I think you get the idea.

Now, as a teacher, I often experience students who have been taught a new concept and get frustrated because they don’t understand it. Sometimes we have to stop and say, Are they ready? There are so many reasons why they may not be ready that as teachers we have to be aware of.  Do they have the foundation to be able to grasp this? Did they transfer from a different school district where they of course do not have all the exceptional educational opportunities as the students in Jericho have?  Do they need to learn this concept in a different way than it was taught? Every child is unique and learns at his or own pace and in his or her own way. When I can stop and say, it’s all right that they are not “ready” for this, they just might need extra time, repetition or different methods to learn the concepts. At the moment when a student does get it and that light bulb goes on, it is the best feeling for both the student and the teacher.
        
So, I think it is important to realize that in life it’s OK to be “ready or not”, but we all get to where we need to be in our own time.  

SCHEDULE OF THE WEEK... 

Monday, March 14
"A" Week
Happy Monday!

Tuesday, March 15 

FEO - teachers only - district-wide grade level meetings
Yablon/Levine - DNA Lab Trip 

Wednesday, March 16

Cerullo/Siper- DNA Lab Trip 
Bus Drill

Thursday, March 17

Staff Appreciation Luncheon in the Gym
CST @ 1:20pm
Board Meeting @ 7:15pm
Happy St. Patrick's Day

Friday, March 18

Happy TGIF!
Spirit Day - wear your favorite sports gear!
End of the second marking period

Reminders... 

• Don't forget to implement lessons from our Digital Citizenship Curriculum... access it here!
• Our next whole staff FEO will be Tues. April 19th - featuring time to plan for Innovation Day & other logistics! 
• Innovation Day is coming on May 19th! Click here to check out the plan from last year... feel free to use the same plan or change it up! 
• Although conferences are a couple of weeks away, if you want me to read any and all report card comments, please share them with me as soon as you are done; and if you want me to attend any specific conferences, please let me know so I can put them on my calendar.