Half-Time

Carver Leaders,

We have almost reached the mid-point of the year and I need you to reflect on the first semester.  How do you feel it went?  How can we improve?  What will you do differently?  Please respond before you leave for the Christmas Break!!

Morrow

How would they know?

It is early Sunday morning as I type this.  I just finished reading the newspaper and reflecting on the contents as well as my conversation with my 16 year old daughter.  We are a STEM campus, right?  My daughter asked me what we do differently or how would she know we were a STEM campus if she came to visit?    I thought about it and said Wow!!!!  I don't think she would know other than the name on the building.  Then each week I read about how other elementary students are doing really neat science and math activities and we are not.  We are still teaching the same way we did last year, so much to the fact that one staff member was concerned that they presented the same exact lesson as last year and received a lower observation score.   People, the expectations, goals and accountability(campus, district and state) are much higher this year and they are not going away.  The old adage "this too shall pass no longer applies."    What is even more troubling is that there are only a few of you bringing ideas and activities to the table.  We (administrators and master teachers) cannot lead/introduce everything create a culture of excellence all by ourselves.  It is a team effort that involves everyone.  Your question this week is how are you going to make GW Carver a true STEM campus and how will a visitor know that there is STEM focus in your classroom and on the campus?  Please post by 5:30 pm today.

Data Walls

Please describe in detail how you are using your data walls to focus and increase student achievement.  If you are not a CORE content teacher, please describe in detail how you are "collaborating" with the CORE content teachers for student success....Please post your response by 6:00 pm on 10/11/2011.

On thriving!

On page 53 Gordy says "I want to do more than survive. I want to thrive."  How many of us have become content with merely surviving in our personal and professional lives?  We have accepted that things could be worse, I am better off than most and I should be thankful for what I have?  While this is noble, I am choosing to aspire for more.  My newest ink poses this question for me, "why not?"  Like Gordy, I too want to thrive not only in this life but the next!  I challenge you to ask yourself, why not you as you see others thrive today.   As you finish this book, how/what are going to do to ensure that you "THRIVE" this year and beyond? 

Expecting Succcess

In pages 31-50 of the Shark and the Goldfish, Sammy had to remind Gordy to see the positives and not focus so much on the negatives. Like Gordy, we often fail to see the beauty of the forest because we are focusing on the minor blemishes of a few trees. As educators we focus on the ones who can't and often fail to see their progress or even the accomplishments of the whole. This creates a false feeling despair and hopelessly. Like Gordy, you have to expect success for each of your students and for yourself. I believe in your ability to successfully reach your students.

Please take a moment to tell us about all of the great things that you have already seen in your students so far and how you are going to use those things to accomplish your goals this year!

The Shark and The Goldfish

Please read through page 29 in "The Shark and The Goldfish" and describe a time in your life when you were a Goldfish and when you were a Shark.  What determined your attitude(goldfish or shark) in both situations?  How do you think a "shark" attitude can increase your chances of success at GWC?

Radio

While reflecting on the faculty meeting I came across the movie Radio.  It is about a coach who took one handicapped student under his wing and made him a success.  How many "Radios" have you saved in your career?  How many will you save this year?  We have a lot of Radios here at Carver but we have to have our  listening ears on to hear them tell what they need?  Please describe a Radio that you have had and how you got tuned into their frequency. 

The Best Ever

What are you going do personally and professionally to ensure that this school year is your best year ever while keeping in mind the district focus of excellence?  Remember, "no excuses, no alibis"

Two Steps Forward

Please go youtube and search "Two Steps Forward by Dr. Ron Fairchild."  View the video which is about student achievement and the impact summer vacation has on their growth.  After viewing the video, please blog two things  1) Whether you agree or disagree(cite examples) and  2) What we can do to close this gap

Thanks for your continued participation in this educational endeavor!!!!

Sharing of Success

Please share one student success story that you have had this year.  Do not say the student's name but describe how you were able to reach the student and help him/her be successful.  Remember, success is not always measured by academic performance!  Thanks for sharing!!!!

Signing Your Work

I have a fascination with cars and I spent the weekend looking at how exotic sports cars are manufactured.  One of the most interesting things is that everything is hand-made to factory/customer specs.  Each engine is proudly labeled by the person who made it.  Imagine the pride and accountability that goes along with signing your work.  For this week's post, please describe if and how your teaching would differ if everyone of your students left your classroom with a label that told the world who taught them and where they attended school last?  Ponder this, could you clearly describe your interventions for each child and how you differientiated instruction for EACH one of your students?  Please post by Friday of this week.  Thanks and have a great week!!!

Whale Done

For this week's post, I would like for you to read the first two chapters of "Whale Done" and reflect on the content.  Please keep your comments to Chapters 1 & 2.   In your reflection, consider these guiding questions:
-Are the Whale Done principles doable?
-What are benefits of doing this?
-How hard would it be to do this both personally and professionally?
-Who would benefit if I am successful at changing?

Shoe Shopping

It was brought to my attention that maybe we(everyone) don’t understand and appreciate what goes on in other parts of the building.  I reflected on what was said and I discussed it further with the Leadership Team yesterday and I truly believe there is a disconnect between PK/2 and 3-5.  There is an old adage that goes like this “You'll never understand a person until you walk a mile in their shoes!”  This week we are not going to walk but rather do a little window shopping to see what it is like in other parts of the building.  Your task is to spend 20 minutes with a teacher in another grade level.  3-5 teachers will observe PK-1 teachers and PK-1 will observe 3-5 teachers.  2^nd Grade, Specials and Special Education will observe each other.  Get with your team members and plan it so that each one of you will see a completely different grade level.  The only caveat is that you cannot go to a grade level that you have previously taught.  When you have completed your observation, please post what teacher you observed, what she/he was teaching and what “aha moments” you had while observing.  Do you have a better understanding, appreciation and respect for what your colleagues do on a daily basis?

The Exemplary Look

The definition of Exemplary is deserving imitation because of excellence.  I hear people speak of exemplary daily but when I walk the halls I hear something totally different.  For this week’s post, I would like for you to describe in your own words how an exemplary school looks and sounds(halls, classrooms, speech, cafeteria).  Even your posts here(which are your thoughts) should reflect “exemplary”!

The One

We have all had that one educator who inspired us to be/do more.  Please reflect on this person and share(by name) with us the teacher who influenced you the most as a student.  Remember, this influence may be positive or negative.  As you share and read, compare(privately) yourself to those great educators who have indirectly made us who we are........Rolling Hills Elementary!!!!

The Most Effective Thing

Greetings Scholars!!!  Thanks for being here and thanks for being at “The Hills”!  Most of us have been doing this a while and I would like for you to share the “one” thing that has made you most effective in the classroom and in the profession.  

Congratulations!!!!

Welcome to The Scholarly Tiger!!!!  This will be another tool in our quest for excellence and we will use it to share our collective expertise.  Each week you will be asked to thoughtfully respond to a prompt about education and/or The Hills.  You will also be asked to comment on at least one of your colleagues posts.  Look at this as another opportunity to grow and not as being something else to do.  First post, how do you feel now that you have blogged?