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!!!!