Sunday, October 23, 2011
Comment on Realities
It is somewhat discouraging to read what you have written in the realities section of your blog. It is unfortunate that your district and your school are in this state of affairs but I don't think it is uncommon. I understand how difficult and frustrating it can be to work with veteran teachers who have a certain attitude toward the kids and really toward education as a whole today. One thing that concerns me though is when I read your post I feel as if you may feel like giving up a little yourself. I know it sounds cliche but change can start with one person and although it is hard you need to not let the attitude of other affect the way you are impacting the lives of the students you serve. Use your leadership skills to make your classroom the one that stands out and the one that makes a difference. You got into this profession for a reason, don't let the bad attitudes of others affect the impact you can create.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
My Realities
I hope to have an opportunity to work at a school district like Sunnyside. Currently, I don't. Trotwood-Madison is filled with jaded teachers unwilling to change how he/she taught since the 1990s. "It work then - these kids just don't want to learn," is the mantra espoused by many of our veteran teachers.
We do not provide the students a say in how the school is run. In fact, we are on fall break this week and had a records day on Friday. During that time, the middle school staff met and determined that we are going to bring the hammer down on the kids when they return. We are going to follow the rules set forth in the student handbook. The administrators are going to present this information to the kids when they return with the students having no voice.
Our kids are far too reliant on teachers giving them the answers, and we are not properly preparing them to become productive citizens. I am moving to a problem-based math curriculum, which I will patiently implement fully knowing they are going to resist at first. I will give them some choice in the level of problems they work on and with whom they work in an effort to show them a level of trust they rarely experience from adults. They will initially take advantage of that, but I have to provide them relevant problems that make them forget they are working.
Our parents are not involved nearly enough, and we are financially strapped as a community and as a district. We will try again in three weeks to pass an operating levy in the hopes that we don't have to lay any more employees off.
Will the students work in a democratic environment? We have become so dictatorial and adversarial with the kids that I believe they would look at any attempt as a sign of weakness to be attacked. We, as the adults, have to be better and smarter at communicating the expectations to the kids in creating a modified democratic atmosphere in which the kids feel freer to learn at his/her own pace.
We do not provide the students a say in how the school is run. In fact, we are on fall break this week and had a records day on Friday. During that time, the middle school staff met and determined that we are going to bring the hammer down on the kids when they return. We are going to follow the rules set forth in the student handbook. The administrators are going to present this information to the kids when they return with the students having no voice.
Our kids are far too reliant on teachers giving them the answers, and we are not properly preparing them to become productive citizens. I am moving to a problem-based math curriculum, which I will patiently implement fully knowing they are going to resist at first. I will give them some choice in the level of problems they work on and with whom they work in an effort to show them a level of trust they rarely experience from adults. They will initially take advantage of that, but I have to provide them relevant problems that make them forget they are working.
Our parents are not involved nearly enough, and we are financially strapped as a community and as a district. We will try again in three weeks to pass an operating levy in the hopes that we don't have to lay any more employees off.
Will the students work in a democratic environment? We have become so dictatorial and adversarial with the kids that I believe they would look at any attempt as a sign of weakness to be attacked. We, as the adults, have to be better and smarter at communicating the expectations to the kids in creating a modified democratic atmosphere in which the kids feel freer to learn at his/her own pace.
Moonstruck Parents and Community Relations
Sunnyville continues to thrive despite the struggling national economy. Due to this fact, Sunnyside Unified School District has reaped the benefits over the past two decades. We continue to maintain six elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school, while our athletics and related arts programs continue to succeed.
In return for providing everything we need to educate children, the community is demanding in its expectations of the level of education the students receive. The parents are very active in his/her child's education. They daily check Progress Book for updated grades, homework assignment, and related notes for that day's school work. Many of the parents attended workshops early in the year to help them understand their role in helping with homework. Our PTO is successful in its fundraisers, which has allowed our students to take field trips to various educational spots within our fine area.
We provide two career days for our elementary students during the school year. Volunteers from the community bring free samples and stories with them as they share his/her job with the students. We may have to go to three career days next year due to the number of adults interested in participating.
In return for providing everything we need to educate children, the community is demanding in its expectations of the level of education the students receive. The parents are very active in his/her child's education. They daily check Progress Book for updated grades, homework assignment, and related notes for that day's school work. Many of the parents attended workshops early in the year to help them understand their role in helping with homework. Our PTO is successful in its fundraisers, which has allowed our students to take field trips to various educational spots within our fine area.
We provide two career days for our elementary students during the school year. Volunteers from the community bring free samples and stories with them as they share his/her job with the students. We may have to go to three career days next year due to the number of adults interested in participating.
Moonstruck Governance
As the principal, I feel it is necessary to be easily recognized as the face of the building. I dress and act accordingly, leaving little doubt to any visitor that I am in charge. If one were to look deeper into how our building functions, he/she would discover a finely tuned machine with many parts working together harmoniously (mostly) to help our young students receive the best possible education.
I have identified a teacher leader from each grade to meet with me and help decide how to handle issues as they arise during the school year. Each teacher goes back to his/her grade-level team to convey the message to which we agreed.
As important as my identified teacher leaders are the unidentified teacher leaders. I spent the first year of my time at Moonstruck building relationships with the staff, focusing much of my attention on the polarizing teachers. I "wined them and dined them" so to speak to help our building reach its goals.
I have an open-door policy and meet with the staff at least every two weeks to allow them to share any concerns/complaints they have with me or the operation of the building. I want them to understand that each one of us needs to bring his/her "A" game daily and that is hard to do with unspoken baggage being carried around.
I have identified a teacher leader from each grade to meet with me and help decide how to handle issues as they arise during the school year. Each teacher goes back to his/her grade-level team to convey the message to which we agreed.
As important as my identified teacher leaders are the unidentified teacher leaders. I spent the first year of my time at Moonstruck building relationships with the staff, focusing much of my attention on the polarizing teachers. I "wined them and dined them" so to speak to help our building reach its goals.
I have an open-door policy and meet with the staff at least every two weeks to allow them to share any concerns/complaints they have with me or the operation of the building. I want them to understand that each one of us needs to bring his/her "A" game daily and that is hard to do with unspoken baggage being carried around.
Moonstruck Instruction
Two years ago, the teachers at Moonstruck Elementary and I decided to change our instructional format from "sit and get" to an inquiry-based curriculum. We recognized the need to prepare our students for becoming productive citizens and listened to the feedback from our middle and high school staff about how reliant the students were on the teachers to solve problems and find information.
We now begin new concepts with some direct instruction to insure all of the students speak the language of standardized tests. The students are then divided into differentiated groups and given problems that their group can collaboratively solve. The teachers rarely answer questions, choosing instead to answer an inquiry with a probing question.
All of the students are given the same summative tests at the end of each unit to ensure we have met the state's identified goal for 100% of our students. The students are given formative assessments throughout the process to help the teachers better facilitate the learning within the classroom.
Another practice we began this year has some of the fifth graders assessing the learning in other's classrooms. This is an effort to get our students more involved in the school and allows our teachers to tap into the resources of its clientele. Many of the teachers have been receptive to the feedback from the students, while some have chosen to not participate. I respect those wishes and hope that the successful use of the information from the participating teachers will cause all of my staff to partake in this exercise.
We now begin new concepts with some direct instruction to insure all of the students speak the language of standardized tests. The students are then divided into differentiated groups and given problems that their group can collaboratively solve. The teachers rarely answer questions, choosing instead to answer an inquiry with a probing question.
All of the students are given the same summative tests at the end of each unit to ensure we have met the state's identified goal for 100% of our students. The students are given formative assessments throughout the process to help the teachers better facilitate the learning within the classroom.
Another practice we began this year has some of the fifth graders assessing the learning in other's classrooms. This is an effort to get our students more involved in the school and allows our teachers to tap into the resources of its clientele. Many of the teachers have been receptive to the feedback from the students, while some have chosen to not participate. I respect those wishes and hope that the successful use of the information from the participating teachers will cause all of my staff to partake in this exercise.
Moonstruck Personnel
The staff at Sunnyside Unified School District closely resembles its students' demographics. I am the principal at one of the six elementary schools, Moonstruck, and my staff closely reflects the student population as well. The teachers have formed several professional learning communities (PLC) that meet at least once a week to collaborate on effective teaching strategies and to share success stories within his/her class.
The staff met in August as I presented them with the targeted goals for the year based on data and observations from last year. I facilitated the meeting, while four of my experienced teachers separated the staff into four smaller groups with each group discussing various strategies for reaching the goals and how to involve our young students in the process.
At the end of our two-day retreat, the staff initiated a plan that promotes learning - not teaching - among the students and allows for reflection among the staff on how he/she can become a better facilitator of learning. The PLCs will continue to informally meet at least once a week to share ideas and discuss issues that have arisen since the school year began.
The staff met in August as I presented them with the targeted goals for the year based on data and observations from last year. I facilitated the meeting, while four of my experienced teachers separated the staff into four smaller groups with each group discussing various strategies for reaching the goals and how to involve our young students in the process.
At the end of our two-day retreat, the staff initiated a plan that promotes learning - not teaching - among the students and allows for reflection among the staff on how he/she can become a better facilitator of learning. The PLCs will continue to informally meet at least once a week to share ideas and discuss issues that have arisen since the school year began.
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