I've been hoping we'd have a day to do the following:
- Think about what we're doing well.
- Think about where we can collectively improve.
- Map out the curriculum year in a "loose-tight" fashion so we have a common path.
- Discuss and order materials.
- Create specialist schedules.
- Identify professional development needs.
- Decide on narrow foci for our PLC focus next year.
- Plan field trips.
As a team, we're committed to doing a good job for students. We all bring similar investment and care to the table, and we also bring a variety of strengths, experience levels and ideas about teaching children well. Our dynamic, diverse conversation and collaboration results in a strong team program and service to children.
As suggested by the book, Intentional Interruption, educators typically don't spend enough time on problem analysis, hence as I look at the list above perhaps it is too big and as suggested in the book, "an activity trap." Perhaps the day should simply be spent on problem analysis with the overarching problem being how can we teach children well at our grade level and what narrow foci will we focus on in the coming year to strengthen our collective contribution.
We've requested the time and support from the many leaders that work with us, and we've had many hallway conversations about these topics. Time will tell what will come of this wish and desire.
