Wednesday, December 11, 2019

What's Working: The Good Work We Do

As I smart from yesterday's upset, I want to focus on the good work we do, the work that makes a difference and hold on to those practices in the days ahead.

Morning Greeting
I've started greeting every child every morning. It's not as easy as it seems since I tend to notice lots of issues that require a discussion or support during these greetings. It's a busy time, but I know that I'm saying each child's name every day and helping them to get a good start.

Morning Routine
Every day we're working to have every child read for at least ten minutes at the start of the day. This is also the time when students collect their supplies to start the day well. This is important to a good day.

Well-Planned Learning Experiences
Our team plans ahead and thinks carefully about each learning experience. We update these experiences as needed and provide plenty of personalization. This is good.

A Good Schedule
It's a tight schedule, but overall a good schedule that includes a varied palette for good learning.

Playful Recess
We have a great playground and students have plenty of time to play.

Snacks
Students may have their snacks when they are hungry--this generally works well.

Special Events and Field Studies
We have a lot of these experiences which makes learning fun and interesting.

Collegial Planning
We have good time to plan together--this is good.

Regular Communication
We communicate the teaching/learning plans to all in the learning community regularly with detail--this works well.

As I rise from yesterday's fall, I'll focus on the good work we're doing and forego any new ideas for a while. Time to build good energy with tried-and-true practice. Onward.