School Days: December 2019

It's been a busy fall organizing and forwarding our fifth grade program. There were a fair number of surprises and complications that made getting started a bit more complicated this year, but finally, I feel we have a good routine and program in place for this year's students.

Every year, every group of children present you with new challenges as you work to personalize the teaching/learning program to best meet the state/system expectations while teaching every child well. This year's surprises began with lots of unexpected events at the start of the school year that upset our typical organization and teaching schedule and there was also the typical adjustments that go along with working with new team members and teaching a new group of students.

But now, we know our students well, we have a good program in place, and the year is taking on a positive routine.

Personally, it's time to slow it down a little bit and work on finesse with regard to student-teacher relations. I want to make time for more one-to-one conversations, support, and encouragement. This year's busy start made this more difficult. I also want to make more time for the nuts-and-bolts teaching that provides students with a strong foundation--the winter months are great for this. We have many expert visitors who will join us in the coming months, many special events, and many field experiences too. Students know the routines for these kinds of events now since we've already had a few which makes upcoming events easier to plan and execute. That's good too.

Professionally, my goals include the following:

• Continuing to teach the expected math, science, and reading program.
• Revisiting student portfolios with new reflections
• Revisiting optimal teamwork and learning mindsets and routines with students 
• Always working towards a healthy personal-professional balance.

Now it's time to enjoy the holiday--I'll like revisit this post after the weekend as we start the December leg of the school year. Onward.

The days ahead 2019-2020 school year

A nasty virus took me down the last few days--a good reminder to wash your hands often when teaching school and to embrace a healthy routine to avoid such illnesses as much as possible. Having pushed the margins of both the personal and professional schedule the last few weeks, I wasn't surprised that illness struck--none of us are superhuman and when we push past our limits, there are often repercussions.

Happy to be on the mend, the next couple of days will be celebratory teaching days filled with special events and leaning experiences, then after Thanksgiving, we'll return to more traditional teaching until the two week holiday break.

Today I'll prep for the days ahead and give my attention to the special grade-level day planned. I look forward to bringing some good energy to school after so many days of low energy and illness in the past couple of weeks. Onward.

Positive Teamwork

To read the news and reflect on the world's most important problems, it's clear to see that teamwork skills and abilities are essential in today's world. We have to work together to make better.

This week our students will be working together to solve problems and create. This is one more step for our team building focus at fifth grade--a focus that will lead to students' 2020 climate change projects which will begin after the Thanksgiving holiday. Onward.

Lighten the load

Generally people talk about doing more, squeezing it in, and challenge. Rarely do you discuss lightening the load, yet there are times when that's the absolute right thing to do?

To lighten the load often means that you want to focus in, be more precise, and better what you do. If you try to do it all, sometimes that results in subpar performance, relationships, and endeavor.

How do you lighten the load in a world of endless possibilities and opportunities?

First, you need to think about what's really important to you? What is it that you want to accomplish, experience, or do no matter what, and then what's less important to you. What can others do instead of you.

Then you need to think about the kind of energy you need to complete your most important endeavors, and how to maximize that energy.

Lightening the load is often important and should always be considered when big dreams call you forward.

Teach Well: Next Steps November - December 2019

Today was a good teaching/learning day. We had plenty of time to help lots of students learn new knowledge, skills, and concepts. I LOVE teaching days like this.

The days ahead will give us lots of time to dig in and engage students in multiple gentle learning days that include reading great books, studying decimal and whole number operations in a large number of ways, studying climate change's effect on our watershed, Looking for ways to alter our lifestyles and advocate for change to protect our watershed environment, writing stories, and playing in concerts.

I look forward to these days of somewhat traditional teaching and learning, days that will complement the busy holiday celebrations outside of school. Onward.