Middle School Staff Blog : Elevator or Living Room Version of a Story???

Elevator or Living Room Version of the Same Story???

Middle School Staff Blog

Welcome to Spring

April 21, 2016

Elevator Version or the Living Room Version

My wife and I were invited over to some friends house for dinner a few weeks back. We sat there in their living room for a time, then the guys went out into the back and lit the grill and the ladies stayed inside. When it was just the two of us in a smaller setting, we were able to actually have a conversation. We waited for each other to finish thoughts. We asked each other direct questions that demonstrated prior knowledge. We waited for the answers and allowed plenty of time for processing. We were able to talk about more than the weather, the Cardinals or each other’s health. It was a time of connecting. I felt refreshed, energized and renewed that I was in a good place in my life.

The next day, Jayne and I were heading down to her doctor's appointment on the 8th floor of the Brentwood Building. We walked in the building and noticed another couple looking at the marquee, looking for their floor. They turned Jayne happened to know her. They were heading to the 11th floor and so we rode the elevator together. It was during this time, the ladies began chattering about common friends and family. Who was ill, why they were in the building, lost friends and even the uncommonly warm weather, but they couldn't really finish anything. We said goodbye at our floor, the girls promised to “get-together, soon” and we exited on our floor. I was feeling exhausted from the quick snippets of stories. Eventually, I realized something when I compared this incident with the evening before. For the first time, realized the difference between a LIVING ROOM VERSION of a story or an ELEVATOR VERSION of the same story.

The elevator version is quick, it conveys facts, ideas and basic information but it contains few details and possible important omissions. The Living Room Version is longer, filled with details, drawn out and maybe even embellished a bit. There is time for interaction between the speaker and the audience with reflection and segways frequently following paths into deep conversation and thoughts.

From here, I began to wonder about my versions presented here at school. Do I try and force a living room version when I only have time for an elevator story, shoving too much into a small window, forcing others to “drink from a firehose?” By trying to get it all done, am I really adding to the frustration level? Or, do I give the elevator snippet when more information is needed, possibly the reasoning or back-story or explanation of my limited reasoning? Regardless, as I continue to practice, hone and develop my communication skills, I realize they will never be perfect. I will never be able to convey my intended message precisely or exactly. But I can’t let this stop me. Perfectionism is a manifestation of insecurity.

I wonder about any applications for the classroom, teaching or learning?

Speaking of teaching and learning, this group of professionals took huge risks by battling the students in an honest game of DODGEBALL . Teachers taking these risks sets the tone for an environment where students too, will take a chance, try a new type of problem and form the humble trappings of learning. Nice effort, Cosby, Hines, Stroud, 144, Davis, Crump, Daugherty, Ross, Higgins and Fisher!

Some of our other successes this year…

Here are a few that come to mind. Please be prepared to share out a few others on May 4th for our early release time. Consider the Success and its Application to an educational setting.

Google Docs - Building Wide Access to common documents allowing us to work at our own pace, time and location. Sounds like differentiation.

Tier 2 & Tier 3 - Building wide realization we have, and will always have Tier 2 and Tier 3 students with us. But like the movie Rich Hill identified, we must work knowing our efforts are not being wasted but invested in a garden that may take time to ripen and bear fruit. Interventions

eValuate - This formative tool has added valuable feedback to us on their learning affecting our teaching. Feedback

Warrior Way Store - A few years back, i was in the building on a tour and noticed this parent in the corner standing behind a box with the letters PBS written on the front. She was by herself in the corner and only a few students came over to redeem any tickets. This is a FAR CRY from the situation where multiple staff host the multiple tables of merchandise for students to “buy” things from the warrior way store. This increased activity assures us of positive contacts between adults and students in the building, strengthening social and emotional intelligence. This feeling of security is a necessary ingredient for students of poverty to take an educational risk.

Speaking of success, these young men are changing right before our eyes. We welcomed them to the middle school three years ago and are preparing to send them on their way. They will become our part of our next generation. They have developed physically, mentally, socially, emotionally and even relationally, adapting to our style as much as we are adapting to theirs.

Ask them who won the DODGEBALL contest.

HOUSEKEEPING COMMENTS:

PBiS

Trade in Spirit Sticks to carry over for next year

Binder Teams

Last presentations this week for the year
SY 16-17 overview for review

Early Release Day

End of the Year - Exit Procedures

I cherish your input and would like the final day exit procedures to go quicker. Let’s meet before then please. I will gather up a few questions to prime the conversation but I value your unscripted and unrehearsed feedback.

Summer Planning for Next Year

eValuate

Beginnings of regular, frequent and effective feedback, all part of the learning process

Classroom Tardies

To become part of the Pyramid
There are multiple students with multiple tardies. We will incorporate these into our plan for next year.

Middle School Calendar

Friday - Black Day

4/22 City Museum - Reading Counts Award Winners
A Team Visits- Trying to get our building up to 90/90 for our attendance by having weekly conversations

Saturday

Warrenton Track Meet

(I can’t wait to hear, “We don’t want to attend that meet. WINFIELD is there!”)

Monday - Red Day

Binder work for 7th hour

Beginning look into next year

Tuesday - Black Day

PBiS Tier One began a great work on 4/21 and would like to meet again to follow up this morning at 7:20 back in Davis’s Room
Binder work for 6th & 8th hour

Beginning look into next year

Admin Meeting in Central Office

Wednesday - Red Day

Track Meet at Louisiana

Thursday - Black Day - Here we go...

Algebra EOC at the High School

Friday - Regular Hours

4/29 National Junior Honor Society Induction at 2 in the Gym

Upcoming

5/1 Character Word - Self - Discipline

5/2-6 Teacher Appreciation Week

5/4 Spencer Library - (Meet the Author - April Henry - Get home and in Bed Early 6th Graders)

Early Release

End of the Year

Expectations for SY 16-17

Summer School

Summer Academy

Summer Planning

End of the Year Planning

5/5 MAP Testing - Middle School

Steering Committee - Higgins Room 7:20

5/6 MAP Testing - Middle School

5/10 MAP Testing - Middle School

5/11 MAP Testing - Middle School

5/12 Six Flags - Leadership Students

5/13 SEMI - Students must be in attendance this day to attend

5/16 Field Day - ALL Middle School students - Pink & Purple Assembly, Expectations,

5/17 Final Ac Lab Challenge - Dunk Tank - eValuate - Locker Clean Out; Survey Day

BOE Meeting - 6:30 Central Office

5/18 Chris’s Cakes for Attendance and Student of the Month

5/19 Last Day, Half Day, 8th Grade BBQ & Walk-Out (8th grade graduation)

Working to get into the schedule

Dunk Tank

Next years - more than Mix Bucks and McCracken Money ???

SUMMER SCHOOL

This year, we will be inviting students to summer school based on attendance and achievement in MATH and ELA. Candidate lists are being compiled right now. If you would like for your student to be considered as a candidate, please contact our office. The dates for summer school are June 1 - 28 at the High School, from 8:00 am - 3:30 pm Monday through Friday.

SUMMER ACADEMY

Another transition program we sponsor helps to orient and ease students into the High School routine. This program is called the SUMMER ACADEMY. Eighth Grade candidates will be selected, invited and hosted to participate in this outstanding, acclaimed program. Activities at the High School build connections, relationships and prepare the students with a boost and head start as they transition to the complex world of high school. FACT: a student with a poor freshmen year is far more likely to drop out and never recover from the setback of the credit system. High school students must earn over 22 high school credits to graduate. Successful completion of the SUMMER ACADEMY starts students off on the right foot with their first .5 credit, before they even enter school in August!

Trying for the Elevator Version…

Tom McCracken

WInfield Middle School