Staff #7 - Fire Drills, Lunches & Routines

Teach and Re-Teach 

From entering the room to leaving for the buses, 

middle school students may need lessons in everything.

I remain encouraged by the wonderful habits we are forming with our students this year at the middle school.  Substitute teachers continue to remark about outstanding student behaviors.  Again, a simple hand raising at lunch for all 100+ children to sit back down and listen to a reminder, after the dismissal bell rang.  Speaking of lunch,  we have talked about being bored, manners and wondered why the girls in Daugherty’s Ac Lab science experiment were winning naturally or just working through the thought process of share/steal.

The eVaulate presentation seemed to bring great promise and potential.  Passwords were delivered and here is our link.  http://catapultevaluate.com/suite/DashboardServlet#  Please, explore and take the TRAINING TEST.  We will briefly discuss on Monday. 

The website www.schooldigger.com was where I gathered the statewide ranking for our middle school 529/584, which they claimed was ranked up from last year.  They ranked our entire district at 459/492 this year as an index with improvement.  They have some formula they use that may or may not accurately portray our data. The results are not exactly the same as DESE but the public may view this cursory report and ask questions.   

Thursday

Wrapped up the pictures, then…

Fire-drill after the photographer left the building.  (3:18 minutes) Touch base with new teachers for routes, procedures, destinations and how to gather at the end. At least Ross, Mix, and Myself will have two-way radios.  We are processing the drill folders today.  We will add Hines to the Radio List.

Friday

Assembly – I will try and remember to allow staff to sit down.

Football, Volleyball and softball to be announced by coaches – (bring rosters for names)

(Rodgers, will you ask the new softball coach or will you get the roster and do it for him?) 

Ac Lab Challenge -  Great mascots!

Be thinking of 2 “volunteers” Male and Female, but DO NOT TELL THEM WHAT MAY HAPPEN.

Think about sending weekly emails to parents today, both positive and constructive.
Coach will set up good music and two microphones.

The first door decorated this year.  

Maybe next week we could have ac labs decorate the door with their mascot theme?

Monday - August 24
Binder Teams

District and Building Goals Review and discuss

Bring student work & best lesson/activity so far to share

Prepare to share student data

Pull up template link

Tuesday

Admin Meeting at CO at 1pm to review data, goals and next steps

May need extra bus supervision???

Wednesday

Google Docs possible Ac Lab Club Meetings 
Another Data Meeting at Central Office at 10:00

Thursday

Weekly Blog

Friday

End of PROGRESS REPORTING SESSION #1 Grades to be entered by Sunday with multiple grades encouraged.

Staff #5: Students arive a week from today!

New Teachers, Buddies, Mentors reported for duty!

One of our changes, the front doors, light and strong!

Out with the old and in with the new. 

 

Right around the corner
To get in the cycle, I am sending out my first Thursday Staff Blog.  Attached are dropbox links for those files folks may be interested in reviewing before next week.  There may still be some tuning occurring as we wrap up our final days of summer but I want to get you the current best information we have in a timely fashion.  Eventually, we will be going to the more efficient googledocs platform, but we all are not there yet.

1.   Back to School Powerpoint (not 144 slides!)*
2.   Ancora Imparo - Middle School Details to address over time
3.   Ed Hub instructions for NEE PD Plan to develop UOI in binder teams
4.   Sample Syllabus that will need tuning for courses*
5.   Student Interest Survey with Possible Mixer Activity*
6.   PBS Handbook
7.   Morning Supervision Schedule*
8.   Student of the Month Nomination Schedule
9.   HOT Sheet*
10. Office Visit Request sheet* 

*On or before the first day of classes


These are working copies of things created and developed over the summer to help organize. Please feel free to offer me different perspectives, feedback and suggestions for improvements. I want to welcome input.

Monday August 10
As the powerpoint identifies, we have Collaborative Grant and PBiS Presentations on Monday so very little extra time.  On Tuesday, I want to give you as much time as possible before our Back to School night on the early slot of 5:00 - 6:30.

The new teachers are all planning a KAGAN type activity for us, one for each day.  It would be great if binder teams would host a favorite activity as well.

I don't want to overdo it but sending out my weekly notes on thrusday for the following week seemed like a good plan.  Let's see if we can get a good routine. I will Remind, Blog and send out an email with the link as well.  It may adjust and improve once we all get Google docs up and running as well.

PS -
I hear we are getting 2 more laptop carts in our building!  Yeah!
We are also moving the Leadership Committee meeting to Thursday AM, before school.  (Thanks for the suggestion, EB) (formerly Steering)

Fun Resources 

NEE Site 

HATTIE WORK

EXIT SLIP IDEAS

First Day Post-It Note Activity
 
Give them the pickle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISJ1V8vBiiI

 

 

Even the parking lots were upgraded with new asphalt, stripes and ADA access ramps.  Thanks.

 

Staff #4 - Kick Off 2015-16

Summer 2015 

We thought summer was...

... and ran it through www.worditout.com. This is our "word cloud."

Dream to Reality:

What will we say about the upcoming school year? Think five more words. When students think of the upcoming school year, what will they say?

Thinking about the upcoming year, consider those first few days. I am considering those 144 slides. Honestly, you know I love going through that, but I wonder if I am doing that for me, or for us???

Let's retink those first few PD days when we come back and the students are not here yet. Let's think of what would make that time valuable, memorable and even inspiring. What would that look like for us?

We should be getting a district wide agenda from Central Office shortly.

Let's see what we can do with that time!

Catch up with each other

Welcome the new staff

Plan the Back to School Night

Plan our first days of class

Set up rooms

Mandatory Meetings

Building Time

Directions:

I would like to start this year off differently than my past years. Feedback, input and participation from any and all is welcome, even expected. Share with me, please. Regardless we will NOT attempt to cover everything during our "back to school" meetings. We are NOT going to try and get through 144 slides.

So, here is the expectation for Day 1. We all don't need to use the exact same formats, activities and handouts but some themes will stand out as important for creating a culture of purpose and intent. We will rehearse this during our PD time, Monday or Tuesday.

In classes, on Day 1, I have submitted a lesson plan. It begins building wide high expectations through routines, establishes teachers as masters of the classrooms, makes students feel safe, valued and important, and allows enough interpretation for teacher personalization and individualization.

First impressions are lasting impressions:

Lesson Plan-School Day 1: Outside the box (We might even do it ourselves!)

SWBAT - Connect with others, share expectations for school, class and leaving wanting to return tomorrow.

TWBAT - Connect and build relationships, classroom norms and procedures using activities.

Minutes: When the bell rings, begin talking as soon as possible. Have a seating chart on the board, for them to find their seats (I can help with the graphics if necessary) and the student survey to begin working on directly.

5-10 Go bell to bell with engaging activities, stories, your vision and perspective on Middle School, success and hints.

10-15 Consider your best Educational Adventure or lesson or interesting thing for your class. Time here for embellishment. MOBIUS strip, Mind Puzzlers, Logic Questions, etc.

5-10 Hand out your Syllabus to collect Friday. An actual syllabus sample from my classroom Not all components will apply but this actual example is where we will begin. To practice handing out papers, develop a procedure to hand out the papers in your room.

5-10 Reduce and limit lecture Procedures & Rules to Emergency and Classroom Attention Getting Mechanism

Build a 60 - 90 second break in the MIDDLE of class. Use this time to let kids talk about their favorite meal at McDs. Then regain their attention using the mechanism you favor and continue working.

5-10 Hand out or ask the questions from a Student Interest Survey like this one or of your own with Names, Numbers, Schedules and on the back their EXPECTED GRADES IN THOSE CLASSES. Dictate this last portion without having the chart complete.

5-10 Learning Styles Sample you could use  Here is a sample I like. We probably all don't need to do the same one, nor the monster 50 question one we tried last year. Use this as a guide but DO COMPLETE A LEARNING STYLE SHEET DAY 1 / 2)

LAST 5 minutes - Two truths and a lie to the bottom of the student interest sheet- These will be read by you whenever there are a few moments of time, like right before the bell or ???

LAST 2 minutes - THIS IS IMPORTANT: Begin talking as soon as the bell rings at the beginning AND begin talking a minute or two before the dismissal bell rings.  When the bell tings you will be the ones that dismiss the students, not the bell. If the bell catches you off guard, have them stop, halt and share something important, like ask them an exit survey question or two to summarize the lesson and we don’t leave till we get it...

In fishing, timing is everything

Mid-day trout fishing for rainbows in this Colorado stream , while waiting for the hatch, did not work.

Once the sun went down and shade hit the water, things began to pick up.

In the heat of the day, fishing was not going to work. When things were right, it happened.

What about our efforts?

DAY #2, is Day #1, continued... 
Day #2 of school: Friday - (Think outside the box with this approach!)

SWBAT: Continue to articulate the difference between rules and procedures.

(Let's step out of the box. Please read this link too. I envision our staff doing these together on those first few days back)

Tasks: Complete unfinished work from Day 1: Learning Styles, Interest Survey, Get-to-Know-You activities, Mind Benders, Introduce Course Pre-Test for possibility Monday/Tuesday. Gather student work for Binder Team meeting Monday.

TWBAT: Continue building a safe environment where risk, trying till they fail and effort are endorsed and encouraged. This day could include class discussions on topics below, conclude Learning Styles survey and collection of Syllabus and other important papers from Day #1. Again, begin speaking as soon as bell stops and right before or after it rings. (15 seconds is maximum to keep talking)

Procedures to review

Emergency Procedures and anything not yet addressed.

Fire, Lock down, Intruder, Tornado, Earthquake, Medical, etc.
Allow those leaving a room to exit before entering

Not prepared for class – borrowing a pencil, paper or other materials

Absentee Procedures

Teacher out- Sub expectations and Student Folders in the room

Student out – Make up work, yesterday’s assignment - on the Weekly SWBAT Board

Teacher mistakes

Student mistakes (no dark sarcasm!)

PBiS

Asking questions, manners, making people feel comfortable and interrupting each other.

Intercom/visitors and other interruptions

Continue C.I.T.E. Learning Style or another Learning style assessment. This may take a day or two. I would like to see these results on all your students during our Binder time on Monday.

Assignment: Collect, record and tally Syllabus, Documents/Verifications/AUP/Paperwork, etc. from Students.

Possible Resources
At Monday's Binder Team Meetings we will examine the student work completed so far. You may find or choose other documents but ensure they address similar concerns. Pintrest, Internet, Teachers pay Teachers, peers in our building, etc.

Student Interest Survey

Student Interest Survey and Mixer we will do together.

Icebreakers

Student Learning Style

C.I.T.E. Learning Style (maybe too much for single class. A team of teachers may try and tackle this?)

Syllabus

www.worditout.com

Resources to support this plan

Our back to school district agenda and letter

Worditout.com will turn any sample into a word cloud, like this blog post.

Copy and Paste, Download, Save and Post.

Staff 3 - 072715: #leadlearner or ancora imparo?

#LeadLearner or Ancora Imparo

This view from the routiest trap at the Scenic Overlool offered a perspective unlike much of the rest of the area.  On a clear day, they say Missouri is noticalbe to the north.
But to get this perspepctive, we have to move seats, get a new ride, or change our posture.

I have been thinking how to start this year differently all summer long!  I had prepared a lengthly blog for scheduled release, till yesterday.  I found these two posts and they both resonated with my thoughts and wishes for this school year. 
Please read them.
Would we be ready for this? 
Am I ready for this? 
Does it align with what I had in mind as described below?

STAFF: PLEASE READ THIS BLOG #1 
and THIS BLOG #2.

This WAS the introduction for the planned release!

"On the first day back after my vacation, while reading an administration article on the #leadlearner in a school, the last sentence mentioned this quote: Ancora Imparo.  Since coming across that phrase, I have been rallying myself behind the deeper meaning of this Michelangelo quote.  Attributed to him on his 87^th (or some say 83^rd) birthday in 1562, it translates roughly into Yet, I still learn and carries an overtone of continual growth, progress and possible advancement.  Implications of learning for all left me speechless.  (That only lasted a moment.) But the quote, Ancora Imparo, has stuck with me and motivated me to focus on change within myself.

POP QUIZ:

I had to do a quick Google search on the quote and Michelangelo.  How long did it take Michealangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling?  

a.      Four weeks
b.      Four months
c.      Four years
d.      Four decades*

PS. Below are additional adjustments I intend to implement as continued from earlier Staff Blogs:

1.     Once school begins, I will strive to publish my weekly messages on Thursday and not Friday or Monday as years past. Hopefully, this allows staff enough time to build, ponder, consider, and plan accordingly. (Thanks for the hint MR.)

2. I have also considered a 3 minute egg timer. I often say, “Less is more.” Let’s make that happen. Invite me to your room to ask a question, look for feedback or share without pressure and test my resolve. I want to respect your time!

* Pick “C.” Four years to paint the ceiling, while standing up, and NOT laying down as rumored." 

Again, these two are the links as quoted above.  Please ensure you have reviewed them. 
This will take us to the #nextlevel.

1. From Beth Houf - Fulton Middle School

http://inservice.ascd.org/how-do-you-motivate-middle-school-students-by-inspiring-teachers-to-think-outside-the-box-on-the-first-day-of-school/?crlt_pid=camp.onBhIriAFhHN

 

2. From another Twitter Link:
http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/classroom-icebreakers/?utm_content=buffer004a0&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

"Ancora Imparo" Staff 2

School in just a matter of weeks.

July 20, 2015

 

Up early to take in this sunrise after a night of storms.  

The blanket of fog filled the Grand Canyon of Arkansas.

Introduction

I just spent a few days in Arkansas riding my motor scooter, exploring some of the twisting roads and local diners throughout the rural Ozark Mountains near a little town nestled by the Buffalo River named Jasper.  The Gordon Motel, a true town square with the stately stone courthouse in the middle, The Ozark Café with the quaint counter, booths and tables, and gas station still offering “filler-up” service all portrayed an authentic Mayberry RFD atmosphere.  (Does anybody know what the RFD** stands for?)  It was like they chose to throw-back to a different era, where times were easier and safer and worries were addressed in a half hour television show.  We no longer have that luxury.  We can’t just sit back and hope for the best but must take a proactive approach. 

Please read this link

For this week’s communique, please read this post about what I feel is valuable and vital for the beginning of a school year.  These are things I would like to see early in every classroom this year.  Many of these items already exist in some format or another and we may only need to briefly chat about their articulation. This week, July 20th, I would like to ask staff to consider what these components would look like in their classes. 

               

                Suggested Day 1: - (See the details in this blog)

http://mrmccrackensblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/is-it-time-yet-what-happens-on-day-1-in.html 

SWBAT: Begin to understand rules, procedures, inner-personal relationships, anarchy, bullying, coaching and democracy in this room and building.

1.       Seating Chart (alphabetical)

2.       Rules verses Procedures conversation (split paper into 4 boxes)

3.       Omit all Dark Sarcasm - Manners

4.       Course Syllabus including:

       Grading scale, class expectations, course objectives and parent signature line due tomorrow

5.       Entering and Leaving classrooms

6.       Stool Sheet-Do Now-Bell Ringers (bell to bell activity)

7.       Attention Getting Mechanisms – raise hand etc

8.       Students to report to you what GRADE they expect in yours and every other class on 3X5 card

9.       Attitude correlates to altitude…

10.   Assignment – Return Signed Syllabus tomorrow.             

Again, please read this blog about my expectations of what the first few days of school look like. 

Thank you.

Tom McCracken

**Rural Free Delivery (I had to google it.  I mistakenly thought it was Rural Fire District)

*Alcora Imparo - "I am still learning"