Monday Morning Motivation
Central Elementary Staff News----September 19--September 23
Improving Student Behavior
Dear Staff,
My best friend, a retired counselor, and I spend a great deal of time talking about education. It is fun to get her perspective and wisdom as someone who is now on the outside of school.
As we talk, we often ask ourselves, what is the key to academic and behavioral success? We often go back to the idea that the key is building relationships with students.
She passed on this article to me and I encourage you to give it a read :).
Here's the summary:
The 2×10 strategy: a miraculous solution for behavior issues?
In the eleven years that I’ve been writing on this site, I don’t think I’ve ever, ever used the term “miracle” in relation to behavior management. But lately I’ve been hearing a lot of teachers talk about a strategy that might be as close as it gets. If you have a student for whom no other solutions seem to work, read on.
The 2×10 strategy is simple: spend 2 minutes per day for 10 days in a row talking with an at-risk student about anything she or he wants to talk about. There’s no mystery to the reasoning here, of course–the strategy builds a rapport and relationship between teacher and student, and lets the child see that you genuinely care about him or her as a person.
The miracle is in how it turns that abstract, overwhelming, where-do-I-start concept of relationship building into something easily manageable with an immediate payoff for everyone involved.
According to the article, the results? Almost everyone reported a marked improvement in the behavior and attitude of their one targeted student, and often of the whole class.Many teachers using the Two-by-Ten Strategy for the first time have had a similar corroborating experience: Their worst student became an ally in the class when they forged a strong personal connection with that student.
If you try this strategy, let me know how it goes.
Have a great week!
Julie
Two Weeks at a Glance
Central Calendar
MONDAY, September 19
- Fire Drill (3:00)--1st grade teachers, please go to your specials class for the drill. Specials teachers know where you are taking your students.
- 7:00 p.m. PTO meeting
TUESDAY, September 20
- Data Team Meetings during prep (We will be covering testing security and asking you to sign. If you miss this, please see me to make this up.
- 4:00 High ability district meeting PHS Media Center
WEDNESDAY, September 21
- Professional Development Day 8:00-3:30. Bring your laptop to PCMS at 8:00.
- 3:30 Lexy and April Bridal Shower
THURSDAY, September 22
- Team Leader-Review SIP
- CPI Training for full day
- Kindergarten Data Team during prep
FRIDAY, September 23
- 4th Grade to Participate Bicentennial Torch 11:30 begin lining up on Wabash
MONDAY, September 26
- Book fair begins
- Parent meeting for Smart Steps Body Safety Meeting in Gym
TUESDAY, September 27
- K-2 High Ability Meeting at Central Elementary Conference Room
WEDNESDAY, September 28
THURSDAY, September 29
- Professional Development Committee
- Grandparents Night 5:30-7:30
FRIDAY, September 30
Announcements and Reminders
- Grades 1-5 make sure you give the math end of quarter assessments between September 26th-October 7th--This includes high ability students. Please add student scores (percentages) on a math spreadsheet. Copy and paste the names from the title one reading spreadsheet and make a math spreadsheet. Grades 3-5 I will see about adding a column to our STAR math spreadsheet.
- JDRF (Junior Diabetes Research Foundation) Fundraiser will begin the week of October 3-7. This year we have three students who are diabetic and one other who may be diagnosed within the week. Last year our students raised 1500. 00 of for the foundation. We will sell "tennis shoes" again for a dollar.
- Please share the following in your parent communications. Central Elementary T-Shirts: The t-shirts received last Thursday are a gift from our PTO and made possible through Walk-A-Thon funds These are expected to be worn on field trips, spirit convocation days, and/or other specified days as a way to show our school unity. We want to make you aware of this so you keep them in a place where they can be located for events.
- Parent Teacher Conferences--make sure you let me know how you are going to communicate this to parents. Begin working on this.
Legacy Grants are available. The fall grant deadline is November 1st. I would like to see at least one teacher from Central Elementary submit an application.
AR Information: The Central Office is in negotiations with Renaissance Learning for the purchase of AR. The contract runs Dec to Dec so we are currently working on the next contract. The problem that we currently have is the cost structure has changed. It used to be that we paid for building level licenses, now Ren Learn is charging us per student. I have agreed that we will continue AR through the end of the school year. Each student is charged for a license ($6.40 per license) if a student leaves, the license goes with the student and another must be purchased if a new student moves in.
Thank you for letting me know who uses AR. Grades 2-5 use this program.
- Observations--Everyone should be scheduled. Please let me know if we do not have a set date.
- STEM Team is set and call out for the 4th and 5th grade Academic Math Bowl Team will be in October. Two assistants have let Didi Harris know they are interested in helping. If you would like to help, please let her know.
- Math Textbook Adoption will look very different than in the past. Stay tuned if you are on the committee.
High School Spanish IV Class to visit on Friday, November 4. The students will teach a 30 minute lesson to grades 1 – 5. I appreciate your help and willingness to host my students. 9:00 – 9:30 – Central Visit
November 11 we are having a Veteran's Day program. April Miller is working hard to put this together. Just putting this on your radar.
Please Welcome our New Special Education Teacher!
Nicole McClatchey is our new special education teacher. In addition to her fifteen years of classroom experience as a special education teacher, she has four years of experience as an instructional coach. During her career, she has taught self-contained math and language arts classes in the special education setting, co-taught multiple content area classes in the general education setting, provided inclusion support in a variety of settings, and led small group remediation and re-teaching.
Mrs. McClatchey holds a Masters and Bachelor’s degree in special education. Her current Indiana teaching license includes endorsements for Mild and Intense Intervention (K-12), Mathematics (5-9), and Reading (K-12). Additionally, she is a Reading Specialist.
In her own words, Mrs. McClatchey states, Every day and every year of teaching presents a new set of challenges in meeting students where they are and responding to their needs – academic, emotional, social, and physical. Some of my toughest challenges in the classroom have provided me with the greatest rewards. As I continue my teaching career, I look forward to creating impact, change, and growth for the students and staff of Central Elementary School.
We are excited to have Nicole join our team!CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
- As we enter our 7th week of school, make sure PowerSchool is up to date. A student's grade should reflect accurately his or her performance in your class. I would say you need to have 5-6 grades or more at this point.
- Again your grades should be comprised of 70 percent assessments and 30 percent homework.
- If you were given a license for Raz Kids, Reading A-Z, Headsprout and/or MathSeeds, please make sure you are using these programs with your students. Also, let parents know these programs are available at home.
Staff Celebrations!
- Super Central Attendance August 98.51 percent and September 98.07 percent.
- Shonda thanks for capturing the Science Day moments with your camera! It was a great success!
- THANK YOU to our special education assistants in our resource room. You did an amazing job with our students last week and I know you will continue to be the rocks in the classroom for our kids! There are not enough words of thanks.
- AWESOME job to our Team Time Assistants for a wonderful Science Day. Our students had a blast with the hands on experiments.
- Gina Atkins (15th)
- Mike Underwood (18th)
- Krista Bullington (28)