The WSN 2.0
Bristol Weekly Staff News - 1/4/19
"Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have." Margaret Mead
In this WSN:
A Pep Talk from Kid President
- Looking Ahead
- Ramp up that resolution: Make it S.M.A.R.T.
- Teaching in Beta (Repeat Post)
- Notes & Reminders from the Office
1. A Pep Talk from Kid President
2. Looking Ahead
All dates are accessible at all times on Google Calendar: "Bristol School Calendar"
Mon. 1/7
- C Day
- Bushmann Pledge this week
- CLT Leadership Meeting, 3:15-4
Tue. 1/8
- D Day
Wed. 1/8
- A Day
- CLT Meetings in Conf. Room
- PAC, 3:15-4:00
Thurs. 1/9
- B Day
- Earthquake Drill, 8:30 am
- 4th Grade Field Trip to Arch, 9-1
- PTO Meeting, 7-8
Fri. 1/10
- C Day
3. Ramp up that resolution: Make it S.M.A.R.T.
I've heard all kinds of statistics about new years resolutions and their success rates. Most of them are well... not great... somewhere in the neighborhood of 50%.
As I've done some reading on what it takes to make them work, I realized that its about the same as writing high quality goals for our work here at school...all we need to do is to take those hopes and dreams and make them S.M.A.R.T.!
S: Specific
M: Measurable
A: Achievable
R: Relevant
T: Time Bound
Check out the The Essential Guide to Writing S.M.A.R.T. Goals (link below) to step up your personal and professional goals as we head into the new year!
https://www.smartsheet.com/blog/essential-guide-writing-smart-goals
4. Teaching in Beta (repeat post)
The WGSD Vision Statement (adopted by the WGSD Board of Education June 24, 2013) reads as follows: "As a learning community, the Webster Groves School District will lead in purposeful innovation that challenges each of us to discover and pursue our passions and make a positive impact on the world."
Last year at Bristol, one of our areas of focus for the year was to be innovative in ways that support student learning. (You may also remember being gifted the the book Poke the Box.)
In the spirit of this idea of encouraging innovation in teaching and learning I am sharing the article below by Jennifer Gonzales, Teaching in Beta: What We Can Learn from Software Developers...
"Tell me if this sounds like you: You hear about a new teaching idea and decide you’d like to try it. Then for the next two, three, six months, you put it off, waiting for the day when you can get it just right. Your “idea” file grows thicker and thicker, and most of it never gets used.
If this is you, it might be time to add a little beta to your practice.
In the tech world, the term beta refers to software or other products that have not yet been perfected, but are released to the public for a kind of trial run..."
Click here to read the whole article: https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/beta-teaching/
For reflection: Whats something you've wanted to try in your classroom for the sake of student learning but haven't done YET? Did you learn something at your first Winter Choice Learning session that you might be able to try/tinker with? Something else? What is the first step you need to take to try "teaching in beta"? Talk to Hannah or I if you need help :)
4. Notes & Reminders from the Office
Jan. 17 Book Tasting on 1/17: See info below!
- RESOURCE DOC: See AMT visual and PDF doc below.