WELCOME TO THE 2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR
ON THE ROAD TO GLORY!!!!!
WELCOME TO RPS
Welcome to the greatest profession! Your energy for learning, students and their passions makes you a wonderful addition to Richmond Public Schools. I have no doubt the difference you will make in the lives of students and to the field of education. I look forward to working with you to help provide the best educational experience for the students in Richmond Public Schools.
When students walk through your door September 8th, please remember that you are a difference maker! The small gestures you make to welcome students, and demonstrate an interest in their lives, will have an impact. There is tremendous power in a smile, learning student’s names, a handshake, or an encouraging word. In the coming year, you will have opportunities to build confidence where it hasn’t existed, develop connections that have never been present, and generate hope for students whose academic careers have been marred by hopelessness. All of these are truly super powers! You should all be proud of the profession you have chosen, the hard work you do on behalf of our students, and the determination with which you address challenges. In the first few days/weeks of school I challenge you to really get to know your students, share a little about yourself, develop meaningful connections, and make decisions based upon what is best for kids.
I leave you with this quote to reflect on: I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized. ~ Haim Ginot
Thank you for all you do or is about to do for the students in Richmond Public Schools, your efforts are noticed, and appreciated!!!!
Have an awesome school year,
Mrs. H. Easter
First Day of School
“This is my first day of school. How much are we supposed to tip the cafeteria staff?”
Super Heroes
I Teach
Keys to Student Engagement
Relationships: To grow ’em you must know ’em. Knowing our students seems obvious, yet many students claim that we do not "get" them. Students want and need a relationship with us. They work harder and smarter when they know that their learning matters to us. When students feel valued, honored, and respected, there is an interest and energy in the process of learning that reaches far beyond the content we teach.
Understanding A wise saying we’re familiar with goes, "seek first to understand and demonstrate that understanding before seeking to be understood." How do we demonstrate to our students that we understand and value them; in our words, with our actions, and by our expectations?
Variety:Variety adds spice to life and to our teaching. We must use a variety of teaching methods. No matter how gifted a teachers you are, using the same method to teach each class can become monotonous- for you and the students.
WWW: The information super highway. It is not only the pathway learners in the 21st century seek out and locate information. It is a place where we engage in the creation, and co-creation of content and understanding.
Xtra: I have heard educators say that there is no time for engagement, there is too much content to cover. Giving kids time to collaborate, create, talk, and reflect is just Xtra work. Can we turn "Xtra" into "Xpectation", so engagement is no longer an option, it becomes an expectation.
You. This alphabet list of student engagement from A to Z will only become alive if you take these thoughts and ideas and put them into practice — did you notice the only thing missing from the Corporate Alphabet picture at the start of this article was “U”?
Engaged learning requires leadership. Our leadership reflects the research and philosophies we believe in and promote: a team of educators engaging and supporting one another. As a leader, U can coach, model, mentor and support our colleagues in the process of creating and sustaining engaging classrooms.
Zeal: Energy and enthusiasm are contagious. One of the best compliments I ever received from a student, "I did not really like the topic you were presenting on, but you were so excited, I couldn’t help but pay attention!" When we show kids our zeal and passion for what we believe in, we welcome them to share their own. Love what you do, and present it with zeal everyday! Even if it is the 100th time you have presented it, remember it is the first for these students!
Questions: Questions that stretch student minds, invite curiosity, provoke thinking, and instill a sense of wonder, keep students engaged. Successful student engagement requires a classroom culture that invites mutual inquiry, gives permission to investigate open-ended and suggestive questions
Self Efficacy: Self efficacy is commonly defined as the belief in one’s capabilities
to achieve a goal or an outcome. Students with a strong sense of efficacy are more likely to challenge themselves with difficult tasks and be intrinsically motivated. These students will put forth a high degree of effort in order to meet their commitments,and attribute failure to things which are in their control, rather than blaming external factors. Self-efficacious students also recover quickly from setbacks, and ultimately are likely to achieve their personal goals.
Teacher (as student). Students see the teaching part of our persona every day. We stand before them telling and showing them how wise and passionate we are about the topics we teach. But, do we stand before them as learners? What would that do to engagement, if we shared with students how we came to know, how we faced and conquered learning challenges, and most importantly how we can help them do the same. Teachers who stand before their class as learners first, are more successful teachers because of it.
THINGS YOU CAN USE!!!!
Resources to write Lesson Plans
Visual Thesaurus
username: students@richmond.k12.va.us
password: richmond
http://richmond.visualthesaurus.com
Teaching Books
username: rps email address
password: Richmond
Edmodo
For school passcode: see your
ITRT or email pgardner
RPS Centrex
my username: ____________
my password: ____________
http://richmondps.eschoolsolutions.com
Spanish Reference Library
username: rpshome
password: home
21st Century Explorer
username: rpshome
password: home
Brain Pop – Home
username: rpschools_teacher
password: 4me2use
Brain Pop & BP Jr.- School
username: rpschools
password: 4me2use
Discovery Streaming
http://www.unitedstreaming.com/
For school passcode: see LMS or
ITRT
TumbleBooks & Cloud JR
No username & password required
thru Library of Virginia so use this
URL: http://tinyurl.com/
rpstumble
World Book Online
username: rpshome
password: home
http://www.worldbookonline.com
Classroom Clips
Sign up for your own username and
password; use Richmond Public
Schools email.
Flocabulary - students
username & password:
richmondcps
Flocabulary - teachers
my username: ____________
my password: ____________
K-12 Science Instructional Specialist
Email: heaster@richmond.k12.va.us
Website: scienceblab.wordpress.com
Location: 301 North 9th Street, Richmond, VA, United States
Phone: 804-780-7770
Twitter: @helena260