Bingham Elementary
News and Notes Week of April 9
Weekly Schedule
Monday
- Pledge - on canvas
- 3rd Grade Dress Rehearsal - 2:00
Tuesday
- Pledge - Diallo
- PTA Meeting - Library 6:30
- 3rd Grade Performance - East Grand 6:30
Wednesday
- Pledge - Diallo
- I will be out all day
Thursday
- Pledge - Diallo
Friday
- Pledge - Diallo
Crazy Doc's rant and raves...
Field Trip Question - I had a teacher ask today, so I wanted to clarify. If you want to refuse a student a field trip you need to have an established system that you follow and have notified the parents about. For example - Mrs. Calloway uses a three strike system and notifies the parents with each of the strikes. If we have an established system and follow with clear communication it is going to make it an easier process for all involved.
Teacher Spotlight
Mrs. Cook has been recognized for cleaning out the freezer in the break room. There is also an unnamed person who cleaned out the fridge.
Do you have a idea for a person in the spotlight? Please let me know.
Okay, I should be sharing positive videos, so I am sorry for this. It was funny this week.
From Jessica
Today we had our last Conscious Discipline book study and one of my biggest takeaways today was that we have to give ourselves time to wrap our head around Conscious Discipline. The concepts that Conscious Discipline teaches goes against the traditional, punitive punishment that all of us grew up with, it also goes against the model we learned when we were student teaching to just ignore bad behavior, and only reinforce positive behavior. We have to give ourselves time to learn this new process and reflect on each incident to determine if we could have handled it differently to help teach the student new skills.
The other hard adjustment with Conscious Discipline is it feels like it takes our "control" away. We feel that when we tell a student to do something that they should just do it the first time with no argument, but the reality is that our culture/society is changing and our students are coming in with very different home lives. I have to admit the minute I become frustrated with a child I sometimes resort back to the traditional model of me being the one in control and I also have to admit...it rarely works as well as when I can stay in my executive state and keep using my Conscious Discipline techniques.
The last chapter of the book does discuss consequences. It's important that we realize that a punishment (the infliction or imposition of a penalty as retribution for an offense) is not the same thing as a consequence (result or effect of an action or condition). We want to develop an intention to teach instead of an intention to control or to save our students. Conscious Discipline teaches that we really don't have the ability to control another individual.
Intention to save: The goal of this intention is to rescue the child from their feelings by saving them. When we save students from their feelings we are teaching them that these feelings are bad or that they are incapable of handling their feelings. This teaches children to use their intelligence and energy for manipulating and entitlement instead of responsibility.
Intention to punish: The goal is to make children feel bad about themselves, or guilty for their behavior. It's not about what the student is feeling but what the adult believes they should be feeling. This teaches students to use their intelligence and energy to blame, defend, and deflect instead of taking responsibility.
Intention to teach: The goal is to help children reflect on how they feel about the impact of their behavior in order to help them take responsibility for their actions. This teaches students to use their intelligence and energy to manage intense feelings, take responsibility, and create healthier options in the future. We can't teach children responsibility by demanding or threatening children into admitting their mistakes, we teach it through creating the safety and connection needed for them to reflect and listen to the messages their feelings provide.
It is vital we become conscious of both intent and impact. We tend to judge ourselves by our intentions and ignore our impact on others. We judge others by the impact of their behavior on us and ignore their intentions.
On-Going Reminders
- If you send a student to the focus room please do so with one of the tickets Casey has provided, that way she knows why they are there. If they do not have a ticket they will be sent back to class.
- Please remember to give yourself credit for the events you attend. Each teacher is expected to attend 3 after school events. Next year we will move to a model where each grade level and department is represented at each PTA meeting. Here is the check in for our events so far: https://docs.google.com/a/sps.org/spreadsheets/d/1xru7fuenf01e2mb01wCoQhbrDw_zVEI_wImMFI7wA1g/edit?usp=sharing
- Please remember to only send emergencies to the nurse's office during breakfast and lunch. Please use a blue note when you do. Nurse's lunch time is 12:50 - 1:20.
- If you send a student to the office for a phone call or any other reason please make sure they have a pass.
- Please make sure you are not sending large printing jobs to the basic printers, please send these to the copiers.
- Lunch counts and attendance need to be entered by 9:20, or Terri will start calling.
Recycling
- K-1 will be Monday and Thursday
- 2-3 will be Tuesday and Friday
- 4-5 plus Mrs. Slover, the office and stage will be Wednesday
Bingham Elementary
Email: ameador@spsmail.org
Website: http://bingham.spsk12.org/pages/BinghamES
Location: 2126 East Cherry Street, Springfield, MO, United States
Phone: (417) 523-3400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/400030176727396/
Twitter: @MeadorAdam