Mrs. Miller's Weekly Update
October 31 - November 6, 2022
learning in today's world
Fast forward to today, and the whole educational system is different. I can find facts in no time via Google on my phone. I don't need to go to the library, learn the Dewey Decimal System, and search for the most recent (although already outdated) information on a topic. School is different now. Learning is different now.
That's why the above quote caught my attention. We no longer need to memorize all the facts because we can so easily find them with the click of a button. Education today needs to prepare our kids for a fast paced, challenging environment where we need to teach our kids to think. This means our kids need to ask questions, have collaborative conversations, and challenge responses to gain a deeper understanding of learning.
The buzz word is "higher order thinking", which means thinking on a level that is higher than memorizing facts or telling something back to someone exactly the way it was told to you. Higher order thinking skills (HOTS) is often used to refer to the transferring of information, critical thinking, and problem solving. These are the skills we want our students to practice in order to prepare them for life beyond high school. As a leader, I am committed to working with my team to focus on just that!
Although the quote below refers to parenting, it applies to education too. I played school well back in the 80s. Instead of my super cool pen that allowed me to choose black, red, blue, or green with the simple click of a button, kids can now buy Pilot Gel Pens with like 30 colors! There are individual laptops for kids and Google Classroom. These did not exist when I was a high school student.
Therefore, I can't expect our kids to learn the same way I did or many of us parents did. They don't need to. The world is a much different place, and it's our obligation to teach them for the world we live in now and for the future yet to come.
relationships are critical
Teaching With Empathy
Life is complicated. I was reminded of that this past week. Many of our students have incredibly busy schedules and heavy academic work loads. Many of our kids have some pretty heavy things going on in their lives outside of school. Those situations can carry over into our school day and impact attendance, attitude, and motivation. That is why it's so important to for us to lead and teach with empathy.
According to Amanda Morin in the article, Teaching With Empathy: Why It’s Important, "Empathy is a powerful tool that can help you better understand what’s driving your students’ behavior and find strategies to help. It can also help you connect and work through difficult moments together." And when we connect with our students, they are better able to learn from us. Teaching with empathy will be a focus for our team at GHVHS.
How did our boys do at State Cross Country? CHECK IT OUT on social media!
How did our girls do at at the State Cheer Competition Saturday? Keep your eyes open. Details will be coming!
What is our play that begins next weekend? See our social media pages for the title, dates, and times!
How is GHV ranked according to the Iowa School Performance Profile? How close was the high school to being ranked High Performing?
What has been going on in our classrooms?
Pictured below are glimpses into some of the items posted on our social media pages.
CHECK OUT FACEBOOK, TWITTER, OR INSTAGRAM
to find the answers to the questions listed above!
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ghvschools/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ghvschools
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/GHVSchools
Rather than giving you updates in my newsletter each week, I encourage you to check out our 3 social media sites where things will be shared on a daily basis.
TEACHERS, SPONSORS, & COACHES - Remember to submit what is happening so we can share it on social media. It's easy and fast! If you need a reminder on how to do this, touch base with your building principal.
GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT GHVHS! ROLL CARDS!
Weekly Calendar
Mon., Oct. 31 - HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Tues., Nov. 1
4:00 - 6:00 p.m. - 5-8 Grade Girls Basketball Camp @ HS
Wed., Nov. 2
4:00 - 6:00 p.m. - 5-8 Grade Girls Basketball Camp @ HS
Thurs., Nov. 3
3:45 p.m. - Girls Track Open Gym - HS Weight Room
4:00 - 6:00 p.m. - 5-8 Grade Girls Basketball Camp @ HS
Fri., Nov. 4
7:00 p.m. - Fall Play - "The Canterbury Tales..or Geoffrey Chaucer's Flying Circus" by Burton Bumgarner.
Sat., Nov. 5
7:00 p.m. - Fall Play - "The Canterbury Tales..or Geoffrey Chaucer's Flying Circus" by Burton Bumgarner.
Sun., Nov. 6