Conquistador Corner
Arroyo Seco Junior High School -- November 8, 2019
Staff Stuff
Happy Friday. Remember there is no school on Monday. I hope you all have a chance to get some rest and relaxation on this long weekend.
Thank you to all of our Veterans and families of Veterans. I couldn't resist sharing the video below of a dog being reunited with his soldier.
Thank you to Will, Daniel, and Michele for this week's contribution (and a great idea) regarding co-teaching and collecting beneficial data. Thank you again to Rachael for the Weekly Wellness.
Thanks for a great week and have a fantastic three day weekend!
Upcoming Events
November 11: Veteran's Day (no school)
November 13: Late Start schedule - Teacher Work (grades)
November 20: Late Start schedule - Focus Groups
November 21 & 22: Winter Play
November 22: Min day dismissal at 11:35 (vision screening)
November 25-29: Thanksgiving Break (no school)
December 4: Late Start schedule - Department collaboration
December 5: Winter Band Concert
December 11: Late Start schedule - Individual PD
December 12: Winter Choir Concert
December 18: Late Start schedule - Teacher Work (grades)
December 19: End 1st Semester
December 20: Teacher Work Day
December 23-January 10: Winter Break (no school)
January 13: Start 2nd Semester
Principal for a Day John Evarts of Honu Coffee
Question of the Week
Some of your favorite scary movies included: the first Halloween, the original Scream, The Shining, The Sixth Sense, and Signs.
Favorite scary books include The Ghost in the Machine by Patrick Carman and Nightmares and Dreamscapes by Stephen King: "Specifically the 'Crouches End' short story ... it's a mashup of Lovcraftian mythos and King's vivid prose, truly creepy."
Another choice was "Jurassic Park (the first one). I read the book in high school and it’s so much better than the movie, but the movie is still great too!"
And the winner is .... Christol Tracy! Congratulations and stop by to collect your prize. Thank you to everyone who participated.
Choir News
Hart District Employees of the Year
Simple Co-Teaching Strategy to Gain Beneficial Data
Co-teaching Models: One Teach, One Collect Data
By: Susan Fitzell
https://susanfitzell.com/co-teaching-models-one-teach-one-collect-data/
A frequently used co-teaching model is “One Teach, One Support” or, by another name, “One Teach, One Observe.” This is one of several effective ways to co-teach that allows for flexibility in teaching methods: it can help teachers learn to work together smoothly as they observe each other’s teaching styles; teachers can switch quickly between the teacher and support/observer roles; and they can transition quickly into the next chunk of the class period, such as moving from direct instruction to student implementation. To an outsider, though, the co-teacher who is observing or supporting doesn’t appear to be doing anything. That can cause some misunderstandings with administrators or even other teachers in the staff room. “Oh, wouldn’t it be nice to have a job where I just sit around in the back of the room and help kids?” other teachers might say. There’s a simple way to defeat that: carry a clipboard and a pen. Collect some data. So, rather than “One Teach, One Support,” the model becomes “One Teach, One Collect Data.”
Data collection ideas:
- student behavior
- which students need more support
- students who make a positive impact on the day
- gathering observational data for IEP meetings
- charting student participation
- specific on-task behaviors
- specific group interactions
Motivational Monday
Weekly Wellness
November “Take Care of Yourself”
For teachers, the stretch between mid-October and Thanksgiving is the most emotionally challenging phase of the school year. This phase is called the “disillusionment period,” when the excitement, hope, and adrenaline of the new school year have worn off and winter break seems impossibly distant. Furthermore, by November, kids haven’t yet demonstrated their learning in a way that matches our output of energy and effort. We can’t yet see the results of all that hard work. This is what makes us say to ourselves, Is it really worth it to work this hard?
As we roll through November what would happen if we devoted time and energy to tending to our physical and emotional needs? What if during this time, teachers supported each other to take walks, eat nutritious lunches, and sleep? Isn’t it worth focusing on our self-care for a month if there’s a chance we could prevent illness, feel happier, and serve children more effectively? A healthy, well-rested body is foundational for emotional resilience. -Elena Aguilar, Onward
Here is some more information about the link between exercise, your mind and emotional resilience:
https://www.onwardthebook.com/what-actually-happens-to-your-brain-when-you-exercise/
https://www.onwardthebook.com/the-link-between-exercise-and-resilience/
Arroyo Seco Junior High School
Email: akeyne@hartdistrict.org
Website: www.arroyosecojuniorhigh.org
Phone: 661-296-0991