Falcon Flyer
Week of October 21, 2018
Leadership Thoughts
One of the benefits of being done with my doctoral program is that I now have time to read for pleasure. A principal in another district recently gifted me with a copy of The Leadership Handbook by John Maxwell. While I was reading it this weekend, I came upon a passage that brought this interaction with the student to mind. The passage was referring to leaders in organizations, specifically to those that rely upon their position to gather respect. "If you are in a leadership position, do not rely on your title to convince people to follow you. Build relationships. Win people over. Do that and you will never be a lonely leader" (p. 6). It is important to work with students to help them understand how both the teacher and the student are necessary for success. We have to be a team to find success, to reach our goals together.
I challenge you this week to find that student, the one that is difficult to connect with. You know the one, I guarantee at least one name immediately popped into your head when you read that sentence. Find a way to connect with that child. Let that child know that you need him/her in your classroom daily. Let him/her know that what happened yesterday or last week does not matter today because we are starting a new day! I have no doubt that you can make a difference in that child's life!
Supervision
Oral Testing in Schoology - GOOGLE Read & Write Extension
A big thanks to Shelly Bauer for letting us know about this outstanding resource!
A wonderful extension offered with Google is called “Read&Write”. This allows the computer to read aloud many different types of documents on the Chromebook. First, go to the Chrome Web Store and download the extension called “Read & Write”. This will appear as an extension that looks like a purple puzzle piece up in the top right. When pulling up a document, click on the extension. A bar will appear across the top of the document. There are so many different options available! If you want to have the Chromebook read to you, it’s as easy as pressing the play button! This will also work with assignments, tests and quizzes on Schoology! Other features include speech-to-text, dictionaries, word prediction when writing, and more! A 30 day free version is available with all the features. After 30 days, some of the features are still available!
Teachers can get a free premium subscription (with all the features, all the time!). To register and activate the free teacher subscription, install the Read & Write Google Chrome trial and then go to texthelp.com/en-gb/products/read-write/free-for-teachers/.
Incentive Schedule
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Na8BqDB5zpxh5mAAv-BZooJq8IHMDPO7JlN3b3rC5Cs/edit?usp=sharing
United Way
MOVIE REMINDER
Please remember that we must use each minute of instructional time in the very best manner as possible. In doing so, please keep in mind that showing an entire movie or more than a 15 minute clip of a movie (total, not just in one class period) is probably not the best use of our time.
Though it is often difficult to come up with quality assignments that can be left for substitutes, we have many options available to us like mobymax or odysseyware that would be much more beneficial to our students than a movie. These are great programs that continue instruction and practice even when you are not able to be with your students.
Also - please be reminded that district procedures state that middle school students cannot be shown any movie that is rated anything other than G.. If the movie is rated anything over G, and you are wanting to show a clip, you must have Lisa view and approve the clip BEFORE showing it to students.
Football
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-KI6uZ14Z8WNSekxJRJn6poI0fswzOOQ/view?usp=sharing
The water was cold, but those boys were so excited. And much to Mr. Floyd's dismay, I have promised that we can both be "doused" if they win this week.
Light Matters
Field Trip & Professional Leave Forms
Working Wednesday Changes
Safe Schools Videos
Saturday School
Lisa will meet with grade levels this Friday afternoon (during 2nd related) to determine which students should be included.
If you are interested in teaching during Saturday School (with pay) please let Lisa know as soon as possible.