AMCMS Principal's Office
What is going on in the Principal's Office?
My Challenge to You
At the start of the week there was an article in 'The Eagle' that I have embedded above. This article discusses how incoming students at Texas A&M need to embrace creativity as a part of their education at Texas A&M. I was excited to see this message sent out to the newest crop of Aggies but this message also made me wonder... was the expectation for embracing creativity just placed upon the student body or was it also placed upon the teaching faculty as well?
I know that people often do not think of themselves as creative. If we were all in the lecture hall right now and I asked you to raise your hand if you thought of yourself as creative that less than 10 people would raise your hand. Most people just do not see themselves as creative. I have news for you, you are creative-- you just don't realize it.
As teachers you have to think of new and different ways to reach your students if you want to create authentic engagement and reach the deepest levels of understanding and learning. If you just put up notes on the board, assign reading assignments, assign vocabulary lists and then give quizzes over those assignments... I agree. You are not being creative. That does not mean that you CANNOT be creative.
A great example of creative thinking came from the 8th grade math team. They decided to review and teach fractions and ratios with their classes by making homemade ice cream. When they first came up with the idea they were very unsure and almost afraid of what would happen... how successful would they be... would the students actually learn. Guess what. It was very successful.
Students were engaged in the lesson. Students were dividing cups into different parts, dividing fourths into eights, reducing the amounts needed in the recipe... working with fractions without even realizing it at first. This is what happens when we think creatively. This is what happens when we think outside of the box. This is what happens when we take a risk to teach the same material with a different approach.
How about you? What can you do differently? What will you do differently to create a different level of student engagement?
Think. Achieve. Succeed.
Jeff
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Technology Tips from Mr. Alexander
Don't forget to log into Eduhero and take the three required courses.
- Go to the "Go page"
- click PD
- select Eduhero
- login
- Click View All
- Select one of the 3 courses you would like to begin
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Please make sure your grades are up to date in E-School so parents can access grade info in HAC.
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Week at a Glance
Tuesday: Rhea @ AMCMS; Scott at AED/CPR training--AM; AMCMS PTO Meeting 12:15 Lecture Hall; Football Games
Wednesday: Rhea @ OW; Mann at principal meeting 8:30 - 12:00; Department Head Meeting 4:30; Football Game
Thursday: Rhea @ AMCMS; Feagan at writers workshop; Volleyball Match
Friday: Rhea @ OW; Crime Stoppers Snack Attack after school
Saturday: Robotics Kickoff at Rudder HS
A&M Consolidated Middle School
Email: jmann@csisd.org
Website: http://amcms.csisd.org/
Location: 105 Holik Street, College Station, TX, United States
Phone: 979-764-5575
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMCMS.Home.of.the.Cats
Twitter: @AMCMSCatPRIDE