Week at a Glance
"A" Week- December 8th to December 12th, 2014
Monday, Dec. 8-
9:15 A.M. 5th Grade PLC
10:30 A.M. 4th Grade PLC
12:50 P.M. 2nd Grade PLC
Family Culture Survey goes home with students today.
Tuesday, Dec. 9- Tanya at Admin., in the morning
Wednesday, Dec. 10- Tammy, Michelle D. and Tanya at Annual Conference for Teachers of Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students
2:05 P.M. 3rd Grade PLC
Thursday, Dec. 11-
8:25 A.M. 6th Grade PLC
1:15 P.M. 1st Grade PLC
7:00 P.M. PTO Meeting- Staff reps: Pam S., Jenny and Sara
Friday, Dec. 12- W.E.14 All-day in-service, No School for Students
We are planning to schedule a collaboration session for Inclusion TAs and the LBS, and a Playworks planning session---stay tuned for more details and times for these collaboration meetings.
Three Ways to Stay Positive Attitude and Keep Stress at Bay!
Many thanks to Julie for sharing this e-mail from the School Improvement Network, and is a timely reminder that we can do this!! :)
The Power of a Positive Attitude in Fighting Stress-
There’s a universal truth about teaching that almost every teacher understands all too well: stress is part of the job. Regardless of how experienced, how prepared, or how rested we feel, when we start a new day, the stress level goes up.
One of the best ways to keep stress at bay is to maintain a positive attitude. While this might seem to be easier said than done, you can use these three sure-fire techniques to help keep your attitude bright and positive.
1. Perform acts of kindness
According to research reported by Allen Mendler (2012), author of When Teaching Gets Tough: Smart Ways to Reclaim Your Game, happiness can increase simply by one’s own acts of kindness for one week. By consciously focusing on kindness, we tend to be kinder to ourselves (Otake, Shimai, Tanaka-Matsumi, Otsui, & Fredrickson, 2006).
2. Focus on what’s working
Another tip from Mendler is to track the positive things happening in your life by keeping a “three-good-things” journal. Every day, document three things that went well in school and in your personal life and what caused them. The research suggests that doing this for just seven days in a row can reduce depression and increase happiness for months (Seligman, Steen, & Park, 2005).
3. Express appreciation
Choose three colleagues at school and share one or two things that you appreciate about each of them. Start with people you know and with whom you feel comfortable. Then, for a challenge, consider choosing colleagues that you don’t often speak with, or even colleagues with whom you may have conflicts. Make sure that the appreciations you share are genuine and from the heart. Even with your most challenging colleagues, you can always find genuine appreciations. Reminder: This isn’t a “gratitude exchange.” It’s quite possible that you won't receive appreciations in return. No worries—it’s your own expressions of gratitude that yield the biggest benefits.
Staying Positive Isn’t Just For Teachers
Keeping your students positive is also essential for success in your classroom. One way to emphasize positive behaviors and attitudes is by using a class reward system.
The most effective reward systems:
- Give rewards based on specific performance criteria
- Compare students’ performance to their own past performance
- Generate enthusiasm
- Are administered consistently and fairly to all students
Effective reward systems encourage both student participation and teamwork, and provide support for school values.
Incredible team work when subs are not available...
I want to thank Kim W., Robyn, Sara and Michelle for helping to ensure that last Friday went smoothly for our students, as we scrambled for guest teachers!
After School Activities- Session Two
5th and 6th Grade Edgewood "Highlights" Media Club- Sara Tomasevich
5th and 6th Grade Math Masters- Jenny Koutsogiannis
4th and 5th grade Recorder Club- Robyn Canene
2nd/3rd or 3rd/4th Math Masters- Melanie Andrew (PTO donated stipend)
This week we will be sending home the invites/parent permission letters. Please be sure to have students take them home immediately. (Do not wait to include them in Friday Folders.)
Many thanks our second session teachers for their planning and preparation for our next round of after school activities!
Upcoming Things...
Monday, Dec. 15- Monday Meeting, Indivdual Reflection/ Intermediate Wing PARCC assessment readiness
Wednesday, Dec. 17 11:00 A.M.- 9:00 P.M. Go Roma "No Cook" Night- PTO Fundraiser
First/Second Grade Musical- ELFis and the Sleigh Riders-and- 5th and 6th Grade Chorus!
1:45 P.M. Performance, Edgewood Gym
6:30 Performance, at JJHS
Thursday, Dec. 18th- No Band Lessons- Congratulations to Brad for his opportunity to present at the Midwest Clinic, in Chicago!
4:30 P.M. Edgewood Holiday Staff Party-
The Wise Boxer Pour House, 16 W. Jefferson, Naperville
Many thanks to Robyn, Lindsey and Laura for planning our celebration!
Friday, Dec. 19- Holiday Parties
Mrs. Tanya Hughes, Principal
Email: hughest@woodridge68.org
Website: www.woodridge68.org
Location: 7900 Woodridge Drive, Woodridge, IL
Phone: 630-985-4382
Twitter: @EdgeEagles