Kristi's Korner
April 11, 2016 (aka 6 editions left)
Quote of the Week
--Pema Chodron
Ramblings
First of all apologies....I struggle with adding pictures to these newsletters....It always takes me way too long to add them. So to hope to be able to reduce the size would be too great. However, the sizing is rather appropriate because these blankety blank things loom large in my life. If you are unfamiliar with them, lucky you, they are sweet gumballs. There is nothing sweet or wonderfully chewy about them. I have two trees that drop these things in my yard. I have a rather small yard and have filled 30 yard bags this year. Yi yi yi!
For these children, the gumballs were not a problem but an opportunity. What if we approached our jobs in this way? What if we created action plans for each mountain we faced? We would be happier and probably be more successful. I can tell you these kids were floating around my yard without a care in the world.
This past week I was lucky enough to be working with a teacher who is approaching the obstacles in her room just this way. We brainstormed different solutions, and she is trying a variety of things. She is looking at the next seven weeks as a great opportunity instead of just waiting out the year. In addition, she will have built her toolbox for next year.
Out of my conversation two weeks ago with my front yard friends, Atticus has decided to start a business. He is now primary owner of a business called The Gumball Squad. Out of a problem comes great possibilities.
News and Notes
Buddy Rooms: Next Buddy Day is Monday, April 25. Theme is April showers bring time for board games!
PD on the Couch
Less You, More Them: http://pernillesripp.com/2016/01/29/enough-with-the-teacher-talk-ideas-for-getting-more-student-talk/
Free Range Kids: http://www.thenerdyteacher.com/2016/04/free-range-learning-ascd16-makered.html?m=1
How Collaboration Can Work with 1:1: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/sharing-screen-in-1to1-classrooms-monica-burns
I Would Really Like This to Be My Lusher Legacy.....Ditch That Homework: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/reinventing_k12_learning/2016/03/whats_the_hold_up_with_ditching_homework.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-mostpop