Campus Connections
September 25, 2016
Message from Jeff and Yolanda
Four Non-Negotiable Teacher Mindsets
By Dave Stuart Jr.
1. I belong in this professional community.
If you don't think that you belong in your hallway, in your classroom, in your district, in your state, or as a member of the ranks of the noble, professional teachers then you're bound to experience one of several pathologies.
- You'll isolate yourself, keeping your door shut and your classroom closed.
- You'll stop looking for fellow professionals who are dong things better than you.
- You'll view the professional literature as optional, rather than a regular source of needed nutrition.
- You won't take pride in your school or its community, and therefore you won't call forth your best work.
2. My ability and competence can improve with my effort.
If you view yourself as having either no room for improvement ("I've arrived") or no means through which to improve ("I am what I am; I'm just bad at X"), then you won't improve. If you don't believe that there's more you can do or try in reaching That Student Who's Failing or Those Kids Who Don't Turn in Their Homework, your mind has no reason to work the problem and solve it.
3. I can succeed as a teacher.
First, you must define success sanely -- not as simple test score movement, but as the promotion of the long-term flourishing of your kids. That is our single, enduring standard. Current test-obsessed education policy is behind the research, but it will one day catch up: standardized test scores (when the tests are actually of high quality) can tell us something about the cognitive abilities of students, but they tell us little about the noncognitive factors that will inevitably influence long-term for our kids.
Our best bet for improving long-term flourishing outcomes is to help kids develop Strong Cognitive Abilities + Strong Noncognitive Abilities. That's the daily, monthly, and annual success we aim at -- growing those two things, in our specific contexts, as best we possibly can. We work our careers toward that.
Do you believe that you can succeed at helping your students improve at thinking, knowledge-building, reading, writing, speaking, listening, and succeeding. Do you think that, by the end of your year, your students could do these things at levels most wouldn't dream of expecting of them?
4. This work matters.
If you've stopped believing that what you do in the classroom is pregnant with impact potential, you've either got to get to a place where you can believe again or you've got to leave. Some of you get to a place of apathy because you haven't yet learned to satisfice the unimportant work (there's plenty of that) and invest heavily in the important stuff. Others of you allow yourself to work 70 hours per week (and yes, it is working if you're "relaxing" at night with a stack of student papers next to you), and so the work becomes everything and, eventually, nothing. (You need to set a work schedule.)
A kid we didn't reach doesn't mean the work didn't matter. Teach long enough and you will inevitably hear from the kid you could've sworn you failed, only to find that you made an impact. This is the faith-iest part of our work, regardless of your religious beliefs.
How Teacher Mindsets Affect Student Learning!
- Mindsets and beliefs are effective only inasmuch as they are move from the head to the heart. Intellectually assenting to growth mindset, for example -- "Well, of course I can improve with my effort. That's growth mindset. Duh." -- is meaningless. What we're after is making these statements operational rather than theoretical. Colloquially, these need to be in a teacher's heart, not just his head. And I make this point for teachers -- if you sat here and read these statements and said, "Well, yes, I believe these things," then the next question is, "What proof do you have? How have these beliefs translated into action this past week?" We must be always mindful of our tendency to slip away from positive mindsets and into negative mindsets. This is why I say, at the start of this article, that I live inside of Option A -- cultivating the right thinking is perpetual work.
Happenings
Welcome to Tim Hall who on Tuesday joins the LWTC staff as an Automotive Service Technology instructor.
- Erik Carter, school board member elect, will be touring the campus on Monday, 9/26, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Erik Carter is a 1996 graduate of the Cosmetology program at LWTC and has just been elected to the Collier County School Board.
- Title 1 Parent Workshop "Hidden in Plain Sight" will be at LWTHS on Monday, 9/26 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in 4-107. Everyone is welcome to attend.
- Kim Altair, district math coordinator will be on campus Thursday, 9/29 throughout the day to work with the math department on "Powerful Practices" within the math classroom.
Wellness Corner
Thank you to Khris Betten-Jutasi for sharing the paragraph below written by her ELCATE student Fredenel.
It is very important for everyone to create to a good habit of regular exercise. Based on the positive impact that working out could have in people’s health, all human bodies need exercise.There are several types of exercises people can do, such as spin class, yoga class, walking, going to gym and riding a bicycle. None of these are better than others. The best thing people have to do is choose what exercises they enjoy doing, so that they can stay with it. A great healthy habit is, to start practicing physical activity at a young age. As Mr. Schnappauf shared, "Start a healthy habit at a young age".
Written by Fredenel (ELCATE-CCR)Reminders
- 9/26 Erick Carter to Visit LWTC/LWTHS 9:00-11:00 a.m.
- 9/26 - 9/30 Book tables, with free books, will be setup in the LWTC lobby.
- 9/28 Collier County Public Library Headquarters (2385 Orange Blossom Dr.) hosts Family Literacy Night 5:30 - 7:00 PM
- 9/28 Web on Wednesdays (Working in the Cloud) at 2:15 p.m.
- 9/29 Poetry Comes to LWTC Dining Rooms A & B 9:30-10:30 a.m.
- 9/29 Barnes & Nobles (Waterside Shops, 5377 Tamiami Trail N) hosts Family Literacy Night 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
- 9/30 "Student Campus Connection" event - wear your favorite sports jersey. There will be music, hot dogs, chips and water during all lunches in the courtyard.
- PLT Reflections are due on September 30th.
Save the Date - October 14th is the Advisory Committee Luncheon. Invitations were mailed to your advisory committee members on Friday.
Come and represent Lorenzo Walker Technical College and High School at the 11th Annual United Way Walk the Way on Saturday, October 1 at the North Collier Regional Park. The 5k run begins at 7:30 am and the 1K walk begins at 7:45 am. The registration fee for the run is $30 and the walk is $15. The price goes up after September 30. If you are interested, contact Belynda Williams at williabe@collierschools.com to let me know you are coming. Wear your LWTC/LWTH gear. Registration link is http://www.unitedwayofcolliercounty.org/run-walk-4-way . Participants who register will receive a same day pass to Sun N Fun park and a t-shirt and runners will receive a placement medal as well.
Staff and Student of the Month!
- We are excited to bring back our nominations for Staff and Student of the Month. Please include this on your agenda for team/department meetings or just nominate students who are doing great work in your classes! Also, your opportunity to give Kudos to staff member by nominating a staff member for the month of September. Nominating a Staff of Student of the month is quick and easy. Just click on the Padlet link. Type the name of the nominated staff or student in the "Title" portion of the Padlet and post and your reasoning in the body of the post.
9th grade Link:
10th grade Link:
11th grade Link:
12th grade Link:
Kudos to . . .
- Kristy Meghreblian for sharing the Four Non-Negotiable Teacher Mindsets article for our Campus Connection.
- Sue James for coordinating a NHS committee to select the newest members to the organization.
- Joseph Martino for training Andy Flinn.
- Bruce Peters and Lori Mitchell for their ongoing collaboration as we have placed all 46 juniors into two PN classes this year. It is our first time ever running two Dual Enrollment PN classes. Without their hard work and dedication, our students would not have this amazing opportunity!
- Mel Simmons-Rosen for sharing her students success and active engagement activities "Open-Mic Friday" and "Argumentative Vocabulary practice using Quizlet Live". The students actually asked to play again to learn vocabulary! If you haven't tried Quizlet Live, it is a fun and easy way to get students involved.
Victor Velesquez and custodial staff for helping move furniture to get the MakeIt Lab ready for its grand opening.
Fay Warfield for setting up the refreshments for the in-service.
Margot Dagher for following up with all students, 9th-12th and getting 100% of media release forms!
- Mary Ann O'Brien and Kirk Jervis for being our teacher representatives for the School Advisory Committee.
- Barbara Belkoff for coordinating the Poetry Comes to LWTC.
Happy Birthday!
Upcoming Staff Meetings and Trainings
- Next Clinical Education classes start November 2nd. Sign up to get certified to become a teacher mentor!
Campus Activities
- Afterschool Homework Academy, HOPE Lab, 2:35-3:45, Rebecca Merhar
- 9/26, Voter Registration, Senior Class Government 4-319 7-1:50 pm, Tara Barr
- 9/26, Ceiling Tiles Sales for Seniors to decorate. 4-315 & Courtyard during lunch, Tara Barr
- 9/26 & 9/30, Seniors to decorate the Senior Hallway, 2-3pm, Tara Barr
- 9/28, Admissions personnel for UF is coming to LWTHS on 9:30-11:30 to speak with interested seniors. Abby Lambley
- 9/29, Picture day for 9th -11th grade will be held throughout the day. Rita Kentros
- 9/30, NHS induction ceremony will be held at 6:00 p.m. in Cafe A. Sue James