Warner Update
Making a difference, one person at a time
Setting the Tone (January 11 - January 18)
- Teacher in Louisville, Kentucky
If I were to ask educators a series of questions what would the answers look like?
Has education changed over the last 10 years?
In your opinion do students struggle to self-regulate?
Is mental health a growing concern in your classroom/school?
Do you expect students to learn coping strategies outside of school?
When I reflect on my own K-12 schooling my brain often starts with positive memories. I think of the teachers that cared for me and I felt a connection with. I would hope that everyone has a memory of an educator that made a difference in their life.
As a high school student it can be easy to get into a mindset of "too cool for school." I'm quite positive that as a teenager my friends and I exhibited this from time to time. However there was one classroom I don't think I had this attitude. I was a sophomore and each day I visited Mrs. Dennison's classroom I was a better version of myself.
The reason is actually obvious.
Even in high school Mrs. Dennison made a point of always starting class by focusing on the atmosphere and connecting with us as students. It's because of how Mrs. Dennison made us feel, and the classroom culture she developed that I (and most of my friends) consistently made a point to listen and be our best in her room.
What this teaches me is, we are never too old to prioritize culture and relationships. The key is, supporting and teaching skills needs to be intentional.
One of the best ways to develop a stronger classroom atmosphere and connect with all students is with intentional and planned Morning Meetings.
It's possible that you may think a couple things...
1) You already do a morning meeting as you teach calendar activities.
2) You don't have time
Think about this...would your classroom benefit from:
- Increased Empathy
- A climate of trust and sharing
- Improving listening skills
- Setting a tone for respectful learning
The second semester is just beginning. It's never too late to transform the learning environment. I encourage you to check out this Edutopia article by Lisa Dabbs.
Next Week At A Glance:
Monday, January 13th: 2nd Semester CICO begins
Monday, January 13th: Board Work Session
Monday, January 13th: 4th and 5th Grade Spelling Bee at CAC
Tuesday, January 14th: 4th and 5th Grade Ski Trip to Bittersweet (return at 5pm)
Tuesday, January 14th: Bible Release 9am
Wednesday, January 15th: Grades 3-5 assembly at 8:45am
Wednesday, January 15th: PLC Wednesday
- Review agenda and expectations for January 20th Professional Development at Parma
- Discuss Formative Assessments for your grade level with the current essential standards
- Collaborate: What do you do is students already know it?
Friday, January 17th: Love The Kids delivery day (food for needy families)
* Report Cards went home last week. Conferences are the first week of February. Remember, most people don't like surprises.
* Be in anticipation for Mr. Ykimoff's second round of observations before mid-year meetings.