Monday Memo
January 15, 2019
Great things!
I enjoyed reading all of your reflection/take-aways on padlet. I hope you took the time to read and reflect on those things and are able to put it into practice somewhere in your life.
What an amazing PD with Cari. I have heard some great feedback on her presentation, and while much of it was a refresher-I hope you were able to take away something new or a plan to go back and implement something that maybe you have used in the past-but want to get back to! Feel free to take some of her tips and ideas and stick them in your blog or quote her on your website. Such good stuff.
Wow--we had so many staff birthdays over this past week! Happy birthday to all! Thank you to Brie for continuing to move our banners all around the building each day!
Challenge: This week let's all focus on the "wait time" that Cari talked about. When you ask a child to do something or give a request/direction-say it once, then wait--be quiet--do not prompt right away. Try counting to 7 in your head ("1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, ..") before you ask again or give a prompt. Sometimes we automatically give a direction/request 2-3 times without even thinking or we answer/respond for the child without providing that valuable wait time. Focus on the pause this week.
Dates to remember:
Jan 11: Websites were due to be updated
Jan 15: Fire Drills 11:00 and 3:05 (please have coats on kids)
Jan 16: Administrator meeting will be held here in the library 8:00-12:00
Jan 21: No School
Jan 24: Lockdown Drill
Nuts-n-Bolts:
* The announcements for the week are loaded into the shared file. (Debbie's p.m. friends)
*IMPORTANT: As we start the new year and get back into the swing of things-I will ask once again that we are at work ready to start our day at the beginning of our contracted time (not pulling into the parking lot at that time). Additionally-do not leave before your work day is over. These times were beginning to get a little loose before break and since we have returned. If you are unsure of your contracted time, please let me know.
*If you have not turned in your paper evaluation from our PD last week, please do so ASAP. There is a folder in my box outside more door marked: "PD Evaluations".
* Websites are due to be updated by end of day Jan 11th.
* January library book shelving duty: Laura E.G.
Speech/Language Tip of the Week:
Some kids require a little extra processing time before they answer questions or verbally respond. Allow kids to have several (5-10) seconds to process verbal information before they provide an answer - they may know the answer but need time to formulate how to express themselves. If we answer for kids, we are speaking for them and not effectively teaching the skill. This makes them less likely to answer on their own and may make them reliant on cues and prompts. Ask the question...wait...repeat or reword the question after some wait time (provide visual prompts if you can)...then provide the answer if they still require some assistance.