M-Powerment Strategy #1
Collaborative Culture of Caring
M-Powerment Strategy #1 Highlight: Mrs. Robinson
M-1: Collaborative Culture of Caring: Teachers collaborate to create a culture of caring where every child every day feels valued and nurtured.
TOGETHER we make a FAMILY! Our go to saying for MMS cosigns with M-Powerment Strategy M-1: Collaborative Culture of Caring. In my short time at MMS I can see how we work together to make sure every child feels a sense of value amongst our school family. This is definitely no easy task and something none of us will ever master. Instead, it is one of the strategies that we should all continue to work together to perfect. Working together and being willing to bounce ideas off of one another is what makes our FAMILY great! Being willing to have those tough conversations with students and families is why our families trust us with their students everyday. Each day the best child that a family has to offer walks into our building and we must continue to embrace all of our children and teach them right from wrong while we guide them in life. What I think is so great about teaching middle school children, is knowing that all of our student’s have traveled different roads and being able to embrace that as a learning experience for all within our classrooms. I challenge each of you to find one student that you don’t know much about and dedicate 2 minutes a day for 10 days straight just talking to that child about something other than academics. Often we say we don’t have time but I know that we all can find two minutes. If you would like to read more about this Two-by-Ten strategy please read this article published by ASCD.
Ideas to Consider
Collaborate with parents: Newsletters and Remind are two great ways to communicate with parents. If you need help with either let us know!
Student Collaboration: Small collaborative groups with roles, Student Voice and Choice - consider some choice boards, and build relationships with your students - Here are some icebreaker questions.
The Superpowers are looking for YOU!
Picture Courtesy of Quora
Building Teacher Collaboration School-WideModels for teacher collaboration are ineffective without true participation. By: Micki M. Caskey, Jan Carpenter | SOS Strategies | What is a Collaborative Classroom? In Collaborative Classrooms, teachers facilitate an authentic exchange of ideas and children learn to become caring, principled people as well as thoughtful, disciplined learners. |
Building Teacher Collaboration School-Wide
Models for teacher collaboration are ineffective without true participation.
By: Micki M. Caskey, Jan Carpenter
MMS Instructional Tips
In the article, "6 Ways to Let Your Students Know You Care", author Karen Hume writes "Caring is evident when you recognize students as unique human beings with different learning needs and preferences, and when you “check in” with students through actions such as walking around the classroom, talking to everybody to see how they are doing, answering their questions, and expressing confidence in their ability to improve."
Here is one activity shared in her article for getting to know your students and allowing them to show their creativity:
My Life in Six Words—Here’s an idea that’s tailor-made for the text-messaging generation: Legend has it that when Ernest Hemingway was challenged to write a novel in six words, he wrote, “For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn.” Larry Smith, editor of the online magazine Smith, picked up on this idea a few years ago and invited readers to submit their life story in exactly six words. Smith published several collections of these six-word stories, including one by adolescents, titled I Can’t Keep My Own Secrets. Inspire your students by showing them this wonderful video clip, and then check in with them by inviting them to tell you how they are doing, using exactly six words.
Article: http://www.teachmag.com/archives/3484
MMS Media Tips:
As you work to build a collaborative culture in your classroom, please remember to utilize the CAVE and the collaborative areas to build this culture in your classroom. Let Batman and Robin know if we can be of any assistance for you and your class when visiting the CAVE. We want to help you build a collaborative culture in your classroom!
PIcture: Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 14 Aug. 2016. Web. 1 Sep. 2016.
From Cuz's Desk
From the Help Desk: Where in the World is the Tech Guy?
Have you called the help desk but gotten no answer? Have you come by the help desk but no one is home? How are you supposed to get tech help? What is the best way to contact the help desk?
The answer: techhelp.mgsd.k12.nc.us
If you need tech help please fill out a work order! When you put in a work order I get notified 2 different ways on my phone and will get to it as soon as possible! If I don't see a work order for the problem there is a good chance I won't remember it long enough to provide help. I am out and about most of the day so trying to hunt me down is often a futile effort.
Some have experienced issues putting in a work order so here are a few tips.
1. Your username is just your name, not your whole email. Password is your computer password.

2. Make sure to fill in all the required fields. The "help topic" on the left side is frequently forgotten and keeps the work order from going through while causing you more stress and confusion.

If you have other questions email is by far the best way to reach me! Again I get that on my phone as well while I am out and about.
PLEASE NOTE: On "A" days, unless it is a very serious emergency, I will be occupied during HR and 2nd block with the ImpTech class. I will catch up with all work orders after the first class change. Thank you for your patience and consideration.