Blog — Page 78

staarN 5th grade!

March 25, 2013 by Amber 2 Comments

Our test that shall not be mentioned is a’coming.

(yes, the STAAR test…dum da dum dum…)

It will be here in just 4 school days. Think teachers are panicking? Think they are stressed? Nahhhhh….not these Lions!

Ventured down to 5th grade today to see how they were all doing. Came upon Mrs. Rapp’s reading class spread out all over. Students were in small groups reading out of a novel. (Not a basal in sight!) As her timer went off, I literally think I heard a gasp from the students as they waited to see what Mrs. Rapp was going to post on the screen.

As soon as this slide went up, the students broke apart into different groups and started working. Each student already had a copy of the rubric for the assignment, so they knew what was expected of them before they even started. Mrs. Rapp sat down on the floor in front of me and started with a group on different skills. (a small intervention group, perhaps?)

I went to the Lion’s den right next door to check out what the “challenge activity” was…although I was torn. I think the Q&A with the flip cameras was also a pretty neat activity.

The students each had an ipad and there were QR codes all over the den and in the hallway.

The students kept track of their answers on the notepad. The codes scanned different questions that tied into her lesson and story. I know I’ve seen a worksheet that looked liked this before. It listed fact and opinion statements and the students had to write in their answer. Which do you think was most effective?

The questions went from basic and an automatic answer to ones where the students had to figure out in context. Elated is the same as jubilant. Pop is an example of onomatopoeia. Fact or opinion. Fabulous.

The buzz was palpable. The students were engaged. And the best part? They were totally reviewing for what’s coming up. In a non- stressed, non-pressured, get it done like a Luna Lion way. Well done, Mrs. Rapp, well done!

And? Making their collegiate decisions even easier! #14. Texas Tech Red Raiders are awesome!

(fact.) 🙂

wreck’em,

Amber

A lesson in justice & passion…by Sandra Day O’Conner

March 22, 2013 by Amber Leave a Comment

Have you ever applied for a job and didn’t get it? Wanted to go to a certain school and didn’t get in? How did that make you feel?

Would it make you feel better to know that you are in great company? Sandra Day O’Conner, retired Supreme Court Justice, couldn’t get a job right out of law school. In fact, it was so difficult for her to find something she went ahead and worked for free…sharing an “office” space with the firm’s secretary until they had enough business to bring her on staff.

Hearing her tell her story at #ASCD13 last weekend was so inspiring. Not only because of that fact but because of her passion that is still evident for what she does. Even from the bench she saw that there was such a misunderstanding of the court systems in America, that she feels it is her civic duty to continue to improve our nation in some fashion. She founded iCivics, designed to prepare young Americans to become knowledgeable, engaged 21st century citizens by creating free and innovative educational materials. Why iCivics? She wittily said we “have i-everything else, why not iCivics?”…earning one of many chuckles from the crowd.

Other tidbits of terrific-ness?

2 out 3 students scored below standards on citizenship in middle schools, only 1 out 3 adults can identify the three branches of government
Her favorite way to get items discussed civilly? Over lunch at her house.
She feels that young people need to be aware of current events, be able to mix it all up and have a conversation.
There are great opportunities for males and females to be involved in politics, but that passion has to be developed while you’re young.

Her number one piece of advice to students? Be able to read fast and write well. The orator kept trying to steer the conversation to her impact on female success in this country but she wouldn’t go there, choosing instead to focus on what educators could do to ignite the passion in their students to love learning. She chose to go to law school because of one of her undergrad classes. That professor inspired her…and she became the first female supreme court justice.

What could you inspire your students to be? Hopefully about something so passionate that even when retired, they are still fighting for it!

civically,

Amber

Not App-ening!

March 22, 2013 by Amber 1 Comment

At our last staff development day we spent the afternoon discussing ways to incorporate all of the new “tools” in the building. There are NOOK tablets, NEXUS tablets, iPads, iPad minis, & iTouches. Through grants & what we as a campus have added you guys are becoming techmazing! (Shout out to Tammy for attempting to get them all connected yesterday!)

We paused on our app purchases, not to make your lives more difficult, 🙂 but because with all the different options and opportunities, I really wanted to focus in on how to make all your “devices” could be productive and not just consumptive. Apps are easy, and I’m not saying that they aren’t amazing…but the power that you can put into student’s hands is only limited by your expectations.

Let them loose!

Watch this great video when you have a minute to see what I’m talking about and here is the menu of activities that your teams created.

appily sharing,

Amber

Making connections…being connected…

March 21, 2013 by Amber Leave a Comment

The twitter verse is mighty. It constantly roars. It would almost be impossible to consider everyone in the twitterverse as a close confidant…but what you can find in that subculture are connections that can guide you along your path either personally or professionally.

I have SkypeD with complete strangers. I have google hang outD with complete strangers. I have asked for advice and guidance from complete strangers. This is perfectly normal, 🙂

However, traveling to #ASCD13 literally knowing IRL NO one that was going to be there was a stretch even for me. I’m the girl who needs company walking to get tea, remember?

I knew that my first “meeting up” would be with @Principalj, aka Jessica Johnson. We were going to meet in the media room first thing so I knew that from there, hopefully, I’d find another familiar face. And by face, I completely mean avatar.

And I did, 🙂 I was able to put a face to many a name that I’ve spent years interacting with, but not actually known. Names that I’ve actively tried to emulate professionally, like @NMHS_Principal, @gcouros, & @web20classroom. Names that I’ve thought were witty and an outstanding educator example, like @thenerdyteacher. Names that I’d seen but have been too intimidated to “tweet” to, like @paulawhite & @tomwhitby.

That was amazing.

That was my goal in being there…meeting the twitterati. Right?

What I didn’t anticipate were the connections I didn’t even know I could make. Random connections, from people who I wasn’t even “following” before the weekend….but now have texted every day since.

@erinklein, over at Kleinspiration is a teacher from Michigan.@Angela_Watson, from The Cornerstone for Teachers, is an author from New York. The thought provoking conversations and inspiration that these two were able to provide were eye opening. Having dinner with them was like hanging out with my best girlfriends, except almost better. We all have a similar vision, passion, and a heart for technology & education. I truly feel that these two connections were the reason I went last weekend. To remind me of who I am and who I want to be. An educator, an assistant principal, who cares about her Lions and staff, and above all…relationships.

I’m SO thankful that I get to add this one to the list!

connected,

Amber

Read’em and weep!

March 20, 2013 by Amber 4 Comments

Weep with joy, I mean! One of the fabulous perks of this past weekend was the opportunity I had to peruse several of the new books published through ASCD this past year. As if that wasn’t enough, the authors were available to chat with us as well! The three that have jumped to the top of my list have one theme in common. All three want to help you become GREAT at what you do. Whether it be teaching, administrating, or coaching…each of these three books are giving steps and suggestions to get you to be the best you can be.

The first book, “aim high, achieve more: How to Transform Urban Schools Through Fearless Leadership” by Yvette Jackson and Veronica McDermott. While chatting with Dr. Jackson, I discovered that “aim” didn’t stand for aiming high, like at test scores (my initial thoughts!) but instead stands for affirmation, inspiration, and meditation. Now, if you know me…you know I’m all about affirmation and inspiration! She also talked about involving students in the day to day conversations that teachers are having, in a sense empowering them to help validate teacher’s concerns. There are also practical reflection and call to action activities at the end of each chapter.

“When Teaching Gets Tough: Smart Ways to Reclaim Your Game” is the next book in my stack. By Allen Mendler, who was such a pleasant man to talk too! We talked about teachers who get burned out, and how ALL teachers, even the really great ones, have days where they need someone to help them recharge their energy. He cites the causes of burnout as low appreciation, difficult students, and lack of control in their environment…all factors I understand! He suggested keeping a positivity log and having each teacher write at least one good thing that happened each day. Identifying the positive can not only help balance the negative but can also bring it into perspective. As an administrator, he suggested that I needed to get to the bottom line. Find out what drives people and figure out how I can address those needs. I like to think I’m good at the positive…but he was very specific about individual needs. I can’t wait to read the book and see what other tidbits I can find!

Last but not least, I was able to talk with Robyn Jackson, author “Never Work Harder than you Students & other great principles of great teaching”. This was my most interesting conversation. Jackson shared some of her motivation in writing this book and the types of teachers she works with. She lists seven principles to help you start thinking like a master teacher: The mastery principles are

Master teachers start where their students are.
Master teachers know where their students are going.
Master teachers expect to get their students to their goal.
Master teachers support their students along the way.
Master teachers use feedback to help them and their students get better.
Master teachers focus on quality rather than quantity.
Master teachers never work harder than their students.

As an administrator, she told me the key to helping teachers to the mastery level was to tap into their own personal motivation. She had the great line of “Don’t treat a will problem with a skill solution.” If you have a teacher with a bad attitude, don’t send her to a professional development on classroom management. Find out why she has an attitude problem. I looked up the high low matrix of coaching and thought it was very reasonable. We want every teacher to be genuinely happy/satisfied within the classroom, and I’m hoping this book will help me delve into finding out how to make it possible!

LL’s, leave a comment here about which book you’d most like to read for a chance to win your own copy!

Off to read!

Amber