Monday Musings - September 29, 2014

“What makes a good school has very little to do with how rich or poor the students are, or the type of curriculum that’s taught. It has very little to do with the special programs, expansive playing fields, snappy uniforms, or whether the school is wired to the Internet. What makes a good school, whether it’s public or private, religious or nonreligious, charter or non-charter, is a feeling. A feeling shared by the entire staff that their particular school is special. The feeling that their school really belongs to them.” (Manna, 1999).

When I came across the above quotes I couldn't help but think about the incredible work that we do at Dodgeland and how much each of you go above and beyond being a teacher, to make sure that each of your students' needs are met.  I think the most important quality about Dodgeland is that every student is truly cared for.  Mrs. Thompson recently called this "the Dodgeland Difference" at a school board meeting, and I think it's the perfect name for what you all do as you make a difference in our students' lives.  Your unique attributes and talents contribute to the feeling people get when they enter this building. As a result, our children will remember you long after they leave Dodgeland Elementary School.

Friday Focus - September 26, 2014

Image from Venspired

Great Things I Noticed This Week:

• Last Friday during a class reflection time students had time to write in their planners what they were proud of for the week and write a goal for the next week. What a great idea to allow parents to see each week!
• I've seen some classrooms trying out Daily 5 Math. I haven't read anything about it myself, but recognized it by the language and anchor chart of expectations/student behaviors. 
• I've been seeing lots of writing in classrooms--writing narratives, creative writing (for a made up holiday in August) and writing the next chapter of a book.  
• Of course, I can't help but notice the awesome school spirit from students and staff!  You all are so much fun to work with!  

Events Next Week:

Monday - I will be out of the building 8:45-11:15 for the DART principals meeting

-Mentors/Mentees meeting in the IMC at 3:05

Tuesday - Tech Tuesday 3:05 (Self Service system to access software)

-Fundraiser packets due

-Our 5th graders on the Trojan Jr Football team finally have a home game at 6:00.

Wednesday - Picture Retake Day

Thursday - Midquarter (yes, already!)

Packers Game Day Attire (yes, jeans too!)

Friday - I will be at CESA 6 for AIMSWeb training (along with Mrs. Cleary, Mrs. Madsen, Mrs. Bartlett and Mrs. Huelsman)

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:

• The Juneau Public Library is planning a "celebrity" Read-a-Thon for Saturday, October 11th and is looking for some interested teachers to be "celebrity" readers. Please let me know ASAP if you're interested. This is a great opportunity to help share a passion for reading with our students and get them excited to go to the public library. 

Blogs, Tweets & Pins...Oh My!

*@posickj This is a team effort on behalf of the kids. Work together, celebrate together, and problem solve together. #educoach

*I shared this last year, but have mentioned it to a few this week with youtube issues: Worried about showing your class a youtube clip, because of what might pop up on the side of the screen?  Here's a great tip to keep it safe or "quiet:" Using YouTube Safely in the Classroom

Monday Musings - September, 22, 2014

I recently had a conversation with a couple of teachers in another state that are also implementing a new mandated evaluation system.  It was interesting to hear their thoughts on it as they both came from different schools with one principal that only did the required classroom observations and the other whose principal was in her classroom more often that what was required.  One of the teachers shared how she found the idea of principals being in classrooms for informal observations to give informal feedback as similar to the process of changing how she grades her students.  In the past year she made the change from grading everything that was turned in to using daily assignments/activities as an opportunity to provide students with feedback to grow and then grading them on only certain assignments/quizzes/tests when she knows that they have had enough opportunity for feedback to demonstrate mastery.  She said she was appreciative that her principal had the same mentality when he was in her classroom, giving her informal feedback so that the 1 formal observation was not a "gotcha."

I hope this is how you all feel. It is certainly my intention to be in classrooms as frequently as I can (although I feel it is not as frequent as I want) so that I can know all of your students, know your style of teaching, your strengths and what areas you are working to improve so that I can provide you with informal feedback.  I am on a "treasure hunt," not a "witch hunt."

I know I have shared with you each year, but I want to just say again that when I am in classrooms I

am in there with my "coaching hat" on.  If I send an email or seek you out afterwards with a follow-up question, it is a reflective question or a question to help fill in the gaps of what I may have missed because I was only in your room for a short period.  I'd like to pose a question that may stretch your thinking...it is not meant to intrusive or evaluatory, it is simply a question for you to reflect on why you do what you do.  Unless I specifically say, "I have a concern..." then you have nothing to be concerned about, because I'm just trying to wear my "coaching hat."

Friday Focus - September 19, 2014

Great Things I Noticed This Week:

• One class was so quiet in the hallway that they walked by me while I was talking to a teacher and I did not even know they went by me (I was waiting to talk to a student from that class and missed them!)
• 3rd graders working on independently writing interesting leads to their narratives and then excitedly sharing out their different ideas.
• Special ed/support/pupil services staff going above and beyond to help with a student safety issue--it wasn't their duty, but they heard a call for help and ran (literally) to help!
• A class read-aloud, stopping to check for comprehension and discuss what was happening in the story.  The read-aloud selection was interesting to the class, because it's an upcoming movie that many students want to see (and the beginning of a series that many may want to keep on reading).
• Students sharing Keynote presentations with the class with great visuals to match their information and quick transitions in airplaying their iPads to the projector from student to student...they're like little tech gurus!
• Thank you to everyone involved with MAP testing...whether it has been testing your class, helping out a colleague when there was an issue, or adding additional students to your test session that needed additional time to finish.  You are all getting to be MAP Proctor pros!

Events Next Week: Homecoming Spirit Week!

Monday - Color Day 

Tuesday - Western Day

   Tech Tuesday (topic: printing from teacher laptops)

Wednesday - Sports Day

 3:05 Effectiveness Project Training (see my email to all staff Thursday afternoon for all the details)

Thursday - Hawaiian Day

  ELL Meeting in IMC at 3:05 (for classroom teachers with ELL students - an email was sent to them)

Friday - Purple Pride Spirit Day

Staff apparel orders due. Go to http://ameriprintapparel.com, select "online stores" and "dodgeland staff")

  Pep Rally (I'm still waiting with you all on finding out the start time)

 2:30 Early dismissal

 4:30 Parade

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:

*MAP testing-you should have taken your class to the lab for both Reading and Math by next Friday. If the majority of your class needs additional time then you'll need to schedule another day/time for them. If you have just a handful and know a neighbor class will be going, ask to send them with (I can help explain how to add them to test sessions). I will start make-up testing for others possibly by Thursday (if there are any open lab times).  

*My memos are emailed to you, but sometimes you may not see an image or be able to view a youtube clip in that email. If that ever happens, just go to the blog site: www.johnsonmemo.blogspot.com to view it. Remember, you can always use the right side toolbar to see the staff calendar and be able to click on previous months for other posts if you need anything. 

*Thank you for your work together on the literacy indicators. I've created a google form using your work and want to share it with you below. My intentions were to use this when I'm in classrooms during literacy time to collect information to look for trends across the school, but I have had some teachers ask me if I would be sharing it with them individually so I'd like to ask everyone's opinion on this.  Please take a look at this and ask yourself if you would like to see this checklist completed after I am in your room? As I shared with you before, I hesitate to use a checklist, because I know that if I'm only in your room for a short period of time, I am not going to see everything and I don't want anyone frustrated that a box isn't checked just because I didn't see it.  Ponder this and let me know your thoughts in this survey by Friday please. Thank you!

Blogs, Tweets & Pins...Oh My!

*Donalyn Miller ‏@donalynbooks  Sep 7

Archives for tonight's #titletalk chat. Topic: Uninspired Readers http://bit.ly/1xvm5ts

*Blog Post: Going Public with Students' Work 

Monday Musings - Monday, September 15, 2014

We Are All More Than Just a Number!!

I know that many of you are already starting to think about your SLO and some are starting to stress that this year it "counts" for the state. I will have an email to all staff this week on SLO updates and then also in our EP refresher trainings, but the most important message I want you to receive is that the SLO rubric ("score") does not just focus on the student outcome, but also the process...the process that you use to analyze your students, reflect, make goals, respond to their needs and continue to reflect again.  We are fortunate that Wisconsin has decided on a model that does not just look at numbers, as many other states do.

I am also thankful that we have a State Superintendent that also realizes this. Tony Evers recently posted this video to share his personal message about the school report cards coming out. He emphasizes that the report card only gives 1 measure, that is relatively narrow. Our report card doesn't take into account everything that we have to offer and provide our students at Dodgeland.
Here is Mr. Evers' message:

Friday Focus - September 12, 2014

Image from Venspired.com

Great things I noticed last week:

*A math lesson that took 3 days last year only took 1 day for the students to get the concept! It is amazing to see how strong of mathematicians our students are becoming each additional year of Math Expressions.
*Students building up their stamina in Daily 5, excited about how much longer they read than the day before. 
*I've had two positive comments from new parents about how much they love the idea of Bucket Filling and what their children are sharing with them at home about being Bucket Fillers. 
*I've observed numerous different occasions already of returning students acclimate new students in such helpful ways...this is such a true testament to the years of procedures, expectations and positive modeling for our students to become such great "ambassadors" for our school...without even being asked!

Events Next Week:
Monday - Elementary PD Meeting in IMC (agenda below)
Tuesday - Morning Bus Drop-Off will have Bus Evacuation Drills for students (this means students will likely be to breakfast a few minutes later than normal).
*2:15 Fundraiser Kick-Off Assembly for 5K-5th grade in the gym (have them packed up before going, but don't need to bring backpacks)
*After School-Tech Tuesday (connecting to airplay/SMARTboard) in IMC
Wednesday - Support Staff mtg after school 
Friday - Staff Social Lunch - I'll have a sign up in the mail room for Jimmy Johns and will bring in goodies for a caramel apple bar.

Dates down the road...Homecoming Week
Sept 23 Tech Tuesday- printing from teacher laptops.
Sept 30 Tech Tuesday - Self Service system to access software


Nuts & Bolts 
*Monday's Meeting Agenda is simply: 

1. time for book study discussions (each group had a chapter to read)
2. work on Literacy Indicators (What should be observable in every classroom during literacy?)

*Just a reminder to teach students that when in the computer lab to NEVER turn off the computers or the monitors. They will go to "sleep" after inactivity.  All students need to do is Log Off.
*If you ever have a student issue that you want to have viewed on the camera, please contact me to do so (NOT Mark or Brad).
*Math Expressions has created a wiki of teacher resources at:  http://mathexpressions2013.wikispaces.com I'd highly recommend bookmarking it!

Blogs, Pins & Tweets...Oh My!
* @DrJ_Anderson: Remove the word "but" from convos: "You did this so well, AND you would/ could be better is you did ____" #educoach
*Helpful blog post for those of you using Evernote: Evernote for Digital Student Portfolios

Monday Musings - September 8, 2014

One of my favorite parts about blogging is that it is very easy for me to look back at my reflections to see if I've continued to grow, or even just to be reminded that different challenges tend to come (and then go) during different parts of the school year.  As I looked back to my Monday Musings post from the 2nd week of school last year to decide what to write about, I decided I'd like to just post it again. Call it cheating if you want, but I think it's important to be re-shared as we are continuing to learn new technology again (with your new macbooks, Apple TV's and new apps or even just refreshing ourselves on MAP testing)...

Image from Venosdale

I've always felt pretty tech savvy...I love learning about what new web 2.0 tools or iPad apps are out and I catch on pretty quickly.  I feel like that all changed when I got my new laptop a few weeks ago...it was only 5 minutes after Brad brought me my new device that I called his office to ask "how do I scroll?" Yes, you heard that right, I couldn't even scroll down on a webpage.  Go ahead and laugh (I know I did).  You were all witness to my lack of skills with this MacBook Pro in our first staff meeting when I couldn't get anything to work right.  After a couple of weeks with it now, I am getting used to it, but still turning to google, youtube or "phone a friend" almost daily to learn how to do things that are different than on a PC.  I am also learning really neat features that I could never do before.

Why do I share this with you? Because I know that, for some of you, going 1:1 with iPads might feel the same way.  I know that it's hard to say "don't worry," but I do encourage you to not be afraid of them and model your learning for your students.  As teachers, we don't have to be the experts of everything that gets imparted to our students.  When we show students that we don't always know how to do something, but learn until we figure it out, we are modeling for them exactly what lifelong skill we want them to have.  

I know I've said this in a previous Monday Musings post, but want to share it again:

We do not have to be experts at the tools...we have to be experts at learning and show students what it is like in real life to not know the answer or not know how to do something. To be successful in life you need to know how to find it out. Or as Will Richardson says we have to be able to "learn, unlearn and relearn."

Friday Focus - September 5, 2014

Great Things I Noticed this Week:

• Teachers sharing about making positive calls/notes home now to establish good relationships with parents early on. 
• I've heard many great comments from parents about the great start of the school year, especially those from parents new to our school who feel like they were so welcomed into Dodgeland.
• Teachers having their class practice/rehearse basic procedures like walking in the hallway, how to put book bins away and how to gather to the carpet to instill effective routines before bad habits build. 
• Students making their own individual goals for the school year. 
• Our enrollment is up significantly from last year...it's because more and more keep hearing how great of a school we are with incredible staff!

Events Next Week:

"Casual for Cancer" week- donate $10 to wear jeans all week. Proceeds will go to UW Carbone Cancer Center, organized by Ms. Maher.

Monday - Boy Scouts presentation at noon recess in the gym (please, no rain!)

Tuesday - 3:05 *optional* MAP Proctor Training refresher in the IMC

Wednesday - deadline for any district newsletter submissions

Thursday - I will be at CESA 6 in the morning for EP training

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:

• If you haven't already done so, please turn in your schedule to me. 
• The MAP testing window is Sept 8-25.  This time I'd like to ask you to schedule your class in the computer lab google calendar (please do not take your lab for anything other than MAP testing during this window).  I will be putting blank copies of the parent MAP testing letter in your mailboxes.  *Please let me know if you want me to be in the lab with you when you test so I can get it on my schedule.
• If you misplaced my email for the book study groups, the google doc is HERE. (*Google Docs tip...if you are logged in to your google account when you click on this link, then the doc should always show up in your "shared with me" folder in docs).

Blogs, Tweets & Pins...Oh My!

*Blog post from thedailycafe.com: Do Students Get Bored?

*@LauraKJasso: Growth mindset: what do u want to accomplish this year? What do u want your students to accomplish this yr?

*I am loving following the Twitter account for this astronaut orbiting Earth...wouldn't it be great for our students to see his incredible tweets/pictures from space like this:

Monday Musings -- Here we go!!!!

Oh my gosh! The kids are going to be so excited. I write this with anticipation of celebrating back to school with my boys when I get home. YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!! Tomorrow it is about relationships! Don't think about laminating, copying, report cards, assessments, grading, NONE OF THAT! You are going to meet the little people you will be spending the next 9 months with.

• They are nervous and hope you are nice:)
• They are excited to see their friends.
• Let's face it.....they are excited for recess. ;)

Parents:

• They are sending the very best of themselves in their child to spend 9 months with you.
• They are nervous and hope you are nice.
• They wonder what their child will say after school.
• They are excited it's back to school.
• Some are sending their first child to school and some are sending their last.
• They are our partner for the next 9 months

So let's get this school year started...............

Just for fun, this video clip reminds me of how we all (staff, students, parents) feel about the start of the year...the suspense can be worse then just getting into it!