Teamwork Equals Success

I sat down with an administrator this week to talk about a few things that are happening at my school and with my team. He caught me before school and my teammates were not at school yet, so I sat with him. We talked about some great things that were happening at our school and then talked to me about out team. He asked me if one of the members of my team were to leave, move to another grade, or retire, would our team stay the same so we can replicate our successes, or would it fall apart? Interesting question.

We were unfortunate to have one of our great teachers take a leave of absence for a medical reason and we watched that team succeed by replicating and moving forward with a new member. We talked about what would be different with what we do? There will be differences and new ideas with a new team member, but can we replicate the success? I think what we do as a team is much better than what did as individual teachers. What works will go on. We will improve and change as needed. But the success will go on. I think this is true with any team.

In each team there are strengths and weaknesses in each person and as a team. Once a team starts preparing and planning those things are apparent. Each person takes over what they are great at and we all look at what we need to work on and we work. If someone leaves, we start it at the beginning, but we put our strengths in and see what we need to work at and we work. The key to the team is not just the strengths each brings, but their attitude. If someone comes to the team that is not willing to put forth effort to learn or improve, that becomes a problem. That can be a bump in the road, but it will not stop a good team. They will persist, train, work, encourage, praise, and help.

We do not want to see someone leave the team, but if they do, we will keep on donning what we do. Helping students and learners succeed and prepare them for whatever future they will be seeing.
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Somebody Get Me A Doctor!

I love the yearly health assessment our insurance carrier has us do. They moved the date back this year and let us all know two months before the date, so we scrambled to get the appointments as soon as possible. That in itself is a nightmare. The doctors are all booked 4-6 weeks out. Then we have to wait for the results which take 10+ days and we are up to the deadline. The craziest thing about this is that the insurance let's us take the assessment once a year fro free, but since they moved the date back a couple months, no one can get it for free because we did it all last year when they warned us two months in advance. So the year has not come up and we are all in a pickle having to pay and trying to get it on before the deadline.

The good in all this is the information we get. I have lost a few pounds over the last few years we have done this. My blood pressure has gone down, and my cholesterol levels have moved for the better. Life has treated me good and it looks like I am taking better care of myself. The pains and aches I get are age-related, says my doctor, so I am ok. My blood pre sure is still a little high, but it doesn't help that I come straight from school when there is controlled chaos as we film our last scenes to our history films. No stress. None whatsoever.

Our district has been on a health mission for a few years. They have started to see that we have gotten healthier as a district. Lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, weight, and other medical things. They started a health contest a few years back and have teachers and staff log their minutes or miles, or whatever they do to exercise. The is a weigh in week week to see our progress. It has really become a school-wide competition. All in all we have gotten healthier and, hopefully, this will lower our insurance one day. I doubt it, but I sure feel better.

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We Sure Do Appreciate Ya

How should teachers be shown appreciation by their school district? Our district has a "Team of the Year"award where the team of teachers is an grade level or subject submit a binder of information telling and showing information about their team. We need to convince others we are doing great. There used to be the "Teacher of the Year" award where each principal would select a teacher and the district would somehow pick the winner. These are the ways I am familiar with.

I am wondering if there is a better way? Could there be a committee that reviews teacher by actually visiting their classroom? Not for a few minutes, but for a week or two? Be with them in their meetings and discussions, planning meetings and conferences. See how they work with their team. This would be hard for administrators because of the work they need to do, but it would really show how teachers work.

We love awards and recognition, but how about a day for collaboration between the teams? Sharing ideas and plans. What works and what doesn't. What problem need discussing and what solutions are there. This is the real PLC. When districts can bring schools together to discuss and plan, then we are a true Community of Professionals.

So how can we recognize teachers and teams fairly? Sounds like an end-of-year test for students. How can we truly assess either?

Maybe Next Year We'll Do It

Here is a list of things we thought about this year, but didn't quite get to. Included is also a list new ideas we came up with.

1. Identity Day-have each student teach something about themselves. A report about one thing that makes them, them.
2. Spelling Tests on Google Docs - in fact we can do most of our tests on google docs and that will save a lot of paper. We have been told to cut back on paper this year, so we are looking at out laptop mini's to step up to do most of our work.
3. Tech minutes for younger grades - each month our fifth grade students will teach the younger grade students something they can use on the computer, this gives them time to teach and the younger students time to learn something new. This helps the student, the teacher and next years teacher. Students become more literate on computers and teachers that are uncomfortable with using computers, can get better.
4. More back channel discussions - these are great for topics and questions. I have loved using them during reading time. I love using them during a lesson when they are supposed to be listening and not talking. The more the student can input questions and answers, the better and more comfortable they become with communication.
5. Innovation Day. Having students pick a subject, learn a out it, produce something, and present it the next day. Having them do this all on one day. They can work in pairs. But they should have a product to show or discuss the next day. How many full days could we do this? Every two units in Language? Making it a part of the lesson and gear it to the units?
6. More articles to read during PLC days. This is the best way to get information from around the country. Reading articles from our own personal learning network.
7. Research. What else is out there that we can use in our classroom?
8. Pecha Kucha presentations. Integrating this format of presenting in our classrooms. Interesting format. 20 slides, 20 seconds each slide, 6 minutes to present an idea. Love it.

There is always so much to do in our classroom. New things we can try.

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Tech Minute...or Longer

My principal came to me a few months ago and asked me to take 15 minutes each Friday to teach something techy. About half of our staff were given iPads and were only just starting to use them, and some of the teachers are a little unsure about some of the new computer-based Programs we are using for Language. So we have a 15 minute class every Friday right after school. This give the teachers time to learn a little and take it back to their planning to incorporate it into their lessons. After the 15 minutes is up, we have some teachers that want to learn more so we go further or answer questions about specific problems they are having in their rooms. Confidence has improved and each teacher is working on a class website. It has been fantastic.

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The Grandeur of Zion

Our classes had the opportunity to have a ranger for Zion Canyon visit our school. Barb Graves was our tour guide as we were taken back through the building up of the geology of the United States and more specifically, Zion Canyon. She knows her information and we all could tell that she loved what she taught about. That made all the difference. Everyone payed attention. All students learned something new. The passion showed through and it kept us all divided.

This passion is what I need to keep my students intested with what I teach. How do I get to the point that I am passionate about my subjects? First I need to know my subject. I can't just teach by the seat of my pants. I need to know my subject. Next I need to like what I am teaching. I need to find a way to make my least favorite subjects my friends. I need to embrace thsubject and have the attitude that I love it. Last, I need to be excited while I am teaching. Attitude is everything. Students will know when it is not my favorite and it will not be their favorite. They can feel it when I am not excited about a specific subject ad they will feel tht it is not that important.

Watching the passon of a ranger teach about their park is amazing. It is fantastic watch someone that has passion as they teach. I hope my teaching shows the passion that Barb showed my class today.

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Can I Have a Little PLN with My PLC?

One thing I have found is year has been blogs and twitter. I went from page to page of my favorite blogs finding information to use in my class. Then I found Google Reader. Great place to put my favorite blogs in one place. Then came twitter. Following some of my favorite educators from around the country, I have found some great information and ideas that have helped my class. When I got my iPad, I found Flipboard and that brought it all together. There needs to be a Flipboard for my computer.

These tools have become a major part in my personal professional development. I am building a personal learning network. I feel that as a teacher, I need to become a Master Learner. This is the way to do it. Learning from others in the field. Sharing information we have learned and tried. Hearing ideas we can try or modify. Learning.

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A Testing We Will Go

It is that time again to see how well the students learned the lessons we tight them this year. It will also help us know how our new ideas worked and if they understood the concepts. This is an exciting time for me because of these reasons. Testing is a pain and does not always reflect what the students learned. I don't know if there is a surefire way to tell what the students have learned. I still find myself wondering where I learned some of the information I know.

As we did last year, we a having the students explain each answer as they take the test. We have the students fold a paper so there are 16 squares (eight on each side) and they explain why their answer is correct. After they have finished each page we look through it to see if they have explained their answer, no matter what they answer is, and then we collect the papers. Once the tests are completed, we shreds the papers. Last year the student scores went up quite a bit from the previous year. Every student went up. This has really given students an opportunity to show what they know and to explain why they chose that answer.

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I Found Life in Death Valley

Every year my little family takes a pilgrimage to Death Valley National Park. It is always sometime in March or early April. The tradition was started when my father-in-law lived in Death Valley Junction with his parents and took care of the Armagosa Hotel. After he was married, he and his wife lived at the hotel and had their first child there. It became a part of them and borax was in their blood. After moving out, the kids grew and the trips started. Each child got married and every year the trips became part of their tradition also. It became a family reunion, of sorts, each year.

When I joined the family it became part of my family tradition that started with learning and exploring and enjoying. We go to see the same sights every year: Bad Water, Devil's Golfcourse, Artist Palette. We visit the hotel and hear the stories about living there and what it used to look like. We learn from the ranger talks every night at the Visitor's Center. And we try to see something we have never been to, each year.

But it has become something more for me as a teacher. It has become a time to rejuvenate, learn, and prepare. After the first couple of years I started bringing a few things I could work on while in Death Valley. I started with the plays my class did at the end of the year. I would work on each Shakespeare play by bring the audition papers and deciding who would be each part. We were coming in the first part of March back then. When we decided to do movies as a grade level, I would work on finalizing movie parts. Then I started to bring a book to read that had to do wi what we were learning as a team and pull out my favorite parts.this year I have a grat book by Richard St. John, "8 to be Great". We are preparing for end of year testing and the kids have Spring Fever. I need a break and this is my time to reflect on what needs to be done and come back ready to focus the students, because I am focused.

We have quite a few breaks through the year, but we load them up with yard work and vacations that make us more tired. Each year we need to take a little focus time to recharge. No expectations, no agendas, just focus time. Read a book to get us back in the game. Ponder the happenings of the year so far. Far away from the things that will get us back into the ruts, yet close enough to keep us focused on the end result. Students.

Thank you, Death Valley. Thank you for getting me back into the groove. Thank you for allowing me the time to use your beauty, your hikes, your space to clear the cobwebs of repetition and see through a new lens at the time I need new focus. And thank you, sweetheart, for providing me with the opportunity to be in Death Valley each year.

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How Would We React?

Watching and listening about the tragedy in Japan has brought sadness and urgency. I worry about those that are missing and their families that do not know. But I saw a great story about how people waiting in line are not fighting, arguing, or stressing out about not getting food or water. They wait patiently for their turn in the store or to get their ration.

I am one that has a 72 hour kit for each member of my family. I also have a small food storage for emergencies. I have a friend that told me I need to purchase weapons of some kind in case there is an emergency and people wants my food. We need to protect what we have. As I watch Japan I wonder if we will we be helping those around us or fending them off in an emergency? I am hoping for charity to win out.

In this global world we live in we can see the need around us so much faster than we had in the past. We understand more about people near and far. We hear more about the love and hate around the world. Information about emergencies comes so much faster now. We are helping those that are far away, as in Haiti, Indonesia, and Japan. Even those in our own country, like New Orleans, we have helped. Will we help those that are next door? I think we will. When it comes down to a serious emergency, we will help. We need to help. We need to get to know those that are close to us. Twitter, Facebook, and blogs have made us pay attention to things far away, but knowing our neighbors is important. Technology has brought the world closer and made it easier to help those in need. It has also made us a little more distant from those close to us.

We should be like those in Japan that are patiently waiting for help.

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