The other strategy that I have seen happen in schools is the old "let's keep throwing different brands of pasta against the wall and see what sticks" method. Kids and teachers aren't doing well so it must mean that we need to try a different curriculum or we need to add a new initiative. And students and teachers feel like it's a revolving door of programs and curriculum and "new and improved" plans. Teachers and administration become almost numb to the constant new changes. They just take the new oars and keep rowing, often with no real desire or passion. Instead of rocking the boat, they settle into rowing in circles, never really getting anywhere.
What if we did not settle for either of the two scenarios described above? What if we did school differently? Who says we need to do things just as we have always done them? What if we stop throwing different curriculum or different initiatives at schools? What if we think differently and start by simply asking "what if?" and "why not?"
I loved hearing staff think of some "what if" ideas both during our UDL book study this summer and during our opening day. Here are a few of the statements that came out when people were given the freedom to think differently...
There is so much energy and passion in those two words...what if. I am going to try to start using those two words more this year. And I will also try to bring them up at the district level when I am in leadership meetings. What if we made the decision to try to do school differently this year? When you are meeting as teams or when you are planning with peers or by yourself, start asking "what if?" I challenge you to keep those two words in your pocket. Pull them out and say them out loud. Or better yet...write them on a sticky note and make them visible or change your background on your laptop to remind you what if? One of my favorite quotes is from P.T. Barnum: "Comfort is the enemy of progress." We education people have become comfortable with expecting and experiencing the two scenarios I described above. I think it's definitely time for us to become uncomfortable. Our students need us to start thinking differently. We need to "rumble with vulnerability" as Brene Brown likes to say. We need to think in "what ifs" and not be afraid to put some of those "what ifs" into action.
When we start saying "what if" in school, we start breaking the mold, we start becoming unpredictable, we start shaking things up. That can be foreign, scary, and stressful. But it can also be amazing, innovative, and trailblazing.
Wonder what "what ifs" you will create for our students, our school, and our families?!
Currently reading:
I have so many books that I am working through since I attended the Scholastic Reading Summit and came home with boxes and boxes of new books! I am almost finished with Stepsister. This is definitely a middle school or higher read, but some of you might be interested in it. It's the story of what happens to one of Cinderalla's ugly stepsisters after Cinderella marries the prince. Fate and Chance are battling over Isabelle's life and she has to learn that being a strong female is actually beautiful.
I read some great picture books over the summer when I opened the library up and had families come in and check out books. One really amazing new book was called A Boy Like You. One of my favorite parts of this book is where the author says that fear and bravery are partners and that you need fear before you can be brave. And this beautiful book reminds us that we need all different kinds of boys in the world.
I know I mentioned this book during our opening day time together, but I am still reading it and really enjoying it. It's called Why They Can't Write: Killing the Five Paragraph Essay and Other Necessities. I love that the author is bold and tells it like it is...basically we have been teaching writing wrong. Looking forward to sharing the ways that the author discusses how to change the way we teach writing.
Events this week:
Monday - Grade 1 and 2 EL Creative Writing/Tech Club in the library @ 3:30Tuesday - Bus Evacuation, Building Clinical Team Meeting @8:45 in the conference room, Back to School Parent Night for ELL/FEL @ 5:30 in the library
Wednesday - Grade 3-5 EL Creative Writing/Tech Club in the library @ 3:30
Thursday - Liz meeting with the Commissioner from 10-11:00 in Franklin
Friday - Ready Sub training for paras @ 9:00 in the library
Great things I noticed last week:
- I am almost done with the compilation video from our first day of school assembly, but someone shared this great image of our own Mr. Wilde walking on his hands...anything to get the kids pumped up!
- Love the new little kid size picnic table and shade added to the playground. Thanks to the PTA and the 5th grade for gifting these to us!
- I popped into 3rd grade and caught 3D students and teachers enjoying Scholastic News. So excited that the whole building will get access to these issues this year.
- Our new staff ID badges came in and I loved seeing all of the different books that people posed with! I feel like I should have taken several pictures since I really can't pick one favorite. Love that the images tell our students that we think books are special and important.
- Our kindergarteners have been getting settled into their classrooms. KP is excited to have a new rug to go in their new classroom and KL made a visit to the nurse's office to talk about how awesome Nurse Coe is and how she can help us.
- I stopped into 5O just in time to listen in as they brainstormed the traits that they wanted their classroom community to embody. One student was definitely influenced by our new shirts because he said "be a difference maker!"
Check it out:
Love this post from Pernille Ripp about how to do book talks: https://pernillesripp.com/2018/07/23/how-to-easily-do-a-book-talk/
5th grade teacher Colby Sharp shares what books his 5th graders are reading during the first few weeks of school:
Check out this Self-Care September calendar that I found. Click here for a PDF version.
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