Would You Rather, the Education Version

Principal Ponderings...

I have played this game,  the education version, on this blog before.  The concept of the game is simple.  You have two choices and you have to think about which one you would prefer.  Are you ready?!

Students who are engaged or students who comply?
Would you rather have students in your class who are engaged and excited every day about the learning that is happening in class?  Or would you rather have students who complete whatever task you put in front of them, whether they are excited about it or not, basically complying with whatever you ask of them?  We should be taking a look at how we are having students do school.  Engaged and invested or disinterested and complying?

React to students or respond to students?
I once saw some principals from Kansas present and I loved how they demonstrated the difference between the words react and respond.  If we were to pantomime or pose for each word...think about what react would look like.  Now think about what respond would look like.  Do you think kids would be affected differently if we responded to them versus reacting to them?

Spend the day working or spend the day playing?
Would you rather work or play?  I think I know the answer to this for many if not all of you.  But maybe the question is more would rather come to school everyday with the mindset of having fun and playing with learning or would you rather come to school to do a job and get your work done?

Just a few simple questions to get you thinking this morning.  Maybe you can come up with some of your own would you rather questions?

Currently reading:
I got some new books in the mail that I could not wait to read and share with you!  One book is Where Oliver Fits.  This is a great picture book about the importance of being yourself even if you don't always fit in with everyone else.

Another great picture book I got is called High Five.  This fun book is a rhyming book that focuses on a high five competition that is interactive with the reader! 

And of course I bought some books from the Book Fair.  I love the message behind the picture book The Bad Seed.  Even if you have been labeled as a bad seed, you can still make a positive change. 

Events this week:
Monday - Liz out of the building, last day of the Book Fair, Gr 1 and 2 EL Creative Writing/Tech Club @ 3:30
Tuesday - Fit Club @ 8:00am, 4th and 5th Grade Math Olympiad, Patty Hurley out of the building at UDL training
Wednesday - Gr 3-5 EL Creative Writing/Tech Club @ 3:30, 1st grade conferences
Thursday - Fit Club @ 8:00am, half day, dismissal at 12:20, K-2 parent conferences, 3-5 PD, Papa Gino's PTA Fundraiser 4:00-8:00
Friday - 2nd grade conferences

Great things I noticed last week:

• Lots of fun for everyone shopping at the Book Fair last week.  One more day to get some great books! 
  
• I popped into KM and watched as they all gathered to engage in math conversations. 
  
• Did you see Mayo's little free library behind the school?!  Thank you Kristin Baird for pushing to get this put in and for helping to honor Rebecca Berenson.  
  
• When I popped into Mrs. Hilton's room, the students were talking about feelings.  Can you guess the feeling? 
  
• We had a super fun time during our "reading blizzard" where all of 1st grade got to throw paper snowballs and Mrs. Garden and Mrs. Hurley.  Five lucky snowballs were selected and then they got to do an extra shopping trip to the Book Fair!  
  

Check it out:

• I love Brene Brown and this year she has created a site that is for educators.  She has a section where she has recorded video discussions with teachers around the country on topics such as empathy, shame, disappointment, values.  Check it out: https://brenebrown.com/dc-learning-labs/
• I shared this video with 4th and 5th grade teachers the other day, but wanted to share with all of you.  Really powerful to think about how we might treat each other and students differently if we knew what was going on in their lives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ-pU7ozt3g