Happy Holidays...

Thought of the Week: Question...who is cheery, checks to see if kids are naughty or nice, and gives great gifts??? Its TEACHERS of course (you thought I was going to say Santa)! We have the opportunity to give students the greatest gift on a daily basis. The love of learning should never be underestimated. Amy and I choose to give our nephews books for Christmas. Our hope is that when the excitement of all the expensive gizmos and gadgets are gone, the books will remain. Our hope is that they will read them and see that reading can open their future to whatever they choose. Lofty goals for "Five Little Monkeys", but we have high expectations :)

Next week I will be around with a special gift for each of you. I want you to know that I appreciate all of your efforts to make our school the greatest it can be. Amy, Breckyn and I are very blessed to be a part of a wonderful family and community. From our family to yours, we hope you have a Merry Christmas! (and don't forget to read a book)

Friday Focus 12.2.11

"Isn't the principal a dummy!" said a boy to a girl.

"Say, do you know who I am?" asked the girl.
"No."
"I'm the principal's daughter."

"And do you know who I am?" asked the boy.
"No," she replied.
"Thank goodness!"

Quote of the Week: "Teaching is the profession that makes all other professions possible." -Unknown

Shout Outs: I want to thank the elementary staff for all of their hard work collaborating celebration days and also their open and honest conversations to make the building the best it can be!

Thought of the Week: Don't take this personally...but I want you to leave. There, I said it!

I want you to leave your classroom and go watch a peer teach a fantastic lesson. I want you to leave and attend a professional development training and bring it back to share with your peers. I want you to leave your comfort zone and find out that you don't have to work harder than the students for them to learn. I want you to leave ineffective past practices in your desk drawer. I want you to leave your comfort zone (again) and fail, learn from it, and make it better. I want you to leave your boring worksheets in the binders.

I want you to leave if you are negative, cynical, and poisoning our wonderful learning environment. I want you to leave your presumptions and prejudices at the door and welcome every student into your classroom (no matter how naughty they were the day before). I want you to leave the politics out of your classroom. I want you to leave the belief that not every student in our school can learn.

Leaving isn't always bad. You should try it sometime.