Enjoying Spring Break
Looking for ideas as to how to enjoy spring break? If so, check out these sites. The first one offers strange, quirky ideas. The second one has the more “traditional” offerings. No matter your choice, take time to relax and enjoy the vacation!
http://www.swimwithmanatees.com/things1.html
My First Day @ Thornebrooke Elementary
Today started very early for me as my son woke up at 3:30 AM. I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I decided to get to Thornebrooke rather early for my first day as Principal. I arrived at 5 AM. Ironically, I could not find my password for the alarm and I set the alarm off. It was nice to sit down at my cpu and not have any interuptions for about an hour or so. At 9 AM, I was formally introduced to all of the students over the school news. I let the students know that I would be around later on that day to meet them face to face. Sadly, I did not get to all of the classes. I missed all of 5th grade and a few 4th grade. I will have to finish up after spring break. I am shocked at all of my emails I received. I did not go in my office for about 5 hours. When I returned, I had almost 75 emails. I will need to get a blackberry ASAP. Hopefully by the time we get back from Spring Break, I will have one. I was able to meet many parents today – moms and dads. It was great to meet the parents of the Thornebrooke Community. They are raising great children. Towards the end of the day, I was able to give out ice cream to all of the students for their hard work on testing. It took a lot of will power, but I only had one ice cream sandwich. At the end of the day, I had 2 meetings. 1 with the ESE teachers and 1 with members of the Leadership Team. Both meetings went very well.
There will be a lot of work to do. I will need to begin right away on balance between students, parents, teachers, community members and the work that will be expected of me.
I am excited to have 3 days to get caught up on work and organizing my office.
When school starts back, I will begin working with teachers on the 07-08 budget. I hope to get a little insight into each teacher and their expectations for next school year.
Avoiding Negativity in Teaching
It is easy to fall into the trap of negativity – especially during FCAT, grades, etc. So – today and tomorrow’s tips deal how to keep from becoming an educational curmudgeon!
Avoiding Negativity
Teachers tend to accumulate long, detailed lists of professional concerns––most of which are valid. Constant venting, however, rarely accomplishes anything constructive. Here’s how to retain a more positive outlook and spend less time swimming in toxic soup.
• Surround yourself with tireless supporters––parents, former students, close friends, your spouse––people who buoy your spirits and reassure you of the enormous impact you’re making on your students. Conversely, whenever you stumble across a vitriolic editorial which puts down public education (or teachers), simply turn the page. A negative climate should always make you run, especially early in your career, when it can suck you up and spit you out like so much shrapnel.
• Read between the lines. Any student who approaches you for assistance or advice, or even stops to share some corny joke is paying you a huge compliment. He/she is including you in his/her life! Where children are concerned, with the peer group’s approval so paramount, it really doesn’t get any better than this.
• Listen to energizing audio books about teaching. Try Frank McCourt’s “Teacher Man,” Jim Fay’s “Four Steps to Responsibility,” and Caroline Myss’ “Your Sacred Contract.” Warning: Part of Myss’ message will be, “Stop bellyaching. You signed on for this assignment!”
• Clip and post cartoons and humorous news articles about teaching––like the one about the high school teacher who played Frank Sinatra CDs during detentions. The kids considered listening to “My Way” a harsher punishment than staying after school, so after a few weeks, this teacher’s enrollments went waaay down. Gather a whole collection of such clippings. A groan along with a smile is much better for the soul than just a groan.
• Embark on a constant crusade of professional improvement. So today’s lesson on the Plantagenet kings dive-bombed? How could you have made it better? What might you change for next year’s class? This single evaluative act, by the way, significantly increases the chances of there being a next year! Think of it as planting a positive mind- seed.
Principal Kendrick 