Time to Cut Bait! & Yesterday

This last week has been a whirlwind. Trainings and meetings and planning and shopping and sorting and cleaning and hanging paper. I've been too busy to sit down and write so this post covers two topics. Tomorrow night is Meet the Teacher night on our campus. So I expect to spend tomorrow finding hiding places for things which do not yet have a home, then putting the final touches on making the room look presentable. I really don't know what to expect for tomorrow night. We may have many visitors because the community is curious about what we have done to restructure the school, or we may have just a few.

Yesterday, I saw my couch friend walking along the road - we waved. Yesterday was also our district convocation. We heard inspiring messages from the newly elected School Board President, the Superintendent, and our keynote speaker, Dr. Adolph Brown. I had Googled Dr. Brown, and I have to say that he was much more down-to-earth than I expected. It seems like every event that I attend brings on a deeper conversation with myself about what I want my classroom culture to look like and what I need to convey to my students. I've begun taking notes. Here are a few:

• If my students watched any of the Olympics, I want to talk about focus, purpose, training, and the amazing fact that new world records are continually being set, and how this applies to our learning community.
• I want the students to look around them and notice the faces of their teammates and realize that each one of us is responsible for our learning.
• One of the teachers we saw in a video was an absolute cheerleader for her students. She said things like, "I am so proud of you and so happy that you are in my class," and "Aren't they wonderful!" I have to remember to cheer for my students with lots of enthusiasm and to teach them to cheer for each other.
• I hope to help them envision what it would be like to be the most impressive class in the school with regards to the way they approach their own learning and behavior, and then help them to become that - quiet when necessary, sharp like a military patrol, caring and serious about learning. (Without feeling competitive with other classes.)
• I want them to know that they can expect to leave Kindergarten reading & writing. They will become authors, illustrators, scientists, mathematicians, community members.
• I want to encourage them to love being challenged and to let me know when they are not.
• I want to ask them, "Is this your personal best?" I want them to know that if they are trying to do their best, I will never be angry with them. They should keep trying. Just because you mess up doesn't mean you have to give up. (I borrowed this one from Dr. Brown)
• We are also a family. Ohana means nobody gets left behind. (I borrowed that from Lilo & Stitch.)
• Here are some other things Dr. Brown said - The tree is in the seed. Be fair. Make room for everyone, all the time. Be firm with consistency, structure, and limits. Set boundaries. Be fun.
• Everyone gets a do over.
• When things go wrong you don't have to go with them.
• A setback is just an opportunity for a comeback.

And then we danced!