A direct relationship has been established between the school day being extended and the high school implementing a free reading period CAM Reads. A negative vibe from the kids indicating they blame the extra time in school CAM Reads.
Though I can see where that thinking has come from, it's inaccurate. As a Principal I'll admit that the change in the school time should have been brought up in the newsletter and at registration. Along with simply putting the schedule in, and explanation of where and why we are implementing CAM Reads and what we were also considering.
There has been considerable discussion about the school day since it was shortened from 3:30 to 3:00 when our whole-grade sharing situation first began. This past spring we decided to give it a look and with the blessing of both transportation departments we decided to put the instructional time back into the school day.
After that decision was made we looked at just adding the time back into the block, pull-out and homeroom options, several initiatives in reading and math among other things. We received very good information about "Reading Volume" and the amount students can and should read each year. We decided on establishing a free reading period between blocks 3&4 and 7&8 (and after lunch on Wednesday) and titled it "CAM Reads".
I will post more about CAM Reads in the future, but I will say it is the first step for this district to improve our student's ability to read and comprehend but giving them a no-pressure, low impact reading period where they will simply have to discuss their book with a partner or the class. If they simply participate and fill out their log sheets they will get an elective credit.
As I told one student, we could have simply divided the time up to the four classes each day or put them through some repetitious test-prep drill work.
CAM Reads is a great option.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Staring down the barrel of professional development days
As a principal and instructional leader, building manager, certified staff manager and curriculum director I always get to the point where I feel I'm staring down the barrel of professional development days.
I habitually start beating myself up starting about July 4th. Sitting watching fireworks with the kids, spawns a knot in my stomach. A voice starts talking, "you need to inspire them out of the shoot, you need to dazzle them." On vacation I tote my laptop and do little things, searching for videos and website, nuggets to lay out for them to pick up and take into the year. Never really leaving my work behind for my free 12th month the anxiety level rises as you try to balance family, friends, work while off contract.
Then there's August. The whirlwind of meetings, professional and building, the smattering of teachers that arrive and the issues that need solved now and not in a week or two like you would like them to be solved. What gets pushed aside to solve these problems and help teachers get ready? Preparation for professional development. Never mind that your partners in education (the local AEA reps) are off contract and you each have a folder of things you discussed in June that continue to gather dust.
But we get there, we prepare and we do our very best (I might add we do better and better each year as we further implement effective professional development models like IDM or DDL or and effective PLT program). And it comes. Day one with teachers.
Thinking of title to this post I realize as I feel I'm looking down the barrel in July and August, the teachers show up and it's being pointed at them with no regard to the short time they have to get ready. We have rolled out very good sessions over the past three years, but you can't hide the fact the teachers are looking down the barrel of another gun - THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
Teachers do come in some during the year, but many count on those three days to prepare.
So as administrators and educational partners we fire the gun on the first day with teachers yet they see another gun pointed, cocked and aimed at them.
Truthfully, it's not that dramatic and we do an effective job at balancing our professional development time with preparing for students. But the compressed time, and the problems that pop up that need teachers and administrators attention make it a pressure filled three days.
The key is to have "bullets" of learning that are not for the teachers to absorb in those few days. They should be starting points for initiatives that are ongoing and are addressing district needs.
Professional development is not a gun or a bullet, but we can make it feel like we're firing out knowledge and putting teachers in the cross fire of PD and getting ready for school.
Oh, and I'm writing this with a pile of things I need to have ready for Monday.
I habitually start beating myself up starting about July 4th. Sitting watching fireworks with the kids, spawns a knot in my stomach. A voice starts talking, "you need to inspire them out of the shoot, you need to dazzle them." On vacation I tote my laptop and do little things, searching for videos and website, nuggets to lay out for them to pick up and take into the year. Never really leaving my work behind for my free 12th month the anxiety level rises as you try to balance family, friends, work while off contract.
Then there's August. The whirlwind of meetings, professional and building, the smattering of teachers that arrive and the issues that need solved now and not in a week or two like you would like them to be solved. What gets pushed aside to solve these problems and help teachers get ready? Preparation for professional development. Never mind that your partners in education (the local AEA reps) are off contract and you each have a folder of things you discussed in June that continue to gather dust.
But we get there, we prepare and we do our very best (I might add we do better and better each year as we further implement effective professional development models like IDM or DDL or and effective PLT program). And it comes. Day one with teachers.
Thinking of title to this post I realize as I feel I'm looking down the barrel in July and August, the teachers show up and it's being pointed at them with no regard to the short time they have to get ready. We have rolled out very good sessions over the past three years, but you can't hide the fact the teachers are looking down the barrel of another gun - THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
Teachers do come in some during the year, but many count on those three days to prepare.
So as administrators and educational partners we fire the gun on the first day with teachers yet they see another gun pointed, cocked and aimed at them.
Truthfully, it's not that dramatic and we do an effective job at balancing our professional development time with preparing for students. But the compressed time, and the problems that pop up that need teachers and administrators attention make it a pressure filled three days.
The key is to have "bullets" of learning that are not for the teachers to absorb in those few days. They should be starting points for initiatives that are ongoing and are addressing district needs.
Professional development is not a gun or a bullet, but we can make it feel like we're firing out knowledge and putting teachers in the cross fire of PD and getting ready for school.
Oh, and I'm writing this with a pile of things I need to have ready for Monday.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Better get updated
Saw my blog on Scott Mcleod's wiki...Thought I'd better at least update the blog.
Will do a better job as we've had great dialog today.
Will do a better job as we've had great dialog today.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
End of the year approaching
The end of the year is fast approaching. Prom next weekend, Senior's last day May 12, Graduation May 17 and everyone's last day May 21st.
Computers have been in the hands of students all year and will have to be taken in an serviced for the summer. All personal files, music and the like need to be saved elsewhere as the computers will be re-imaged and we do not back up those files. The students will most likely get the same computer back (some will get a different computer) next year cleaned up and updated.
Please find your chargers and bags as students have been reminded by staff for the past few weeks they need to find those items. A charge for the charger and bag will be assessed if they are not returned.
Please call in students who are not going to be at school as attendance monitoring will be stressed as the year concludes.
It's amazing how fast things have gone.
Computers have been in the hands of students all year and will have to be taken in an serviced for the summer. All personal files, music and the like need to be saved elsewhere as the computers will be re-imaged and we do not back up those files. The students will most likely get the same computer back (some will get a different computer) next year cleaned up and updated.
Please find your chargers and bags as students have been reminded by staff for the past few weeks they need to find those items. A charge for the charger and bag will be assessed if they are not returned.
Please call in students who are not going to be at school as attendance monitoring will be stressed as the year concludes.
It's amazing how fast things have gone.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Happy New Year! - Plus five weeks
Been too long between posts. There are so many things to blog about and so little time to get to blog about them.
Freshman "Ning" pages: Freshman english with Mr. Rapier are in the midst of a grand project where the students and teacher are putting assignments on a writer's social network page called "Ning". Students are encouraged to get parents and friends to check their pages out and what they have commented on and what their thoughts were.
D.C. Trip: March 22-27th is coming up and I hope those of you who have students going are excited. If you don't, please don't give in to the "we're not doing anything" excuse because so many students are gone. Teachers know to keep those here doing relevant things and to try out new technology ideas and units.
PLTW - Project Lead the Way is moving forward into the new year with the addition of 1-3 new class offerings. Principals of Engineering and Civil Engineering look like courses to investigate as well as offerring Digital Electronics one way or the other. These are exciting additions to Intro to Engineering and Design, a class that we currently offer.
Those are just a few things, I'd blog more except my duty taking money at the basketball game is almost over.
Freshman "Ning" pages: Freshman english with Mr. Rapier are in the midst of a grand project where the students and teacher are putting assignments on a writer's social network page called "Ning". Students are encouraged to get parents and friends to check their pages out and what they have commented on and what their thoughts were.
D.C. Trip: March 22-27th is coming up and I hope those of you who have students going are excited. If you don't, please don't give in to the "we're not doing anything" excuse because so many students are gone. Teachers know to keep those here doing relevant things and to try out new technology ideas and units.
PLTW - Project Lead the Way is moving forward into the new year with the addition of 1-3 new class offerings. Principals of Engineering and Civil Engineering look like courses to investigate as well as offerring Digital Electronics one way or the other. These are exciting additions to Intro to Engineering and Design, a class that we currently offer.
Those are just a few things, I'd blog more except my duty taking money at the basketball game is almost over.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Economics and school
We've hit mid-term of the 2nd quarter and are cruising straight to the end of the sememster.
A long and successful football season, a great musical, a firery volleyball team, concessions and all that surrounds a young high schooler has many students waiting to exhale as they begin winter sports season, speech and the rest.
Not to mention a long harvest season and work committments. Now is the time many are looking at the 2nd semester, looking at their schedule and wanting to make their lives easier.
Seemingly one way to ease the pressure is to drop challenging courses like spanish, chemistry and others in favor of less rigorous classes.
While there are students who need to prioritize work and extra-currirular activities higher on their lists than other, most should keep academics at the top.
Our country is lossing jobs by the second. My kids and yours need to be ready for jobs we can't even imagine yet AND more importantly become more creative and innovative and possibly create their own careers.
We have to prepare students for 4-year, 2-year institutions as well as for working immediately out of high school. The old models of high school, college and work are starting to change and change at a rapid pace.
Instead of dropping rigorous classes students need to take more. Instead of making excuses like "I have to work" they need to worry less about buying, or maintaining their car and more on academics.
Period. No argument.
Anything less is failing to prepare them for..... I truthfully can't answer that question.
A long and successful football season, a great musical, a firery volleyball team, concessions and all that surrounds a young high schooler has many students waiting to exhale as they begin winter sports season, speech and the rest.
Not to mention a long harvest season and work committments. Now is the time many are looking at the 2nd semester, looking at their schedule and wanting to make their lives easier.
Seemingly one way to ease the pressure is to drop challenging courses like spanish, chemistry and others in favor of less rigorous classes.
While there are students who need to prioritize work and extra-currirular activities higher on their lists than other, most should keep academics at the top.
Our country is lossing jobs by the second. My kids and yours need to be ready for jobs we can't even imagine yet AND more importantly become more creative and innovative and possibly create their own careers.
We have to prepare students for 4-year, 2-year institutions as well as for working immediately out of high school. The old models of high school, college and work are starting to change and change at a rapid pace.
Instead of dropping rigorous classes students need to take more. Instead of making excuses like "I have to work" they need to worry less about buying, or maintaining their car and more on academics.
Period. No argument.
Anything less is failing to prepare them for..... I truthfully can't answer that question.
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