Now that we have identified the principles that we value the most as a school, how can we at TES communicate and reinforce these values? What are some things that we are doing already and/or what are some things that we could do in the future?
I went to a fantastic workshop on Monday about how to collaborate with grade level teachers and art to present a lesson about the story/opera Hansel and Gretel. Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Vincent and I have come up with a fantasic plan for getting all three of our subjects to work together on this. We will present it to everyone that would like to participate on Feb. 23. This is only one of the many collaborations that I am involved in through out the school year. I love this aspect of TES since I feel it gives the kids many different ways to learn something. We know there are visual learners, aural learners etc.. so why not give everyone the chance to really learn with how they learn best.
In reading through Chapter five , I got the most out of pages 195-196. He summarizes all the attributes. It was kind of like reading your bible in that each trait makes you think about how you apply it to your life and classroom. It also makes you relate each one to personal experiences and ideas come to you as to how you can better implement the traits that we might need to work on. I feel that we have a great value system at TES. I think what we could work on might include respect among and between grade levels. This is an issue at all schools, but one that needs our attention. We should be apppreciative of all other grade levels and their contribution to making our students responsible.
We have identified that we value collaboration, community, and respect the most at TES. As stated on page 147 of Wynn’s book, “Good coaches cultivate a climate of cooperation, collaboration, personal responsibility, fairness, and trust; so, too, do good teachers.” It also states that good coaches and teachers push, lead, and inspire players to stretch toward their personal potential within a framework of contributing their individual talents and abilities toward collective and individual achievements. I am witnessing this at the Winter Olympics too. Teammates from both the same country and different countries cheered each other on, felt their pain, and congratulated everyone’s effort. The athletes pushed the limits, sometimes to the point of failure, but got up fighting and ready to go again. We have a lead on a sense of community and collaboration. I think we could improve in the area of respect between grade levels and exceptional children. We should strive to push for responsibility and accountability in the students and staff. We do make mistakes, and can admit them, and get up fighting to learn and stretch towards our potential through respect of our talents, abilities, and cheering each other on to victory; both for personal and “team” gold.
I agree that we do have a sense of community and collaboration at TES and that is a great start for our school. I like having these core values spelled out so nicely in this chapter so that we can continue to grow as a school community. I agree with Denise that we could improve the area of respect between grade levels. The global day we had earlier was a great example of our collaboration and if we really think about it, this gives us an opportunity to understand and appreciate how hard everyone works to include all of our students in this learning experience.
We need to continue to collaborate and work together when planning lessons. This week my SS classes will start a county project where each pair of students are researching a county and presenting a ppt. They will work on this in SStudies class and in media and computer class. This way it covers many goals in several curriculum areas. It also gives the students the opportunity to work on the project with other teachers and more time than just in Social Studies class.
I love all the CORE VALUES listed on pages 195-6; they're so heartfelt, but are they actually being applied by all/I as part of our values and belief system for TES. You heard the age old saying "Actions speak louder than words". How do we/I apply these wonderful CORE VALUES in a practical manner to each other, our students and parents on a daily basis. Most importantly, teaching them would definitely raise achievement in our students and close the gaps for others. I know we/I have SOAR posted and other positive messages throughout our school but integrating the CORE VALUES into SIP would also be marvelous.
Reading this book, although time consuming compared to other tasks at hand which have a higher priority, has spurred me to evaluate and readjust my values and beliefs personally and professionally. Certain books are categorized as "self-help". Well this one is, in addition to being inspirational too.
I think TES excels at communicating values with our students such as citizenship, kindness, compassion, and community service. With all the projects we have done as a school such as recycling, pennies for patients, Haiti food collection, campus clean-up, filling backpacks for the underprivileged, etc. I think our students have a very clear message of what it means to be a good citizen. I really have appreciated the school-wide collaborations, especially Global Day and the 100th day celebration that were both pulled off seamlessly. In the future I would like to do more things where the staff can reward or compliment each other anonoymously such as when the AG staff gave us notecards to send to others telling them how or why we appreciate them. Everyone loves to know what they are doing right and to be recognized by a peer or administration can really make someone's day or week.
Personally, speaking from a 'grade-level' point of view, I can say that I work with 2 other teachers who DO openly and happily collaborate. This is key...for teachers to get along, no matter how different in personality and style...not only for the sharing of content knowledge, but also for the atmosphere of the classroom! It is hard for me to say, at this point, what TES needs to improve upon!!! I do not see any areas of great weakness! I do appreciate the values of the administration...
We have positive reinforcement in place all over our school. We all take part in encouraging good behaviors - whether it's our class or someone elses. We are talking across grade levels and across subject areas. I hope to see more collaboration with me in the media center. I hope to be more involved in project based learning in the future. We have such a caring and professional staff that we can't help but project that to our students!
I think that TES does a great job communicating and reinforcing collaboration, community, and respect.
We really are doing well in the collaboration department: media/technology, global day, intinerant teachers collaborating to teach a unit, PTA, service projects, horizontal meetings, I could go on and on and on… I do agree that we could continue to work on the cross grade level collaborating. Taking twenty minutes at the end of a day for K-1 or 2-3, etc. to meet could have the potential of great conversations! The more we work together and the more ideas we dump into the pot, the more we help our students! If you have a K student that is really excelling, what a fabulous idea to go to a first grade teacher to bounce ideas! This could take differentiation to a whole other level! I know some of this is happening already, but what a great idea to start thinking about as we plan for next year.
Ms. Shepard mentioned EC teachers and regular ed. teachers collaborating more. This is extremely important if we have the mindset that all of the children are OURS. Again, 15-20 minutes after school with the EC teacher and the regular ed. teacher around a table could make a world of difference for a child. We could be making our lives much easier by doing this! Like they say (whoever they is), two heads are better than one.
We have already begun to move to all of this, we just need to keep trucking! :)
I also agree with Wendy that it would be fun to do more where the staff can reward and/or compliment each other. I know I loved getting the note cards! Who doesn’t like to read good stuff about themselves? :)
I think that we're doing a great job with the 'big 3' principles identified at our meeting - collaboration, respect & community. Not to mention some of the other core values and principles listed in chapter 5 like community service, compassion, kindness and perseverance!(Not bad for less than an entire school year under our collective belts!)Now we just need resilience to meet the inevitable challenges ahead.
Looking forward, my personal goal will be to stay reflective about my practice and contribution to TES as a whole.
I think that we do a great job with all three principles at TES. We reinforce the priniciple of respect with positive student referrals and by complimenting children. I really like when I see another faculty member stop to compliment a student or class. I think this goes with the saying these are all of our students. It really boosts the kids up a bit and they get excited when they receive a compliment from someone other than their teacher.We collaborate daily and have great communication here. In the future I would like to collaborate more with my colleagues who teach K and 2nd grade. It is always beneficial to know what the students are expected to know leaving Kindergarten and what the expectations are for 2nd grade. This is an area I hope we can work to improve on.
I think that the footprints of our successes were identified and implemented by our administration back in the summer. Our administrators approach to open communication, collaboration and respect was forthcoming when we were included, and kept informed, of the progress of TES. The TES staff was invited and participated in the groundwork of developing our vision and mission statements prior to school starting. This approach exemplified teamwork because all staff members were included and given the opportunity to share ideas and values. The most positive part of collaboration is ownership. If everyone is identified as having a meaningful part, repsect and communication can flourish.
When I think of the 3 principles chosen collectively by all of us, the one that stands out most for me is community. We have worked hard to define ourselves all year with many of the principles listed in Chapter 5; conscience, commitment, determination, diligence, initiative, and kindness are the main ones that speak to me. Our actions have helped to define TES as a unique learning community, a school that tries very hard to grow the whole child. I think we can find one measure of our success by looking at the overall behavior and actions of our 5th graders. The value of community has been communicated well; they have risen to the challenge of being exemplary citizens and student leaders this year. They have truly set a high standard for future classes. Collaboration can always be improved and must continue to be tweaked as dynamics of staffing change. We have enjoyed a Global Awareness Day that has sparked our interests to venture into new collaborative territories. I see Project based Learning as a great vehicle to future collaboration.
And, though not voted on by us last month…I want you all to know that if I could have picked out a value that has epitomized you all as a staff and group of wonderful human beings, it would have to be resilience. It is defined as the ability to continue toward a goal in spite of challenges (can we remember back to early August…do we want to?), obstacles (late arrival of Social Studies materials, science kits, AR, etc., ‘lost’novels, no heat in 4th/5th grade hallways, waiting for online access to new math adoptions…) or circumstances beyond your control (the phantom whiteboards, no textbook money for 10-11….). You have all refused to be beaten down, continue to laugh, and encourage each other and me to be the best we can be. This positive spirit is contagious and makes TES a place I am so proud to be a part of.
I would have to agree with Wendy and many of you, that TES does a great job of promoting values that are important to becoming good citizens, responsible adults, and positive role models. By teaching students, that there is more out there than just what we see in our little community, we are creating future leaders and role models that are caring and more understanding of others.
I also like the idea that we need to compliment each other more, like with the cards from AG. Part of that is the secret pal project, but I would like to see every teacher participate in it. Sometimes just a little something can go a long way to lifting someone's spirit.
From my perspective I am positive that we are on the right direction with our values. Collaboration: I always see grade level teachers meeting to see what is working, or what changes need to be put in place so that success is had. I am so thankful to work with Mrs. Clemmer, Vincent, and West. I am glad to have other itenerants that are so willing to work together for the good of the school.
Community: One aspect that I noticed the first was that of Mrs. Redinger, and Mrs. Shoub's core mission of bringing all of the teachers together at a new school, and established such a strong, one-minded, vision for TES. We are a family here at TES and nothing that comes our way will hinder our students success.
Respect: TES to me screams professionalsim, and respect. I am always treated with repect, by administration, teachers, and students. I know that the students see this and it has to rub off on them. What better way than to teach by example. I am truly blessed to be with you wonderful ladies, thank you for everything!!!
Like many who have commented, i believe we have done a great job with collaboration and a sense of community. I believe out of the three core values, respect may be the one where improvement is most needed. Nancy and Denise both mentioned respect among grade levels. I think we forget that what a child learns in each grade isn't just for that year but for his/her life long learning. Every grade builds on the other. As we continue to have collaboration among grade levels our respect for each other will continue to grow. Teaching our students to show respect comes best by example. The end of our first year at TES is quickly coming to an end. Reflection: "The honest, inward focus and evaulation of one's actions, behaviors, and experiences" is a good principle to put into practice now.
I agree that we have a great sense of community at TES. Collaboratively, Worldview Day was probably our best effort as a school this year to collaborate. Not only did the staff positively respond but so did the students. When talking about core values and guiding principles, as we did in our meeting on Wednesday (pages 195-96); it's one thing to agree that those values are important to us, but it's another to actually make sure that we are committed to ensuring that they are a part of how we teach, behave and value each other every day. I believe it takes initiative (and sometimes feeling uncomfortable) about collaborating more, changing the way we do business (if it doesn’t work, try something else) and reflecting on how we as individuals can make that paradigm shift each and every day until we feel comfortable and see the results. I would like to see our learning community days stay within TES, to give us the time that we need to get to know each other, understand the grade level curriculum, to identify where and how we can co-teach or collaborate more, share ideas on increasing student performance…it’s important to talk among grade levels within our Topsail Schools but as a new school and staff, we may want to consider another day each month in which we can focus on sharing amongst ourselves. Thank you to Mrs. Redinger and Ms. Shoub for their leadership in allowing us as a staff to work collectively to create the community in which we work our magic each day. I appreciate the respect, honesty and professionalism and most of all the ability to be apart of TES.
First of all, I am so proud to be a member of the staff at TES! It was by choice that I came here and I look back and am so thankful that my request was granted. It has been extremely difficult however and I have spent many days "stressing out"! I have had to move out of my comfort zone, kicking and screaming, but I am better for it.
I completely agree with Mrs. Savidge when she said that administration has given us opportunities to be involved from the ground up in establishing TES. Respect can't help but follow.
I am so excited about collaborating with Cindy and Carol on the Hansel and Gretel Unit. By attending this workshop at UNC-W I got the opportunity to work with two outstanding teachers in developing the collaborative lesson. Again, I have a renewed respect for our itinerate teachers.
I have found it very beneficial and eye-opening to go to third grade and simply ask, "What do you think the upcoming third graders are lacking." They have been so willing to talk with me about this, not pointing a finger, but rather working with me to help our students become better learners.
I thought that it was an interesting point that Trena made when she said that "teaching" the Core Values to our students is benefical. I want my students to take more than just Reading, Math, SS, Science.....but also a knowledge of what it takes to be an honorable person.
I am also very interested in collaborating with THS. There are many opportunities to work with the teachers there. They are very responsive to my requests for help. I am hoping to take my students there on a collaborative unit with the film students.
I think we have had an awesome first year so far and I am excited to think about the great things to come!
I absolutely loved Global Awareness Day and hope that we will have more opportunities to do this in the near future. I really thought we came together as a school. I recently collaborated with Mrs. Rice about how this year has been going and she offered to have 2 of her students come read to my students on a daily basis. I was greatful that she extended this opportunity to me because my students love being able to interact with students in the regular education classes. As an EC department, we were told to reach out and make an effort to go to other teachers and ask for materials to borrow, collaborate, etc but it would be nice for other teachers to stop by and lend support as well! Any materials you use that you may think my students could use, please stop by!
I think we have already communicated our core values and they are reinforced daily through our SOAR rules, belief statements, and our everyday interactions within our school community.
I agree with Mrs. Johnson about being glad my request was granted to be a part of TES. It has been stressful and taken long hours, but the opportunity to be a part of building a new school has been amazing. I like that we were able to take past experience and decide what we want TES to look and feel like. Building a community is a gradual process that requires establishing many different kinds of relationships and I think we are almost there. Continuing to collaborate with each other and being respectful of every member of our school community will be essential to the continued positive growth of our school.
In the future, I hope we will be able to find time to plan more collaboration among grade levels and schools.
Community...We are a wonderful community of teachers, administrators, parents, caregivers, friends. I see everyday the way the children feel about coming to school. Almost all of them come in with a smile. I try to say good morning to each of them as they pass me at the front desk. This is a little way I can give them a sense of community, that they belong to our school!!
I also agree with Jess that I really like to see other faculty members stop and give compliments to individual and whole classes. This gives them an incentive to keep SOARing and that others see it as well!!
I continue to believe that collaboration is connected to other beliefs, such as accountability and compassion. I think in order to further develop our collaborative efforts, we need to hold all memebers of our faculty accountable with compassion attached. This will probably come with time, since we really don't know what each other is capable of fully. But I am impressed with what I have seen so far!
I think that we have a great community feel to our school. From the beginning, we have been able to come together and make TES what it is today, and it can only get better from here.
I agree with Jess about collaborating with the next and previous grade level just so we can all have the kids on the right track to success. Everything learned in elementary is the foundation for the child's educational future. That makes it extremely important for us to be doing everything we can to make sure every child is learning what they need to succeed.
Although we chose collaboration, respect and community as our top three values, I think we also do very well in many more areas. Community service and compassion would be right up there, as shown through our many service related projects and the participation shown by the students. The diligence and commitment of our staff is so evident. I do have to say that the amount of collaboration at TES is amazing-especially among the itinerant teachers. Gardner, Carol and Cindy hit the ground running with that incredible Holiday show, and they, along with Beth, have made our "specials" really stand out and shown the students that these classes are fun and important areas of their education. Beth and Brandi have been great at working with 4th grade to coordinate their lessons with what we are doing in our classrooms. As far as community-I have never been part of a school that pulled together so well and so quickly to build its "identity" and have such a positive impact on students, families and the community.
Collaborating is one of the most important and ongoing actions for a faculty. We are all contributing to the new school concept through collaboration daily, and we work, plan, and have fun together while we do it! Mutual respect has been evident as we have all been working hard to make new decisions while merging the concepts and experiences brought here from other schools in the community. Through collaboration and respect, we are now building our own school community right here at TES!
As a new school bringing together staff members from other schools in the area and around the county, I personally feel that we are beginning to come together. We are beginning to engage in dialogue and conversation about student achievement. Folks are sharing strategies and solutions needed to increase student achievement and as a school community students are being nurtured and praised for their accomplishments. In the future I would hope that as we begin to grow in staff and number of students that we do not lose our focus. A school of excellence cannot focus without its stakeholders being driven by the passion to do so, now or in the future.
Collaboration - I see a lot of wonderful examples of this happening around the school. Personally, I feel the need to do more collaborating, both within my grade level and with other teachers in the building. Global Day was so fantastic! I want more! It's an excuse, but I can't find enough time in each day to meet with teachers to collaborate more. I'm hopeful that once we are settled in next year, there will be more time. I would also like to see some time set out specifically for this to happen. Community - I think we not only say we value this, but also show that this is true. I feel a wonderful sense of community here at T.E.S. and I hope that everyone feels the same way. Respect - I feel respected, and I hope that I show respect to others. I think we all need to be deliberate in making sure that we treat each other respectfully, even if we disagree, and to show students that we do so. As far as students are concerned, acting as models with all of the above will speak volumes to the students. If they know we respect each other, honor a sense of community, and spend time collaborating, they will feel it. I believe we do a good job with this, but perhaps could be more deliberate at times.
We have identified at TES that we value collaboration, community, and respect. Here are my thoughts on these areas. Collaboration - I feel that this is such an important part of a school's success. Through collaboration we are able to grow as teachers and staff by learning from not only those on our grade level, but those throughout the building. I look forward to being able to increase this time as we settle more into our routine next year. Our Global Day was so much fun! It was amazing to be a part of such a wonderful learning experience - not only for the students but for me as a teacher to be able to share time with students from across our entire school. I believe this experience diplayed extensive collaboration as well as giving everyone involved a true sense of a being a school community. Community - This is a trait that I definitely think we are striving to make a reality here at T.E.S. Even though we are only in our first year, I feel that our staff is really coming together to build the sense that T.E.S. is not just a school made up of students, teachers, and staff - but we are all a part of one body. I love it when we pass teachers or staff in the hallway and they comment on our class, or turn in a positive referral, or even show responsibility for correcting behaviors as needed - this shows we all care about each other and have a vested interest in all who are within the walls of this building. I say we keep this at the forefront of our minds - so we can grow our sense of being a true TES school community. This leads to the next trait - respect. Respect - Respect? Important? Only if you want to be successful in LIFE! That is why we as educators know the importance of helping our students understand, learn and exhibit what respect truly is. It's my opinion that respect is important to all our staff schoolwide. With this being so, you can see and hear evidence of all staff members striving to not only expect this of our students, but model it as well.
I was not surprised that our staff choose cooperation, collaboration and respect as the attributes we most value. This year has been all about that. As far as showing students that we value these things, I think we need to have students work cooperatively as often as possible. The true lessons involved in cooperative learning are not about our curriculum, but about how to function within a group so that a task can be completed efficiently and successfully. Project-based learning is the big catch-phrase for educational thinking these days. I would love to see more staff development devoted to this topic. It makes learning "real" and allows students to try out different roles within a group.
I agree with many of you who have stated we are doing a great job with collaboration,commitment, and respect at TES.. I have to agree with Wendy when she stated that we do a fantastic job with kindness, compassion and citizenship too. These values were very evident in the Global Awareness Day! The older children were amazing with my kindergarten students. They nurtured, helped and were patient and kind with them. I hope to have more Global days. What a way to get to know each and every child here at TES! I also love the collaboration with our amazing itinerants Carol, Cynthia, and Gardner! We are the best and well on our way!
Community, Collaboration, and Respect - That says a lot about this group! While I was not present at the meeting where the faculty and staff voted for these values, I completely agree that they are most important, especially to a newly-formed school. I believe that we communicate and reinforce these values daily, in our actions toward each other and toward students, in our programs like K-Kids, Jump Rope for Heart, Relay for Life, etc., and I hope I do my part with the Character Education Lessons I have focused on this year during Classroom Guidance in the Media Center. I firmly believe that every teacher at TES, while teaching academics, is also teaching students how to be good productive citizens who care for themselves and for others. So many have mentioned Global Awareness Day, and I agree that it was an astounding success! I hope we can have more of these types of events/days in the future, perhaps on a monthly basis. Talk about school-wide collaboration in order to foster community as a school and respect for other cultures! Let's do much much more of that...
I had a really well thought-out comment that unblogged! So here goes the beauty shop chat version. All I have to say now is that we persevere and we are tough! How else could we stand to do this? The spring party was great fun and the Friday lunches are supurb! To get to know each other better, bring on the fun!
In reading through core value and guiding principal I was so happy to say that we hear at TES apply each one of these almost every day. They are the principals that an educator must posess to do the best job they can for the student. The principal that I want to make sure we continue is perserverence. It has been a commonplace word for us this year with creating a new school and putting in place all the amazing things that have happened. I want us to strive to make sure that things never become common and just ordinary for us. I hope we can always find the fire and excitement that we have felt this year.
I went to a fantastic workshop on Monday about how to collaborate with grade level teachers and art to present a lesson about the story/opera Hansel and Gretel. Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Vincent and I have come up with a fantasic plan for getting all three of our subjects to work together on this. We will present it to everyone that would like to participate on Feb. 23. This is only one of the many collaborations that I am involved in through out the school year. I love this aspect of TES since I feel it gives the kids many different ways to learn something. We know there are visual learners, aural learners etc.. so why not give everyone the chance to really learn with how they learn best.
ReplyDeleteIn reading through Chapter five , I got the most out of pages 195-196. He summarizes all the attributes. It was kind of like reading your bible in that each trait makes you think about how you apply it to your life and classroom. It also makes you relate each one to personal experiences and ideas come to you as to how you can better implement the traits that we might need to work on. I feel that we have a great value system at TES. I think what we could work on might include respect among and between grade levels. This is an issue at all schools, but one that needs our attention. We should be apppreciative of all other grade levels and their contribution to making our students responsible.
ReplyDeleteWe have identified that we value collaboration, community, and respect the most at TES. As stated on page 147 of Wynn’s book, “Good coaches cultivate a climate of cooperation, collaboration, personal responsibility, fairness, and trust; so, too, do good teachers.” It also states that good coaches and teachers push, lead, and inspire players to stretch toward their personal potential within a framework of contributing their individual talents and abilities toward collective and individual achievements. I am witnessing this at the Winter Olympics too. Teammates from both the same country and different countries cheered each other on, felt their pain, and congratulated everyone’s effort. The athletes pushed the limits, sometimes to the point of failure, but got up fighting and ready to go again. We have a lead on a sense of community and collaboration. I think we could improve in the area of respect between grade levels and exceptional children. We should strive to push for responsibility and accountability in the students and staff. We do make mistakes, and can admit them, and get up fighting to learn and stretch towards our potential through respect of our talents, abilities, and cheering each other on to victory; both for personal and “team” gold.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we do have a sense of community and collaboration at TES and that is a great start for our school. I like having these core values spelled out so nicely in this chapter so that we can continue to grow as a school community. I agree with Denise that we could improve the area of respect between grade levels. The global day we had earlier was a great example of our collaboration and if we really think about it, this gives us an opportunity to understand and appreciate how hard everyone works to include all of our students in this learning experience.
ReplyDeleteWe need to continue to collaborate and work together when planning lessons. This week my SS classes will start a county project where each pair of students are researching a county and presenting a ppt. They will work on this in SStudies class and in media and computer class. This way it covers many goals in several curriculum areas. It also gives the students the opportunity to work on the project with other teachers and more time than just in Social Studies class.
ReplyDeleteI love all the CORE VALUES listed on pages 195-6; they're so heartfelt, but are they actually being applied by all/I as part of our values and belief system for TES. You heard the age old saying "Actions speak louder than words". How do we/I apply these wonderful CORE VALUES in a practical manner to each other, our students and parents on a daily basis. Most importantly, teaching them would definitely raise achievement in our students and close the gaps for others. I know we/I have SOAR posted and other positive messages throughout our school but integrating the CORE VALUES into SIP would also be marvelous.
ReplyDeleteReading this book, although time consuming compared to other tasks at hand which have a higher priority, has spurred me to evaluate and readjust my values and beliefs personally and professionally. Certain books are categorized as "self-help". Well this one is, in addition to being inspirational too.
I think TES excels at communicating values with our students such as citizenship, kindness, compassion, and community service. With all the projects we have done as a school such as recycling, pennies for patients, Haiti food collection, campus clean-up, filling backpacks for the underprivileged, etc. I think our students have a very clear message of what it means to be a good citizen. I really have appreciated the school-wide collaborations, especially Global Day and the 100th day celebration that were both pulled off seamlessly. In the future I would like to do more things where the staff can reward or compliment each other anonoymously such as when the AG staff gave us notecards to send to others telling them how or why we appreciate them. Everyone loves to know what they are doing right and to be recognized by a peer or administration can really make someone's day or week.
ReplyDeletePersonally, speaking from a 'grade-level' point of view, I can say that I work with 2 other teachers who DO openly and happily collaborate. This is key...for teachers to get along, no matter how different in personality and style...not only for the sharing of content knowledge, but also for the atmosphere of the classroom!
ReplyDeleteIt is hard for me to say, at this point, what TES needs to improve upon!!! I do not see any areas of great weakness! I do appreciate the values of the administration...
We have positive reinforcement in place all over our school. We all take part in encouraging good behaviors - whether it's our class or someone elses. We are talking across grade levels and across subject areas. I hope to see more collaboration with me in the media center. I hope to be more involved in project based learning in the future. We have such a caring and professional staff that we can't help but project that to our students!
ReplyDeleteI think that TES does a great job communicating and reinforcing collaboration, community, and respect.
ReplyDeleteWe really are doing well in the collaboration department: media/technology, global day, intinerant teachers collaborating to teach a unit, PTA, service projects, horizontal meetings, I could go on and on and on… I do agree that we could continue to work on the cross grade level collaborating. Taking twenty minutes at the end of a day for K-1 or 2-3, etc. to meet could have the potential of great conversations! The more we work together and the more ideas we dump into the pot, the more we help our students! If you have a K student that is really excelling, what a fabulous idea to go to a first grade teacher to bounce ideas! This could take differentiation to a whole other level! I know some of this is happening already, but what a great idea to start thinking about as we plan for next year.
Ms. Shepard mentioned EC teachers and regular ed. teachers collaborating more. This is extremely important if we have the mindset that all of the children are OURS. Again, 15-20 minutes after school with the EC teacher and the regular ed. teacher around a table could make a world of difference for a child. We could be making our lives much easier by doing this! Like they say (whoever they is), two heads are better than one.
We have already begun to move to all of this, we just need to keep trucking! :)
I also agree with Wendy that it would be fun to do more where the staff can reward and/or compliment each other. I know I loved getting the note cards! Who doesn’t like to read good stuff about themselves? :)
I think that we're doing a great job with the 'big 3' principles identified at our meeting - collaboration, respect & community. Not to mention some of the other core values and principles listed in chapter 5 like community service, compassion, kindness and perseverance!(Not bad for less than an entire school year under our collective belts!)Now we just need resilience to meet the inevitable challenges ahead.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward, my personal goal will be to stay reflective about my practice and contribution to TES as a whole.
I think that we do a great job with all three principles at TES. We reinforce the priniciple of respect with positive student referrals and by complimenting children. I really like when I see another faculty member stop to compliment a student or class. I think this goes with the saying these are all of our students. It really boosts the kids up a bit and they get excited when they receive a compliment from someone other than their teacher.We collaborate daily and have great communication here. In the future I would like to collaborate more with my colleagues who teach K and 2nd grade. It is always beneficial to know what the students are expected to know leaving Kindergarten and what the expectations are for 2nd grade. This is an area I hope we can work to improve on.
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ReplyDeleteI think that the footprints of our successes were identified and implemented by our administration back in the summer. Our administrators approach to open communication, collaboration and respect was forthcoming when we were included, and kept informed, of the progress of TES. The TES staff was invited and participated in the groundwork of developing our vision and mission statements prior to school starting. This approach exemplified teamwork because all staff members were included and given the opportunity to share ideas and values. The most positive part of collaboration is ownership. If everyone is identified as having a meaningful part, repsect and communication can flourish.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of the 3 principles chosen collectively by all of us, the one that stands out most for me is community. We have worked hard to define ourselves all year with many of the principles listed in Chapter 5; conscience, commitment, determination, diligence, initiative, and kindness are the main ones that speak to me. Our actions have helped to define TES as a unique learning community, a school that tries very hard to grow the whole child. I think we can find one measure of our success by looking at the overall behavior and actions of our 5th graders. The value of community has been communicated well; they have risen to the challenge of being exemplary citizens and student leaders this year. They have truly set a high standard for future classes. Collaboration can always be improved and must continue to be tweaked as dynamics of staffing change. We have enjoyed a Global Awareness Day that has sparked our interests to venture into new collaborative territories. I see Project based Learning as a great vehicle to future collaboration.
ReplyDeleteAnd, though not voted on by us last month…I want you all to know that if I could have picked out a value that has epitomized you all as a staff and group of wonderful human beings, it would have to be resilience. It is defined as the ability to continue toward a goal in spite of challenges (can we remember back to early August…do we want to?), obstacles (late arrival of Social Studies materials, science kits, AR, etc., ‘lost’novels, no heat in 4th/5th grade hallways, waiting for online access to new math adoptions…) or circumstances beyond your control (the phantom whiteboards, no textbook money for 10-11….). You have all refused to be beaten down, continue to laugh, and encourage each other and me to be the best we can be. This positive spirit is contagious and makes TES a place I am so proud to be a part of.
I would have to agree with Wendy and many of you, that TES does a great job of promoting values that are important to becoming good citizens, responsible adults, and positive role models. By teaching students, that there is more out there than just what we see in our little community, we are creating future leaders and role models that are caring and more understanding of others.
ReplyDeleteI also like the idea that we need to compliment each other more, like with the cards from AG. Part of that is the secret pal project, but I would like to see every teacher participate in it. Sometimes just a little something can go a long way to lifting someone's spirit.
From my perspective I am positive that we are on the right direction with our values. Collaboration:
ReplyDeleteI always see grade level teachers meeting to see what is working, or what changes need to be put in place so that success is had. I am so thankful to work with Mrs. Clemmer, Vincent, and West. I am glad to have other itenerants that are so willing to work together for the good of the school.
Community:
One aspect that I noticed the first was that of Mrs. Redinger, and Mrs. Shoub's core mission of bringing all of the teachers together at a new school, and established such a strong, one-minded, vision for TES. We are a family here at TES and nothing that comes our way will hinder our students success.
Respect:
TES to me screams professionalsim, and respect. I am always treated with repect, by administration, teachers, and students. I know that the students see this and it has to rub off on them. What better way than to teach by example. I am truly blessed to be with you wonderful ladies, thank you for everything!!!
Like many who have commented, i believe we have done a great job with collaboration and a sense of community.
ReplyDeleteI believe out of the three core values, respect may be the one where improvement is most needed. Nancy and Denise both mentioned respect among grade levels. I think we forget that what a child learns in each grade isn't just for that year but for his/her life long learning. Every grade builds on the other. As we continue to have collaboration among grade levels our respect for each other will continue to grow. Teaching our students to show respect comes best by example.
The end of our first year at TES is quickly coming to an end. Reflection: "The honest, inward focus and evaulation of one's actions, behaviors, and experiences" is a good principle to put into practice now.
I agree that we have a great sense of community at TES. Collaboratively, Worldview Day was probably our best effort as a school this year to collaborate. Not only did the staff positively respond but so did the students. When talking about core values and guiding principles, as we did in our meeting on Wednesday (pages 195-96); it's one thing to agree that those values are important to us, but it's another to actually make sure that we are committed to ensuring that they are a part of how we teach, behave and value each other every day. I believe it takes initiative (and sometimes feeling uncomfortable) about collaborating more, changing the way we do business (if it doesn’t work, try something else) and reflecting on how we as individuals can make that paradigm shift each and every day until we feel comfortable and see the results.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see our learning community days stay within TES, to give us the time that we need to get to know each other, understand the grade level curriculum, to identify where and how we can co-teach or collaborate more, share ideas on increasing student performance…it’s important to talk among grade levels within our Topsail Schools but as a new school and staff, we may want to consider another day each month in which we can focus on sharing amongst ourselves.
Thank you to Mrs. Redinger and Ms. Shoub for their leadership in allowing us as a staff to work collectively to create the community in which we work our magic each day. I appreciate the respect, honesty and professionalism and most of all the ability to be apart of TES.
First of all, I am so proud to be a member of the staff at TES! It was by choice that I came here and I look back and am so thankful that my request was granted. It has been extremely difficult however and I have spent many days "stressing out"! I have had to move out of my comfort zone, kicking and screaming, but I am better for it.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Mrs. Savidge when she said that administration has given us opportunities to be involved from the ground up in establishing TES. Respect can't help but follow.
I am so excited about collaborating with Cindy and Carol on the Hansel and Gretel Unit. By attending this workshop at UNC-W I got the opportunity to work with two outstanding teachers in developing the collaborative lesson. Again, I have a renewed respect for our itinerate teachers.
I have found it very beneficial and eye-opening to go to third grade and simply ask, "What do you think the upcoming third graders are lacking." They have been so willing to talk with me about this, not pointing a finger, but rather working with me to help our students become better learners.
I thought that it was an interesting point that Trena made when she said that "teaching" the Core Values to our students is benefical. I want my students to take more than just Reading, Math, SS, Science.....but also a knowledge of what it takes to be an honorable person.
I am also very interested in collaborating with THS. There are many opportunities to work with the teachers there. They are very responsive to my requests for help. I am hoping to take my students there on a collaborative unit with the film students.
I think we have had an awesome first year so far and I am excited to think about the great things to come!
I absolutely loved Global Awareness Day and hope that we will have more opportunities to do this in the near future. I really thought we came together as a school. I recently collaborated with Mrs. Rice about how this year has been going and she offered to have 2 of her students come read to my students on a daily basis. I was greatful that she extended this opportunity to me because my students love being able to interact with students in the regular education classes. As an EC department, we were told to reach out and make an effort to go to other teachers and ask for materials to borrow, collaborate, etc but it would be nice for other teachers to stop by and lend support as well! Any materials you use that you may think my students could use, please stop by!
ReplyDeleteI think we have already communicated our core values and they are reinforced daily through our SOAR rules, belief statements, and our everyday interactions within our school community.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mrs. Johnson about being glad my request was granted to be a part of TES. It has been stressful and taken long hours, but the opportunity to be a part of building a new school has been amazing. I like that we were able to take past experience and decide what we want TES to look and feel like. Building a community is a gradual process that requires establishing many different kinds of relationships and I think we are almost there. Continuing to collaborate with each other and being respectful of every member of our school community will be essential to the continued positive growth of our school.
In the future, I hope we will be able to find time to plan more collaboration among grade levels and schools.
Community...We are a wonderful community of teachers, administrators, parents, caregivers, friends. I see everyday the way the children feel about coming to school. Almost all of them come in with a smile. I try to say good morning to each of them as they pass me at the front desk. This is a little way I can give them a sense of community, that they belong to our school!!
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Jess that I really like to see other faculty members stop and give compliments to individual and whole classes. This gives them an incentive to keep SOARing and that others see it as well!!
I continue to believe that collaboration is connected to other beliefs, such as accountability and compassion. I think in order to further develop our collaborative efforts, we need to hold all memebers of our faculty accountable with compassion attached. This will probably come with time, since we really don't know what each other is capable of fully. But I am impressed with what I have seen so far!
ReplyDeleteI think that we have a great community feel to our school. From the beginning, we have been able to come together and make TES what it is today, and it can only get better from here.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jess about collaborating with the next and previous grade level just so we can all have the kids on the right track to success. Everything learned in elementary is the foundation for the child's educational future. That makes it extremely important for us to be doing everything we can to make sure every child is learning what they need to succeed.
Although we chose collaboration, respect and community as our top three values, I think we also do very well in many more areas. Community service and compassion would be right up there, as shown through our many service related projects and the participation shown by the students. The diligence and commitment of our staff is so evident. I do have to say that the amount of collaboration at TES is amazing-especially among the itinerant teachers. Gardner, Carol and Cindy hit the ground running with that incredible Holiday show, and they, along with Beth, have made our "specials" really stand out and shown the students that these classes are fun and important areas of their education. Beth and Brandi have been great at working with 4th grade to coordinate their lessons with what we are doing in our classrooms. As far as community-I have never been part of a school that pulled together so well and so quickly to build its "identity" and have such a positive impact on students, families and the community.
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ReplyDeleteCollaborating is one of the most important and ongoing actions for a faculty. We are all contributing to the new school concept through collaboration daily, and we work, plan, and have fun together while we do it! Mutual respect has been evident as we have all been working hard to make new decisions while merging the concepts and experiences brought here from other schools in the community. Through collaboration and respect, we are now building our own school community right here at TES!
ReplyDeleteAs a new school bringing together staff members from other schools in the area and around the county, I personally feel that we are beginning to come together. We are beginning to engage in dialogue and conversation about student achievement. Folks are sharing strategies and solutions needed to increase student achievement and as a school community students are being nurtured and praised for their accomplishments. In the future I would hope that as we begin to grow in staff and number of students that we do not lose our focus. A school of excellence cannot focus without its stakeholders being driven by the passion to do so, now or in the future.
ReplyDeleteCollaboration - I see a lot of wonderful examples of this happening around the school. Personally, I feel the need to do more collaborating, both within my grade level and with other teachers in the building. Global Day was so fantastic! I want more! It's an excuse, but I can't find enough time in each day to meet with teachers to collaborate more. I'm hopeful that once we are settled in next year, there will be more time. I would also like to see some time set out specifically for this to happen.
ReplyDeleteCommunity - I think we not only say we value this, but also show that this is true. I feel a wonderful sense of community here at T.E.S. and I hope that everyone feels the same way.
Respect - I feel respected, and I hope that I show respect to others. I think we all need to be deliberate in making sure that we treat each other respectfully, even if we disagree, and to show students that we do so.
As far as students are concerned, acting as models with all of the above will speak volumes to the students. If they know we respect each other, honor a sense of community, and spend time collaborating, they will feel it. I believe we do a good job with this, but perhaps could be more deliberate at times.
We have identified at TES that we value collaboration, community, and respect. Here are my thoughts on these areas.
ReplyDeleteCollaboration - I feel that this is such an important part of a school's success. Through collaboration we are able to grow as teachers and staff by learning from not only those on our grade level, but those throughout the building. I look forward to being able to increase this time as we settle more into our routine next year. Our Global Day was so much fun! It was amazing to be a part of such a wonderful learning experience - not only for the students but for me as a teacher to be able to share time with students from across our entire school. I believe this experience diplayed extensive collaboration as well as giving everyone involved a true sense of a being a school community.
Community - This is a trait that I definitely think we are striving to make a reality here at T.E.S. Even though we are only in our first year, I feel that our staff is really coming together to build the sense that T.E.S. is not just a school made up of students, teachers, and staff - but we are all a part of one body. I love it when we pass teachers or staff in the hallway and they comment on our class, or turn in a positive referral, or even show responsibility for correcting behaviors as needed - this shows we all care about each other and have a vested interest in all who are within the walls of this building. I say we keep this at the forefront of our minds - so we can grow our sense of being a true TES school community. This leads to the next trait - respect.
Respect - Respect? Important? Only if you want to be successful in LIFE! That is why we as educators know the importance of helping our students understand, learn and exhibit what respect truly is. It's my opinion that respect is important to all our staff schoolwide. With this being so, you can see and hear evidence of all staff members striving to not only expect this of our students, but model it as well.
I was not surprised that our staff choose cooperation, collaboration and respect as the attributes we most value. This year has been all about that.
ReplyDeleteAs far as showing students that we value these things, I think we need to have students work cooperatively as often as possible. The true lessons involved in cooperative learning are not about our curriculum, but about how to function within a group so that a task can be completed efficiently and successfully. Project-based learning is the big catch-phrase for educational thinking these days. I would love to see more staff development devoted to this topic. It makes learning "real" and allows students to try out different roles within a group.
I agree with many of you who have stated we are doing a great job with collaboration,commitment, and respect at TES.. I have to agree with Wendy when she stated that we do a fantastic job with kindness, compassion and citizenship too. These values were very evident in the Global Awareness Day! The older children were amazing with my kindergarten students. They nurtured, helped and were patient and kind with them. I hope to have more Global days. What a way to get to know each and every child here at TES! I also love the collaboration with our amazing itinerants Carol, Cynthia, and Gardner! We are the best and well on our way!
ReplyDeleteCommunity, Collaboration, and Respect - That says a lot about this group! While I was not present at the meeting where the faculty and staff voted for these values, I completely agree that they are most important, especially to a newly-formed school. I believe that we communicate and reinforce these values daily, in our actions toward each other and toward students, in our programs like K-Kids, Jump Rope for Heart, Relay for Life, etc., and I hope I do my part with the Character Education Lessons I have focused on this year during Classroom Guidance in the Media Center. I firmly believe that every teacher at TES, while teaching academics, is also teaching students how to be good productive citizens who care for themselves and for others. So many have mentioned Global Awareness Day, and I agree that it was an astounding success! I hope we can have more of these types of events/days in the future, perhaps on a monthly basis. Talk about school-wide collaboration in order to foster community as a school and respect for other cultures! Let's do much much more of that...
ReplyDeleteI had a really well thought-out comment that unblogged! So here goes the beauty shop chat version. All I have to say now is that we persevere and we are tough! How else could we stand to do this? The spring party was great fun and the Friday lunches are supurb! To get to know each other better, bring on the fun!
ReplyDeleteIn reading through core value and guiding principal I was so happy to say that we hear at TES apply each one of these almost every day. They are the principals that an educator must posess to do the best job they can for the student.
ReplyDeleteThe principal that I want to make sure we continue is perserverence. It has been a commonplace word for us this year with creating a new school and putting in place all the amazing things that have happened. I want us to strive to make sure that things never become common and just ordinary for us. I hope we can always find the fire and excitement that we have felt this year.