Month: January 2013

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Frosty start with warm hearts!

It was a slick and slushy start to our Tuesday morning, but smiles prevailed!  R time#2During walkabout, a first grade class started their day with R Time by pairing up to work and talk together using counters as part of their task.  It was reported to me how much they appreciated the opportunity to “help a friend get smarter.”  🙂

A Kinder class was using the weather to create their Morning Message.  The teacher asked, “I have forgotten how to spell the word.  Where would I find it in our room to help me?”  A young learner leaned over to me, “She’s ALWAYS forgetting how to spell things and we ALWAYS have to tell her!”  🙂

Another Kinder class was using play dough to form numbers and ten frames (the physical part of manipulating stiff play dough is always a challenge for our young learners anyway) when a little one burst heartily into song, “Come on everybody, let’s get this done; numbers in the teens, they start with 1!”  🙂

Finally, a fifth grade class held a discussion about the turn of events during the Civil War.  A learner reminded everyone, “In the middle of a mess you can always find an opportunity, kinda like the weather this morning, huh?!”  🙂

What a blessing to see firsthand the frosty start to our day didn’t melt the warm hearts within our walls.  Here’s hoping you find something to warm your heart today; stay safe out there!   🙂

Health Note:  In light of record flu numbers, Nurse Sullivan wants us all to please remember these important first steps you can take with your family:

  1. Teach and enforce frequent hand washing with soap and water.
  2. Teach and enforce not to share personal items like food or drinks.
  3. Cover those coughs and sneezes using the elbow, arm, or sleeve (NOT hands).
  4. Know the signs and symptoms of the flu:  fever greater than 100.5, cough, sore throat, body aches, runny/stuffy nose, headache.
  5. Finally, please keep your child home if they are sick.  Students should return school once they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.

For more information, please visit http://www.texasflu.org or http://www.cdc.gov/flu/ 

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No Problem!

I was privileged to work with an intuitive group of thinkers early on this frosty Monday morning.  They were talking about conflicts and what they do to personally work through them.  I could tell immediately they had given this deep thought and done some research:  eraseconflict

  • Conflicts are a part of life; when we engage in conflict, we need to realize this is normal. 
  • Conflicts are disagreements–it is really not a contest where there are winners and losers. 
  • We have to help each other, be a problem solver, and use a ‘win-win way’ to help everyone.
  • Show respect and use words that work.  Mrs. Stanley talks about “I” messages with each other (“When you…I feel…because…”).
  • Treat others the way we want to be treated and be a good listener who really hears the other person!

I think you get the idea.  So I had to ask, “What’s a ‘win-win way’ look like?”  Now you have their answers:

  1. Treat each other with respect, be a strong listener, and use words that work (“I” messages).
  2. Find out each person’s needs or wants in the situation, and ask, “How can we ______?” (state needs/wants of both)
  3. Think of solutions together, make a plan, and act on the plan.

This group was creating a classroom flipbook of their ideas to share with others (I told them to market it to other schools because this is something every campus deals with daily!).  Even though this particular writing assignment was important for their grade and teamwork, the much more valuable life lesson involved their ideas for working through any conflict.  It’s another example of giving our students the gift of finding ways to creatively work together in the early years.  Bravos to these fourth graders and their teacher!  As one friend put it best, “We erase conflicts; no problem!”   🙂

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READ in the New Year!

IMG_06722013…time to READ in the new year at LME!  All students and staff members spent at least 2013 seconds today (that’s exactly 33 minutes and 55 seconds) READing in the new year during our annual event.  Dressed in cphotoomfy clothes accompanied by pillows, blankies, animal friends, and other cushy items, everyone stopped in the midst of their busy daily schedule and indulged in some old-fashioned reading time.  No tests…no comprehension questions…no reader-responses…just READing!

Sometimes, the greatest things learned are the simplest things to complete.  Here’s hoping 2013 brings simply outstanding opportunities for all of us to READ throughout the year!  🙂

Note:  Speaking of READing in the new year, we are looking forward to our author visit next week with Mr. Lucas Miller on Thursday, January 17th! 

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Building future leaders of strong character…

In meeting a new family to LME this week, the question was asked of me by the student, “What does this school do in the way of building character everyday?”  No joke!  Besides the usual list (Essential Miller 5, Rachel’s Challenge, Morning Message, R Time, KC Club, and others), I shared how we work daily to build strong relationships and interpersonal skills.  Most importantly though, building-characterwe embrace and highly value the significant role our families play in the lives of our students.  The significant adults in the home are a child’s first teacher; we respect the work they do before our learners begin their educational journey with us.  In our society today, the “traditional family” is no longer the norm; it is the exception.  On campus demographics show that an increasing number of our students are being raised by grandparents, extended family members, and blended families.  To support our students in these changing roles, we must strive to ensure they have the character building tools needed to become effective leaders of tomorrow.  Looking back at our own families (traditional or not), we realize it is often the wisdom and strong examples of those in our extended family who played a vital role in who we are today.

For example, from an early age, I was blessed to live in the same area as both sets of grandparents.  I witnessed time and again their selfless acts of reaching out to others to help meet needs through various community, church, and other civic activities.  There was always a meal, cards, flowers from the garden, or something going somewhere to someone.  Most importantly though, I remember when a person’s “word” was good enough and a strong work ethic, service, and high expectations were just the norm.  My parents and grandparents walked what they talked and carried hope and strong belief in others and themselves (most especially in me!).  Without a doubt, they each had a part in the person I am today.

As our staff reflects and looks to the future for our learners, we do our personal best to remember the wisdom gained from our past experiences.  As educators, we have to be willing to pass on this wisdom to those in our charge everyday as we build future leaders of strong character.  Most importantly, we appreciate everything you do before, during, after our work to support us!  May 2013 be a year each learner remembers as a time of building strong character.

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College Day dreamin’…

You’ve heard me remind learners time and again:  “Plan your work; work your plan; autograph your work with personal excellence daily.”  Having a plan and seeing College_Aheadit through is one of those life lessons no curriculum or state assessment can ever measure.  As part of our dream for our current learners, we always take a day (or more) to talk about college, sharing specifically about the importance of strong study habits, building team with school spirit, and other interesting details about higher education (the appropriate ones, that is!).  🙂  Even now, it is our hope our learners are encouraged to begin thinking about their future plans and expectations beyond high school graduation.

I know what you’re thinking though…why talk to a 5-year-old about college?  As a mom of two daughters (MISD grads) currently in college and graduate school, I speak from personal experience when I share it’s never too early to have these conversations, let alone to financially plan for this continuing educational journey (a topic of many other possible blogs, mind you!).  As with any future goal, we want to encourage our learners to aim high in order to achieve personal excellence.  As Coach Rogers tells our learners everyday:  “We don’t expect everyone to be the best; we expect everyone to give and do their best!”  Without dreams and leaps into our imagination, we lose the excitement of possibilities.  Dreaming is, after all, a form of planning.  Learning to work the plan at a younger age teaches the discipline and responsibility needed to succeed in life.  Higher education, in all its many forms, is definitely a “ticket to dreams” and Every Day Is Game Day at LME!  🙂

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R Time is here!

It is indeed a blessing to have everyone back at school!  There’s a certain excitement in the air as we begin 2013 together.  Of course, children’s smiles, hugs, and “happy new year” sentiments ring clearly.  We are excited about this semester, new goals, and the educational opportunities before us.  As always, we will continue to do our best to ensure a safe, logo2caring learning environment with good communication and collaboration everyday.

There’s also another reason for excitement:  R Time is finally here!  R Time is a district and campus social education program we are implementing that is producing outstanding results in schools across the country.  R Time places the emphasis on effective, respectful, meaningful personal relationships achieved through random pairings.  R Time creates an educational environment supporting and enhancing positive relationships, good behavior, reduction of bullying, and strong citizenship.

Using common courtesy and good manners with each other becomes the norm (rather than the exception) once R Time is implemented.  Shy children find a voice and dominant children learn to negotiate and agree.  Bullies in particular discover a new way of reacting to classmates.  R Time makes a significant contribution in improving behavior, reducing bullying, building relationships, resolving conflict, building citizenship, nurturing emotional well-being, building trust, developing confidence, promoting decision-making, and improving communications skills for everyone.

There are six steps involved in each R Time lesson:  rule and instruction, random pairing of students, meeting and greeting, activity with pairing partner, processing and feedback, and conclusion with thanks.  These six steps are used in each lesson and become the foundation for all pairing interactions in R Time.

Greg Sampson, creator of R Time, uses his vast experience in working with children to focus on “old fashioned values and greater humanity” in the world today.  He states:  “Good behavior has its roots firmly established in healthy relationships; it is no surprise that a program designed to enable children to get along well with one another will reduce poor behavior dramatically.” Pete Harvey, promoter of the program, comments: “R Time enables children’s dormant relationships to blossom and flourish with greater confidence across gender divisions, religious and racial boundaries, and dominant or passive natures.”

LaRue Miller Elementary is proud to bring R Time and its transformative impact on relationships to our students, staff, and families.  Please check out www.rtime.info for more specific information or feel free to call our office at 972-775-4497 to speak with our counselor, Mrs. Stanley, our Assistant Principal, Mrs. Bass, or myself.  In the meantime, be listening for your child and classroom teacher to share some R Time experiences with you soon…and welcome back!  🙂

Note:  Speaking of goals, we are talking about college tomorrow, so let’s see that team spirit in college gear! 

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…and we’re back!

What a blessing to break bread and share experiences as an entire staff early in the LMEsnowmorning upon our return to campus…we surely enJOYed a wonderful start to 2013 here at LME today!  While our learners were still enJOYing a final holiday, we were designing and sharing ideas for the coming months.  During a session on R Time led by our own Mrs. Bass and Mrs. Stanley (more to come on this initiative soon), these powerful words of rememberance were shared:

Building self-esteem is probably the single most important thing we do for our students most days…

“I have come to a frightening conclusion.  I am the decisive element in the classroom.  It is my personal approach that creates the climate.  It is my daily mood that makes the classroom weather.  As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life hard or full of JOY.  I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.  I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.  In all situations, it is my response that decided whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and whether a child is dehuminized or humanized.  The work, if done properly, is overwhelming….” 

Teachers, classroom leaders and instructional aides, spend long hours at their calling.  They are expected to create individual plans and personal success for each child, regardless of ability.  We are so blessed to have a Miller staff who:

  • believe in making learners THE priority in all decisions;
  • believe in good communication and collaboration to build your trust;
  • understand that everyone is a learner and can learn;
  • create engaging, meaningful work through best practices to ensure student success; and
  • place the highest priority on safety because it is critical to student success.

Be sure to take a moment and thank your child’s teacher this week as we go into 2013.  We are here to serve and we welcome your support, prayers, encouragement, and assistance along the journey.  A returning mom registering her children stopped me in office today to comment: “we’re so glad to be back at Miller!”  Here’s hoping you are too!  🙂

Note:  School resumes on Tuesday, January 8th @ 7:45 a.m.  College Day is Wed; Jan. 9th (show that college spirit).