Personal Reflections

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Principal’s Principles…

There are days when my work as a campus leader focuses specifically on those we have the honor to serve everyday:  our learners.  I LOVE days like this!  Following our Friday Rally this morning, for example, I spent nearly an hour with a diverse group of 5th grade friends.  We talked in a round table session about our work here at LME.  They are a student focus group who isn’t afraid to speak about “the good and the not-so-good” concerning our campus.  They talk with me about the work they do in their classes, what they think about certain school initiatives, and how to make our learning community a better place as we grow.  They are brutally honest and I appreciate their perspective more than they know!

Likewise, Mrs. Bass, Mrs. Stanley, and I then spent a wonderful IMG_2090lunch out with a special group of learners who earned this semester honor.  These friends from Kindergarten through 5th grade met specific criteria including perfect attendance as well as and the highest academic and behavior standards.  It is truly an honor to visit with these students and enJOY some time away in a special setting for a yummy lunch!  The stories they tell us…  🙂

Our students always have a voice on our campus and part of our job is to actively listen to them.  We appreciate their feedback, their ideas, their stories, and their dreams for the future.  As one friend put it this morning, “it’s the principles of the principals that can make it or break it…”  No pressure!   🙂

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Upcoming Events!

A volunteer stopped me in the hallway today to compliment the blog, the topics, and the “funnies” of everyday campus life.  She also challenged me to send out more upcoming-eventsinformation about upcoming events (ahead of time) as well as to continue writing about them after-the-fact…consider it done!

Here’s a glance at some important February events in our campus life at LME:

Tutus and Ties:  Our enthusiastically active PTO group is sponsoring the annual event THIS Saturday, Feb. 9th in our Miller Cafe from 7:00-9:00 p.m.  The theme is Tutus and Ties:  A Night in Paris!  A live DJ, door prizes, pictures, flowers, food, and fun are the main events for this Sunday-Dress attired evening.  Tickets are still available for $25.00/couple ($35.00/couple at the door).

Valentine’s Day Parties:  Our final class parties will take place on Thursday, February 14th.  HS/KG/1st/2nd grades will party from 9:00-10:00 a.m. and 3rd/4th/5th grades will party from 1:30-2:30 p.m.  You can still make a reservation to attend by letting the front office know so your visitor badge is ready.  We always appreciate the extraordinary work our room parents and volunteers provide our homeroom classes during these highly anticipated and special events!

Thoughtful Writing Thursdays:  To support our 4th grade friends who spend intense time each Thursday during February and March in writing preparation and practice, we wear our school-appropriate warm-ups.  Help up Warm-Up to Writing in the next few weeks!

Our Destination Imagination group will compete in the regional tournament in Mineral Wells ISD on Saturday, February 23rd.  We’re so excited to have two creative elementary teams representing LME this year!

LME Yearbooks are on sale now and you don’t want to miss your opportunity to purchase this colorful book of 2012-2013 school memories!  Your last change to order is February 28th and the cost this year is $20.00.  Last year was a sell-out, so please order now.

Our Math Pentathletes are meeting weekly now in preparation for their annual tournaments.  Division I and II will compete on Saturday, April 6th in Mansfield ISD.  Division III will compete this year on Saturday, April 27th in Glen Rose ISD.  Go Math Pentathletes!

The Miller CATCH Committee is sponsoring their annual Chili-Cookoff and Family Night on Thursday, February 21st from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Miller Cafe.  The entry fee is $5.00 and the fees go into the winner’s pot.  Chili entries should arrive by 5:45 with judging starting at 6:15 p.m.  After judging is completed, all chili will be served for $1.00 a bowl.  No reservations are needed; come and enJOY some great chili and family fun!

Rowdy Run 5K Event:  Come out and show us you believe in a healthy lifestyle.  The enormously popular Rowdy Runners Club is sponsoring their first annual 5K on Saturday, March 2nd @ 8:00 a.m.  The start/finish is at Kimmel Park in Midlothian.  You can register at any elementary campus by picking up the application or online using http://www.active.com/running/midlothian-tx/rowdy-run-2013 (additional fees apply).  The real question is…will you beat Mrs. Van across the finish line?!  🙂

As you can see, there are multiple opportunities to be involved with our campus; we sure hope you choose to spend time with us soon!

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Given a choice…

I was interviewed recently by some students about why I went intogiving1 teaching years ago.  While I love to share this story, the more important part of the interview was why teachers choose to do what they do.  Here is what I said:

We teach and educate because we were given this gift.  Regardless of your beliefs, teaching is a gift (just like music or athletics or preaching or great minds).  Spend some time in a classroom and see if you possess the gift.  I believe educators are blessed with a heart of compassion for others and special giving hands to share it.

We teach because children need someone who listens and loves.  When a child quietly whispers, “I need to tell you something,” in that moment we become listeners, counselors, parents, pastors, or any other profession required of us.  This trusting child knows we will love no matter what they share.

We teach because we genuinely desire to make a difference in lives, one person at a time.  This is part of “the gift” since it comes from deep within our souls.  While I didn’t mention this to these students, educators as a group are naturally willing to sacrifice their time, energy, and (in some cases) their lives to save their students with great courage, honor, and dignity.  We are faithful servants in our work.

Given a choice of any other work, I would not hesitate in choosing to be the guardian, the caregiver, and the advocate for learners…the educator.  I flipped the question to them, “Given a choice, what would you be?”  One student summed it up this way, “Geez…and I just thought teachers taught, Mrs. Van!”  🙂

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Acts of Kindness and Compassion…

As our community has learned in the past few days, you never know when unspeakable tragedy will strike.  Likewise, you never know when someone will bestow a beautiful act of kindness or compassion.  We want to commend our Miller learning community for extensively wrapping your loving arms of kindness and compassion around all three families involved in the recent event.  More specifically, thanks for showing in action how kindness and compassion work to our learners.

So imagine my surprise today when a first grade class of IMG_2083friends asked for a moment of my time.  They lovingly bestowed a beautiful book of letters entitled, “We Are THANKFUL for you, Mrs. Van!”  Each child wrote his or her own letter and illustrated thoughts as well.  Here are some specific comments (as they were written):

  • Thank you for hireing teachers to teach us. They do good work.
  • You work hart and you are fun to work with.
  • You porteck our school.
  • You care for all of us even when I’m makeing choyces.
  • You do your bery best to help us.
  • You keepe us informed with the annoncements.
  • You are so pritty.  (I will remind Mr. Van of this one in particular since I’m getting older now!)
  • Thanks for loveing us.

What a blessing in my life and just one more beautiful illustration of the power of kindness and compassion in our lives!  Thank you first graders!  🙂

With February being National Kindness and Compassion month, here’s hoping you find a way to share a little KC too!

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MVPs!

We enJOYed a special Miller Rally this morning where we talked about The Reluctant Groundhog by Dan Slottje.  In this clever story, Gracie the Groundhog, by default, must replace the retired Marvin (since he moved away to Arizona) in predicting the annual spring forecast.  As expected, Gracie is hesitant to accept this new role for fear of failing the animals.  The wise Professor Owl steps in to remind Gracie “the only thing you have to be afraid of is not doing your personal best.”  Gracie decides if she tries and does her best, then she will succeed.  When she accurately predicts the arrival of spring, the animals celebrate her success and she shares, “It’s simple—just believe in yourself.”

This story is most appropriate today especially since IMG_0030Mrs. Bass and I celebrated our second MVP Social with all our Miller MVPs chosen so far this school year.  The MVP status is quite an achievement of personal excellence here at Miller.  Those chosen go well above and beyond in their social as well as academic achievements.  Our MVPs truly represent by their daily actions how they believe in themselves and others.  They walk Gracie Groundhog’s talk about doing their personal best in order to excel.  Congratulations to these leading learners who are setting the bar high in all areas!  As one friend noted, “Like you always say, Mrs. Van, MVPs have ‘standards and ‘quirements!”  🙂   Here’s hoping our own groundhog shares his “standards and requirements” well tomorrow; we’re ready for some spring around LME!

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Design vs. Planning

IMG_2512Our LME Design Team has definitely spent “quality WOW time” together this week in two creative settings.  First of all, these leaders of learners volunteer (really!) to take on the regular challenge and ultimate role of leading transformation on our growing campus…not an easy or even fun task for sure and for certain!  🙂  They lead our teams as trailblazers to WOW (Work on the Work) while they facilitate, support, and help staff members to think about lesson design and work that usually causes more questions than answers.  🙂  They are the leaders of learners charged with the task of telling our Miller story.  Bottom line, they ask the tough questions:  How do we make learning limitless for all involved in the process?

I shared before in previous blogs about our lesson design qualities (DQs):  content and substance, product focus, organization of knowledge, clear and compelling product standards, protection from adverse consequences, affiliation, affirmation, choice, novelty and variety, and authenticity.  Each of these DQs help teachers to focus on the WHO (our students) and on the actual design of the work.   So what is the difference between designing and planning?  In his book, Engaging Students:  The Next Level of Working on the Work (2011), Dr. Phillip Schlechty sums it up best:

  1. Design begins with customers and the needs of customers.  Planning begins with goals, objectives, programs of action, and activities.
  2. Design assumes divergence, disruption, and chaos.  Planning assume convergence and order.
  3. Design is expressive.  Planning is logical and rational analysis.
  4. Designers synthesize and unify.  Planners analyze and segment.
  5. Transformation requires design.  Reform requires planning.

He goes on to comment simply, “Learning organizations depend on the capacity to design while bureaucracies depend on the capacity to plan.”  Deep thoughts, huh?!  🙂

Here’s what we do know:  We are a committed learning organization who believes in designing first and planning second.  While we have to follow the bureaucracy of being a state institution with mandated assessment and required curriculum to cover, we have the freedom in Midlothian ISD to create and design engaging,IMG_2518 meaningful work.  I’m so proud to work in a district who believes in the philosophy and framework of WOW.  Equally, I’m proud of our Miller Design Team who lead the charge of transformation.  Most importantly, I’m proud of our learners who teach us well along this journey how to be the best designers of their work.

Note:  Special thanks to our LME Design Team:  Sherrie Gunter, Lauren Bergvall, Shannon Williams, Jennifer Blair, Traci Samek, Bethany Griffin-Loftis, Krista Bruton, and Scott Fiorenza (not pictured). 

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Positive Interactions

R Time # 5In place of Morning Message each Tuesday, our learners and classroom leaders participate in R Time.  In a previous blog, I expanded on the ideas and activities associated with this interactive campus initiative; today I had the privilege of observing a particular class in R Time action.

First of all, they were excited it was R Time today!  🙂  One of the powerful aspects of their R Time work is not knowing WHO will be their working partner during the actual activity; the surprise element is always fun.  The other significant aspect is knowing their work together will be a positive experience.

As we all know, positive interactions are essential to daily healthy relationships—at home, school, work, church, community, and in life.  positivesThe actual activity involved the pairs greeting one another appropriately, sharing a pleasant thought, and then talking about the ways they share positive interactions with others.  The pairs agreed to a word to then shared with the remaining pairs to help cultivate more positive interactions in the classroom everyday.  Each pair added their chosen word to a class wordle to post for everyone to use.  The conversations and closing discussion simply warmed my heart…it encouraged me to stop several times today just to spread (as one learner said it), “positive vibes.”  Here’s hoping you spread your own positive vibes today and everyday!

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HEARTy Creations

valcutouts A group of students entered the classroom and found multiple heart cutouts scattered upon each classroom desk.  Someone noted, “It must have rained hearts in here over the weekend!”  The children were challenged to create something from the hearts, using all the sizes and colors placed on their particular desk.  Once the creations were completed, the writing and sharing commenced.

An activity like this brings out the clever, unique, and fun side of learning for students.  Being able to have choice in novel ways creates ownership of the work and the results.  Learners authentically engage themselves because they have the protection to create without the fear of failing—there are no right or wrong answers.

It is our goal to design meaningful and engaging work for learners everyday.  We concentrate more on the WHO rather than the WHAT.  We specifically think about the students for whom this work is intended by identifying their roles, responsibilities, and unique abilities or challenges.  Likewise, our students are also able to make decisions regarding some part of the learning experience while providing a variety of skills, styles, and unique approaches to their learning, their interests, and their work.  In the words of one learner, this combination definitely makes for “lovely learning and HEARTy creations!”   Indeed!  🙂

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Truths Children Learn

truthMy mom, a long-time educator and avid reader, always used this quote from Mark Twain on me growing up…it’s so true!  Telling the truth is a life lesson; telling the truth sets you free; telling the truth is being honest no matter what.

The other day, she shared the following piece with me about the “truths our children learn.”  Here’s hoping you find “the truth” in these enlightening statements from young observers:

  • No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize a cat.
  • When your mom is mad at your dad, don’t let her brush your hair.
  • If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back.  They always catch the second person.
  • Never ask your 2-year-old brother to hold a tomato.
  • You can’t trust a dog to watch your food.
  • Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
  • Puppies still have bad breath even after eating a mint.
  • You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
  • Don’t try to use a dust-buster and a cat at the same time.
  • The best place to be when you are sad is in Grandma’s lap.

Thanks, Momma; this made my day.  I hope it brings a smile to yours!  🙂

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LAUNCHing into 21st Century Learning

There was a dull roar coming from the 3rd grade wing of our campus yesterday afternoon.  The arrival of the newest cart of iPads was cause for great rejoicing.  Our own Amy Clark, third grade teacher, has been chosen by Midlothian ISD as a technology pilot classroom teacher to implement IMG_0014digital tools in a vastly engaging 21st Century way.  Fellow chosen pilot teachers along with Ms. Clark will help chart the course for developing digital classrooms across MISD in the months to come.

While the content of the coursework for these students will not change (we must teach TEKS and required student expectations), the manner in which Ms. Clark’s students access the information and construct meaning and mastery may look different.  Each student will use an iPad in class throughout the day.  While most of our children already do this outside the walls of the classroom, we will hopefully be able to match the level of technology possibilities within this classroom now.  This class will specifically rely less on print resources such as textbooks and worksheets and work more with digital tools (like their iPads) to enhance the education of each learner.  This is an exciting start and this class will set a new standard of expectation for years to come.

We are excited and proud to be a part of this incredible pilot project and look forward to the process and products these learners and their technology-fearless classroom leader share in the months to come!  🙂