Ready Set Know

We had a great response from our first PTA function of the year. Ready Set Know! This approach was different than how we have traditionally done things for our open house event. If you're a parent, I hope you found this meeting beneficial, if you're a teacher I hope you found this easier to manage the communication with so many people. As an administrator, I can say that this was a positive experience for us as well. We were able to share information in a way that met the needs of our entire population in an effective and efficient way, and at the end.....we ate!

The word feedback comes to mind when I reflect on the process we used to organize this event. We have used the feedback we have received over the past few months from our staff and from our parents. We took the feedback put our heads together and came up with a solution to meet the needs of our customers. Are you taking the same approach in your classroom?

We sometimes forget to take the instructional feedback we get from our students and utilize them to the fullest potential. I encourage you to think about this. As you are getting to know your students and realize their strengths and needs who is the first person you share them with. What tone do you share weaknesses in? A teacher told me today that she was always up for a challenge, but needed help to climb the mountain. We decided that we would come up with a plan that will help not just her up the mountain but the other people and our students up the mountain as well.

Other grade levels are doing the same thing. I have noticed in our weekly meetings with you that you are starting to have the important conversations. I have enjoyed your data meetings, your working on the work meetings, and now your model classroom meetings. I have enjoyed the conversations about students more so than I have ever enjoyed the conversations about jean days, fish passes, discipline or duty free lunch.

I encourage you to focus on our legitimate educational needs or our students. To continue to climb the mountain, to get in the game, don't just be a spectator at your meetings, to seek the feedback, accept the feedback, then act upon it. When you get to the top of the mountain, enjoy the view. The journey will be a challenge, but the view at the top will be worth it.