Friday, November 4, 2016

Your View of the Cup

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY FRIDAY! Today marks the end of the second six weeks… Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner!

LADY BLUE, CHLOE MORRIS, IS A STATE QUALIFIER IN CROSS-COUNTRY! Chloe will be running at the State Meet on Saturday, November 12th in Round Rock, Texas.  

The Lady Blues continue their playoff march this evening at 5:30 in Jacksboro against Springtown.  Good luck Lady Blues!

We have Senior Night festivities tonight at the Steers vs Iowa Park game. Hope to see you all at the big game. GO STEERS!

Congrats to the RSB3 for an outstanding showing at the UIL Area Marching Contest!

Mrs. Stuckey’s Pioneer Elementary Mighty Milers recently received $500 worth of equipment (balls, soccer goals,etc.) to use in their school's physical education program.  New York Road Runners teamed up with New Balance and Good Sports to provide this Spark Start movement kit to 50 schools across the United States.  Congrats to all our great little runners and thank you Mighty Milers!

Marzano High Reliability Schools (HRS)- This past year I submitted a request to ESC 9 for our district to be included in the HRS professional development program.  I recently learned that we will be afforded this opportunity.  The HRS framework is not about adding a new initiative… It is about discovering best practices and providing indicators that will allow us to measure progress and increase levels of reliability related to:

  1. Safe and Collaborative Culture
  2. Effective Teaching in Every Classroom
  3. Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum
  4. Standards-Referenced Reporting
  5. Competency-Based Education
Based on Marzano's research districts and schools, using the framework and indicators, can drive permanent, positive, and significant impacts on student achievement by synthesizing multiple complex initiatives into one harmonious system.
Funding (approximately $75K per team) for the training is being provided by the Priddy Foundation. I am thinking that we will be establishing three ten member teams (Pioneer/Crestview, Woodland/GJHS & GHS) to participate in the 17-18 school year. If you are interested in participating in this opportunity please email me and your campus principal.
Your View of the Cup
Do you recall the first time you heard the question “Is your cup half full or half empty?”  Mine was in junior high school English class.  Most of us began looking around the room for the cup the teacher was referring to. On her desk she had placed a tall clear glass filled halfway to the top with blue liquid. Through some interesting conversation about “good” and “bad” things that happen portrayed in the book we were reading and in everyday life we began to understand the “real” cup is in our own minds.
As educators, we are presented with many opportunities to “view the cup.” Making the choice to see the positive in our district, campuses and classrooms will always make our daily journey more pleasant. A positive perspective can create a mind set that provides the needed energy to make the difference our children deserve.
Consider the following example from Todd and Beth Whitaker’s book, Teaching Matters.
“When I was a principal, we often had visitors come to our school to meet our teachers, observe in classrooms and discuss curriculum innovations.  Most of the visitors arrived with a group of teachers and their principal. On this particular visit the teachers were meeting with a few members of my staff, so the the principal asked me to take her on a tour so we could discuss some administrative issues. As we strolled down the hall, a group of first graders came in from recess. They bounced down the hall in a slightly crooked single file line. There was some soft chatter, giggling, wind-blown hair and many smiles. The teacher was walking at their side, grinning and enjoying a quiet conversation with one of the students. My heart was warmed as I observed their entrance. I was waiting to introduce the teacher to the visiting principal when the principal turned to me and said between her pursed lips and narrowed eyes, “A little rowdy and obnoxious today, huh?” I was so taken aback I couldn’t speak. The teacher approached, completely unaware of what had just been said. Her eyes sparkled as she proudly asked us, “Aren’t they precious!!??” These two women had viewed the same moment in time. One had chosen to see the beauty of the moment, the other had tainted it with harsh judgments and negative perspectives.”
Is your cup half full or half empty?  Your view of the cup is completely your choice!
Corny Joke of the Day:
What do you call a singing Laptop? (scroll down for the answer)




A Dell

No comments:

Post a Comment