Monday, June 8, 2009
Chapter 7: Ten Days Out of Ten
In this chapter, the book emphasizes that focusing on the positive elements of our classrooms and schools will give us more drive and energy as we face our daily work. Let's 'raise the praise' and 'Fill the FVES bucket!'. Share positive and productive things happening at Faucett-Vestavia in our classrooms and throughout the school.
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I feel one of the most exciting things happening at FVES is the new technology that Mrs. Shepherd is purchasing for us to use. As we all know, technology is such a motivator to students to learn and discover. We have so many neat things like the ELMOs, the NEOS and the portable laptop computer lab. All of these things are great and a great addition to FVES!
ReplyDeleteI feel we have many exciting things going around our school. I love the way we collaborate together to help each other out. I have to brag on my Kindergarten team for working together and helping each other out to make things a little less stressful!! Also, I love the work Mrs. Stapp puts into her lessons that go along with our curriculum. Our students love her and appreciates her hard work!! She's the fun one! Also, I have to brag on Mrs. Stubbs. I've been in many schools and I apppreciate her willingness to work with teachers and students. FVES students know who the counselor is and that's a big deal!!
ReplyDeleteI am excited about all of the technology that we now have at school. I am trying to incorporate it into my classroom, but it is an area that I need to continue to work on. My students enjoyed using both the ELMO and the laptops. This experience served as a great motivator for them. They often begged me to trade in "O Vee," the overhead, for ELMO.
ReplyDeleteThe "bucket filling" and "caught being good" slips are also good motivators. My students loved taking their slips to the office. They enjoyed the verbal praise and recognition that the office staff always gave to them.
I'm excited about this book and the collaborating we are doing on this blog. This has been a great motivator for me. I really enjoyed the book. It was an easy read, yet spoke to the heart and made me closely evaluate myself. My book is practically orange with all the highlighting I've been doing! Also, I want to say thanks to my 2nd grade friends. You all were a big help to me this year, especially when I lost my dad. Thanks! I am looking forward to working with the new 3rd grade team as well!
ReplyDeleteI love the new technology items we are incorporating into lessons! I am so proud that we are now blogging. I know it was a little scary for some. I appreciate your willingness to try something new.
ReplyDeleteThe book is a great way to help us all define our core beliefs about education and remember why we do what we do! I just started Todd Whitaker's book, What Great Principals Do Differently. I want to be better too!
I forgot to share that since school ended I have received countless e-mails and letters from parents praising our teachers! They are so powerful and genuine. Each letter shows examples of the things great teachers do differently at FVES. I hope to share them with the faculty in August.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to post and it won't let me! HELP!!
ReplyDeleteOh - I figured it out! Awww...Thanks for the bucketfilling Candi!!! :-)You know I love you!! I am back from the beach and just starting to get blog fever! I plan to comment on the other chapters, but I just had to start with this one because I have so many positive things I want to say! If ever a school has potential for "greatness" it would have to be FVES! We have FABULOUS teachers who work tirelessly, going the extra mile with their time, planning, creativity, money, patience, and so much more! The dedication that I see from so many new and (to say it nicely) "not so new" teachers is truly inspiring! Likewise - I think we have the most OUTSTANDING support staff of any school around: the front office staff who are at everyone's beck and call ALL DAY LONG EVERY SINGLE DAY!! Poor Michele and Kristie eat lunch with one hand on the phone or a thermometer almost every day! They have so much chaos going on around them sometimes that it amazes me that they can still be so wonderful at what they do!, the special ed. crew who make such a tremendous difference in the lives of our students and in turn the lives of our regular classroom teachers - they have very challenging jobs and too much paperwork but they love their students and will do whatever it takes to help them succeed!, Laurie who works her head off compiling data, planning, collaborating, losing sleep in an effort to help our teachers better help ALL of our students become successful readers - she is truly a tremendous asset and a wonderful resource!, Holly who is by far the hardest working, most helpful,talented, multi-tasking, and technology pursuing library media specialist on the planet!, Sue who is the coolest custodian EVER - she does a great job keeping the school clean, she is always willing to help when needed, she's just plain fun to be around and she knows the students names!! Who can beat that?! Let's not forget Pamela and her cafeteria crew!! I have NEVER seen a CNP manager more friendly, thoughtful,or flexible!! Last and certainly not least - I have to give props to Mrs. Monroe!! We all know that any school or business, for that matter, that wnats to be successful needs a great leader. I can honestly say that Mrs. Monroe is the most fabulous principal that I have ever known!! She truly cares about her faculty and students and gets to know them on a personal level! She is highly visible - always greeting students in the mornings, observing or reading in classrooms, serving lunch on busy days in the cafeteria! She supports her teachers and is constantly trying to motivate all of us to achieve our potential! It's just amazing when you think about how important each and every person's role is in creating the kind of atmosphere that motivates children to want to get up each day excited about coming to school! We provide that for our students at FVES by recognizing that we are all part of a big family working toward a common goal! What can I say...I love my job and I love my school!!
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ReplyDeleteI will try again without so many typos. Great thoughts Shannon! I echo all that. Not only do we have some wonderful, caring teachers, but also the most fantastic principal and support staff around!
ReplyDeleteGillie says that she likes the Viking of the Week because it allows every student in school to be important and to receive recognition. Gillie also appreciates the ELMO because she can use it (without having to visually orient the object).
ReplyDeleteI love how receptive the staff has been to all of the new technology. I love how the school leadership, Mrs. Monroe, is so supportive to discovering and purchasing the new technology! I love that at FVES we can work as a team supporting each other and each other's goals.
ReplyDeleteGillie says...After further reflection, I find there are 2 important positive occurrances that make FVES a positive and GREAT place to work. Mrs. Monroe creates a positive envirnoment for learning by greeting students as they come to school daily and by being available to chat with teachers and parents briefly. The second activity which provides a positive learning environment, is Mrs. Monroe's sharing her love of reading with the faculty. You never outgrow wanting to be read to, and I hope that Mrs. Monroe will continue her practice of reading to the faculty once a month.
ReplyDeleteDitto everyone!! I agree with all the comments in this particular blog....Gillie, I too love that Monroe comes to the classroom to read to the students. I believe that it limits the disconnect between her and the students. They see her as "one of us", not as the principal in her office doing work. The other biggie for me is collaboration. I mentioned it in another chapter, but I feel I can go to any teacher at any grade level and get their opinion/idea on an issue. They may not be in kindergarten but they help reflect on the topic and give their honest feedback.
ReplyDeleteI wish Shannon Stubbs could think of something positive to say!
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