January 1st 2012
My thoughts these days feel so scattered … 2011 began and ended in a whirlwind of responsibilities, aspirations, and wonders. I cannot believe all that I have accomplished this year. Yet there is so much I want to do in 2012, I don’t quite know where to begin … except here! Reflections … 1. A [...]
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November 14th 2011
As you can see, I have had very little time to blog this month. (I haven’t even posted my top 5 blog posts due to my lack of time.) So, today, I must admit I was inspired by Lisa Dabbs “Mentoring Mondays.” As a full-release mentor, I find myself put in a position often where [...]
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October 17th 2011
Recently, I have noticed a consistent question coming up in post-conferences, usually from my perspective … Who is working harder — the teacher or the students? … How do you know? Since I desire for my feedback to be honest and practical, I have brainstormed some ways to ensure that your students are working (thinking, [...]
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October 2nd 2011
I can’t believe it is already October, 2011. This year is off to a fast start. So, what I have I learned from the world of educators this month … 1. “You Matter” posted by Doug — Off the record. This post features a Tedx Video presentation by Angela Maiers (@AngelaMaiers) where she [...]
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October 1st 2011
In speaking with a new teacher the other day, I was reminded of a principle found in a business I would use for my printing. Their philosophy was that there were 3 parts of the process … excellence, timeliness, and cost. As a customer, I was given the choice of 2 … but I could [...]
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May 2nd 2011
Our district has adopted a new evaluation system this year. It is based on Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching. As our implementation began, our state legislature changed … and in hindsight, we can now see the wisdom of our leaders. Past In previous years, a teacher would receive – at most – two, 20-minute observations [...]
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April 20th 2011
Today, I was able to meet with a dear friend of mine who said, “I just want to be inspired again.” (I hope I am quoting her correctly.) Background: When I started teaching, I found some wonderful “mentors” through the trainings I attended. One of these wonderful teachers was Mrs. W. She was the consummate [...]
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March 28th 2011
3 Experiences and What I Learned 1. Mentoring new teachers provides amazing opportunities for self-reflection. As a full-release mentor in my district, I wear two distinct hats – mentor and evaluator … yet n’er the two shall meet. When I mentor, I observe and conference to provide data that can guide our conferences toward growth [...]
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March 7th 2011
Goal 18: Share A Story With this goal, we are encouraged to share our story of how we have loved to learn in new, innovative ways. So this is my story … While reading an NBPTS brief, I stumbled upon a blogger, Coach G., and how he handled a simple classroom management issue. It was [...]
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March 5th 2011
Goal 17: Help Them Shine! Anecdote by David Warr ([ http://twitter.com/davidwarr ]@DavidWarr)- “When I was with Gladstone, I felt I was with the most intelligent person in the world, but when I was with Disraeli, I felt I was the most intelligent person in the world.” I must admit. It took me a while to understand [...]
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