Monday Points: March 4, 2013

Our first full week of March brings back the Leadership team from a weekend conference at WALA (Washington Association for Learning Alternatives). Session 5 begins at New Start. We are in final preparations for state HSPE testing next week, and rounding out on Friday with continued professional growth in our reading of Pedagogy of Confidence. Here we go…

Celebration Points:

This week we celebrate our Custodian at Salmon Creek, John Hill. Last year we had a big celebration of his 45 year anniversary with the district. I wrote about him a bit in this very blog. This week, at 46 years working, John will retire. Tuesday is his last day. I’d like to share again, a little about John and his experience with Highline. In 1965 (the year of my birth) John was a junior student at Highline High School. He was involved in an internship program which allowed students to work as part-time custodian helpers for pay while they were in school. This led to a full-time custodian position for him when he graduated in 1967. Since then he has been working tirelessly to keep clean the learning environments of many schools, and has served countless faculty, staff and students. Please join me in thanking John Hill for many years of good service to our district since before time began for many of us working in Highline today.

There will be a short assembly at the end of Advisory on Tuesday. A celebration at Lunch with staff and district visitors…and yes, arrangements have been made to let John leave early on his last day in Highline.

Thank you, John, for your service. And may your retirement be blessed with well deserved rest, relaxation and health for you, and your wife, after decades of hard work.    

Instructional Point:

Last week I had the opportunity to teach a portion of Success Academy Cohort 5. I enjoy getting into the classroom to teach because it gives me a chance to try on new strategies and practice while I grow as your instructional leader, and colleague in education.

The normal room arrangement we have used in Success Academy to facilitate group conversation is a modified circle into kind of a horseshoe shape, which allows for no back row, and all students to see each other, and the teacher. Until this last cohort, the arrangement worked pretty well. This group of students however was a much quieter bunch. In Charlotte Danielson Domain 3 we strive to promote student verbal interactions and adjust our practice as needed to keep our students engaged in the discussion. For the first few days of this Success Academy I wasn’t feeling (hearing) it, and neither were the students.

As Teacher, I made a change! I asked the students to pick up their desks and form four-seat pods so each could see each other in a smaller group arrangement. It worked. Our conversations about each teaching point got louder, a bit more in depth and personally reflective by each student. Far more students were engaged in the discussion than had been in the larger class sized ring of desks.

As the leader and teacher of the learning environment in your classroom, you must be aware of what is working and what is not. If you are not seeing or hearing the results of what you expect in each lesson, make an adjustment. With any new approach to instructional practice there is maybe a 50/50 chance your teacher move will address the concern and change behavior. But if a new move will help the learning of more students in your class, go for it. It is the effective teacher who can make a change and adjust their practice on the fly to enhance our student’s learning.

PCT Point: This Friday, March 8, PCT is Pedagogy of Confidence II: The Practice. Please have read through Chapter 6, and come prepared to discuss the application of strength based approaches to teaching and learning. See you at 1:00.

Mike’s Schedule:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
March 4	March 5	March 6	March 7	March 8
Weekly Letter Open Session 5 at New Start Attendance Meeting M/Parent In Classrooms PSESD Presentation re: dropout prevention	Observations (CHOICE) John Hill Retirement Observation Writing HSPE Training SIS Demonstration (ERAC)	HEA Update In Classrooms Observation Observation Writing	Math Data Team Observation In Classrooms Observation Writing Weekly Admin M/Counselor R&D Evaluation Meeting	District Principal Planning (ERAC) Mid Year Meeting PCT: Pedagogy of Confidence

COLLEGE FRIDAYS: I would like our staff and students to join a well developed tradition that occurs every Friday across our district. For several years now, middle schools, high schools, and indeed, the central office have been having “College Fridays”. This means every Friday, staff and students alike are asked to wear college and university garb from schools they have attended, are connected with or aspire to. This can be scarves, beanies, sweatshirts, shirts, jackets or whatever, emblazoned with school colors and emblems. In our programs I have never “officially” encouraged spirit wear. Nor have I dissuaded. But I now think (for a number of great reasons) it is time for us to partake in proudly donning college spirit wear on Fridays. Therefore it is my decree; wear your college gear on Fridays! See you at PCT. And have a wonderful week!

Mike