Reflections

I am part of an amazing voxer group of MS Principals and Jay Posick became a recent member of that group. Talk about a man with the right mindset. Recently, he posted a link about a one word challenge and it got me thinking. I've been struggling with the idea of a "new year" and the (self-imposed) push to set some resolutions. I don't like the idea of setting resolutions. They feel too artificial for me. Maybe that's because I've failed at them before. But, what I can commit and buy into is this idea of one word . I think my word is COURAGE.  It's funny when I typed out that sentence, I couldn't get around the phrase "I think". The way I crafted that sentence speaks to why I have chosen the word courage to help guide me in this new year. I need courage to continue to take risks and nurture creative ideas. I need courage to finally do some things I have been postponing (some for just 30 years or so) and set to accomplishing them or...

Last week, I was talking about the upcoming holiday with a dear colleague of mine. We were sharing parts of our stories about staff and students and the spike in stress we were seeing in some of them. We talked about how this particular break has a lot connected to it. There's the idea of Christmas but then there's the reality of Christmas. My friend and cyber-big brother, Tim Dawkins,   published an incredibly well written post earlier this week about the same idea. The reality of this holiday is it is difficult for many.  There are real life stressors in many of our lives that can be exacerbated by the idea of the perfect holiday.  Tim wrote, This is a difficult time of year for so many of our students. They are bombarded with the picturesque visions of what a family is supposed to be, what new toy or gadget they are supposed to have sitting under a perfectly decorated tree, or what family gatherings are supposed to look like knowing that this just isn’t their rea...

Earlier this year, I wrote about our school's plan to open a Makerspace . Like any new and good idea, our plan is still a work in progress. For the last two months, I've been assisting our MS PBL/Tech Teacher, Mrs. Darcy Dunbar, in teaching an after school mini course in our makerspace. It's been fun. Our students remind us each week what the power of creativity can yield. They have the ideas. We just need to get out of their way! As part of our mini course, we arranged a visit to a more formal makerspace in a nearby school, Queensbury High School. They have created a makerspace lab they call an Innovation Lab . It is led by an amazing teacher, Mr. Benjamin Grieco . Ben and Queensbury's Director of Technology, Matt Hladun agreed early on to let us visit. I had the chance to see their lab during EdcampUNY earlier this year and felt it could be an amazing space for some of our students to see. During the days leading up to the trip, staff in my building indicated an i...

Our Middle School is one of the few, I think, that still have a 20 minute recess period. Students can choose from a variety of recess options: Active Recess (gym or playground), Quiet Recess (library), Computer Lab, and Student Lounge. When the weather is nice, recess is fun and provides many options for kids. When the weather is poor (Hello, North Country winter!), active recess in the gym can accommodate fewer kids. This usually means more kids end up in Quiet Recess. Something about those two words (quiet and recess) being put together doesn't sit well with our 8th graders. Headed by the 8th grade team leader, Mrs. Siano , they proposed being allowed to use Minecraft on poor weather days as a recess option. I know just a little bit about Minecraft but was intrigued and wanted to support it. I tried to get the site opened but was met with many valid questions from our tech team. The preliminary approval was given but the request for more information (the details) was still ...

No matter which hat we are wearing, I think most (if not all of us) are a work in progress. There are days where I am able to balance all of the roles I wear very well. I can juggle Mom, Principal, Special Ed Director, Wife, Aunt, Daughter, Sister and Friend better than others. These are few and far between. Most days, there isn't a balance. I should likely be embarrassed to admit that. But, I think there's some demystifying we would all benefit from if we only we shared our thoughts more. For the last few weeks, I've been overwhelmed with professional responsibilities that have impacted my ability to be a better Mom. Through a series of events over the last week, it became clear to me that my compass was misaligned. It needed adjustment. I needed to find a way to catch up with my son without being distracted by technology, housework, laundry, Christmas decorating or schoolwork. Last Thursday, I decided we would head out on the weekend, just us, on a very short road tri...

Day in and day out, there are always 100 tasks we have to do within our schools. One of the monthly "things" that most teachers and principals are required to participate in is a faculty meeting. For nearly a year, I have taken the advice Peter DeWitt has written about in regards to faculty meetings . I want our middle school faculty meetings to be short sessions of teacher led PD with a dose of inspiration where it fits. A few days before the actual meeting, I send out the agenda and any related materials that need review. This year, I've added a bellringer of sorts to the agenda. On our most recent agenda, teachers were told: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bellringer – Write the first name of the student you “stand for” on a post it note. “I Stand For” Activity Parent-Teacher Conferences are nearly done. In thinking about all of your students this year, there are usually a few ...

One of my favorite things to do is sit in classrooms and observe. I love watching teachers who are masters at their craft. I love watching students tackle learning tasks. I especially love talking to them about their learning. Whether it's a formal observation, required walk through or a brief (unofficial) visit, I like to sit among the students and start asking questions and listening. Why do we need to learn this? What do you think about this? Do you prefer to do this or this? How do you feel about your work? Students are great about making space for the obnoxious principal among their groups. They are usually very willing to share their work and answer my nagging questions. I am always amazed by how open students are. The toughest question is usually the WHY one. Why do you need to learn this? That one usually stops and make students think. Sometimes students will respond with a deeper response than I could have formulated. Once in a while, students will be hon...