8th Gr. Exploratory designed a city and
held a city council meeting using parliamentary procedures.
Higher order thinking on display in Mrs. Fisher's classroom!
via Instagram http://ift.tt/1upZIzj
Friday, January 23, 2015
G-T Learning Walk
Student designed and built computer!
A self-directed learning project.
What a great Titan's
J.A.M. Artifact!
(Journey of Academic Mastery)
Discussion on soil in our Agriculture Department.
Did you know Iowa's has some
of the best farmland in the nation,
perhaps the world? Students and Mrs. Graham discussing WHY.
Metals class with Mr. Hough - working on a go cart lift.
The other Mr. Hough's P.E. class
in a competitive game of broom ball.
in a competitive game of broom ball.
Students discussing the idea of norms
and laws in Mr. Fulton's Sociology class.
Algebra students practicing for a quiz over finding unknowns.
Each student has a white board to practice the equations
before going over them as a class.
Students in Mr. Quinn's Graphic Design class
working on connecting the alphabet with images.
Mr. Quinn demonstrating drawing techniques for portraits.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
G-T Learning Walk
Bell-to-bell studies with students practicing factorization.
Love to see hard work and peer collaboration,
especially during the last few minutes of class.
Great work, Mr. Harder's Algebra II!
Individual band lesson with Mr. Pedersen.
Mr. Benedict using a video to illustrate the concept of DNA Replication.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
If you want to be better today than you were yesterday...
If you want to be better today than you were yesterday...
Walking through the quiet school today, I noticed a quote our MS students at Graettinger-Terril Community School District put up for others to see. It reads, "Judging a person doesn't define who they are; it defines who you are." ~Unknown
When I read that, it reminded me of our Every 15 Minute program from the spring of 2012...It reminded me of the day we lost Uncle Joe Kliegl to a massive heart attack...It reminded me that life is too short to allow the darkness to overshadow and smother the light...It reminded me that we choose who we are...It reminded me that I define myself, and that what others say is more about them than it is about me or you or the next person...It reminded me that I can make a difference, and that our students ARE making a difference. Finally, it reminded me of ALL the people who came together and worked very, very hard to positively impact our young people's lives.
I remember that day and especially what our actors and their parents went through: Mitch Girres, Baylee Marie Clayton, Maisey Ryanne Matthews, Morgan Matthews, Blaze Alesch -- Thank you, by the way, your commitment to that program had a very large impact on so many people.
After my previous post about the Facebook Defamation Case involving a 7th grade boy and his parents, I have renewed my commitment to making a positive difference (and not running from the negative presence, whether online or in person). I want to in advance thank those who are with me. Our kids are our future, after all. Remember, our days are numbered...
I felt I had to post again today because of the Verse that was waiting for me on my phone this morning -- I wanted to share it with YOU: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)
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| Image Credit: http://www.nd.edu/ |
"When you don't get the chance to say goodbye," what type of legacy do you want to leave behind? What type of leader, role model, parent, friend, colleague, etc. do you want to be? And finally -- Remember: You don't have to let the condescending voice of gossip define who you are or who your children are. That is up to you and only you. We ALL have room for improvement; that's all that needs to be said.
Daniel Pink, author of "Drive," says that the most successful people ask two things before going to sleep each night. I did this without fail before cancer knocked me down...and then, unfortunately, I lost focus and it got lost in the shuffle.
Cancer and all that accompanies it LOST; I plan to begin again -- these questions will "DRIVE" me:
1) How have I made a difference...How am I better today than I was yesterday?
AND 2) What's my sentence, my legacy?
Thanks for reading and stay warm!
Sunday, January 4, 2015
On: In Unprecedented Decision, 7th Graders’ Cruel Facebook Bullying Might Actually Cost – The Parents
A recent post to my Facebook page I thought was worthy of sharing...
Warning: This is real and happening more often than we pick up on. And it does happen around here. Social Media, with Facebook and beyond, is a vast land where all sorts of hate, scorn, judgement, and criticism -- cast through the ill will of an individual -- drown victims and pull down bystanders. A larger concern is that our kids not only learn this from TV and like media but also from the adults and role models in their lives (this may or may not include you as a parent or associated adult, that is up to you to reflect upon).
Adults more and more are using Facebook to cast judgement, to throw stones, whether directly or indirectly (more often indirectly), whether toward individuals or organization, so quick to point out the faults and skeletons of others. What good does this bring?
I believe the world is changing and it seems more and more people strive to divide than to unify, break down than to build up, kick rather than help. As it relates to this Facebook news brief, understand that in education, parents, we are trying to keep up with the evolution of technology, even the evolution of human nature.
Society and education need your help in monitoring what our kids are doing online, as well as what they are doing offline -- they both carry the same weight because on or off line, the behavior is the same. We need your help in showing the way, modeling qualities of critical thinking, problem solving, and most importantly today, conflict resolution. And, of course setting limits and having the difficult conversations you might remember our parents having with us once upon a time. Though they don't always want us, they need us, the structure - the village.
I recently wrote a Facebook Note (that I haven't shared) -- it's purpose was to let my friends and family know why I no longer frequent Facebook, maybe I'll still post it. My reservation is due to the number of people who may be offended as it is difficult to separate my personal opinion from my professional, but maybe that shouldn't matter when it comes to attempting to differentiate behaviors that make society better from behaviors that don't -- it all comes down to problem solving and conflict resolution.
Essentially what I am saying is I'm not sure Facebook is the place to air dirty laundry, to attack individuals and organizations, and to simply complain. Again, what purpose does this serve? Of course, anyone can choose not to follow these types of news feeds, but what I’m proposing is modifying our own behavior to help our children learn healthy ways of interacting with others, of resolving conflict. Leadership is needed in this area! A great deal of leadership!
[For those whose inner chatter is going a mile a minute ready to pounce, "Who in the heck does she think she is, sending this message? Thinking she’s high and mighty? She’s no better than the rest of us. She’s just as flawed as the next! Yea, yea, yea!!" You are RIGHT.]
I am one person, who undoubtedly and humanly make mistakes, but I know my purpose resides in leadership and education. JFK said, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to one another.” Thus, even though I am still a toddler in educational leadership taking in my surroundings, adjusting, living, and learning-inevitably falling down and getting back up, I absolutely believe JFK had it figured out: "The problems with this world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need people who can dream of things that never were." [John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)]
JFK's beliefs relate to so many problems in life. Together, we can accomplish much, much more. Instead of picking up stones, let's put them together to build a better world. Remember, to build a structure of this sort, it takes many hands, commitment to the goal, and time; it takes a willingness to refrain from judgement and scorn by taking a step back and listening to that inner chatter always circulating in our heads and then doing something constructive with it.
Think before you post. Think before you act. Is it helpful or hurtful? Consider all the eyes watching and learning from your lead (whether online or off). Each of us is a leader - parent, educator, banker, farmer, community member alike. Each of us powerful. What is your purpose? What will you do with your power?
To the video:
Warning: This is real and happening more often than we pick up on. And it does happen around here. Social Media, with Facebook and beyond, is a vast land where all sorts of hate, scorn, judgement, and criticism -- cast through the ill will of an individual -- drown victims and pull down bystanders. A larger concern is that our kids not only learn this from TV and like media but also from the adults and role models in their lives (this may or may not include you as a parent or associated adult, that is up to you to reflect upon).
Adults more and more are using Facebook to cast judgement, to throw stones, whether directly or indirectly (more often indirectly), whether toward individuals or organization, so quick to point out the faults and skeletons of others. What good does this bring?
I believe the world is changing and it seems more and more people strive to divide than to unify, break down than to build up, kick rather than help. As it relates to this Facebook news brief, understand that in education, parents, we are trying to keep up with the evolution of technology, even the evolution of human nature.
Society and education need your help in monitoring what our kids are doing online, as well as what they are doing offline -- they both carry the same weight because on or off line, the behavior is the same. We need your help in showing the way, modeling qualities of critical thinking, problem solving, and most importantly today, conflict resolution. And, of course setting limits and having the difficult conversations you might remember our parents having with us once upon a time. Though they don't always want us, they need us, the structure - the village.
I recently wrote a Facebook Note (that I haven't shared) -- it's purpose was to let my friends and family know why I no longer frequent Facebook, maybe I'll still post it. My reservation is due to the number of people who may be offended as it is difficult to separate my personal opinion from my professional, but maybe that shouldn't matter when it comes to attempting to differentiate behaviors that make society better from behaviors that don't -- it all comes down to problem solving and conflict resolution.
Essentially what I am saying is I'm not sure Facebook is the place to air dirty laundry, to attack individuals and organizations, and to simply complain. Again, what purpose does this serve? Of course, anyone can choose not to follow these types of news feeds, but what I’m proposing is modifying our own behavior to help our children learn healthy ways of interacting with others, of resolving conflict. Leadership is needed in this area! A great deal of leadership!
[For those whose inner chatter is going a mile a minute ready to pounce, "Who in the heck does she think she is, sending this message? Thinking she’s high and mighty? She’s no better than the rest of us. She’s just as flawed as the next! Yea, yea, yea!!" You are RIGHT.]
I am one person, who undoubtedly and humanly make mistakes, but I know my purpose resides in leadership and education. JFK said, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to one another.” Thus, even though I am still a toddler in educational leadership taking in my surroundings, adjusting, living, and learning-inevitably falling down and getting back up, I absolutely believe JFK had it figured out: "The problems with this world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need people who can dream of things that never were." [John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)]
JFK's beliefs relate to so many problems in life. Together, we can accomplish much, much more. Instead of picking up stones, let's put them together to build a better world. Remember, to build a structure of this sort, it takes many hands, commitment to the goal, and time; it takes a willingness to refrain from judgement and scorn by taking a step back and listening to that inner chatter always circulating in our heads and then doing something constructive with it.
Think before you post. Think before you act. Is it helpful or hurtful? Consider all the eyes watching and learning from your lead (whether online or off). Each of us is a leader - parent, educator, banker, farmer, community member alike. Each of us powerful. What is your purpose? What will you do with your power?
To the video:
In Unprecedented Decision, 7th Graders’ Cruel Facebook Bullying Might Actually Cost – The Parents
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