Faculty Notes

Happy Friday!

How many days until we're out? I bet you know the answer to that one!

Please remember to get with me for your end of year conference. You can do this via email, or you may certainly stop by my office and we'll find a date on the calendar.

Also, it is important that we work with department heads to get accurate supply lists in so we can publish those this summer. Take some time and see what, if any, changes you wish to make in your lists for next year.

Take a Class at Harvard

The headmaster at Mt. Vernon Presbyterian School recently posted a set of links to some fascinating university lectures that are published online. I took some time to watch a philosophy lecture at Harvard, and enjoyed it immensely. You may read his post, and explore the links, by clicking here.

Have a great weekend!

Faculty Notes

Good Afternoon!

Please remember to stop by or drop me an email so we can schedule your end of year meeting. I am looking forward to visiting with each of you over the next couple of weeks.

Pay careful to the events listed on the Faculty Staff Bulletin. We have several things going on which will alter our daily schedule in the coming weeks.

I thought it would be different to end the week with some plain spoken wisdom from one of my favorite authors and humorists, Mark Twain.

Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. -- Mark Twain

Doing right is sometimes very difficult. We certainly want to teach our students to do the right and honorable thing, even when it could set them up for rejection. Perhaps we could encourage our kids with these Paradoxical Commandments by Dr. Kent Keith. You may find some inspiration here as well:

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

3. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

6. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.

7. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.

10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

Have a great weekend!

Faculty Notes

Good Evening!

I hope you've enjoyed this spectacular weekend!

Please remember that we have a brief K-12 faculty meeting tomorrow afternoon (with some GOOD NEWS!) just before our professional development workshops. If you haven't signed up for a session just yet, I encourage you to do so sometime during the day tomorrow. You will find the sign up sheet in the teacher's lounge.

I invite you to take a couple of minutes to read this thought provoking article on formative assessment. In fact, the entire blog is filled with great stuff for teachers!

I hope you have an outstanding week!

Using Google Earth in the Science Classroom

Tech and Learning recently sent me a great article about how science teachers can use Google Earth in the classroom. You may access the article by clicking here.

You Make the Difference

Teachers,

Here is a friendly reminder of the difference you can make each day. Thank you for who you are and what you do for the students at Trinity!

It's Up to Me

by Haim Ginott

I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.

Have a Terrific Thursday!

Maps for Bible Class

Those of you who teach Christian Studies courses will want to check out this great web resource which includes maps of Paul's missionary journeys, the travels of Jesus, and a map of places mentioned in the book of Revelation, among others.

Enjoy!

Faculty Notes

Happy Friday!

I hope this has been a great week for you. We've had a lot going on, and things will really be heating up as we head into this final stretch of the school year. Hang in there! We're almost done!

Here are a few important reminders as we enter the weekend:

1. There will be a middle school division meeting Monday afternoon at 3:40 in Kathy Pirtle's room. We will be discussing, among other things, the roll out of our Apple laptop computers in a few weeks. Hopefully, you will gain a better understanding of why we are moving in this direction.

2. Please remember that our parents expect Edline to be updated at least every other Monday (the second and fourth Monday of the month, specifically). This becomes even more important as we approach the end of the school year.

3. Proactive communication is paramount in our effort to foster a healthy relationship between parents and teachers. Please remember to be prompt when returning emails and phone calls. Better yet, make the effort to contact parents at the first sign of trouble, or when a child is showing marked improvement.

I encourage you to check out this story in the The New York Times having to do with refining Google searches. It is amazing what all Google can do!

I leave you this week with a story which was passed on to me by Dr. Allen Clark, the chairman of the Trinity Board of Trustees. I hope it helps you realize just how important you are!

WHAT DO TEACHERS MAKE?

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Barbara . Be honest. What do you make?"

Barbara, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...)

"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor winner.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

You want to know what I make? (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table)

I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn't 
everything.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God, because we live in the United States of America.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life ( Barbara paused one last time and then continued.)

Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant.

You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

What do you make Mr. CEO?

His jaw dropped, he went silent.

A profound answer!!!

Have a Great Weekend!

A Cup of Cold Water

Teachers,

I have posted a video on my parent blog which shows the well our students funded in Africa. Click here to check it out.

Many thanks to Kristin Barringer for heading this up!

I hope you are having a fantastic day!

Taking Google to the Next Level

Teachers,

The folks over at Free Technology for Teachers have posted a set of instructions on how to use the many features of Google in your classroom. You may access the post here.

Stay tuned for our regular weekly posting later today.