September 28, 2018

ENGAGEMENT is a topic that we will ALWAYS be addressing.  

Obviously, we have mentioned over and over again, how IMPORTANT student engagement is in our classrooms and EASY ways to make it happen without stressing you out!  Check out THIS ARTICLE with simple ways to evaluate what's going in your classroom, including the academic and behavior impact along with 8 tips.  We know it can be hard AND we know the pay off is TREMENDOUS!!

How do you feel when you aren't engaged in a PD or meeting?  Checked out and bored? Imagine how our students feel when THEY aren't engaged?

We have asked these questions over and over AND they're worth asking again:

WOULD YOU WANT TO BE A STUDENT IN YOUR CLASS???

IF YOUR STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE TO BE IN YOUR CLASS, WOULD THEY SHOW UP ANYWAY??

Check out some of the Tweets that are ALWAYS going on around campus!  Stop by and see what's happening in your colleague's classrooms!  Aren't following everyone yet?  Follow US @GVMSVIKINGS and we have everyone's Twitter handle! =)

SUPER HERO SHOUT OUTS!

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• SUPER awesome shout out to ELA Department for always coming together for whether it is to support one another or just for a laugh! ~Heather T.
• SUPER awesome shout out to Carla for teaching me the ways of a school psych! ~Heather T.
• SUPER awesome shout out to my amazing partner, Ryan, for organizing the field trip! ~Karron
• SUPER awesome shout out to Tamia for working so hard on the behavior charts! ~Cristina
• SUPER awesome shout out to CL, KC, Elizabeth, Liza, Carla, Megan, Aubry, Lorraine, Rosa, Michele, Susan, and Brenda for the well wishes and support.  It means so much! ~Heather T.
• SUPER awesome shout out to my secret pal!  YOU ROCK! ~KC
• SUPER awesome shout out to Dustin and Kevin for being a great upstairs team, greeting kids at the door, joking, and always having coffee on! ~Carol
• SUPER awesome shout out to Sue for the cards and ALWAYS remembering what's going on with everyone to support them! 

September 21, 2018

We have said, since day 1, we are NOT looking for quiet classrooms when we come and visit!  Why, you ask?  Well, here it goes:

*Students learn more from each other on a daily basis.  Think about it.  Don't you learn more from discussing something versus being "talked at"?

*It improves classroom climate

*Students feel ownership to their classrooms

*Off task behavior declines

Take a look at THIS easy article on some recommendations for discussions in your classroom.  As always, PLEASE let us know if you need discussion cards handy to have on your desks to give students ideas on continuing academic conversations!  We are happy to print, laminate and cut!!!

Check out some of the Tweets that are ALWAYS going on around campus!  Stop by and see what's happening in your colleague's classrooms!  Aren't following everyone yet?  Follow US @GVMSVIKINGS and we have everyone's Twitter handle! =)

Soul Shoppe is COMING and we are excited for the positive impact for our students AND our staff!  Need to remember what it's all about?  Check out their website at www.soulshoppe.com

The dates that they are coming to GVMS are:

September 25, 26

October 2, 3, 9, 10

March 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20

The schedule has gone out so make sure you know where to be!!

SUPER HERO SHOUT OUTS!

(79)

• SUPER awesome shout out to Mimi for subbing for Reimer and helping with all the certificates!
• SUPER awesome shout out to My Secret Pal for making me feel incredibly spoiled!  I love the sunflowers, they're beautiful! ~Karron
• SUPER awesome shout out to DHH for the coffee supplies in the conference room!  THANK YOU!
• SUPER awesome shout out to History Department for the awesome collaboration on Monday! ~Carol
• SUPER awesome shout out to front office for working together with all of the absences!
• SUPER awesome shout out to Katherine for always being willing to help!  She helped me with the paper cutter and is always sharing with math and science! ~Lynn
• SUPER awesome shout out to Peter for coming to my class and teaching them to use Naviance! ~Katherine
• SUPER awesome shout out to Heather and Lorraine for being so supporting and helping through a tough week!  You are both so caring! ~Aubry
• SUPER awesome shout out to Heather T for taking the tutoring on Thursday!
• SUPER awesome shout out to Tamia for all she does! ~Heather P.
• SUPER awesome shout out to Lynn for talking me off the ledge about science! ~Heather P.
• SUPER awesome shout out to Cristina for the laughs and the support! WE WILL SURVIVE THIS GROUP! ~Heather P.
• SUPER awesome shout out to Annette and Karen for being support helpful when I need to use the library! ~Peter
• SUPER awesome shout out to Paula for letting the College and Career Club meet in her room! ~Peter
• SUPER awesome shout out to Steven for taking on a new club at GVMS

September 14, 2018

Sometimes, the hardest thing in the world in middle school can be to get our students to TRULY CARE about their grades.  Check out THIS ARTICLE about 8 easy ways to encourage middle school students to care more about their grades including more focus on growth mindset, growth portfolios, and student based record keeping!  It's a VERY easy read and easy to implement at least one of these into your classrooms!

ENGAGEMENT is a topic that we will ALWAYS be addressing.  We CANNOT stress this enough:  Higher engagement = Higher academic achievement and lower behavior concerns.  That's really so simple and all there is to it.  Students who have to "sit and get" are bored and have completely tuned you out.  Completely.  

Calling on one student when you ask a question means that YOU have given the others the permission to be turned out.  Is that seriously what you want?  Stop reverting back to this and just calling on one student at a time.  It just tells the other students that they don't have to learn, listen or pay attention.

HERE is a easy read article to help generate effective questions and help you GET AWAY from calling on one student at a time!

We CANNOT stress how important student engagement is. We have asked these questions over and over AND they're worth asking again:

WOULD YOU WANT TO BE A STUDENT IN YOUR CLASS???

IF YOUR STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE TO BE IN YOUR CLASS, WOULD THEY SHOW UP ANYWAY??

Check out some of the Tweets that are ALWAYS going on around campus!  Stop by and see what's happening in your colleague's classrooms!  Aren't following everyone yet?  Follow US @GVMSVIKINGS and we have everyone's Twitter handle! =)

Soul Shoppe is COMING and we are excited for the positive impact for our students AND our staff!  Need to remember what it's all about?  Check out their website at www.soulshoppe.com

The dates that they are coming to GVMS are:

September 25, 26

October 2, 3, 9, 10

March 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20

Once we get more of a confirmed timelines and bell schedule, we will share it.  In the meantime, please put a note in your calendars!

SUPER HERO SHOUT OUTS!

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• SUPER awesome shout out to Lynn for organizing the 6th grade Field Trips with forms and transportation and all! ~Ryan
• SUPER awesome shout out to Margret for taking the time to train me on the use of epi pens! ~Karron
• SUPER awesome shout out to Dustin for being the campus glue guy and a darn fine teacher too!  You don't often get those in the same package! ~ E Pluribus Unum =)
• SUPER awesome shout out to Heather T. for her work with 504s! ~Sweeney Todd
• SUPER awesome shout out to Rosa, Elizabeth, Carla and crew for bringing levity to the window by racing by, giggling, on a golf cart! ~Carl Spakler
• SUPER awesome shout out to Sue, Carol, Sandy, Paula, Annette, Karen, KC, CL, Jason, Brenita, Rosa, Dustin, Mr. Frank, and office staff for ALL of your help when I was here for Mr. Fulton!  Thank you! ~Sharon
• SUPER awesome shout out to Sharon Peterson for consistently bringing a sense of optimism to our site and students in our time of need.  Being a long term sub is difficult and often somewheat thankless.  We thank you thank you thank you! ~Jason and GVMS Family
• SUPER awesome shout out to Sandy and Leadership for having students share the love in the classes!  Yay! ~Carol
• SUPER awesome shout out to Sue for checking in with Fulton's sub and making sure kids are okay! ~Carol
• SUPER awesome shout out to Sandy and Dustin for writing and delivering sub plans to Sharon while Fulton was out! ~Carol
• SUPER awesome shout out to Dustin for always having coffee to help get us through the day! ~Alex
• SUPER awesome shout out to Sunshine Committee for my birthday surprise and I can't wait to win the lotto! ~Lilia
• SUPER awesome shout out to Dave for coming back and we are happy to hear your voice! ~Karen

September 7, 2018

Have you ever sat and thought about how we have the best job ever?  Do you ever question it sometimes?  It's human nature, we understand!  Check out THIS ARTICLE about 11 reasons why we have the BEST JOB EVER, including how middle school students tell it like it is, they have a ridiculous sense of humor, you have an endless supply of humor at any part you go to, and more.  It's an easy and fun read, AND a FABULOUS reminder of our WHY.  What is your WHY???  WHY do you do what you do??  WHY do you want to work with our students?

Things to Remember About Feedback

1.       Feedback is not advice, praise, or evaluation. Feedback is information about how we are doing in our efforts to a goal. This is why we come into classrooms DAILY!!

2.       If students know the classroom is a safe place to make mistakes, they are more likely to use feedback for learning. If our staff know it is okay to make mistakes and it's safe, then you all will take more exciting educational risks!

3.       The feedback students give teachers can be more powerful than the feedback teachers give students. Think about this!!

4.       When we give a grade as a part of our feedback, students routinely read only as far as the grade. Feedback is much more meaningful!

5.       Effective feedback occurs during the learning, while there is still time to act on it. And then change if needed!

6.       Most of the feedback that students receive about their classroom work is from other students – and much of that feedback is wrong. Their discussions aren't wrong, just the information sometimes!

7.       Students need to know their learning target—the specific skill they’re supposed to learn—or else “feedback” is just someone telling them what to do.

“Data doesn’t belong to the teacher.  The data belongs to the student and is on loan to you.”  --Damen Lopez

Soul Shoppe is COMING and we are excited for the positive impact for our students AND our staff!  Need to remember what it's all about?  Check out their website at www.soulshoppe.com

The dates that they are coming to GVMS are:

September 25, 26

October 2, 3, 9, 10

March 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20

Once we get more of a confirmed timelines and bell schedule, we will share it.  In the meantime, please put a note in your calendars!

SUPER HERO SHOUT OUTS!

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• SUPER awesome shout out Megan for helping me with MAP Testing! ~Marlys
• SUER awesome shout out to Sue for ALWAYS being willing to lend a helping hand and putting positive postcards in my box!~ Marlys
• SUPER awesome shout out to Tamia for being an awesome Dept Chair! ~Marlys
• SUPER awesome shout out to Cristina for being a great co-teacher! ~Marlys
• SUPER awesome shout out to Julie, Heather, Karron, Katherine and Ryan for your help and advice with a difficult parent!  ~ Lynn
• SUPER awesome shout out to Jason for coming to my rescue during Friday dismissal! ~KC
• SUPER awesome shout out to Anita for sharing her ideas and checking in on me as a new team member! ~Karron
• SUPER awesome shout out to Ryan for coming in to support during an IEP~ Tamia and KC
• SUPER awesome shout out to Lorraine for helping me with the SBAC bulletin board!  You are a super hero! ~Heather T.
• SUPER awesome shout out to Rosa for helping me with a student who needed to work in the main office! ~Julie
• SUPER awesome shout out to Admin for coffee at B2T Night! ~Sandy
• SUPER awesome shout out to Elizabeth for always being able to talk about how to help students! ~Sandy
• SUPER awesome shout out to Tom and Larissa for letting me borrow supplies for a project!  I think our Science Team works so well together! ~Ken
• SUPER awesome shout out to Sue, Megan, Admin, Cristina, and SPED squad for collaboration! ~Marly
• SUPER awesome shout out to Voz for sharing his "grabber" with me! ~Lynn
• SUPER awesome shout out to Alex, Jason, Dustin, and Carol for helping me bring things in from my car!~ Sue
• SUPER awesome shout out to GVMS Staff for being flexible for students to complete MAP Testing, especially those that were going on IS! ~Sue
• SUPER awesome shout out to Lynn for organizing our field trip to the marsh! ~Ryan