Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Who's Counting?


With spring break behind us and the final quarter of the year officially underway, I strongly encourage you to not count the days left in the school year.

Think of all the great work you have accomplished since you welcomed your students into your building back in August. Recall the conversations, the learning, the sharing of ideas that has spawned the greatness in which you and your students have thrived from. It is simply awesome.

Do the math, there is still twenty-five percent of the year in front of you. 

Each time we teach a concept we hope for mastery of all that we deliver in a lesson from the hours of preparation we put into it, not just parts of the lesson. Looking at from yet another angle, there are countless hours of grading and reflection that go into our work. Picture only giving 75% in your effort toward your grades you assign or the prep you put into the lessons each day. 

Look at it this way. When we assess our students we strive for learning of 100% of the material. We would never find it acceptable if we just did 75% and settled for "C's". Agree?

We strive for learning and growth in all that we present, asses and reflect upon.

If you begin to count, are you suggesting that you would want the school year to come to a close sooner rather than later? 

When we start counting, we send an unintended message. Instead of thinking of the remaining days as an end in time to the current school year, I encourage you to think of the remaining days as the last opportunity to teach the knowledge in this period of time and ensure that our students are given every chance to grasp as much as possible.

Do not count the days away. Instead, look at each day as another day to learn something new for the last time. Keep students and staff engaged 100% of the year.  

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