Issue 50!
As much as I would like to go on about all the wonderful things that have taken place between issue 1 and issue 50, it’s late and you need to get to the important info. So here:
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
FRIDAY 16th, HOLIDAY PARTY: Thank you Jenny, Ravi, Mary, and the Social Committee for planning. 3:30pM at nearby Slide BBQ in Maspeth. I know it’s difficult for those live near Montauk to stay, but it’s just one day. Let’s put thinking aside for just one day and sip the highly effective smile generators.
Thinking Generator Feedback and Digital Showcase: We just wrapped up typing up the feedback for the TGs we saw on 11/30 and it was exhausting. It took 5 times longer to come up with feedback than the first round, and that’s a testament to the work and growth of our team. I’ve included all feedback here with names redacted. There’s much to learn from seeing the different TGs–highly effective ones for kindergarten students learning math have exactly the same qualities as their counterparts in grade 8 learning Science.
Visitor Monday: With that said, Monday we will have visitors coming to see our work around TGs. Don’t be alarmed if we walk in! You’re doing great, and you should be proud of what you’re doing in your class.
AIS: AIS teachers will begin working with select students each month. I will be meeting with AIS teachers individually to discuss needs and approach, and this is a work in progress to see if we can quickly give attention to students who need them. Let’s find all the low hanging fruits and eat them. There’s nothing more to it.
Hallways: Seeing how students were acting in the cafeteria was the most disappointed I’ve ever been since coming to 102. It won’t happen again as long as I’m here, and I’m pivoting to correct any hallway misbehaviors this week. Until further direction, please monitor hallways during transition and let me know if there are patterns you see needing attention. Support staff will be assigned to the hallways in the historic wing during key transition periods–stay tuned.
Holiday Wins: Thank you Ms. Gaffan for doing such great work with the student council. Seeing the mountains of food, socks, chocolate, or whatever we are collecting tells me we’re doing something right. It’s easier to teach someone to think than it is to care, and if I had to choose 1 I would choose the latter every time.
Mr. Bagg put on yet another fine performance as his students performed at the Elmhurst Tree lighting ceremony. Thank you for always making sure that PS/IS102 always sounds great.
Monday Inquiry: Seeing the work each group is coming up is a humbling experience. Good teachers are always good learners, and seeing that in action going from room to room gives me such hope for what we will accomplish. With that said, the expectation is to grow and address needs, and not learning complete tasks for the sake of learning or compliance. Adapt so that what you do is impactful for students here and now.
We will meet as Inquiry teams again this Monday and we are not scheduled for another inquiry session until February. Team managers have informed me that they’d like to request extra time to work on their inquiry project and I am onboard with the request. Groups who believe they can benefit from additional inquiry time please ask and we can approve on a case by case basis.
NOTE: Not everyone needs to be at these meetings should your group request to use additional Mondays. Staff who needs to work on curriculum or other items may go to other meetings as planned as long as they are looped in on the work done during these additional sessions.
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