Attitude of Gratitude

Houlton Elementary Staff

I am thankful for…

• Teachers who care about their students, as if they were their own.
Teachers who stay up to speed with best practices, and apply their new learning in their classrooms.
• Teachers who are playful, and love what they do!

It’s that time of year to think about everything you have to be thankful for. Although it’s nice to count your blessings on Thanksgiving, being thankful throughout the year has tremendous benefits on your quality of life. Research reveals gratitude can have these its benefits...

1. Gratitude opens the door to more relationships. Not only does saying “thank you” show good manners, but showing appreciation can help you win new friends.

2. Gratitude improves physical health. Grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and they report feeling healthier than other people.

3. Gratitude improves psychological health. Research shows that gratitude increases happiness and reduces depression.

4. Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression. Grateful people have more sensitivity and empathy toward other people, and less desire to seek revenge.

5. Grateful people sleep better. Spend a few minutes jotting down or thinking about what you are grateful for before bed, and you may sleep better and longer.


6. Gratitude improves self-esteem. Rather than becoming resentful toward people who have more money or better jobs, grateful people are able to appreciate other people’s accomplishments.

7. Gratitude increases mental strength. Recognizing all you have to be thankful for – even during the worst times of your life – fosters resilience.

            Published in Forbes magazine

Developing an “attitude of gratitude” is contagious to those around you, it's a simple way to improve your satisfaction with life, and it makes you a joyful person to be around! We can all cultivate gratitude in our everyday lives by taking a few moments to focus on all that we have to be thankful for. 

Know that I am so grateful for all of you!

Sue

                                

Professional Reading

Professional Reading

This week's Day 6 PLC (Tuesday, November 17) will provide a preview of a couple of professional books for your team to choose between for a collaborative learning opportunity.  Lori will introduce the titles and provide a brief overview at your team meetings.  

The purpose is to identify a resource that will provide practical application of reading strategies identified through our SMART goal.  The SMART Team believes that these resources will provide the support we need to continue the student growth and achievement we have seen at Houlton.  Time will be built into Day 6 protocols and upcoming staff meetings for discussion and follow up on these book studies.  

Here's what we're looking at... (links with additional information below each option)

K-1 option: PALS Resources

K-5 option: Next Steps in Guided Reading, Jan Richardson

2-5 option: The Reading Strategies Book, Jennifer Serravallo

4-5 option: Notice and Note, Kylene Beers;   Notice and Note notes

Small Group Instruction

I find it hard to believe that we are already in November, and quickly approaching the end of the first trimester!  Where has the time gone?   At this point of the school year, our independent reading routines are established, we know our students, conferences are out of the way, we've looked at our data - it's time to dig in.

One of my favorite resources for Small Group Instruction/Guided Reading is Jan Richardson's The Next Step in Guided Reading - here are some of her tips for your small groups:

Once routines are established, and you know your students as readers... DIVE INTO INSTRUCTION!

Divide your guided reading lesson into segments: before, during, and after

Before Reading: "I've seen teachers spend 15 minutes talking about the book, and children only have two minutes left to read it," says Richardson.  She suggests a one-sentence "gist" statement and a quick preview.  For second-language learners, you might need to spend more time, "but for other children, look into the book and then let them start reading."

During Reading: Allow students to read independently - either by reading silently or by whisper reading.  Students should not read round-robin, but instead, make your way around the group to work one-on-one with each student for a few minutes.  If they are reading silently, ask them to whisper read to you when it's their turn.  Different students will need different strategies.  "The idea of guided reading is scaffolding children while they read, doing it with the teacher's support," Richardson says.

After Reading: First, you should check for students' comprehension, which can be done in the form of a discussion question, such as "How did this character change from the beginning to the end?"  You can also use the time for a predetermined word study (e.g. on digraphs), geared toward the group's needs.

And when Guided Reading seems to be going well ... include writing:
Writing about the text is a good practice as well, and it allows you to collect a writing sample.  "The children might do a dictated sentence at an early level, and as they move up, they get more responsibilities for coming up with the message." says Richardson.  In the "Next Steps" framework, guided writing is done at the table with the teacher's support.  It is not assigned writing - it is assisted writing.  By framing the written response so that it relates to the guided reading text, students extend their comprehension.  Guided writing also helps students apply the skills and strategies you have already taught.

We will be talking about building our guided reading lessons at this week's staff meeting, looking more deeply at Jan Richardson's work.  This is a great opportunity to fine-tune our small group instruction, and meet our students' individual needs.

Collaborative Nature

Collaborative Nature...

When people ask me how it's going at Houlton, I tell them how much I love it here.  And when asked why, there are many reasons.  But there's one thing that stands out... how well each of you work together.

As we worked through SLOs this week, I was intrigued by how well teams knew each other, built off each other, and supported each other.  I was impressed by how teams problem solved to best meet student needs.  Whether it be in determining a TARGET time group, team-teaching a lesson to support each other, or brainstorming suggestions on how to best meet students' needs - your combined skills are amazing.

As I walk around the school, I see so many instances of people offering support to each other.  Maybe because of our size, we realize we need to depend on each other.  Maybe the strong sense of community invites us to support each other.  Maybe we realize we are stronger as a team.

I watch parents around the building, working together for the greater good of others.  Parent volunteers reading with kids, sewing club making book bags for babies, book fair and backpack program coordinators providing something for others.  And anticipating the greatest collaborative event of the school year - the Houlton Bazaar!  It is amazing.

This isn't probably anything new to all of you, but it is impressive to someone coming in, like me.  Houlton is a perfect example of "Together we can do great things!"

My continued thanks for the work you do together -

Sue

Collaboration allows people to capture each other's fund 

of collective intelligence.  

-Mike Schmoker