Staying in Pain

Staying in Pain

BY MADISYN TAYLOR Pain comes and it goes. It is just one component to the grand cycle of life. And when experienced as such, pain can serve as an important teacher. It is when we get stuck in our pain that it becomes detrimental to our well-being and development. If you notice that you feel closed-off, resentful, heavy-hearted, or that you try very hard to avoid being hurt again, there may be a part of you that is still stuck in pain. We can get stuck in our pain for many reasons. As children, it was natural for us to cry, throw a tantrum, and let the experience move through us. By fully feeling our pain in this way, our emotions would wash us clean, leaving us open and available to new experiences. With age, though, we might have determined that expressing emotion was no longer appropriate, and so we developed a variety of coping strategies to deal with our discomfort. We may have learned to stuff our feelings down or to run away from them. Perhaps we began thinking that staying closed and unwilling to try new things would keep us safe from heartbreak, safe from rejection, and safe from failure. We may have even gotten so used to being in pain that the thought of being without it scares us. But, if we continue to hold onto it longer than necessary, we are expending a lot of energy that could instead be channeled into making our life experiences more positive. If you notice that you are continually connecting with the same familiar patterns of pain, consider embracing your feelings and letting go of your hurt. Whether your pain is from childhood or from an experience last week, see if you can give it room to move. When it does, you will reconnect with a wonderful source of your own vital energy. Pain can serve as one of life's great teachers, but it is important to move through it and not become stuck in our pain.

Week at a Glance

Monday - EDmentum Q&A Informational Session - 3:45pm - Computer Lab

Tuesday - Yearbook Team - 3:45pm - TP Room

Wednesday - Enas House Trip - leave at 10:45am, return at 2:45pm

Science Vertical Meeting - 3:30pm - TP Room

Thursday - World Read Aloud Day

Friday - Fun Run/House Games

EDmentum Q&A

Many of our 3rd-5th grade teachers have had questions about EDmentum and Exact Path.  So the district has brought back the EDmentum people to answer any of your questions!!  There may be people here from other campuses as well.

Enas House Trip

I met with all Orange House members on Friday.  PLEASE make sure any Orange House members in your class got my note. If not, send them to me first thing Monday.

World Read Aloud Day

World Read Aloud Day is Thursday! Let's plan some great activities and diverse read alouds to share with our kiddos that day! I'll have a couple of fun surprises in store too!

Fun Run/House Games

Our Fun Run on Friday will count as our January House Games.  Let's work really hard this week to continue to get pledges!!  We can do this!  Remember to wear your grey shirt on Friday that Boosterthon gave us. If you didn't get one, see Joni.

I will send out an email tomorrow reminding you of the times!

TP Time

This week in our PLCs we will be discussing documentation options for our SLOs.  We will also be discussing how you're reaching every student in your classroom. So come prepared to share small group resources/ideas. And be prepared to discuss your instructional rounds from last week.

Car Rider Morning Duty

Monday - 1st Grade

Tuesday - 3rd Grade

Wednesday - 1st Grade

Thursday - 3rd Grade

Friday - 5th Grade

Birthdays

Vivian Stenseth - January 31

Lisa Marsh - February 3

Blogs/Articles

Through Our Reflections We Become Ourselves

3 Ways to Push Past 'Pinterest-Pretty' and into Learner Centered Classrooms

The 30 Day Happy Teacher Challenge

In Closing...

I will always remember what Ron Clark told me when I was feeling like I was doing everything in my power to please certain people.  He said "Todd, you can buy every person a Ferrari, and someone will still complain that theirs isn't red".  Wow, powerful right? It still stands as my reminder that we can't please everyone. We're going to upset people with our decisions, we're going to hurt people's feelings, and some people just like to wallow in their perpetual negativity.  BUT that doesn't mean we stop trying to understand where they're coming from, and it doesn't mean we give them any less empathy. We just don't let their negativity control our emotions.

Worthiness

Worthiness

BY MADISYN TAYLOR Our worth of being on the planet at this time cannot be judged as we are all worthy and essential to being here now. The issue of worthiness may come up in many areas of our lives, as we ask, often unconsciously, whether we are worthy of success, love, happiness, and countless other things, from supportive relationships to a beautiful home. In the end, though, it all comes down to one thing: our willingness to claim our space in this life as humans on this planet at this time. When we no longer question whether we are worthy, because we know that we are meant to be here to fulfill a particular purpose, a purpose that no one other than us can fulfill. There are no replacements who can take over and live our lives for us, no other person who has had the experiences we have had, who has access to the same resources and relationships, who carries the same message to share with the world. Our purpose may be large or small, and in most cases it is multi-leveled, with important actions taking place on the interpersonal level, as well as in terms of the work we do in the world. Small acts of kindness share the stage with large acts of sacrifice, and only through accepting and honoring our place can we know what we are called to do and when. Ultimately, we are all equally, exactly, completely worthy of being here in this life. Moreover, we are all essential to the unfolding plan of which we are each one small, but important, part. If we suffer from low self worth, it is because we have lost track of understanding this truth, and allowing it to guide our actions in the world. Seeing ourselves as part of something larger, as beings called to serve, is the ultimate cure for feelings of unworthiness. In the end, it's not about evaluating ourselves as worthy or unworthy, so much as it's about accepting that we have been called here to serve and taking the steps required to listen and respond to what our lives are asking us to do.

Week At a Glance

Monday - Fundraiser Begins

PreK-2nd Grade Kickoff - 1:45pm - Gym

3rd-5th Grade Kickoff - 2:30pm - Gym

Staff Meeting - 3:45pm - Gym

School Board Meeting - 6:30pm - Central Office

Tuesday - UIL (students in UIL will leave at 1:30pm)

Wednesday - "Stories from Webb" officially releases!

Fire Drill

Instructional Rounds During Your Conference Time

Math Vertical Meeting - 3:30pm - TP Room

Thursday - Short and Argueta Out

Friday - Short and Argueta Out

NO HOUSE GAMES (Due to Fun Run Being next week)

End of Progress Reports (have grades in by Sunday)

Boosterthon

Our Boosterthon Fun Run Fundraiser kicks off this week! You all did an AMAZING job helping promote this last year, so let's make it happen again!!

We are raising money to build up our playground (with equipment, a chicken coop, butterfly habitat, gardening, and more) and also a potential rock wall in the gym!

Staff Meeting

We will have a staff meeting at 3:45pm Monday. It is important all staff is there for the beginning part with Boosterthon People and then all certified teachers will stay because we have to talk about SLOs (Student Learning Objectives per TEA and part of T-TESS this year). This meeting will last until 4:45pm so we can get this work done that is required of us by the state.

Stories from Webb

I am so excited about the book releasing on Wednesday!! The Navasota Examiner had a great little article in their paper this week about it.  Mrs. John C Webb also called me on Friday to let me know how proud she was of everyone who took time to share their stories, and for all who are putting in their time every day to serve our kids.  She said that her husband would be proud and she wanted us to know that.  If you'd like a copy of "Stories from Webb" and you don't want to wait or don't want to order online, I have them for $20 in my office!

UIL

UIL is taking place on Tuesday at High Point.  We will have quite a few kids competing and a lot of different staff heading over there.

Please plan to be flexible that afternoon with students.  UIL students will leave at about 1:30pm (we will call for them).

We hope, after school, you can stop by High Point to lend some encouragement or support to our kids who will be competing.  Thank you to Jessica McHale for organizing everything over here at Webb. It's not an easy job and she's done great!!

Admin Out

Short and Argueta will be out this Thursday and Friday.  So if you have questions/need help from the please see them by Wednesday.

House Games

Due to the Fun Run being next Friday, we didn't want to also have House Games this week . So our "House Games" will be next Friday during your assigned Fun Run Time.  We will have more information coming soon.

Instructional Rounds

This Wednesday we have our January Instructional Rounds.  You will get an email with your assigned 3 classrooms to observe for 5 minutes each during your assigned time.  You will then meet with your teams to discuss and have your weekly team meeting (just like last month).

Progress Reports

Please make sure you're ready for Progress Reports to go out next week as grades will close on Sunday.

TP Time

This week during TP time we will be diving deeper into SLOs.  Because we won't have our first SLO meeting until Monday after school, the group who normally meets on Monday mornings (K-2 ELAR) will meet on Friday morning this week.  Monday we will meet with Pre-K Teachers.

Morning Car Rider Duty

Monday - Two PreK Teachers outside, Three inside

Tuesday - 4th Grade

Wednesday - 2nd Grade

Thursday - 4th Grade

Friday - 2nd Grade

Birthdays

January 22 - Karen Brzymialkiewicz (we had the date wrong!)

January 23 - Nina Salazar

Kids Deserve It

Here is Episode 97 with Brandon Johnson. Don't forget the KDI shirts/hoodies are for sale for 4 more days this month, here.

Blogs/Articles

Pictures from Women's Marches on Every Continent

The Secret to Meaningful Discussions

A Teacher's Regret...Lesson Learned...

Repair: Relationship Restoration in Response to Student Decisions

In Closing....

This short film below is 12 minutes long, but well worth the watch. 

Storytelling

Storytelling

BY MADISYN TAYLOR Most cultures use storytelling to pass down family history using the power and energy of the human voice. Ever since our ancestors could first communicate, we have gathered to share our stories. We have passed along creation tales and tragic stories of love lost. We have repeated accounts of real heroism and simple stories of family history. When our forebears lived closer to the land and to each other, the practice of storytelling was imbued with ritual and occasion. Members of the tribe would often gather around the fire to hear their genealogy recited aloud by an elder or master storyteller. Listeners could track how their own lives, and the lives of their parents, interwove with the lives of the other tribe members, as everyone's ancient relatives once played out similar life dramas together. As a custom, some cultures' storytellers repeat the same tale over and over because they believe that each time you hear it, you come to the story as a different person and view the plot and characters in a new light. Hearing the story over and over is a way to gauge where you have been and where you are now on your path of personal evolution. It also helps the younger generation learn the stories so that they can pass them to forthcoming generations. When we hear others tell stories, we can laugh at their humorous adventures, feel the thrill of exciting encounters, see parts of ourselves in them, and learn from the challenges they face. Though most of our formal traditions of storytelling are lost, it does not mean we have to be without. We can begin new practices in our own families of listening to one another, of honoring our own journey, and witnessing the journeys of those around us. We can revive the fireside communal by gathering around the campfire or hearth with family and friends, sharing in stories. By building new practices of storytelling, we give ourselves and the ones we love an opportunity to draw ever closer in our shared human experience. Week at a Glance Monday - No School Wednesday - Writing Vertical - 3:30pm - TP Room Thursday - Nesloney off campus at Region 4 Friday - Spirit Stick Shop - 7:15am TP Time This week we will be meeting to begin our discussion of SLOs during TP Time. If you remember, we discussed SLOs (Student Learning Objectives) during the T-TESS training in August. We'll go back over them for the next 2-3 weeks and discuss how we're using them on our campus and in NISD this year.  Since my K-2 ELA people normally meet on a Monday, they will meet Friday this week instead. Car Rider Morning Duty (on your assigned morning duty day) Tuesday - 5th Grade Wednesday - Kinder Thursday - 5th Grade Friday - Kinder Stories from Webb The book I wrote, with contributions from about 50 of YOU, is up for pre-order!!!  I can't wait for everyone to get a chance to read the book come January 24th.  I loved the little story that started this blog post, because I so believe stories have power.  I will tell you, the people I got to endorse the book were ranting and raving about how powerful your stories are.  And within the first two days of just PRE-ORDER we were in the top 400 books on Barnes and Noble, and the top 5,000 books on Amazon (which is HUGE). We're also the #1 New Release in one of Amazon's book categories, which is exciting!  So, share the news, and keep sharing your stories. They're needed. Walkthroughs This week in walk-throughs we're going to be looking at what questions you ask your students, and using those questions for a TP activity soon!  Question deep and challenging! Boosterthon Boosterthon starts NEXT week! Let's start talking it up now to get kids excited. Birthdays January 20 - Cindy Puentes January 21 - Karen Brzymialkiewicz Blogs/Articles Being a Mother in Hawaii During 38 Minutes of Nuclear Fear It Takes a Reader to Grow a Reader Kids These Days Let's Stop with the Worksheets and Create Engaged Readers In Closing.... My buddy shared this video with me and it moved me to tears. I hope you enjoy it as well.

It's 2018 Y'all!

The start of a new semester is upon us!!! Just like the start of a new school year is exciting, I find the start of a new semester, in a new calendar year, equally as exciting!

This semester is when we bring even more than we brought at the beginning.  It's where we fight even harder, teach even more creatively, and work even more strategically to reach every child.  Because it's all about how you finish, not how you start!  Let's do this!

Week at a Glance

Monday - Staff Inservice - 8am-4pm

NELC Garage Sale (Teachers please go by and get free stuff)

Tuesday - MAP Testing Begins for 3rd-5th (refer to Argueta's Email)

Wednesday - Reading Vertical - TP Room - 3:30pm

PTO Meeting - Library - 5:30pm

Friday - Delic on Campus (to talk 2nd semester plans/data with 3rd-5th)

4th Grade Field Trip

Saturday - Staff Outing at Altitude (Short will have more info soon)

Grades Due

Please have your grades finished TODAY so we can run report cards tomorrow.

Monday

You have Monday to work with your teams and in your classrooms, except during your meeting time with admin.  At your meeting time with admin you must bring your F&P Data, most recent assessment/9 weeks assessment data, and a plan for the spring semester of how you're going to use that data with your students. Intervention and SPED Teachers are welcome to attend any meetings to be part of the planning for all students.

All meetings will take place in TP Room

8:30am - Admin Meeting  

9:15-10:00am - Kinder

10:00-10:45 - 1st Grade

10:45-11:30 - 2nd Grade

LUNCH FOR ALL - 11:45-12:45

1:00-2:00 - 5th Grade

2:00-3:00 - 4th Grade

3:00-4:00 - 3rd Grade

IAs

IAs will continue to work with the grade levels I've assigned on work days. IAs, if you're confused, come see me at 8am. Teachers, please utilize the help you've been given!

PreK

PreK teachers will meet at 1:00pm with Short or Argueta in Alcantara's room.

Team Planning

This week the TP time, on your scheduled day, will be your time to get any extra planning done you may need. This will also be time I will schedule to meet about Tier 2 and Tier 3 kids. Friday no-one will have TP Time and Camp Teachers should be helping in classrooms and reading to them.  Please still show up for morning duty, on time, at 7:15am.

(If you normally have TP on a Monday (or are 5th grade), I will try and meet with you tomorrow or during your normal planning time one day this week)

Tuesday - 3rd ELAR will meet with me at 7:50am

4th ELAR will meet at 8:10am

Wednesday - Kinder math will meet with me at 7:50am

1st Grade math  will meet at 8:10am

Thursday - 3rd Math will meet with me at 7:50am

4th Math will meet with me at 8:10am

Birthdays

January 8 - Konnie Harber

January 8 - Evangelic Sipp

January 11 - Jessica McHale

Morning Duty

Tuesday - 3rd Grade

Wednesday - 1st Grade

Thursday - 3rd Grade

Friday - 2nd Grade (outside) and Kinder (inside)

Blogs/Articles

8 Must Reads By Latina Writers

5 Research Based Principles for Fostering Independence in Literacy

Keep Standing Together

In Closing...

Let's make 2018 our best year ever as a campus!  Let's work together to push our kids harder than ever before and see even more success!