Control Freak

Aligning the curriculum, common assessments, pacing guides, national standards...all of these topics are part of every teacher and Principal's daily lives. Unfortunately, it has sparked my internal issues of being an absolute control freak.

Yes, it's true. I like to be in control. I like to tell my husband what to do and how to do it. I like to be able to have my son quiver with fear by just giving him that mom look (although I don't have that down like my mother did). I like when things go exactly as I have planned. I don't fly because I don't have control of the plane. Yes, I am a psychiatrist's nightmare.

Why do I mention this? Well, with all of the accountability issues, researched based ways to improve student achievement, I have been having a hard time keeping things in check! How can I ensure that I organize and "control" what happens in the school while still allowing those creative, artsy fartsy types the freedom they need to thrive. Can we all coexist?

Research tells me to keep doing what I'm doing. Some of my teachers are yelling, "STOP!" Is there a good balance between the two? If you have ideas let me know. I need to save some co-pay money!

A Vision Come True!

Finally, after 3 years of dreaming that the faculty would have a meeting where honest to goodness learning would take place, it happened! This past Thursday, we spent time learning about the stages of effective reading instruction, what our strengths were and what we needed to do better. As I looked around during the meeting, I heard an exchange of ideas, an affirmation that they were so glad they were getting the opportunity to talk about ideas, and only 1 person was falling asleep! On top of that, I saw no eye rolling (maybe it was because the lights were out for the media presentation)! Could it be that we were making progress as a professional learning group?

The true test was the grade level meeting, which took place immediately after the faculty meeting. The groups were to go back and review the reading series. They were to analyze our pacing guide so that we can shape it up for next year.

Grade level meetings = the feeling you get when you know you are going to barf. Grade level meetings = the feeling you got when your mother said, "Wait until your father gets home...." Grade level meetings = not knowing if you are going to make it to the restroom when you have a case of the green apple nasties. This is how I feel immediately before and after grade level meetings....I usually have a number system ready for the people that want to talk to me after a grade level meeting.

As I prepared the red numbering system, and made sure the waiting room was complete with the latest edition of Teacher magazine, I began to notice that it was late. The stampede should have already made its way up to my office already. As it was, my kleenex box remained full and I was able to go home before 5 pm. I was able to cancel my after hours counseling session.

As I was driving home, I was wondering what happened.........did everyone have the green apple nasties? Were they waiting to bombard me on Friday? Or, did they bypass me altogether and stampede central office? Maybe there was a massacre and no one made it out the meeting room.....

I cautiously went home, checked my cell phone and email for messages and went to bed at a decent time. On Friday morning, I doubled my high blood pressure medicine, snuck into my office, and was able to get my first cup of coffee before my first vistor. As she began to speak, I closed my eyes, and got ready...............here it comes..........

"Just wanted to let you know that yesterday's meeting was fantastic. I learned a lot and loved that you gave us so much time to talk. We were able to make some great decisions about the pacing guide and I really think we are on the right track."

I looked around for the camera - not one to be found. Either this was someone's idea of a great joke or it finally happened! We had a meeting without any fights, eye rolling, tears, or hospital visits.

I do not know if it will happen again, but I wanted to let all of you principals out there to know: it can happen! Keep the faith and stay strong! If it can happen to me, it can happen to you!

Shifting To The 90 Minute Reading Block

I am so excited! The Instructional Coaches for the district came over last week to help develop a schedule which will include 2 - 90 minute blocks of instruction. One block is for Communication Arts and one block is for Math. Since I've been a principal at the Elementary level, I continually hear frustration from the teachers about how many times students are pulled out of their class: special education, remedial reading, speech, counseling, etc. By developing these blocks, we can eliminate the pull out system and incorporate more small group instruction in the classroom. The special education teachers and Title 1 teachers will go into the classroom and help the regular education teacher. In addition, we incorporated a 30 minute intervention block which will allow us to give intensive intervention time with struggling students. YEAH!


To Do List:


1) Create a schedule that has large blocks of learning time
2) Talk with teachers about this. Listen to pros and cons
3) Find out who is hesitant to implement and why
4) Determine professional development needs for Guided Reading
5) Continue to shift traditional ways of thinking about instruction

Wait! I need to go back to #3............my district has always implemented Title 1 services via a pull out method (that doesn't sound very good, does it?). I need your help - how does your school implement Remedial Reading? Literacy Specialist? Title 1? How do we make the switch from pull out to push in? What does that look like? Is that what is best for reading instruction? I would appreciate any and all help you can give. In the meantime, I'm Googling my behind off (hopefully)!

Going Up A River With No Paddle!

Aligning curriuculum, Marzano strategies, intervention groups, struggling students, naysayers.............whew! I feel like I'm a salmon swimming upstream trying to find my way home. When I get there, every one of my students will be reading on grade level, have an intrinsic desire to learn, and the parents and teachers will smile everyday. No frowning allowed.

Everyday, I dodge that grizzly bear trying to eat me alive as I jump upstream. You know, the bear that waits at the waterfall snatching the salmon as they jump upriver. The bear is the teacher that refuses to acknowledge that they need to improve the quality of relationships with students, parents and colleagues. It is the naysayer that doesn't want to implement a new way of doing things. The bear is the parent that doesn't agree with the detention you assigned to the boy that scratched profane words on his desk. Will I avoid the bear and make it home?

For now, we are trying to focus on improving reading scores. We have implemented intervention groups and are trying to find that intervention that will magically fix all of those students that have a hard time comprehending what they have just read. Until I make that jump upstream, and dodge the bear I guess I'll just keep researching, keep trying, and keep inspiring!