It's hard to believe it's been nearly 3 months since I wrote on my blog! The joy I get from writing is something I craved during the hectic months of June & July. June was a whirlwind of summer school and professional learning, while July was filled with lots of traveling with family, playing with the newest member of our family, Addie, and moving. Now that August 15 is here, it's time to prepare for the 2017-2018 school year, as professional learning kicks off this morning!
At the end of school year, we welcomed the newest member of our family, Addie, a playful Golden Retriever! Our summer has been busy adjusting to early mornings and lots of playing. The best part of having this new member of the family is the joy she brings as she learns how to do life with all of us. Addie loves to play, is a pro at napping and most of all, is a constant reminder of how the joy that comes from making others' smile!
During June, I worked with our 8th graders who needed to take the third round of STAAR testing. It's been a couple of years since I've done this and I can honestly say I'm grateful I did it this summer. My group of learners was comprised of learners from our districts 7 middle schools and various socio-economic levels. I was most shocked when I asked each learner why they were at summer school. About 90% replied with "Because I failed the STAAR test." The few students I had from Room 27, were quick to respond, "Because I want to go to high school." This one question served as both a reminder of the power of growth mindset, as well as positive thinking! I knew our 2 weeks together may not yield the "required" test scores, however, I knew I could help guide this group of learners towards a growth mindset, where it's okay to make a mistake, as long as we are learning from it and moving towards our goal! The change in their demeanor during our 10 days together was huge...in fact, learners were smiling and excited to be together each day!
After summer school, I spent two weeks being a learner as I participated in the PAP Math Summer Institute at TCU and PBL professional learning with my fellow NRMS STEM teachers. It was 2 weeks of lots of learning, reminders of why I am a teacher and most of all, provided much needed reassurance of how powerful intentional lesson design is for our learners.
July brought travels to the coast, Oklahoma and Arkansas, learning how to drive as well as moving! Before our summer travels began, I presented at CAMT with Mollie Sheridan, a STEM Algebra teacher in GCISD. We shared our passion about Socratic seminars in the math classroom. I love being able to connect with my cross-district PLC buddy and share about our learning and growth as educators!
After a quick trip to the coast, we took to the road to watch a few Drum Corp International (DCI) shows, in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. All of our July adventures served as a reminder of how important it is to encourage others' when it comes to pursuing dreams. We are our learners's biggest advocate!
Watching a video of Carolina Crown, in 2013, soon led to David performing with the Guardians during the
summer of 2015. Spending three weeks away from home, David’s love for DCI exploded! During his first live
DCI performance, David was exposed to what skills and talents others brought to the world of music and was
immediately hooked; hooked on the desire to be better each day, striving to be a member of a world-class
Drum Corp, to become a member of Carolina Crown! Countless hours of practice and commitment ensued over the next few months. David proved that he didn’t
view obstacles as roadblocks, but as opportunities. Opportunities to reflect and improve as a musician;
opportunities to grow as an individual; opportunities to pursue a dream! Last night brought the 2017 DCI tour to a close, with Carolina Crown placing third and earning the Jim Ott Memorial award for the top brass. We're already looking forward to what next summer brings for David and his goals!
Though summer wasn't a "typical" summer, I'm grateful for the time I shared with those who are important to me. They filled my heart and reminded me of how important it is to support and encourage each other! They reminded me of the importance of doing what is best for kids and how important it is for us to support each other. Grateful to do life with my people and can't wait for what learning opportunities our upcoming school year holds for each of us!
Stayed tuned for updates on life as a BISD learner, a learner at UTA and a STEM facilitator....
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