Five For Friday

Five Celebrations on a Friday Night

5. Students have really embraced starting everyday with a smile.  I see a sense of confidence building in them.  This is one of my strengths as a teacher and one of the things that is most important to me.  I need a team that believes in themselves and each other.  We will do amazing things when we get to that point.  It also is impossible to be in a bad mood when you have so many wonderful faces smiling at you each morning.

4. I was really impressed with starting the year with two four point days in gym.  Mr. Rutkowski awards three cardinal code points for everyone doing their job.  To earn a four students have to go above and beyond.  We received other compliments from other staff members this week.  I have extremely high expectations for my kids and we are working hard to be the best in the building.  I set expectations high and fill them with the belief that they can do it.

3. This week we have been working on the issue of our behavior and stamina during work time.  The class brainstormed ideas in our huddle and shared their own thoughts about it.  I already see the benefits of this approach as our afternoon was amazing for a Friday of the first week.  We had a couple work periods where I could have closed my eyes and wondered if they were still in the room.  This attention to peers needs is going to pay dividends down the road in my opinion.  I want us all to have input into our classroom environment.

2. I have used my behavior mountain less then I have ever used it in the first week.  I typically have used it to encourage others to follow the Cardinal Code.  I have been able to do much more whole classroom praise as there hasn't been as many small problems.  With that in mind, I have still been able to award my first few dots for outstanding Cardinal Code behavior.  I see students starting to shoot for those exceptional behaviors and making the Hall of Fame a goal.  If the marking period ended today, I would not be giving out a single one or two in Cardinal Code.  Let's keep it up!

1.  I got teacher goosebumps today!  I don't know if I have ever gotten them this early.  Teacher goosebumps are when I am so impressed by a whole class performance that I literally get goosebumps.  We were having a blast during math today with our lesson.  (You would have to ask your child about it and the magic trick I did.)  I asked them a question and not only were they able to answer it, but as a class they answered in an organized list which allowed them to get all of the multiple answers.  This is a very mature skill that usually takes a lot of practice.  I really look forward to seeing how far we can go in math because there is no limit if they keep this up.  I was very impressed by their attention, involvement, and interest in my lesson.

Have a Great Weekend!  Hats off to all of the parents out there.  I feel very fortunate that you send me smiling kids every day who show the love and support they receive at home by their behavior in the classroom.  I am a very fortunate man.  Thank you parents!