Dear Blake Families:
Although it does not feel like spring, the fact that this is our last calendar week of March must mean that warmer weather and sunny days can not be too far away (I hope). The crocuses in our garden are a welcome sight for sure. After a Friday night and Saturday morning with the boys as Katie was with Maggie's girl scout troop at the Museum of Science, we enjoyed a pretty low-key weekend with March Madness and connections with friends.
This past week felt busier than usual and I want to thank and acknowledge everyone's efforts in making MCAS as smooth as possible, providing a structured and nurturing environment for our students. I have shared this many times before, but I would be remiss in not sharing my sincere appreciation for the commitment that is shown on a daily basis and the sense of community that is in place. I feel blessed to be part of a school where the mantras of 'How can I help?', 'Can do', and 'What do you need?' is pervasive and genuine. With this in mind and the need/desire to unplug a bit, I am trying to keep my prose brief (well, maybe more brief than usual) and highlight a few posts/articles that I believe reflect the foundation of learning we are aiming to foster at Blake.
3 Things That Should Never Change in Schools
post by George Couros (@gcouros)
While I am constantly encouraging our community of learners, both students and adults, to be thinking in a progressive manner, we must never forget that there are elements that should always be in place. Couros shares that we should always keep our focus on relationships, provide opportunities outside of the classroom, and establish a culture of learning in a respectful environment...
"The idea that we need to continuously prepare kids for their future is something that always sits in the back of my mind. Pedagogy often needs to change as we continue to see different ways of learning and understand how the brain works. That being said, there are some fundamentals they should never go away and will make schools a place that students want to be."
Coach K's "Ah-ha" Moment and His Secret to Sustainable Success
post by Michael Lee Stellard
Although Duke lost to Mercer Friday evening (great upset), I have always admired Coach K and have already shared this post with many of you. I am not always a proponent of sports analogies, but I do believe there are great applications for teachers and classrooms, as the emphasis is on a 'culture of connection'...
"The key to developing connection can be summarized in a simple, easy-to-remember formula: Vision + Value + Voice. When groups of any size, whether a basketball team or a business organization, share a vision that makes them feel proud, when each group member feels valued and that they have a voice to express their ideas and opinions, it creates a connection, a bond, a feeling of unity or esprit de corps....In groups where connection is high, members give their best efforts (i.e. employee engagement) and they align their behavior with group goals (i.e. strategic alignment). When times get tough, as they always do periodically in life, groups with connection pull together rather than tear one another apart. Connection is the force that differentiates a dog-eat-dog culture from a sled-dog team that pulls together."
It's Time to Celebrate Schools
by Peter DeWitt (@PeterMDeWitt)
I have shared much of DeWitt's posts over the year and feel he is certainly worth 'following', as he has a keen knack for centering one's thoughts and perspective while often challenging the status quo: "As much as I have always enjoyed the celebrations that have taken place in school buildings and districts, it would be nice to get to a place where the rhetoric about education in the U.S. isn't about what schools are doing wrong, but focuses on where we can nurture what we are doing right. Before my career ends, I hope that the U.S. gets to a place where we can have our own Festival of Education, because we certainly have a lot more to celebrate than we think." I could not agree more, and this does not mean we should ignore or push aside our areas of growth. However, there are many, many things we are doing well and they should be recognized.
Handy Visual Featuring 20+ Ways to Stimulate Creativity
As one who does not see himself as 'creative' and with our theme of creativity for the Blake community this year, the visual within this post is worth a look. I will be putting it up in my office as a reminder that small steps often lead to bigger steps.
I look forward to the week ahead - celebrating successes, building upon our relationships, and taking and encouraging more baby steps. As always, let me know of any questions/concerns in the school.
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Take care.
Nat Vaughn