Fed-Ex Day: March 20th

In preparation for Tuesday afternoon’s portion of the In-Service, please watch the videos below from author Daniel H. Pink. The ideas stem from the work of his book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.

***Watch from 5:00 minutes on……..

RSA Animate — Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us from Daniel Pink on Vimeo.

Two questions that can change your life from Daniel Pink on Vimeo.

TASK: Write your sentence! After you complete your sentence, post it here: http://corkboard.me/XPvBwofE1B
Read the following key points from Drive and consider how they relate to your professional work as well as how they can help shape what we do with students.

1. Autonomy – self direction in your work

* We want ENGAGEMENT with the job (or with learning in the classroom), not just compliance
* Ways to provide autonomy include choices in:
-Task – choose the product to work on
-Technique – decide how you would like to complete the task
-Team – choose who you would like to work with
-Time – decide how you will use time to meet your goals

2. Mastery – the desire to get better at what we do
-Practice musical instruments over the weekend; why are you doing it?
-Running marathons? Why? You’re not getting paid
-Think of the many things you want to achieve in your role as teacher – we all want to be better at what we do!

3. Purpose – an overarching reason for doing the work we do
-What is our transcending purpose?

Today, your task is to be self-directed in your learning. Be productive. Live your sentence. Ask, am I better today than yesterday? Seek mastery in your role. Remember our ultimate purpose. The only rule? You must deliver. A product…a project….ideas….actions.

Daniel Pink calls providing this autonomous time for innovation a “Fed-Ex Day”…..employees choose what to work on, with whom, and however they’d like. The only rule? They must deliver something: a new idea, a better process, a refined lesson plan….etc.

As you work today, consider the following:
* Task – choose tasks that will benefit and impact student learning
* Technique –  Design your lessons and activities and project work in your own way, so long as the end result is a benefit to students.
* Team – Work with anyone you want to work with this afternoon – you do not need to work with your grade level teams. Consult with the many knowledgable people in our school! Individuals that choose not to collaborate will still be responsible for ‘delivering’. Consider the importance of collaborative efforts!
* Time – Use your time as you see fit. You’re free to head home at 2:20pm.

Last Task: Deliver! Before Friday, please complete the following Google Form. We will use this information to share at our next faculty meeting the things we’ve created & accomplished this afternoon.


Week 29: 03/19/12 – 03/23/12

Spring Break always arrives at the perfect time of the year! As we head into the final five days of school prior to the break, I’m hopeful that students & staff will take full advantage of their time away from Kennedy. For some, it will give them time to recover from any illness they may be suffering from, and for others it is time they can dedicate to spending with family and friends. Regardless how you plan on spending the break, I hope you soak up every single second and come back re-energized for the home stretch!

Monday, March 19th:
SLC Swimming

Tuesday, March 20th:
Teacher Institute Day (no student attendance) <—-click for agenda
(A paper copy of the agenda is also in your mailbox) 

Wednesday, March 21st:
SLC to Super Laundry
SEL Common Plan
SCOTY Awards Ceremony @ West Leyden HS (4:00pm)
Board Meeting @ 7:00pm (LMS)

Thursday, March 22nd:
Happy Birthday Sharon Heitz (*red bus driver*) 🙂
K-3 Field Trip to Muvico to see The Lorax  <–click for a Lorax PDF Unit Carrie shared from Pinterest.
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm 

Friday, March 23rd:
Spirit Assembly @ 9:00am (Responsibility)
1st Grade Young Authors Day @ 12:40pm
Ice Cream for Kennedy School for Pennies for Patients

(03/25) Happy Birthday Diane Serio
(03/27) Happy Birthday Lindsay Dudal
(03/29) Happy Birthday Eric Humbles 

The latest edition of Educational Leadership features some great articles about reading.
Check out:

Dismantling the myth of learning to read and reading to learn
Every Child, Every Day

Also, did you know that you can now access Discovery Education resources from your iPad with their new iPad app/mobile login? Just go to this link on your iPad and log-in with your Discovery Education username & password. The iPad access works with educator accounts, giving you another way to use your classroom iPads with engaging curricular content.
 

Week 28: 03/12/12 – 03/16/12

 I’d like to share a post from Jon Gordon’s blog, entitled: The Grass Isn’t Greener

 Jon writes, “We often think that the grass will be greener somewhere else. We believe we’ll be happier & more successful anywhere but where we are. And so we pursue happiness. And chase success. Thinking one day we will magically find them. But rarely will we find happiness & success by seeking them. I’ve learned if you want success, you can’t chase it. Instead you must decide to make a difference where you are….and success will find you! I’ve learned if you want to find happiness, don’t seek it. Instead, decide to work with passion & purpose….and happiness will find you! The key to experiencing real success and true happiness is to be the seed & plant yourself. When you plant yourself where you are with a passionate desire to make a difference, you’ll grow into the influencer you were born to be. Your job is to plant yourself each day and be the best you can be and bring out the best in others.

Let’s have a great week! 

Monday, March 12th:
2nd Grade & Multiage Field Trip to Shedd Aquarium

Tuesday, March 13th:
PATS Field Trip to Shedd Aquarium
*FACULTY MEETING CANCELLED!*
Reading/ELL Committee Meeting @ 3:00pm

Wednesday, March 14th:
SLC to Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robins
TAPS Common Plan

Thursday, March 15th:
Happy Birthday Ashley (House) Seidler 🙂
Talent Show Dress Rehearsal (During the School Day)
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
Talent Show @ 6:00pm-7:00pm 

Friday, March 16th:
Box Tops School-Wide Special Day: WEAR GREEN! *reminders will be in your mailboxes on Thursday*
Reading Room Plan
ISAT OFFICIALLY OVER! Whhhewww!
*Ice Cream Party for 3rd Grade*

(03/18) Pancake Breakfast Flyer 2012 @ LMS 9:00am-12:00pm  <–click link for flyer

Week 27: 03/05/12 – 03/09/12

Monday, March 5th:
Happy Birthday Debi Cesario 🙂
ISAT Begins (*There will be NO announcements during ISAT Week. Please check your email in the Kennedy Conference to see if it will be indoor or outdoor recess.*) 

Tuesday, March 6th:
Buddy Committee Meeting @ 7:30am (Room 109)
PreK Field Trip to Brunswick Bowling Zone
District Discipline Committee Meeting @ 3:45pm (LMS)
Wendy’s Family Night 5:00-8:00pm

Wednesday, March 7th:
SLC to Super Low Foods
Multiage Young Author Day (Rooms 101/109)
Theme Common Plan
Kennedy SPED Family Night 5:30pm-6:30pm

Thursday, March 8th:
Kindergarten Field Trip to Field Museum
Talent Show Rehearsal @ 2:20pm
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm

Friday, March 9th:
Happy Friday!

(03/11) Special Olympics Gymnastics Competition @ Palatine High School 8:30am 

**If you are not familiar with Scholastic’s Dollar Deals, you need to check them out! On occasion, Scholastic will offer a large number of their teacher resource books as electronic downloads for just $1/per book! They have a Dollar Deal sale going on now! Check it out here. Although it says the sale is valid through March 2nd, the $1 deals are still appearing! 🙂