Creativity: A Happy Place for Video

http://www.amandacongdon.com/car.mov
This link is for anyone who'd like to consider the creative energy unleashed when you give someone a video camera.

Things I'd Like Decisions On....

Here's my starter list:

1. Can we lobby for our kids to go to Wonderland this year? If not, why not?
   
2. We should decide what we want our hallways to be like during recess and between classes, and come up with a plan to make it happen.
3. We should dialague, discuss, decide and agree upon what is a "good, educational risk" so that when we make plans, they won't be vetoed.
4. What is the purpose of our 20 minute advisor time? Do we all agree? How will this time be spent in a meaningful way for our students?
   

Things I'd Like to Dialogue About...

This is my list, for starters:

1. What is the rationale for giving long explanatory announcements that interrupt teaching time? I can accept emergency calls to office, etc. (although even these may be largely unnecessary), but I would like to understand the educational, organizational reasons for these extra, unplanned amounts of information which constantly are delivered to our students via the PA.
2. What is the greatest fear we have as caregivers?
3. What is the greatest fear we have as teachers?
4. To be answered by administrators, what would be the worst thing that could happen in our school?
5. To be answered by administrators, what would be the best things that could happen in our school?
6. How do the adults in our school communicate their care for their students, and for each other? I'd like to hear everybody answer this one!
   

Adaptive Challenges

Reaching the goal of learning for all has proven impossible for most schools....... These technical solutions are based on current knowledge and usually have a limited long-term impact. If learning for all is to be a reality, schools must face adaptive challenges. These challenges require the staff to close the gap between aspiration and reality by going beyond their current way of operating. Schools are aligned to get the results they are getting. To improve the level of school and student success the staff must reconsider their purpose and align their actions. They must shift the school culture from teaching to learning, from command, control and comply to collaborate, from pass\fail to eliminating failure, and from learning by most to learning by all. This session will highlight the actions needed for the shift to occur.

Wayne Hulley, keynote speaker, Effective School Conference for board administrators, Nov. 3-4.

Using data to set goals, collaboratively

For some people, using data and setting goals is as natural as breathing and walking. Others find it frustrating and counter-intuitive. Regardless of your own personal orientation to goal setting, doing so in a team environment brings its own challenges and benefits. In this session you will learn a practical set of tools for collaborative goal setting based on your school's greatest areas of need. (more) Anne Conzemius, keynote speaker of upcoming Effective Schools Conference on Nov. 3-4