The Monday morning memo ~ 9

The "tipping point" in the Union R-XI School District.

Every single day we all get the opportunity to lead and push ourselves closer to the "tipping point." We lead with our colleagues right alongside our students, and we approach each day and each opportunity with a sense of opportunity and possibility...

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." 

~ John Quincy Adams 

Look around at those with whom you work and interact. Leadership is all around you and you have the ability and choice of being an active participant. 

You have the choice...

Leadership doesn't always start at the top, and there is no doubt that we need leadership at all levels of our organization. Leadership is about encouragement, support, and commitment.

You don't need permission to be a leader...

You probably won't get an invitation to be a leader...

Watch the short video below for an important lesson on leadership.

Are you willing to take a risk and be the "dancing shirtless guy..."

Are you willing to take a risk and be the first to follow...

We all need you, and now is your time... 

The Monday morning memo ~ 8

It's all about you... how do you see the world?

When your glass if half full, your perspective and attitude unleash a world of possibility...

Your attitude in life isn't just important, it's REALLY important...

 When you practice the power of positive attitude & perspective, you are better able to balance the demands of life.

Watch this short video below and commit yourself to finding the silver lining in every situation; commit yourself to taking action rather than waiting for someone else; commit yourself to self-empowerment and a positive outlook in life!

The Monday morning memo ~ 7

Assessments, and the role they play in student learning...

Assessment is an ongoing, systematic process that involves:

• Establishing clear, measurable expected goals of student learning
• Gathering, analyzing, and interpreting information
• Applying information and using the results for continuous improvement of teaching and learning.

Student Learning includes the knowledge, skills, and personal development attained through curricular, co-curricular, and out-of-class learning experiences.

"The value of assessments lies not just in the quality of the test itself, but also in how the information from the assessments is used..."

Take a few moments and evaluate the alignment of your classroom instructional practices and activities to the types of assessments you are assigning. If your classroom activities are not matching up with the skills and application of knowledge you are requiring your students to complete on assessments, then your assessments will not provide you with valuable and relevant data. Likewise, if the level of rigor and DOK on your classroom activities are unbalanced with your assessments, you will not be able to make fair and/or accurate conclusions in regard to assessment data.

Lastly, personalizing the types and frequency of assessments for individual students may seem daunting and difficult, but consider this image below and reflect on your assessment practices. If the goal of assessments is to get useful and relevant data to drive and guide classroom instruction in an effort to best meet the needs of our students, then this image makes quite a statement...