A Walk Down Memory Lane...

My first class of second graders are starting college this year. That's right, they are freshmen in college. As they settle into their dorm rooms and meet new friends I can't help but imagine each one of their faces. They will forever remain frozen in time as 7 year olds  Even the ones I have seen recently. I imagine them meeting their roommates and I hear their tiny voices, "Can I play?"

I can't help but laugh when I think out Amit who got writers block during writer's workshop. While "thinking" he tore the eraser off his pencil and stuck it up his nose. It got stuck so far up his nose that he got sent home and had to go to the hospital to have it removed. Does he still rip erasers off pencils? Will that be the "most embarrassing moment" story that he tells his fraternity?

I think about Josh. The little boy that kept me up at night with worry about his home life. Who struggled with dyslexia. Who could outrun anyone in the grade. I find myself wondering what happened to him. The same worry that kept me up at night 12 years ago lingers today. Is he going to college? Is he happy? These kids weren't just in my class, they became my kids. Each of them still holds a special place in my heart.

My second class will be seniors. This is the class that will go down in history as my favorite class ever: My Chicken Nuggets. I look down at their class picture and each face tells a story. There was Floppsy who had a haircut that bounced as she walked. Who was still learning English and defaulted to saying, "I forgot" for everything.  

There was Jacob who believed he was a superhero and told me that his mom's alter ego was Wonder-Woman. I often found the Wonder-Woman logo on his papers. Is his mom is still his super hero? I hope she so!

There are some I have watched grow over the years by keeping in touch with their parents.

There are others that moved away. The ones I will always wonder about. That was the year of Katrina. We were blessed to have Kyran join our class mid year. He was tiny and full of spunk. My kids embraced him with patience and love. Because of his spunk, the Chicken Nuggets were born. I will never forget the day they were lined up waiting to enter Art class when Kyran told the boy in front of him, "Man, youse a chicken nugget." Confused the kid raised his hand and said, "Um, Ms. Ransom, he called me a chicken nugget." I turned to look at Kyran. He responded by saying "What teach? He's all white meat!" There was a pause. Then everyone in line just started to laugh.  The kids didn't really understand what he was trying to say. One boy piped up from the back of the line saying, "I like chicken nuggets!" Thus the Chicken Nugget was born. It became a term of endearment. It became our class mascot. The kids embraced their place as my "nuggets." At the end of the year they created chicken nuggets as keepsakes in Art. A parent recently told me that her daughter still has her chicken nugget in her keepsake box. And you know what? So do I.

These kids that I taught 11 and 12 years ago will forever remain frozen in my heart as 7 year olds. When I see pictures of them all grown up it makes me feel proud...proud and old.

I may not make much money but knowing that there is a senior in high school that has a chicken nugget in her keepsake drawer means I make a difference.

It's about more than learning to read. It's about the relationships. I have learned more from them then they possibly could have learned from me.

And now as I step into my 12th year as a Plano teacher I look forward to making new memories with a new set of kids. Kids I will laugh with. Kids I will lose sleep over. Kids I will love. 

You're a STAR Assembly

Our last assembly was a success! Our 3rd graders performed a skit and dance about the upcoming STAAR test. I am so proud of how hard our kiddos worked to bring this vision in my head to life. 

You're A STAAR 3rd Grade Performance

One of the highlights of the skit was when the kids got to see the dream sequence... our very own teachers performed a little STAAR pick me up... "Gonna Pass The STAAR."  The fun part for me is when I hear students singing the song in the hallway days weeks later. 

Gonna Pass The STAAR Video

These videos and memories make this thespian proud. One third grader told me that she felt inspired to go to Broadway someday. Another third grader told me that performing at the assembly was the best day of his life. You can't get better than that!

Baby Steps in Spring

Welcome back from Spring Break! 

It seems like a cruel joke that daylight savings would have us lose an hour the day before we start back from break. The zombies  kids in the hallway clearly struggled to get to bed on time and wake up for school this morning. 

This is a crazy time in schools because we are headed fast and furious into the season of STAAR. As the weather warms, kids are beginning to feel the summer itch. Teachers are putting on their best song and dance to keep the students engaged through the next 2 1/2 months. 

We have an assembly next week and the theme will be STAR. Not STAAR, just STAR. We are going to encourage our kids to use a growth mindset and be a STAR as they tackle the rest of the school year and upcoming STAAR test. I have some 3rd graders performing a skit and dance about the STAAR test. When I asked how the test made them feel the room went silent and then a few kids murmured how scared they were. 

Soapbox: There is something seriously wrong with putting that much pressure on our kids. 

Instead of dwelling on the unfairness of the test, we can only try to lift their spirits and instill in them the belief that if they work hard and do their best, that is all that truly matters. 

It's not unlike my 3 year old that suffers from separation anxiety. I could chose to harp on her for not fully participating in the birthday party she attended yesterday, or I could recognize the courage it took for her to walk across the gym and sit by her friends after expressing how nervous she felt being in a new place. If I take that moment to encourage her and congratulate her on her effort, she grows. If at that moment I grow frustrated with her for choosing not to participate in the parachute game, she feels failure. We must recognize the effort our students make toward a goal. We cannot expect them all to jump right in a join the game or pass the test. We must build them up and help them to see their accomplishments, no matter how many baby steps it takes.

Just as my daughter taught me this weekend when she looked at me with hope filled eyes and asked if she did a great job at the party... I have a choice in how I respond. My response can make or break her. I asked her how she felt she did- very important. Then, I used the opportunity to tell her that I know she felt nervous and I saw that she used her courage to walk away from "safety" and join the group. Her smile said it all, she had won. She didn't play many of the games or participate in a lot of the activities, but to her, just walking away and not running back into the arms of safety was enough. Did the parachute game matter at all? No. What mattered was that she tried something that was uncomfortable for her and that's a win every time. This is no different from our students academic successes daily. Are they taking risks? Are they challenging themselves to try a little more? That's a win. 

So here we go... off to the races.... let's hope the real message we are trying to send is read loud and clear. 

CubRAD coming February 24th!

One Word 2016

If you happened to hop on Twitter at the start of the year you were bound to see #oneword2016 trending a few times. It seems like instead of resolutions people are jumping on the idea to chose a word to make your central focus of 2016. 

If you haven't heard about One Word, check it out!

The staff and students at Christie Elementary are no exception. Mr. Steele challenged each teacher to come up with their one word for 2016. 

I asked my 3rd grade IE group about resolutions and goals.Their experience with resolutions was pretty limited to their parents stating that they resolve to hit the gym or eat healthy in 2016. I told them about the One Word challenge and allowed them to explore examples by looking at what their teachers had chosen and why. Then, they were tasked with writing about their own personal one word for 2016 and turning their paragraph into a video either using the green screen or Chatterpix. 

One Word Example

The kids enjoied their experience and have really stuck to their words. It's always nice to hear another student say, "Remember, your word is helpful. Will you help me?" That is usually followed by a slight eye roll and then a smile, "sure."

With only 1 month down and 11 to go it's not too late to chose a word yourself!

When it's ALMOST Friday

Need I say more?

Happy ALMOST Friday!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

The holiday season is upon us! This truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Students are gearing up for Winter parties, Hour of Code, an assembly, and a 2 week break. Many kids are busying themselves with preparation for the return of the big guy in the red suit.

Elves have popped up in homes and classrooms around town to monitor behavior and provide daily entertainment.

The end of 2015 is quickly approaching... calendars are completely full with end of year activities, appointments, and celebrations.

Stress levels are high but attitudes remain chipper.

December in an elementary school is a pretty amazing place to be!

eExpo Presentation Schedule

Click HERE to view Canva

eExpo 2015

Parent Workshops

Below are a list of available parenting workshops available through PISD. What a great resource for parents! Pass it on... 

11/6 8:00am Memorial ES *Sibling Rivalry

11/10 12:00pm Bethany ES How to Handle the In’s & Out’s of Girl Drama

11/12 7:45am Mathews ES I Can Handle It: Facing Up to Bullies

11/13 8:00am Sigler ES *Stay Cool in the Heat of the Moment – Managing Anger

11/17 8:00am Hickey ES *Doing the Homework/Extra-Curricular/Family Time Boogie

11/17 7:15pm Otto MS *What are our Children doing in the Digital Age

11/18 7:45am Weatherford ES *Creating Harmonious Nurturing Families

11/19 6:00pm Rasor ES Who’s in Control? Reducing Power Struggles

One Time Workshops ES = Elementary School MS = Middle School

Lollipop Moments

Christie Elementary is gearing up for our second annual Engineering Expo (eEXPO). Yesterday at our staff meeting we shared a TED Talk about leadership with our staff. The story shared in this video about the "lollipop moment" really stuck with me. 

How many people in your life have created lollipop moments for you?

How many of you have actually told that person?

Think about how amazing our eEXPO would be this year if teachers and students really started to believe in their leadership abilities. 

So I ask you....

What's YOUR lollipop moment?

Schedule Change

Dear Christie Families, 

We want to thank you for your flexibility as we moved to a blocked specials schedule for the first part of the school year. The instructional planning time gained by teachers during the blocked schedule was used to plan ahead and review the larger picture of the school year. As the first nine weeks has come to an end, we are excited to share that beginning November 1st, we will be returning to the traditional schedule where specials takes place each day. 

As always, thank you for your continued support!

Christie Elementary 

Tech Integration... WIN

This week I had a proud moment with technology and curriculum integration. I serve on a tech team where we assist teachers with the implementation of technology in their lessons. One of the problems I see is that when teachers implement technology they often do it for "fun" or as a lesson hook... this can be great at times... but often times teachers do not understand how to authentically use technology to enhance core learning.

A new teacher came to me this week with a problem... her ELL students need more pictorial guides. They need to be front loaded with pictorial references and then have the ability to go back throughout the unit to refer to the pictures as a review.

She said she often uses Youtube videos as an introduction and stops along the way to discuss and ask questions. She asked if there was a way to give her students access to the videos with pictorial support that they can view at any time through the unit. She wanted them to be reminded about the discussions they had the first time it was used to front load information. She also wanted to avoid having inappropriate youtube ads pop up as her students went back for review.

We discussed her class needs and I showed her a video creation tool that sounded like it would fulfill her need, Zaption. She came after school for a quick 5 minute tutorial on how to create a video with Zaption.

She left my room excited and filled with ideas on how to use the tool to enhance her students resources.

Two days later, I got an email from the teacher that was full of !exclamation! marks... she was so excited because she was able to create a video to front-load material for her students. They used the stopping points as a whole class discussion. Then, the video was shared with students. Students were able to go back and reference the video as needed for scaffolding. The students thought it was "so cool" and it served an academic purpose.

This teacher found an area of need in her classroom and found and authentic way to use a fun tech tool to assist her students in the learning of core curriculum.

Now THAT my friends is a technology implementation WIN!

Welcome Autumn!

Today is the official end of summer as we fall into a new season, AUTUMN! As each season changes into another I find myself as excited as I was as a child. Each season is my "favorite" upon arrival. We are lucky to line in a place where we usually have each season and can feel and see the changes around us.

Looking forward to fall....

Crisp leaves, 

Cool breeze, 

Crunching sound under your feet.

Leaf piles, 

kids jumping

a chill in the air

pumpkin patch

cider warming

pumpkins transforming

jack-o-lanterns glowing 

a hay ride

filled with laughter

scarecrows placed on haybales

pumpkin patch

kids in costume

trick or treat

colored leaves

bare trees

Autumn has arrived!

Too Busy...

When did we get too busy to care?

It seems like no matter what month we are in, no matter which season it is, no matter how many or how few items are currently on the to do list ...we all remain in a constant state of busy.

We hardly have "time" to stop and socialize. We often get so wrapped up in checking things off the to do list and going from one meeting to the next that we often don't stop to check on each other. Some of these people I have worked with for years and I couldn't tell you what they face at the moment. If conversations derail from the current meeting or agenda we are often then forced to apologize for veering off topic and steer back on course. A substitute in our building last week asked why none of the teachers were eating in the teacher's lounge. I responded... "We are too busy."

Too busy.
Too busy to eat?
Too busy to socialize?
Too busy to allow ourselves to connect with those around us?
When did we get too busy?
How did we get too busy?

I have learned that the best and most productive meetings are in an environment where people feel comfortable. Sometimes a teacher has a headache and needs to not take the lead that day. Sometimes there is a sick kid at home and the teacher's mind is elsewhere.

We do not expect our students to learn and grow in our classrooms without nourishing their souls and making personal connections. We strive to create a culture of care with our kids. The same should be true of teachers. We are all people working on the same team toward the same goal.

Take a minute to ask how someone is doing and really listen to the answer.
You never know when someone may need to unload.

Next time you feel like you are too busy to make a personal connection ask yourself WHY?

After all, we are in the business of making personal connections.

What's Happens in September?

September is when settlement happens.

*Students become acclimated with their teachers and peers.
*Teachers settle into a routine as they tackle their new block schedule.
*Teachers cultivate a community as learn about each of  the members of their new tribe.
*The Christie community begins to shift their thinking about planning and how it should look.
*Thoughts of summer dissipate as fall starts to creep upon us.
*Routines are established.
*Expectations are set.
*Relationships are built and solidified.
*Classes dive into learning as students and teachers are pushed out of their comfort zones.
*There is noise and things that once looked brand new start to show signs of wear.

In all of this season of great change we must not forget the most important part of our job is to touch the heart and mind of a child. We must teach our students that building positive relationships and cultivating friendships is of equal importance to math and reading concepts. Working in groups and becoming a positive member of society should be a key focus throughout the year.

In September we are building communities, positive productive citizens, and instilling a love of learning. If these things aren't happening, then really what's the point? Students must feel valued before they will grasp and retain educational content.

So raise your water bottle (or coffee mug) and let's cheers to a September of settlement!

Don't Judge On Construction

As you walk through the halls at Christie Elementary you will immediately notice streaks on the floors, bare bulletin boards, a courtyard that is "under construction," dirt pits on the playground, an impassible front drive, & many other indicators that we are not ready for school to start on Monday. In fact, finding a place to park among the construction vehicles and debris presents its own set of challenges.

When you look past the mess and start to observe the things happening around our school you see hard work, dedication, teamwork, and collaboration. Teams of teachers sitting together discussing how to plan, what to plan, and what will be best for their students. You see binders open to grave level TEKS, computers projecting weekly plans, TEs scattered, and educators fully engaged. Construction workers come in and out of the room sanding, painting, talking... and the teachers keep right on planning.

The TO DO lists of our teachers seems to grow longer every year... but you don't see anyone looking at their lists today.

We are a tech savvy school... but the phones have been put away.

We are all here for one greater purpose. We all have the same end goal, to grow our kids.We know what we have to do, and no matter what the building looks like... we will do it.

Our teachers were just told that they are not allowed to come to school this weekend because of last minute construction preparing for kids to arrive on Monday. One would think that they would be relieved to get the weekend off before the start of a busy year, but they are not. These teachers want everything to be perfect for the students entering their rooms. They wish for their classrooms to reflect the excitement and love they feel for their incoming students.

As I walk through the halls at Christie Elementary I feel pride. I can't wait to see what amazing things happen during the 2015-2016 school year.

The End OR A New Beginning?

Around August 1st each year I start developing symptoms.. it's the same thing every year for the past 11 years....

*exhaustion by day and insomnia by night
*headaches
*lethargy and the desire to "do nothing"
*procrastination (but if I'm being honest this is a 24/7...365 symptom of just being me.)

I feel as if I were momentarily taken over by Grumpy the dwarf and I have to fight hard to not have an attitude with those around me...the ones I love most.

It hits me like a ton of bricks. It's when I stop sleeping that I then realize, summer is over.

No more waking up and slowly sipping my coffee while I watch my daughter explore the world.
No more traveling around to see family. No more lakes and beaches.
No more days spent at the pool.
No more spontaneity of plans, back to structure and routine.
No more staying up late.
No more free time.
No more being a stay at home mom.

But then I think about my job...
...the kids
...the teachers
...the admin
...about what I actually do


What is the real source of my stress? What am I worried about really?

I have built up this fantasy in my head about the summer break. A dark cloud lurks over August.

I will always cherish my summer vacations but with school starting comes a new beginning.
A chance to make a difference
A chance to reconnect with colleagues

Here is what I know for sure, when school begins...

I will laugh.
I will reconnect with friends that by the end of the year are more like family.
I will collaborate.
I will teach and they will learn.
I will watch as light bulbs of understanding flicker on a million times.
I will be part of something big.
I will have ideas that are unimaginable in August.
I We will dream and implement.
We will celebrate successes and work through failures.
We will grow together.

I must force myself to stop and reevaluate my body's response to the end of summer.... what am I so worried about?

After 11 years I know one thing for sure, I love my job. I love the kids.
Summer is over but will come again.

Now it's time to get my butt in gear and rev up for an amazing adventure.

BRING ON the 2015-2016 school year!

Engineering Expo

We are gearing up for the Engineering Expo on May 21st! The students are busy making their way through the engineering design process. Below are the details of this exciting event! We invite you to join us as our Christie Cubs present their engineering projects.. it's sure to be riveting!

The students have all been given a TEK connected problem to solve. They are working through the design process below and are fully engaged in the task of creating and improving their prototypes. 

Check out this second grade class as they work through the challenge to create a toy that will move on its own. https://vine.co/v/eKrK3xX6AOB

We hope you will join us for this exciting event!

#honestyday

Today is National Honesty Day. On announcements we asked students and teachers to debate the question...

Is if ever OK not to be honest?

I found it insightful to hear what students k-5 think about honesty as a virtue compared to teachers. Below are some highlights from both sides of the debate. I have color coded adult and student answers because I see a pattern... kids answers are in RED, adults in BLUE.... notice anything?

It is NEVER OK not to be honest:

*2nd Grader: 1 lie can make all of your truths questionable.

*Kinder kid:  It is NOT OK to not tell the truth because your parents will always find out anyway and you will get in trouble. 

*5th Grader: No, even a little lie could keep going and turn big. 

* 1st Grader: It is not OK to lie because no one will ever believe you again. 

*Kinder teacher: A lie is like a snowball, it starts off small and then grows and gets so big it falls apart and then the truth is discovered. 

*5th Grader: It is not OK to not be honest, you always have to say the truth. 

*Kinder kid: Friends should always tell each other the truth. 

*5th Grader: If you keep lying no one will believe you or trust you again. You will be miserable just talking to your pillow pet. 

...7 students, 1 teacher

It IS OK not to be honest, sometimes:

*Sped Teacher: Honesty always needs to be paired with tact!

*GT teacher: Just have to know whether the person you're talking to can handle the truth/go from there.

Literacy Instructional coach: Knowledge is knowing what to say, wisdom is knowing whether or not to say it. Honesty is not always the best policy. 

* 3rd Grader: It's OK not to be honest only when you're throwing a surprise party for someone and you have to lie to keep it a secret. 

* Math Instructional coach: Is it helpful or hurtful? Does it build people up or tear them down?

*Literacy Instructional Coach: Must we consider little white lies of protection for others?

...1 student, 5 teachers

Reflection

Obviously there were a lot more responses from this morning's chat but look at the pattern...
adults mostly agree that omission of honesty IS OK at times.
Kids mostly agree that honesty is ALWAYS required.

My take away question is this: When does the innocence of a child seeing this virtue as black/white... right/wrong to become situational?

Is this a you live, you learn type of thing?
I say there is something to be gained here about the innocence of a child.