We started our week at Bass Concert Hall on Sunday evening. I think we had approximately 30-40 Scotties there of all ages, with some coming early for the pre-show lecture and some arriving just in time for the performance. It was neat to hear some of the conversation the next day surrounding Holst's arrangements for The Planets, ie how the music was based on much planet mythology (ie, the Mars piece entitled The Bringer of War). Mindy Graves of TPA shared that 600 student tickets were sold alone and I can tell you it was a packed house. Thanks for hosting us Texas Performing Arts!
Of course, before and during our big mid-week to end of week events, there was lots and lots of great teaching happening on campus. Learning first always! I was able to visit one of Beth Finkle's math classes and I can tell you I left way impressed by her new math center approach with this group of students. She shared that the engagement has soared, with all kids clamoring (yep, clamoring) to get started on their center rotations each day. I saw it in action. All centers are heavily connected to problem solving, they're very student centered and collaborative, have built in reflection questions, plus Mrs. Finkle gets a chance daily to meet with kids who may need a bit of extra support. Teaching should be fluid and our best teachers realize that what works one year may not the next year with a different group of students. Kudos to Finkle's fourth graders and the math centers I saw in action.
I was able to see a truly first rate lesson on all things spider research/research papers in Ms. Absher's classroom and I can tell you, besides her natural abilities as a teacher, the collaboration with Paramount's Lit to Life program is worth it. While there I saw students beginning their research on Netbooks along with their graphic organizers, but what caught my eye was seeing Ms. Absher's transference of her learning from watching The Story Wranglers in action to her own teaching practice. That's what it's all about. Before beginning their rough drafts, she focused on organization and word choice, used the DBI strategies she'd learned to highlight those important writing traits, and then had kids brainstorm several variations of the word spider so their final product had flow and wouldn't be repetitive. Great vocabulary tossed out such as arachnid, Black Widow (if that was your spider choice), eight legged creature, and more. As I've shared with several folks, I was so happy to see the natural connection between what our arts providers bring to campus to what the teacher does when it's her (or him) alone, that I hugged her at the end. One of several truly good things happening down that hallway in all third grade classrooms.
Ms. William's first graders were busy working on all things Daily 5 in her classroom earlier in the week. The official website, if you have not heard of it, states that Daily 5 "is a structure that helps students develop the daily habits of reading, writing, and working independently that will lead to a lifetime of literacy independence." Her DF CAFE board was impressive and very organized, she tells me she really enjoyed the AISD training on DF this summer, and it was cool to see such practiced routines as kids moved in and out of the classroom in pairs. She allows them to partner read in her wonderful garden (changed up a bit from Ms. Powers' original...there is now a vegetable garden component waiting to be harvested one day!) and it was all a very natural flow of learning. Loved it!
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| Setting up day of launch event |
And then of course mid-week through Friday was all things Any Given Child and Kennedy Center special visitors. Wednesday evening was the launch event, it went extremely well, and I was thrilled to hear our Superintendent, Mayor Leffingwell, and KC Vice President of Education Darrell Ayers speak about their support of the arts and the Any Given Child initiative that will have a positive affect on arts education and creative learning for every child in AISD. Lots of work to do, but thanks once again MindPop, et al for bringing the conversation to the table and literally working non-stop on this endeavor. The work is exciting and is making a difference in our school. This I know for sure.
So Big Day Friday did finally arrive. The Kennedy Center National Committee members came to our school in and among everything else they were doing this week, Dr. Carstarphen stopped by for a bit to say hello before heading to Brentwood, and it was, simply put, an amazing day. While MindPop's Christy Savage oversaw the happenings behind the scenes, Debbie Esterak, Shannon Ratcliff, and Lizanne McDaniel served as tour hosts, moving visitors through areas of the building for varied activities. These activities included seeing creative teaching in action in Sally Hunter and Kalene Guenther classrooms (KC folks were extremely complimentary), participating in a Panel Discussion (included me, Gullett principal Janie Ruiz, Dr. Hasty, and StillWater Foundation's Ellen Ray), and also had a chance to actively learn a creative teaching strategy from UT's Sarah Coleman. It was a wonderful day, lots of good questions and compliments for what they heard and saw - especially our many, many Process/Product displays and student work in the halls! Thanks to everyone on campus who pitched in day of to make it run smoothly. Teachers and kids: you showed what you know and you made it a special day for our very special guests.
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| Kennedy Center National Committee members listening to Scottie Singers |
And of course, the most special event of the week and the one kids really were looking forward to was our annual fall carnival, Dia de la HOOT! Kicked off with our AM annoucments Monday with some very scary folks peeking into the spooky set and ended with tons of current Scotties, former Scotties, neighborhood friends and more making their through all the HOOT has to offer. Food, games, the Cakewalk, and Haunted House always make this a must-do event each and every year. Kerren Campa and Katherine Peele, hats off to you and your HOOT team for once again pulling out all the stops for family and friends. What a great way to end a week full of cool and amazing moments.
