Feel Good February for Staff
Glenn Gualtierri, MEMSPA Outstanding Practicing Principal
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There is much talk these days about wellness and tending to the needs of the “whole child”. Much merit should be given to this notion and the benefits of it. When planning for the wellness needs of students, I invite you to consider the needs of your staff, as well. What is the disposition of staff as they enter school each day? What opportunities for fun and connectedness are planned for them? How can time be spent at staff meetings to grow their personal understanding and gain skills to grow their own level of wellness? When staff feel excited to come to school, that their personal needs are being considered, and that they have positive collegial relationships, they will perform their duties with an increased level of passion and persistence. This, in turn, will offer a “ripple effect” to their students needs. For the last few years at our school, a win-win opportunity called “Feel Good February” has been offered to staff for the ability to dress casually for the month with funds supporting an outreach project. Funds from this year will provide a much needed overhaul to our staff lounge. Staff Bingo, pot luck lunches, and the gift of time have also been used to “sharpen the saw” for staff to remain fresh and engaged in their challenging work. As you consider the many individual social/emotional needs of your students, maintain that same consideration to the needs of your staff.
As the winter months bring limited sunshine, increased time devoted to teacher observations and school improvement efforts, I hope you take time to consider, plan, and tend to your wellness needs, too!
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Live Well Lead Strong: The Power of Love in Leadership
Debbie McFalone
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I’m writing this column on Valentine’s Day, so brace yourself: I’m going to ask you to think about living a life of love as you provide leadership in your schools. I know, I know….I can hear you saying, “Oh..that Debbie McFalone---warm fuzzy, sweetness and light, Woodstock peace and love…” And Yep! I’ll wear that badge proudly today! :-) So here we go:
You all know that love comes in many forms….If we’re lucky, we experience it through our relationships with our dear family, with treasured longtime friends, with the children who brighten our lives in our schools each day, and even with our sweet pets! Those moments of joy are such a gfit! It’s easy to express and receive love in those times, isn’t it?
But as leaders, I believe we have a higher calling: We’re called to love even those who are the most unlovable. The child whose behavior is driving everyone crazy, the defiant teacher, the cranky parent---We’re called to demonstrate the highest form of love in action to them all. It’s a tall order, isn’t it?
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Do We Need to Rethink Modern Professional Learning?
Paul Liabenow, MEMSPA Executive Director
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As experts in learning, we know that “sit and get” models are not the best ways for either adults or students to learn. So why is it that we hold ourselves and our peers to a different standard when it comes to educator training and professional development?
We believe that we can do better, and that, by working together, we can motivate a paradigm shift toward competency-based professional development in the state of Michigan. One way to do this is with micro-credentials.
Micro-credentials are a relatively new concept in education. They are a form of certification — typically symbolically represented as a digital badge — that operate as a stamp of approval for mastery of a particular skill. They can also serve as an alternative to the SCECH model.
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Advantages of a Bilingual Brain
Tracy Trautner, Michigan State University Extension
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Teaching young children a second language is beneficial in many ways.
Why would we want young children to learn a second language while they are focused on learning their primary one? It seems like this would be learning overload at a time when they are also learning how to be friends, count, play on the playground and so much more. However, this is a time in our lives when acquiring a second language comes very naturally.
Between the ages of 0-3, the brains of young children are uniquely suited to learn a second language as the brain is in its most flexible stage. In fact, bilingually exposed infants excelled in detecting a switch in language as early as 6 months old. They can learn a second language as easy as they learned to walk and learn their primary language. According to the
University of Washington News
, the U.S. census shows that 27 percent of children under the age of 6 are now learning a language other than English. Learning a second language does not negatively impact the child’s native language.
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MACUL Conference MEMSPA Discount
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MEMSPA is working with MACUL to provide 50 registrants with a discounted registration to the March 2019 MACUL Conference at the Cobo Center March 21-22nd. These registrations will be on a first come, first serve basis, and we wanted you to take advantage! This is a $179 discount off the normal conference registration and the $50 is non-refundable once processed. Also, the code does not include any for fee items, such as workshops on Wednesday. Email
taryn@memspa.org
to get more information!
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The need for critical thinking and problem-solving skills in our schools is not denied by educators. Today, where new knowledge is rapidly accelerating and information is instantly available, it is more important than ever that students know how to think critically and reach reasonable solutions. Students who display critical thinking and problem-solving skills are able to interpret and evaluate what they read, see, and hear to effectively make the transition to college or to the workforce and face whatever challenges life might bring.
While we see the need to include critical thinking skills, creating a culture for thinking should be given high priority. Students need to know that thinking is valued and nurtured in our schools−from the conversations heard, from the words uttered in response to their thoughts, to the physical arrangement of classrooms, to what is displayed, and to the roles that students and teachers play. A climate of trust can convey the importance of thinking in the school and even communicate that it is safe to express one’s thoughts, making thinking visible across the curriculum and in social interactions.
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Two Schools Share Their Breakfast Success Stories
School breakfast enhances students’ readiness for learning and improves their classroom behaviors. Since 2008, research shows that there is a link between regular access to school breakfast and a reduction in tardiness to class, improved memory and on-task behavior during lessons, fewer visits to school nurses or clinics and even higher scores on tests of mathematics and English language arts.
During this school year, Michigan is partnering with No Kid Hungry to share this research with schools and help them find a way to make school breakfast work for them. We are working with groups including the United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM), the United Way of Southeastern Michigan (UWSEM) and Michigan State University Extension (MSU-E), as well as school administrator and teacher associations.
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