The Power Of Connection

Connect with Kids First 

I read a great article about enjoying teaching and connecting with kids. The excerpt below is from teachingwithsimplicity.com. The ideas come from the book Unshakable written by Angela Watson

Make a connection with five kids every day.  In order to keep myself focused, I’m a list maker. So, I really liked this idea. Divide your class into fifths. You will “assign” each of your students a day of the week.  Make a list of those names for each day.  Of course, they don’t know that the list exists.  On “their” day, pay special attention to those students on the list. Give them a little more feedback, provide praise, or simply give them a smile. Look for the good in those students. If you follow your list, by the end of the week you will have connected with each student on a personal level. Great idea!
The other idea that stuck out to me was to surprise kids with compliment slips and appreciation notes.  Tuck these positive notes away and when students are least expecting it, slip them a note.  Before long, you may see those unruly students begin to make changes in hopes that you will notice them, and they will receive a special note.  It’s a win-win for everyone!


After reading the article, it reminded me of the power of connection. Engaging and connecting with our students is the start of our success with them.

The fact is, we know that our students won't learn from us if they think we don't like them or care for them. As we move into our 4th full week of school, it is important for us to remember that the work we did at the beginning of school to build relationships with our students doesn't end as we shift our focus to content and data. Words are powerful, but even more powerful are the non-verbal clues that we give our students everyday. Frustration can show on our face and in the way we hold our body. Please know that children are experts at reading the non-verbal cues of adults. Every interaction, even when redirecting and refocusing must be delivered with respect and kindness. Kids deserve it!

As we move into the new week, please remember that teaching a child, in all it's fullness, includes modeling respect, empathy, cooperation, and numerous other social skills that we each maneuver through every day. It starts with each of us. If our students are not mastering the teach-to's that we expect, it is really not their fault. They need more practice and we need to provide that for them. Remember, showing anger and frustration is not the way to build trust and relationships. Smile.... let them know you are happy to continue to model for them and give them opportunities to "get it right".

Please let me know ASAP if you have any school-wide teach-to's that your class does really well. I would like to arrange to get several video's done for any new students that come to Holiday Park. It could be fun and I am sure that your students would love to participate.

Thank you to each of you for all of the hard work you are doing to ensure our students are thriving. You matter and what you do each day impacts our students lives beyond measure.

Lean In

  Turning back, giving in, looking the other way, and giving up at times can be so tempting. When things seem impossible and focus is difficult, taking the path of indifference can appear alluring. Exhaustion alone can be overwhelming. And then, as if by design, the choice presents itself. Turn away, or lean in. The decision to lean in represents hope. Embracing the moment, learning from failure, choosing to keep going, leaning in, is perhaps the single most important decision anyone can make. By doing so, focus and passion are sure to follow.
  Everyday at Holiday Park I see teachers and staff deciding to lean in. I am not even sure they are aware of it. Welcoming all children to school each day, staying patient in every situation, connecting to every student, believing in their best and never settling for anything less, is how our staff leans in everyday.  Day after day, from morning to early evening, choosing to stay the path for children is evident everywhere one looks. How lucky are the children and families of Holiday Park? 
  With grace and dignity, our staff dedicates their days, evenings, and often weekends to the students of our school. It is my wish for every child, at every school, everywhere, to experience a learning environment that is as safe and conducive to learning as the one at Holiday Park. Teachers, take the time to lean in, and if you ever need any support to make leaning in possible, reach out to the staff of Holiday Park. We are working on leaning in everyday with you.

Welcome 2015-2016 School Year

Welcome Holiday Park Staff, Students, and Families to the 2015-2016 School Year

    As we start the 2015-2016 learning journey together, it is important for us to remember that we are in the business of kids. Caring for them, helping them, connecting with them, and ensuring that we focus on thinking, are just the beginnings of our job. Being in the business of kids is the most important job in the world. We take our jobs seriously and will do everything to make sure we are doing our job with excellence, every day!

    The focus the first weeks of school is all about building relationships, getting to know our students, teaching routines and expectations, and collecting data to drive our instruction. We believe that all of our students deserve a learning environment that includes adults that are connected with students, where behaviors and expectations are clear, and where thinking is honored above "the right answer"

    Thinking, searching for information, the desire to dig deep, the ability to work with others, and the understanding that our ideas can and should be shared, is the direction of learning in the 21st century. We understand that engaging students minds to think and connect to content is the genesis of learning. We live in an era of boundless availability of information. We must create the desire to go find it. When found, look discerningly at complex information to gain knowledge that satisfies the mind. While searching, we know that we must give all students opportunities to work with each other and collaborate on ideas and thinking. Working together builds common knowledge and encourages deeper thinking. The thinking should not stop when we think we have completed the task, it is actually just the beginning of understanding our responsibility to present, publish, and share our findings and thoughts with others. 

    What an exciting journey we are on. As we start our story, we will strive to stay the course no matter the swing of the "reality" pendulum that will swing joyfully in success and heavily in failure. Our "home" will always be right in the middle, focused on what is best for kids. What a great home to have.