MCC Friday Reflections

The first two weeks of school have come to an end. Week one was a period of first impressions.  Impressions of the self, impressions of the environment, impressions of how one might fit into a group.  Active games were played designed to elicit group participation, fostering "getting-to-know-you" agendas, and seeking to "break the ice" so a level of comfort can be ascertained.   It went well.   Week two rolled in quickly; bringing with it promises of curriculum work from the week before.  We dived headfirst into reading and writing, spelling and grammar, math facts and geography, not to mention a favorite--science.  We applied the ideas of responsibility, respect and kindness while we learned.  We took to heart the idea that there is a time to play and a time to work...and when those times came about, the kids responded appropriately.  We quickly found ourselves face to face with Friday...Assessment Day!! Every Friday bec...

Kids know they are supposed to do well in school.  They know that the expectations from the adults in their lives are to do well; do you best; be proud.  Each day they come to class they are prepared to accomplish the goal set forth.  Some days they shine like bright stars in the dark night while other days the shine is clouded over by frustration, exhaustion, and indifference. Despite the cloudy days the kids are to return to school.  They are to once again forge ahead with skills, strategies, and concepts that challenge their minds, their logic, and their understanding.  They learn to use resources available to them; they learn to ask questions designed to further their understanding; they learn how to learn. Each year my students set goals for themselves...academic and otherwise.  One such goal is a class goal known as "Unsolicited Compliments".  Each year, the class I have currently tries to beat the class record from the year b...

Running... Original post written on August 18, 2012. Minor changes for clarity made in Aug 2026. Twelve years. That's how long I have been teaching at Lincoln. Twelve years. That's how long I have taken the same route from my house to school. In that time I have seen many houses for sale, then sold. Some were torn down to make room for a new house, a new family, and new students. I've seen the streets that I traverse through Elmhurst being ripped apart and rebuilt to make them safer and more driver friendly, not to mention more car-friendly. Twelve years. I've seen high school kids standing on corners, waiting for the school bus to pick them up for school. Some of them recognize my car while others recognize me as their former teacher. Most of them, however, probably do not pay much attention to me as I pass by. Among all that I see, Monday through Friday mornings there is an unmistakable figure, usually two blocks ahead of me on Fairfield. He is a man. He has slightly ...

Ella's Corner: Your Threads...(by Michael) : There's facts. There's statistics. There information. Then, there's more. SMA Awareness Month has been a wonderful influx of facts...