Need to balance the conversation
Check out the link below that is to an interesting article about teachers.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703440604575496281030445268.html
September 30, 2010 Op-Ed Columnist: Waiting for Somebody By GAIL COLLINS The new documentary "Waiting for Superman" gives a heartbreaking depiction of the sorry state of American education.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Open House Tuesday Sept. 28
Southwest Open House is Tuesday September 28th starting at 6:30 pm in the auditorium.
There will be a very brief program and video in the auditorium starting at 6:30 pm. At 6:45 pm the schedule will start with first period. Do not go to homeroom.
All six periods will be 10 minutes long and there will be five minutes in between. Don't be late. Get your students schedule either from your student or available at the school.
This is not a parent teacher conference night. Families will attend all six of the scheduled class periods and get a feel for what is happening in the classroom.
A couple teachers have coaching responsibilities or other required activities. Hopefully your student already talked to you about this. These teachers will make arrangements to meet with you at another time with your request.
Open House-- 6:30 pm starting in the auditorium.
There will be a very brief program and video in the auditorium starting at 6:30 pm. At 6:45 pm the schedule will start with first period. Do not go to homeroom.
All six periods will be 10 minutes long and there will be five minutes in between. Don't be late. Get your students schedule either from your student or available at the school.
This is not a parent teacher conference night. Families will attend all six of the scheduled class periods and get a feel for what is happening in the classroom.
A couple teachers have coaching responsibilities or other required activities. Hopefully your student already talked to you about this. These teachers will make arrangements to meet with you at another time with your request.
Open House-- 6:30 pm starting in the auditorium.
Volleyball Wins Richfield Invitational
The dominating Girls Volleyball team won the Richfield Invitational Tournament.
Great season thus far. Come out and see Lakers Volleyball.
Great season thus far. Come out and see Lakers Volleyball.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Boys Cross Country Wins Maroon Roy Griak Invitational
On Saturday, Roy Griak (University of Minnesota legendary Cross Country Coach) will be helping out at the Gophers' Roy Griak Invitational, one of the largest cross-country meets in the nation. The race will mark its 25th anniversary.
The Invitation is both a collegiate and high school competition. The races are run in separate divisions, but the event is a huge full day of excitement and challenge.
The Southwest Boys Cross Team won the Maroon race finishing with 126 points. The team members are: Kamal Berle, Micah Ward, Reed Monson, Ryan Larson and Ronnie Stimson.
Chaska came in a distant second with 199 points.
Congratulations to the Southwest Boys Cross Country Team
The Invitation is both a collegiate and high school competition. The races are run in separate divisions, but the event is a huge full day of excitement and challenge.
The Southwest Boys Cross Team won the Maroon race finishing with 126 points. The team members are: Kamal Berle, Micah Ward, Reed Monson, Ryan Larson and Ronnie Stimson.
Chaska came in a distant second with 199 points.
Congratulations to the Southwest Boys Cross Country Team
Friday, September 24, 2010
Lunch is really a BIG deal around here
Juniors and Seniors can go out for lunch. On most decent days they do even if that is the steps and front lawn. Not sure that Dairy Queen is all that much better but it is important to be an upper class grade person and have that right.
9th and 10th graders are not allow Ed to leave the building for lunch but still maintain their own rituals around lunch time.
In order to provide for a longer lunch hour we moved from a 3-period lunch schedule to a 2-period lunch schedule. There is a 25 minute period in between the two 30-minute lunch periods. So a student has "A" lunch then 4th period class or 4th period class first then "B" lunch. Thus, half of the student are with their friends one of the two lunch periods.
Starting long before I came, the students choose to eat their lunch in a variety of places. Some stay in the windowless cafeteria. Others the there lunch out into the link with windows on both sides and others out into the commons. The link and commons do not have seating so the student pitch camp on the floor and form their circle and clusters of friends. After a couple days you know where to find a particular student even though their is no assigned "seating."
For the most part this works well -- although the first time you witness it, it does appear very strange. It is an unstructured free social time for the students. We ask them to be responsible for their own clean-up and behavior is normally civil. There are times we provide some reminders and it takes a few weeks for the younger students to get the idea of personal responsibility.
Due to the size of the student body, we may need to rethink this process. It takes less than 8 minutes for the students to move through the lunch line, find a place to eat and finish lunch. That leaves the vast majority of the time as unstructured social time. This can be study groups, friends catching up on the day, meeting new friends or reading by one's self. But it also leaves time for silliness and confusion.
I know it takes a couple weeks for some of the younger children to get into the flow of being responsible for one's self. I know we have only been at this for 19 days. But I know we need to be neater and more respectful of each other. I will have a chat with students Monday morning about a couple of the obvious problems. I will monitor the situation during the week. If we need to return to z three or four-lunch period we can do that with no change in classes or teachers. It is just the time of lunch-- before, during or after.
I have great faith in the ability of the students to meet the challenge and take care of business.
9th and 10th graders are not allow Ed to leave the building for lunch but still maintain their own rituals around lunch time.
In order to provide for a longer lunch hour we moved from a 3-period lunch schedule to a 2-period lunch schedule. There is a 25 minute period in between the two 30-minute lunch periods. So a student has "A" lunch then 4th period class or 4th period class first then "B" lunch. Thus, half of the student are with their friends one of the two lunch periods.
Starting long before I came, the students choose to eat their lunch in a variety of places. Some stay in the windowless cafeteria. Others the there lunch out into the link with windows on both sides and others out into the commons. The link and commons do not have seating so the student pitch camp on the floor and form their circle and clusters of friends. After a couple days you know where to find a particular student even though their is no assigned "seating."
For the most part this works well -- although the first time you witness it, it does appear very strange. It is an unstructured free social time for the students. We ask them to be responsible for their own clean-up and behavior is normally civil. There are times we provide some reminders and it takes a few weeks for the younger students to get the idea of personal responsibility.
Due to the size of the student body, we may need to rethink this process. It takes less than 8 minutes for the students to move through the lunch line, find a place to eat and finish lunch. That leaves the vast majority of the time as unstructured social time. This can be study groups, friends catching up on the day, meeting new friends or reading by one's self. But it also leaves time for silliness and confusion.
I know it takes a couple weeks for some of the younger children to get into the flow of being responsible for one's self. I know we have only been at this for 19 days. But I know we need to be neater and more respectful of each other. I will have a chat with students Monday morning about a couple of the obvious problems. I will monitor the situation during the week. If we need to return to z three or four-lunch period we can do that with no change in classes or teachers. It is just the time of lunch-- before, during or after.
I have great faith in the ability of the students to meet the challenge and take care of business.
Friday and nice weekend
Football tonight. Swimming, cross country and soccer this weekend. That covers the needs of high school sport enthusiast. Then there are the Twins, Gophers and Vikings are this weekend. But probably more important, homework and studies. Then there is the need to enjoy the autumn weather and colors as we move into a lovely time of year.
So much to do and so little time. Sometimes it is the little things that drive us nuts. Then we spin our wheels over issues that 40 years from now probably won't make much of a difference. If only we had the wisdom to know the difference of what to do when.
Definitely has been an interesting start. Hard to believe that we are only 19 days into the school year. So much to do and so little time.
Don't forget Open House on Tuesday the 28th. We will start will be brief program in the auditorium exactly at 6:30 pm. From there we will move through the six regular periods of your student's schedule. Do not go to Homeroom.
Have a great weekend and see you Tuesday.
So much to do and so little time. Sometimes it is the little things that drive us nuts. Then we spin our wheels over issues that 40 years from now probably won't make much of a difference. If only we had the wisdom to know the difference of what to do when.
Definitely has been an interesting start. Hard to believe that we are only 19 days into the school year. So much to do and so little time.
Don't forget Open House on Tuesday the 28th. We will start will be brief program in the auditorium exactly at 6:30 pm. From there we will move through the six regular periods of your student's schedule. Do not go to Homeroom.
Have a great weekend and see you Tuesday.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Mid-week
Except for the weather, today was another good day. Things are settling down. We have some of greatest kids in the world, or that I am convinced.
I know it was only 13 days, but kids like routine and concrete situations. They might be good at listening to the headset and playing videos, but they don't really like new situations. So this schedule change was unsettling to many. But here we are and life went on and except for a couple large upper level classes - all is well.
Fall is on us and the rains will start here shortly. Bad for the end of the week but suppose to be great weekend which is a good thing.
Clubs are starting to form and get organized for the new year. Every day there is another poster on the wall announcing a club meeting date and place. If you like Fly Fishing that starts on the 28th. Belly dancing is on Thursday night I believe. Still time to be part of the debate team which meets on Tuesday and Thursday. Have not heard about Chess yet but I know that will be starting soon. Lots happening so get involved.
And the homework continues. Yes, we moved around some rooms but that did not change the learning. Students should be bringing work home from various classes. If you want to know for sure, check the parent portal. You can sign up Tuesday the 28th as part of Open House if you have not done so before.
Mid-week and a good day. Learning continues and the problems of the day or homecoming dates and where are you going on Saturday? Some things about high school and being a teen never change.
I know it was only 13 days, but kids like routine and concrete situations. They might be good at listening to the headset and playing videos, but they don't really like new situations. So this schedule change was unsettling to many. But here we are and life went on and except for a couple large upper level classes - all is well.
Fall is on us and the rains will start here shortly. Bad for the end of the week but suppose to be great weekend which is a good thing.
Clubs are starting to form and get organized for the new year. Every day there is another poster on the wall announcing a club meeting date and place. If you like Fly Fishing that starts on the 28th. Belly dancing is on Thursday night I believe. Still time to be part of the debate team which meets on Tuesday and Thursday. Have not heard about Chess yet but I know that will be starting soon. Lots happening so get involved.
And the homework continues. Yes, we moved around some rooms but that did not change the learning. Students should be bringing work home from various classes. If you want to know for sure, check the parent portal. You can sign up Tuesday the 28th as part of Open House if you have not done so before.
Mid-week and a good day. Learning continues and the problems of the day or homecoming dates and where are you going on Saturday? Some things about high school and being a teen never change.
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