Gator Run Friday Focus - September 13, 2013

     This summer Principals attended a workshop led by Dr. Marcia Tate, author of Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites.  Dr. Tate was probably one of the most engaging presenters that I have encountered.  Our day with her flew by because she constantly kept us moving and learning.  Dr. Tate has compiled a list of 20 Instructional Strategies That Really Work!  Her work is based on research based on activities that stimulate the brain.  I want to incorporate her strategies within this blog throughout the school year.  Dr. Tate's list of strategies are not brand new or anything that you might not have seen before but they are good reminders of what you can incorporate into your classroom to ensure that you are reaching all of your students.
     The first strategy that I want to mention is so important to me - Music, Rhythm, Rhyme, and Rap.  One of the pieces of research that Dr. Tate shares is that "Music has the remarkable ability to energize, relax, set the daily mood, stimulate student brains, inspire, and make the learning fun." (Jensen, 2009a).  We have incorporated this strategy a few times this year - first in our Faculty Collaborations as you enter the Media Center to begin our learning and also on Fridays as we have played music as everyone enters the school.  I have also witnessed music being used in several classrooms: in Mrs. Heyman's class as she and the children sang songs, including an amazing rendition of "Getting to Know You"; in Mrs. Fritzius' class when she led her class in the soon-to-be classic "Noun Town"; and in Ms. Prudente's class as the students worked in centers with peaceful, new age music playing in the background.  Dr. Tate's book lists several instructional activities in using Music, Rhythm, Rhyme, and Rap in the classroom - you may borrow my copy if you are interested.  How will you incorporate this strategy into your instruction to engage students' brains?

• Please don't dismiss your class until Mrs. Sweeney makes the announcements dictating each group's dismissal.  
• Interim Reports are due to Ms. Felton on Monday and will go home on Friday.  
• Team Collaboration is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.  Please remember that this is scheduled for your team to develop and/or flesh out your thematic units.
• Team Leader Day is on Wednesday.
• Open House for 3, 4 and 5 is scheduled for Wednesday evening.  
• We have a Boosterthon meeting for our faculty next Thursday at 2:20 in the Media Center.
• There will be a Boosterthon pep rally next Friday: 8:20 for K, 1 and 2 and 9:00 for 3, 4, and 5.

Quote of the Week - “Why are we doing this?” - What high school teacher Jyothi Bathina had on the board in her  classroom throughout the year; “Unless I could answer [this] question, I had no right to teach the material,” she says.  Something to think about.
 
Think Like a Detective - Can you determine the Gator Run teacher based on the following clues?

• Born in Fair Lawn, NJ
• Went to school at the University of Miami
• Loves to spend time with grandsons, traveling and reading
• Raises money for Miami Children's Hospital