The Breakfast Club at LEMS is not like the Breakfast Club of 1980s movie fame. To the contrary, our breakfast club is a reading discussion group which meets once a month to discuss a novel which the group has read, eat breakfast, and ask questions of an “expert” panel. On Friday, I was able to take part in the expert panel as the group discussed the book, “Dork in Disguise”. In other words, I was one of the expert dorks. Also participating in the panel were Dr. Frank Morgan, Helen Partin, and Sylvia Blackwell. While I’m sure there are many who would agree with my selection to this elite panel, I did my best to dissuade them from choosing me as “King Dork”. The questions asked of the panel ranged from “how did you dress in middle school” to “what was your most embarrassing moment in middle school”? This brought back a lot of funny, embarrassing, and fond memories. It also reminded me of just how awkward middle school can be. Other than birth to age 3, the middle school years involve some of the greatest changes in the lives of our students. With a middle school student, some days you never know what is going to show up. Some days they are mini-high school students;some days they are big elementary students. It is up to us to take them at this special place in their lives and get them ready, academically and developmentally for the rigors of high school life.
Archive for December, 2007
Giving Back
Thursday and Friday of this week, the LEMS 6th grade teams participated in their annual winter service learning project. Each team raised well over $1000 to provide Christmas for needy families in our community. They also performed at local retirement homes for the residents. Their efforts truly embody the motto of our school, ”Understanding Hearts, and a Positive Attitude make a great school.” I would like to thank our teachers and or students for representing LEMS in such an admirable manner.
My LEMS Concert Debut
Last night, 12/11, I made my concert debut as a guest soloist for the 7th grade band during its Winter Concert. Dr. Frank Morgan, KCSD Superintendent, and I were invited by Ms. Carter, our band director, to display our significant skills playing pots and pans during a selection known as Christmas in the Kitchen. It was a musical extravaganza. I really appreciate Dr. Morgan agreeing to participate in this experience with me. It meant a lot to our students. I also appreciate the outstanding job done by Ms. Carter and her students. Music education is an undervalued component of the educational experience. Every child has gifts. Some children are gifted academically, some athletically, and some artistically. It is important that we find appropriate avenues for our children to express their gifts.
Welcome to the 21st Century
Technology is a wonderful thing. Today, according to the LEMS Media Specialist, I joined the 21st century by creating a podcast and a blog. When I began my teaching career in the 90’s ( that is the 1990’s not the 1890’s) calculators were not allowed for use on the SAT, computer usage was restricted to Apple IIe and floppy drives and it was hi-tech classroom if it had a whiteboard and an overhead. Times have certainly changed. Today as we discuss what will be the standard in our new school, we discuss SMARTBoards, digital projectors, wireless accesspoints, laptops, Interwrite pads,graphing calculators, etc. All of these tools help our teachers make education come alive for our students. The teachers create engaging, mind expanding lessons which help make real the hig standards we are asking them to accomplish. The key however is a personal relationship between the student and the teacher. For adolescents to be successful, the need to know there is a caring adult in their corner.
