Winter NWEA - MAP is upon us.......................

Update your knowledge and skills on NWEA - MAP by logging into the NWEA site and reviewing the resources..............or use these quick and easy tools to refresh and remind yourself about the key components of how to use the information efficiently.

For Common Core Resources, click here

For Recorded Webinars, go to:

CC MAP: What Teachers Need to Know

CC MAP: What Leaders Need to Know

Enter as a Guest. Access the recordings in the Web Links box.

Give me a call after testing to talk thru your assessment data if you are interested I am here.  Kathy

2014 Resolutions - this article reminded me...............

2014 Resolutions came from the Connected Principal blog which Sara Schoepke shared with me.  As I read this blog post about dwindling your to-do list I am not so sure I had a lot of takeaways from it .............but felt great admiration for the many, many teacher in the past and currently who would only create a lesson described in scenario #2 in which the true focus in on learning.  Countless hours they spend to insure students have the best education that they can provide. My hope in 2014 is to encourage teachers to work hard and stay committed without allowing their work to overpower their lives.  I don't know one friend of mine who isn't struggling with the balance of work, family, faith and home.  Priorities...............sometimes you have to give more to one and it effects the other but don't let any one thing rule your life.

To-do lists for work, family, faith and home management ---set your "BIG 3" -- at the end of the day which 3 things will make you very happy if you can cross them off because you have accomplished them.   Give it a try.

Just remember we are all juggling many balls these days -- timelines and setting realistic goals is the way to keep the balls in the air.

Connecting to Kids --- Learning is Brain Work

A friend of mine, Sue Zimmerman, who is an awesome child-centered school counselor  in NE Wisconsin shared this article via Facebook and I thought it was fabulous.  It is a good reminder in relating to students but honestly it is a nice reminder to me as I mostly work with adults.  We all need to be cared for, to have learning be fun, we need movement as I too often forget this as we have little tine in curriculum team time, and we all want to be heard.  Thanks Sue, this is a great site for all educators - elementarymatters.com.

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Blogging isn't just for students and teachers

Blogging can assist students to practice the CCSS on a regular basis, teachers to connect with parents and/or colleagues, directors of curriculum and assessment to connect with principals and teachers............but now there are principals and superintendents blogging too.  Check out some of these............

Principal blogger  http://www.bullis.org/middle-school/blog/index.aspx 
http://josephlmccourtmiddleschool.blogspot.com/

http://principalj.blogspot.com/
http://weprincipal.blogspot.com/

Superintendent blogger  http://www.millis.k12.ma.us/administration/blog  http://fairfieldschools.org/blog/

Lovin' my Acer Chromebook ........

I can't say enough good things about my Acer Chromebook.  I have been able to do so many personal and professional tasks with ease with my lightweight tool..............working in the cloud has never made my life easier.

TED Ed - A Source for Educational Videos

Have you heard of TED Ed?  It is a free resource of educational animated videos for teaching and learning.  The site has many tools for teachers including how to assign the videos, include a quiz to determine if students learned the information, and find out which students have watched the video....plus a lot more!