If you have not gotten a chance to read my blog about my #oneword for 2016, check out Enjoy the Moment.
As I mentioned in my blog, my #oneword is a call to action for me to be mindful of the moments that make up my day. The moments at home, the moments at work and the moments that happen in between.
Friday. Friday at the end of the first week back in 2016. There was something special about this Friday. Today was the day, students in each grade level had a pizza lunch with the principal.
Prior to our winter break, we held a school wide assembly as we do at the conclusion of each of our nine week periods. During the assembly, we draw names of students (two from each grade level) that will be awarded the opportunity to eat pizza with the principal. I know there are some diehard "I believe in intrinsic motivation" folks out there, but just hang in there with me. ALL students have an opportunity to have their name drawn for our pizza lunch if they choose to make a purchase from the school store and ALL students can choose to make a purchase.
I have been looking forward to the pizza lunch since the beginning of the week. I am able to sit down with 12 students, two from each grade level KN-5th grade and two selected staff members are able to join us as well. We eat pizza, we ask questions and most importantly, we enjoy the #moment.
I secretly take advantage of the time together and use the student group as a sounding board to help give me a student perspective of how they feel things are going around campus. They tell me what they like. They tell me what they do not like. They tell me what they wish they had more of. They tell me what they wish they did not have to do. Do you ever take a #moment to ask these types of questions to the students in your classroom or on your campus?
The last question I asked the group of students today was, "What is one thing you want to do at school in 2016 that you did not get to do in 2015?"
- more activities with electricity
- more hands on math activities
- more science experiments
- football at recess (our students play a lot of soccer)
- learn my letters (an up and coming kindergarten student)
- wider variety of after school sports clubs (currently we offer soccer)
- win the spirit stick during the nine week assemblies
- gymnastics club
- karate club
- learn 5th grade music (from a 1st grade student with a 5th grade sister)
- play more instruments with students (music teacher who is currently using a ukulele with students)
- create volcanoes
- win the science fair
What an amazing list! If you study that list, does it tell you anything about the interests of our students? How much more could we learn if we just took a #moment to really listen to our students.
What was your #moment today?
Labels: #oneword, 2016, leadership, listen, Moment
