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Monthly Newsletter Article
September--Welcome Back!!! Welcome Back!!! That was the theme heard over and over the past couple weeks as first teachers, and then students came back to school. I know its been a busy summer for everyone, but like it or not, school is back in session. I, for one, am excited about the opportunities and challenges ahead of us in 2003-2004. As we enter into a new year of increased emphasis on standards and the testing of those standards, I would like to focus on one skill that greatly affects student success--organization. Last year's senior class had a number of students who participated in a lot of activities in addition to having very full course loads. I often wondered how they balanced everything. After observing these and other successful students, one common thread is definitely the possession of solid organizational skills. When children are young, parents and teachers plan most of their day for them and see to it that they have the resources and time they need for each homework assignment, test, class, etc. However, as students grow older, they no longer have as many restrictions and have more freedom, as well as more activities to fill their time. Sometimes, that freedom is too much to handle. Believe it or not some students will: forget to take home homework, forget to bring back homework, forget what the assignment was, lose the assignment after they've already done it, turn in assignments that are only partially completed, forget their pen, notebook, or other item in their locker or at home, put off doing extended projects such as a research paper until the last minute, and almost always lament that they don't have enough time. Most core subject areas, such as Math, Science, Social Studies, and English, are taught sequentially and it is important that students not fall behind on homework and other assignments and projects. Some tips to help your child become better organized and able to be successful in school are:
May-Student Leadership Its already May and end of the year is rapidly winding down. There are a number of year-ending activities in May that signify the conclusion of another school year. On May 6, Elgin Public Schools will be having an Activities/Awards Banquet beginning at 6:00 PM. There will be a short ceremony, followed by a potluck dinner and then the presentation of awards. In the past, we've had two separate ceremonies, one for activities, and one for academic awards. However, the attendance at both of these has steadily declined, with many people complaining that there were too many banquets, ceremonies, and other activities in May. We thought about presenting many of the academic awards at a ceremony during the last day of school. However, in discussing this option with the student council, they were very much against this for two major reasons, both of which impressed me greatly. First, they wanted to make sure their parents were able to be present while they were being recognized. Second, they wanted to be able to dress up for the ceremonious occasion. The student council suggested we combine the activities and awards banquet, while some awards will be given out at the upcoming Spring Music Concert and the FFA banquet. Speaking of the student council, they have been and will continue to be a busy group this year. Starting back in August this group of eight elected students traveled to Ord for special training related to Project 540--Students Turn for Change. This is actually a national project designed to empower high school student throughout the country to initiate positive changes in their schools and communities. In Ord, our student council was trained on how to conduct group dialogues with their classmates to brainstorm ideas for change, where to go for support for those changes, and how to deal with resistance to these ideas. Currently, the members of the student council are creating a civic action plan with the appropriate steps needed to accomplish their goals. Since the beginning of the year we have met a few times each month over the lunch break. While some of the initial enthusiasm has worn off, they are plugging away to finish this project by the end of the year. I believe this has been a positive educational experience for all of our students, teaching them how to express their views appropriately and what kinds of steps to take to accomplish their goals in the civic arena.
April-Here's to the Fine Arts They say the number one thing that people fear most, even above death, is getting up in front of people to give a speech. This always struck me as odd, because it really has never bothered me that much. Last week I met a number of students who will probably also never have anxieties about speaking in front of others. When Elgin Public School hosted the D1 district speech contest I had the opportunity to witness some excellent performances from area students. Under the direction of Lori Newcomb, the Elgin students did very well, qualifying eight students in four events. Miraculously, we were able to stay on schedule and, despite the inspectors showing up unannounced to work on the wheelchair lift that day; everything seemed to go very well. This week we will be hosting the NVC East Instrumental Music Clinic. Back in November we hosted the NVC One-Act contest. And later on in May (the 2nd), Elgin will host the NVC art show. Needless to say, this year has been quite a fine arts educational experience for this principal. While not often as publicized as some of the high school sports, these activities certainly give students the opportunity to express themselves in unique and creative ways. While I often trumpet the many valuable lessons of high school sports, those same lessons can be learned in all of the fine arts activities. Dedication, commitment, and sacrifice may be even more essential as many of these students have to schedule practices early in the morning or after sports practices at night. There are also many teamwork skills acquired such as patience, following directions, and working with fellow actors or cast members, and learning how to put up with those same people. Other attributes such as integrity, loyalty, courage, and leadership can also be nurtured through fine arts activities. While it may be hard for some of our students to believe, I also enjoyed many fine arts while in high school. I couldn≠t play an instrument to save my life, so my musical career never quite took off like my mother dreamed. But I was an aspiring actor at one time, participating in One-Acts, Duet Acting, and Oral Interpretation of Drama, as well as various school plays. I also enjoyed Informative and Entertainment speaking and participating on our school Problem-Solving team. I have often reflected on those days and realize now how much my participation in those activities has helped me throughout life. Since my first two years of college, I have rarely had to shoot a three pointer or make a tackle in front of a large group of people (and never under any real pressure). However, I have had to defend a position, create and deliver speeches, and give presentations a number of times. I would say that being able to stand up in front of people and speak has been and will always be a large part of my educational career. While I don≠t claim to be a great speaker, I know that without my participation in Speech and One-Acts in high school, I would not have the confidence and comfort level to do it at all. And what≠s really important is that my career and very many others depend on having these types of skills. Whether its playing the flute, giving a speech on SpongeBob SquarePants, or submitting a painting for the conference art show, it takes a lot of courage to put that part of your personality out there for everyone to see. However, the benefits gained from these experiences will definitely pay off in the long run.
Last update: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 at 11:33:01 AM |