October17Reflection

Please share how things have gone and make suggestions for modifying for next year.

enjoyed icebreakers (puzzles) smart goals was worthwhile-helped them see that even as freshman they can plan--helped them focus on smaller more achievable goals

posters- they liked making the posters but the abstract conceptual part was a struggle (also homecoming-they don't really know what homecoming is about, so the assigned subject was hard) a lot of kids (and teachers) had trouble remember what the smart goals letters stood for tools--bombed--too much text (maybe would have been better for them to come up with that stuff)

Thoughts for the rest of the year.

TEACH them to access powerschool use time to get passwords, etc; get kids straightened out, so they can't use no password as excuse use time to meet dottie and andrew, etc use time to educate about clubs, opportunities, etc ed. about email (practice) -- share a laptop cart b/n ad.groups to test seniors/leaders speak to groups would like to have opportunity to personalize it to really develop a good relationship (esp. when you don't have them as students)

recalling success of Lake George trip-students who weren't in our classes still remember us years later because of that day gps activity, get to know your advisor form--students get to see advisors as human

activities outside of classroom like winter carnival, frisbee, etc, going outside competition amongst ad.groups rather than b/n classes

community service????? campus, community, larger organization, etc? allowing ad.groups to choose a service keeping a project going over time, maybe each class inheriting, etc.

consider modifying for next year; creating interest-based groups consider making kids academically eligible for activities, esp for freshman who may not be familiar with accountability working with students to achieve academic goals by using non-academic situations (joining a team, eg, as a motivator)

concern about first few months just being a rule-learning class, feeling like would be good to meet them as 8th graders