I have just finished a fantastic book that will help anybody if they want their ideas to be remembered. It is entitled Made to Stick and the authors, Chip and Dan Heath, have written a how-to for developing ideas that are sure to be remembered.
It is a great read, with interesting case studies. The strategies they provide are, with practice, easily implemented. I think every teacher can use this book for lesson plans, and every student can use this book for projects, papers, or whatever other assignment is presented.
It is also a great tool for engaging the 21st century learner. With the Heath brothers' framework, students will be able to create projects, persuasive essays, blogs, etc. that reflect their understanding of the topic and present their understanding in a meaningful and lasting way.
Parent warning: there are some ideas in this book that are only appropriate for the mature reader.
You can access the authors' blog under the Understanding Generation Y Label on the left hand side of this website.
Happy reading!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Honor Code 2008-2009
I have added the Honor Code for 2008-2009 to the Useful Dean Links section of the blog. One major change is the name - Honor Code, instead of Code of Conduct. The goal is to make honor an encompassing theme for the students, faculty, parents, and administration at Calvert.
In order to be an all-encompassing theme, the message needs to be clear, concise, and powerful. Students, faculty, and parents should be able to easily refer to a common idea of honor during conversations. This leads to the second major change in the Honor Code for the 2008-2009 school year - the definition of honor for us at Calvert. We ask three things of members of our community:
1. Act as selfless servants.
2. Demonstrate moral courage in every situation.
3. Maintain a commitment to the community.
The dialogue within the walls of Calvert will be based on these three guiding principles. We owe a great deal to Matt Eversmann who spoke to middle school assembly and proposed these three principles as guidelines for living a life of honor.
A third change is the format of the document. The main document is split into two sections: Promoting Honor and Accountability. Following these sections are Helpful Honor Code Documents or appendices, meant to help students with examples, explanations, and general guidelines to meet and exceed expectations of the Honor Code.
The fourth change entails the Point System undergoing some minor changes. First, students begin each quarter with zero points, instead of the 1,000 from last year. This was changed for two reasons: it was unwieldy to maintain data on each student and students' perception of the points' value was skewed by the high numbers. Second, students can now earn or will be deducted the same point amount for referrals or honorable actions. For example, the first infraction of the Honor Code loses a student 10 points, and a noteworthy act of honor will earn a student 10 points. Third, students can go into negative numbers.
We believe this revised Point System better illustrates real life rewards and consequences for a person's actions, yet remains a system within the safe and nurturing environment of the school building. It provides a barometer for students to gauge their behavior.
Lastly, we added a Character Chart. The Character Chart is similar to the Behavior Chart from last year, except it outlines ways students can earn points. I am encouraging all teachers to post both charts in their rooms so students can clearly see what it means to live honorably and what consequences they face should they stray from the principles of the Honor Code.
Overall, I am excited about the revisions and plan to use this document during the many discussions with advisories this year. Our mission statement states, in part, that we "seek to develop students of...strong moral character within a supportive and diverse community." The Honor Code is one mean to that end.
In order to be an all-encompassing theme, the message needs to be clear, concise, and powerful. Students, faculty, and parents should be able to easily refer to a common idea of honor during conversations. This leads to the second major change in the Honor Code for the 2008-2009 school year - the definition of honor for us at Calvert. We ask three things of members of our community:
1. Act as selfless servants.
2. Demonstrate moral courage in every situation.
3. Maintain a commitment to the community.
The dialogue within the walls of Calvert will be based on these three guiding principles. We owe a great deal to Matt Eversmann who spoke to middle school assembly and proposed these three principles as guidelines for living a life of honor.
A third change is the format of the document. The main document is split into two sections: Promoting Honor and Accountability. Following these sections are Helpful Honor Code Documents or appendices, meant to help students with examples, explanations, and general guidelines to meet and exceed expectations of the Honor Code.
The fourth change entails the Point System undergoing some minor changes. First, students begin each quarter with zero points, instead of the 1,000 from last year. This was changed for two reasons: it was unwieldy to maintain data on each student and students' perception of the points' value was skewed by the high numbers. Second, students can now earn or will be deducted the same point amount for referrals or honorable actions. For example, the first infraction of the Honor Code loses a student 10 points, and a noteworthy act of honor will earn a student 10 points. Third, students can go into negative numbers.
We believe this revised Point System better illustrates real life rewards and consequences for a person's actions, yet remains a system within the safe and nurturing environment of the school building. It provides a barometer for students to gauge their behavior.
Lastly, we added a Character Chart. The Character Chart is similar to the Behavior Chart from last year, except it outlines ways students can earn points. I am encouraging all teachers to post both charts in their rooms so students can clearly see what it means to live honorably and what consequences they face should they stray from the principles of the Honor Code.
Overall, I am excited about the revisions and plan to use this document during the many discussions with advisories this year. Our mission statement states, in part, that we "seek to develop students of...strong moral character within a supportive and diverse community." The Honor Code is one mean to that end.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Welcome
I hope to use this blog to keep everyone informed of the activities going on at the Middle School. Eventually, I hope to have various resources for academic support, honor code questions, Black & Gold updates, community service updates, field trip information, mixer information, Student Government minutes, and the most important dress down day schedule.
For now, I am a novice blogger. However, through practice I hope to be updating quickly. I also intend to link to valuable websites and blogs that pertain to the students' lives. I believe they provide insights and resources to help children deal with the variety of challenges they face in this "flat" new world.
For now, I am a novice blogger. However, through practice I hope to be updating quickly. I also intend to link to valuable websites and blogs that pertain to the students' lives. I believe they provide insights and resources to help children deal with the variety of challenges they face in this "flat" new world.
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