Coolidge halls are abustle
With canned goods and cheer,
Knowing that Thanksgiving
Is soon to be here!
The "Community" assembly
Is still in the works.
Practicing during homeroom
Is one of the perks!
Team Explorer is rehearsing
The scripts that they wrote
While the musicians are practicing
So many a note!
Homerooms are organizing
Projects and donations
To benefit our community.
(While dreaming of vacation!)
Inidividuals we are,
Yet together in unity.
I wish a Happy Thanksgiving
To our wonderful Coolidge community!
Coolidge
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Digital Media Safety; Basketball Safety
Thank you to all parents who were able to attend Tuesday night's PTO meeting. From what I hear, it was a record turnout! Officer Corey Santasky of the Reading Police Department gave a wonderful presentation to parents (and some staff as well!) about current internet/phone trends, safety, harrassment, and bullying. While it instilled a great sense of fear and responsibility in the adults in the room, we all were in agreement that our students need to also know the significance of what they post online and how they treat each other using digital media. Officer Santasky and I will be working to create the opportunity for him to speak with our students about these important issues. A special thanks to Officer Santasky who provided excellent, informative information with good humor!
To those parents who were unable to attend, we will try to offer the same opportunity either at Coolidge or at Parker in the near future. In addition, I hope to create more of these learning opportunities, so if parents have any topics that they would like addressed at a PTO meeting, please feel free to let me know! I already have one topic: our BYOD program and how technology and digital media are used in school and with what parameters.
On a totally separate topic, I was nervous to come to school this past Monday, as I had gained quite a dramatic black eye last weekend while playing basketball (forehead + eye socket = no clear winner, but the eye socket is more of a loser in that situation). It felt like "middle school all over again", knowing that there was something that would certainly make me stand out. But I quickly became comfortable with my new look, and learned how to react to the stares or dramatic expressions that resulted. And I think the students were impressed by my "basketball injury", although I had to laugh when one young man asked if I got the injury PLAYING or WATCHING basketball. I'm glad I could answer "Playing", as the "Watching" possibility seemed a bit lame (especially if it was on TV). :)
To those parents who were unable to attend, we will try to offer the same opportunity either at Coolidge or at Parker in the near future. In addition, I hope to create more of these learning opportunities, so if parents have any topics that they would like addressed at a PTO meeting, please feel free to let me know! I already have one topic: our BYOD program and how technology and digital media are used in school and with what parameters.
On a totally separate topic, I was nervous to come to school this past Monday, as I had gained quite a dramatic black eye last weekend while playing basketball (forehead + eye socket = no clear winner, but the eye socket is more of a loser in that situation). It felt like "middle school all over again", knowing that there was something that would certainly make me stand out. But I quickly became comfortable with my new look, and learned how to react to the stares or dramatic expressions that resulted. And I think the students were impressed by my "basketball injury", although I had to laugh when one young man asked if I got the injury PLAYING or WATCHING basketball. I'm glad I could answer "Playing", as the "Watching" possibility seemed a bit lame (especially if it was on TV). :)
Monday, November 11, 2013
First-Hand History
On Thursday of this week, Coolidge 8th graders had an amazing opportunity. Dr. Anna Ornstein, an Auschwitz survivor, came to speak with the students as part of a Holocaust unit they are completing in English. Anna, petite in frame, large in personality, and honest in nature, shared her heart-wrenching story with the 8th grade class. It was extremely powerful for students and adults alike, as you can imagine. While it is difficult to even find the right words to describe the experience, I hope that students were able to articulate their feelings and reactions to their parents afterwards.
As we adults know, and as the students have learned, the events in history of which Anna spoke were horrific. While many emotions passed through me during Anna's talk, I was left with such a strong feeling of gratitude. I was so grateful that Anna and so many others like her are brave enough to continue to share their stories, which are such difficult stories to hear, much less to tell. Their stories remind us that bravery can come from anyone in many different forms and can help people through the most terrible of situations. In addition, by sharing her story, Anna has given our students the chance to learn about this time in history from a first-hand source, which is a rare opportunity. They now hold her story in their own hearts, and it will hopefully shape their own perspectives on life in a positive way.
Thank you to Linda Snow-Dockser for making this opportunity a reality for our students. Additional thanks to Erica LeBow and Laura Warren, our 8th grade English teachers, for teaching the material and for incorporating Anna's story into their curriculum.
If you would like to read more about Anna's story, the following article gives more detail:
As we adults know, and as the students have learned, the events in history of which Anna spoke were horrific. While many emotions passed through me during Anna's talk, I was left with such a strong feeling of gratitude. I was so grateful that Anna and so many others like her are brave enough to continue to share their stories, which are such difficult stories to hear, much less to tell. Their stories remind us that bravery can come from anyone in many different forms and can help people through the most terrible of situations. In addition, by sharing her story, Anna has given our students the chance to learn about this time in history from a first-hand source, which is a rare opportunity. They now hold her story in their own hearts, and it will hopefully shape their own perspectives on life in a positive way.
Thank you to Linda Snow-Dockser for making this opportunity a reality for our students. Additional thanks to Erica LeBow and Laura Warren, our 8th grade English teachers, for teaching the material and for incorporating Anna's story into their curriculum.
If you would like to read more about Anna's story, the following article gives more detail:
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Empathy
What is empathy?
"To put yourself in someone else's shoes."
"To see and feel things from the perspective of someone else."
"To understand an opinion other than your own."
These are a few good answers that students have given when asked what empathy is. Yet beyond just understanding the definition, it is different and more challenging to actually model empathy, for adults and children alike. We adults think we have good perspective. We think we understand each other and situations and approach them fairly. But do we really? Do we really approach every new person and situation without bias or baggage or preconceptions? We certainly like to hope and think so. But it's sometimes harder than it sounds, as humans are complicated. On the flip side, it is in our nature to care what others think of us, and to want to be judged fairly, without bias and misconception, and to be understood with empathy.
As a school that embraces and celebrates the diversity and individuality of each of our students (and adults!), we still need to work at helping students of middle school age to be empathetic. Some are born with overflowing empathy. For others it doesn't come as naturally. All children are "rigged" to treat each other with kindness. This is evident in elementary schools, where students are always so helpful and caring to each other. Yet as hormones kick in, social situations get more challenging, and boundaries are tested, empathy can sometimes take a back seat in the teenage brain. It is therefore so critical, as our pre-teens and teens develop and move through this challenging time of their lives, that we give them many opportunities to learn about and to practice empathy and perspective taking. The venues at Coolidge in which we address topics of empathy, bias, perspective, and diversity include: Advisory groups; 7th grade Health class; 8th grade Choices class (tied in with Wellness); Social Studies and ELA; and A World of Difference. There are additional opportunities that come up naturally, spurred on by current events.
Parents and teachers (and students, of course) have the power to model empathy and to encourage students to remove bias and judgement when they meet new people and are in new situations. Students hear what we say, watch how we respond, and copy what they see modeled. Are we being our best selves to model the empathy that we expect in our own students, both with other adults and with children?
Many staff will be sharing the following (short) video clip with students and will be discussing it. It focuses on a middle school football team modeling empathy for a fellow player. I was quite moved, and hope you enjoy it!
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50157962n
"To put yourself in someone else's shoes."
"To see and feel things from the perspective of someone else."
"To understand an opinion other than your own."
These are a few good answers that students have given when asked what empathy is. Yet beyond just understanding the definition, it is different and more challenging to actually model empathy, for adults and children alike. We adults think we have good perspective. We think we understand each other and situations and approach them fairly. But do we really? Do we really approach every new person and situation without bias or baggage or preconceptions? We certainly like to hope and think so. But it's sometimes harder than it sounds, as humans are complicated. On the flip side, it is in our nature to care what others think of us, and to want to be judged fairly, without bias and misconception, and to be understood with empathy.
As a school that embraces and celebrates the diversity and individuality of each of our students (and adults!), we still need to work at helping students of middle school age to be empathetic. Some are born with overflowing empathy. For others it doesn't come as naturally. All children are "rigged" to treat each other with kindness. This is evident in elementary schools, where students are always so helpful and caring to each other. Yet as hormones kick in, social situations get more challenging, and boundaries are tested, empathy can sometimes take a back seat in the teenage brain. It is therefore so critical, as our pre-teens and teens develop and move through this challenging time of their lives, that we give them many opportunities to learn about and to practice empathy and perspective taking. The venues at Coolidge in which we address topics of empathy, bias, perspective, and diversity include: Advisory groups; 7th grade Health class; 8th grade Choices class (tied in with Wellness); Social Studies and ELA; and A World of Difference. There are additional opportunities that come up naturally, spurred on by current events.
Parents and teachers (and students, of course) have the power to model empathy and to encourage students to remove bias and judgement when they meet new people and are in new situations. Students hear what we say, watch how we respond, and copy what they see modeled. Are we being our best selves to model the empathy that we expect in our own students, both with other adults and with children?
Many staff will be sharing the following (short) video clip with students and will be discussing it. It focuses on a middle school football team modeling empathy for a fellow player. I was quite moved, and hope you enjoy it!
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50157962n
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