Setting the tone

Summer is ending and teacher pre-service days begin next week. During the four full days set aside before students walk through the doors, there are two, one-hour department meetings. Not a lot of time to set the tone for the rest of the year, so I need to be thoughtful about how to use it.

I know that pre-service days are full of meetings about whole-school year-long goals and the nitty-gritty of opening school. I know teachers are itching to get into their rooms and move furniture, organize materials, and make photocopies. I know that, as soon as there are kids in the room, teachers focus on the micro: seating decisions, management, lesson planning and prep, learning names, and lots more. So how should I use my precious two hours so that we kick off the year on the right foot?

First and foremost: Team-building. Four of the six of us have been together as a team for the past three years. The other two are new this year; a whole new sixth grade ELA/SS team. We need to get to know each other as people first, re-connecting old bonds and forming new ones. That means at least 20 minutes of the first hour should be sharing, fun, and laughter.

Next, curriculum. We are in the fourth year of our English Language Arts, and the third year of our Social Studies curriculum implementation. There are tasks that need to be accomplished with each year. We should look at those tasks and begin planning how we as a team can get to them during the year. I hope to take a less directed position with the department this year. We have come so far as a PLC, and I hope to share some of the work around planning and implementing professional development.

Finally, the implications of student data. We gathered so much student data last year: standardized reading and writing tests and core classroom assessments. The Curriculum Office collated and organized that data for us, but we haven't seen any of last year's spreadsheets. Each student also has a data folder that includes the above scores as well as an end-of-year writing sample and report card. We need to look at all that data and think about what it tells us about our teaching this year. Will we switch around units? Will we emphasize some skills over others? Will we target groups of students who are not making progress? How does this data influence our professional development goals?

Somehow the "housekeeping" items will get done. The orders will get distributed. The meeting norms approved. The Essential Agreements remembered. Taking a little time during the calm before the storm to think about the big work for the year ahead will keep us focused, and set the collaborative tone of working together on common goals.