Thursday, June 11, 2015

Oh the Possibilities....

Over the last week, I've stopped into a couple of Lindbergh U classes, and now my mind is racing with ideas, ideas that I would love to implement in my very own Flyertime (if only I had one....).  So in my dream world, here's what I'd do (only I'd need to see students each day to make it truly viable and exciting).

I would integrate 3 key things into a successful class:

1)  Growth Mindset (http://www.mindsetworks.com/free-resources/)
2)  7 Habits for Highly Effective Teens (you're getting the book)
3)  Genius Hour (http://www.geniushour.com/what-is-genius-hour/)

And here's why...

1)  These are character building activities - teaching kids to persevere and skills to successfully to do so.
2)  Connect to learning in both elementary and high school programming.  
  • Did you know that LHS now has a weekly advisory?  - it's a lot like our Flyertime. 
  • Did you know that our students come from elementary already knowing the 7 Habits?  - it's part of their Leader in Me program which builds leadership skills for all kids.
3)  Engage students in meaningful and relevant work for their age.  Middle school students are thirsty, thirsty to learn about themselves and create their identity.  This is the age when Flyertime activities should excite them!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - multi-age Flyertime is here to stay!  So, it's your job to have a growth mindset and create it into a powerful learning experience.  And, as I hear more and more feedback from parents and students, we are continuing to move in the right direction - you should feel proud of what you've accomplished in your class over the last few years!  

In the coming weeks, you'll receive a Google Calendar invite from Mike and me.  As you arrive to pick up your new TMS shirt and your 7 Habits book, we want to meet with you to discuss what's working in your Flyertime and how to support you for ongoing success.