What Makes You Happy?

One of my Sunday morning routines is getting up early before anyone else in my house, putting in my head phones to listen to Andy Stanley, drinking my favorite breakfast drink, and hiding in the laundry room while ironing mounds of clothes. I know it sounds crazy, but I kind of enjoy my quiet time.  I am able to be productive in some sense, but at the same time enjoy the simplicity of the task!  This Sunday, Andy's series title was "What Makes you Happy?"  His message was based around the fact that our happiness is based on the relationships we have with others.  Sometimes, we relate happiness to buying a new car, living in the best house or wearing the best clothes when in reality our happiest memories are based on the relationships we have with other people. He pointed out that typically when people are on their death beds they do not ask to be taken out to the parking lot to say good bye to their car!  It was a reminder of the importance of caring for all individuals, even those who have different opinions and lifestyles.

This message made me think about the importance of relationships in our schools and the impact it has on learning.  A blog written by Rebecca Alber, shares compelling evidence of happiness and its impact on learning.  A quote by Dr. David Rock says,

                  "There is a large and growing body of research which indicates that people 
                   experiencing positive emotions perceive more options when trying to solve problems,
                  solve more non-linear problems that require insight, [and they] collaborate better
                  and generally perform better overall."

So the question becomes, how do we create positive emotions for all of our students?  How do we help them to feel like they are an important part of the class or school?  How do we help each and every student find their own strengths and build on those each year in our school?  

Rebecca shares several ideas on how we can do this in our classrooms such as:
* Community Building all Year Long -  helping students understand how to express who they are, their thoughts and ideas, building relationships - making the classroom emotionally and intellectually safe 
* Design Group Guidelines Together - Allows students to feel more comfortable when working in groups
* Have Non-Negotiables - No name-calling to help create a safe environment
* Post Student Work Everywhere - Lets students know they belong in this classroom
(You can read all of the article here.)

All of these ideas help build relationships and also help teach students the 21st Century Skills of teamwork that are needed when it comes to being successful in the workplace. The human body is built to interact with others and it is our job to make sure that we are providing positive experiences for all of our students.   

Thank you to all of you who make our students feel comfortable everyday at Perry Central.  Sometimes building relationships can seem overwhelming when you think of all of the other work you are asked to do - but I can assure you that the investment of that relationship will have a positive impact on learning.   

Enjoy your Spring Break!!


School Notes: 

* Adam Dauby was recognized at the Daughters of the American Revolution Banquet on Sunday as Perry Central's DAR Winner.  Congratulations to Adam!

* ISTEP Celebration - Teachers/Staff will have a catered lunch on Thursday and students will have celebration time during 6th and 7th periods on Friday 

* Thank you to Lou Ann Backer and teachers who allowed her to visit classrooms to talk about scheduling for next year!  We have most of our course entries in the system and hope to have a Master Schedule set soon!

* Remember that grades will dump on Wednesday night at 11:59 p.m.!!  Report cards will be distributed on Friday, March 17th. 


Important Dates

Monday, March 13 - School Board Meeting 6:30 p.m. - High School Library

Thursday, March 16 - Catered Lunch and Jean Day for Faculty and Staff/ Winter Sports Banquet 6:00 p.m.

Friday, March 17 - Student ISTEP Celebration 6th and 7th periods/ Grandparent's Day in Elementary/ St. Patrick's Day!    Last Day before Spring Break!  Have a restful two weeks!

Friday, April 7 - Domain 1 and 3 due in SFS system