July 23, 2009~ Recently, I attended the SC Middle School Associations Middle Level Summer Institute focusing on the Schools to Watch Model (STW). It was during the Q & A session in which I was struck by how naive I can be sometimes. While my school is contemplating the process as a learning experience and to gain feedback from an outside entity and either validate we are on the right track or assist us in getting there, other schools do not see it in that manner. It seemed as though they were looking for another ornament to hang on their "tree". My question to those participants would be...what is your motive and what drives you on a day to day basis? Because I work in a place that is student centered and our driving force is what is in the best interest of the child, what can we as professional educators do to assist that child in becoming the best person they can be regardless of their backgrounds or their socioeconomic status. It is our job to maximize their potential.
I look forward to undergoing the STW application and reflecting on our process of meeting every child's potential with with high-quality teachers, resources, learning opportunities, and supports.
Attribution: Photo Credit by Whitney Salonich
