How Amazing Our Schools Could Be

October 30, 2015 

By Joan Moser
Issue #380

Have you ever heard a statement or been part of a conversation that resonated so strongly, it refused to let go of its grip on your heart and head? I recently had one of those conversations with a local teacher. She told me that at his bedside, her ill father encouraged her to live life fully and go back to school, pursuing her longtime dream of being a teacher. So at the age of 49, she left a successful career as an accountant and headed back to school.

As this teacher moved into her new career, she drew on one of the most important lessons learned during her years as a successful manager: all decisions made and business conducted was with the goal of meeting the needs of clients and serving them to the best of her ability. This mindset was woven into the fabric of her being. As a teacher, she has carried over this practice and focuses all decisions through the filter of best ways to meet student needs. 

This conversation left me thinking, how much better could every education system could be if all decisions, processes, and rules were made the same way, with the single goal of best meeting the needs of the people we serve—children?

I can't quit pondering this idea.What if each decision made by every person in an education system, whether working directly or indirectly with students, was filtered through how we can best meet the needs of children. I can only imagine how amazing it could be.

News from The Daily CAFE

Questions Answered . . .

How can I make the best use of my parent helpers and our instructional support staff?
Training additional adults to support as needed in our classrooms can bring tremendous benefits.
 

Purposeful Practice . . .

Chairs as Name Tags?*
Watch this creative idea from Karen Shannon.

Assessment Matters . . .

Feedback—An Essential Ingredient in Conferring*
Feedback followed by appropriate student action is one of the foundations of the CAFE Assessment System.

Try Today . . .

Tracking Our Thinking
We want our students to be thoughtful learners who are aware of their own thinking, so we teach them to track their thinking as they read.

Focus on Health . . .

Each Day Is a Loan
Carol Moehrle reminds us to live our days to the fullest.

Professional Development Opportunities