3. Introductions Excellence is possible. IntroductionsIntroductions | Professional Learning | Best of the Web | Quirky Quotes | Web 2.0 Tools | Announcements | CelebrationsProfessional LearningBest of the Web Quirky QuotesWeb 2.0 Tools AnnouncementsCelebrations

4. Excellence Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. -Vince Lombardi Distinction Quality Merit

5. Excellence Choosing to excel and succeed is definitely not an easy path; but certainly one of the most rewarding paths that you will ever find yourself on.

6. Best of the Web Transforming society and shaping the future. IntroductionsIntroductions | Professional Learning | Best of the Web | Quirky Quotes | Web 2.0 Tools | Announcements | CelebrationsProfessional LearningBest of the Web Quirky QuotesWeb 2.0 Tools AnnouncementsCelebrations

7. Solve a Teaching Problem Thought this site was designed for higher education, there is a lot of wisdom in its “pages”! 1.Identify a PROBLEM you encounter in your teaching.Identify a PROBLEM you encounter in your teaching. 2.Identify possible REASONS for the problem 3.Explore STRATEGIES to address the problem.

8. LitPick LitPick provides free electronic books to students in grades 4-12. Students take on the role of a book critic, reading books, developing and posting reviews on the LitPick site where other students can read them. Members can also participate in the discussion forum with authors and publishers.

9. Youngzine Youngzine is a child-centered website that provides articles, images, and videos about world news, science and technology, society and arts, movies, and books. School-age children are encouraged to respond to the content and may submit articles, short stories and book reviews. All content is reviewed by Youngzine’s editors and updated every two weeks. Grades K-8.

10. Professional Learning In support of lifelong learning for all! IntroductionsIntroductions | Professional Learning | Best of the Web | Quirky Quotes | Web 2.0 Tools | Announcements | CelebrationsProfessional LearningBest of the Web Quirky QuotesWeb 2.0 Tools AnnouncementsCelebrations

11. Got Grit? Leaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school. She quickly realized that IQ wasn’t the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains her theory of “grit” as a predictor of success.

12. Reaching Students One of the best approaches to engaging challenging students is to develop their intrinsic motivation. How can teachers do this? It's helpful to consider this question in three parts: What skilled teachers think, what they say, and what they do.

13. What Skilled Teachers Can Think 1.Remember that authoritative beats authoritarian. Being authoritarian means wielding power unilaterally to control someone, demanding obedience without giving any explanation for why one's orders are important. Being authoritative, on the other hand, means demonstrating control, but doing so relationally through listening and explaining. 2.Believe that everyone can grow. Many teachers are familiar with Carol Dweck's distinction between a "growth" mind-set and a "fixed" one. When we have a growth mind-set, we believe that everyone has the inner power to grow and change. We see mistakes as opportunities to learn.Carol Dweck's 3.Understand that power isn't a finite pie. If I share the power I have, that doesn't mean I'll have less. In fact, the pie will get bigger as more possibilities are created for everyone.

14. What Skilled Teachers Can Say 4.Give positive messages. Positive messages are essential to motivation. Subtle shifts in teacher language infuse positive messages throughout our interactions. Here are three practices I've found helpful. 5.Apologize. Teachers are human, and we make plenty of mistakes. There is no reason why we shouldn't apologize when we do.

15. What Skilled Teachers Can Do 6.Be flexible. Being flexible might be the most important thing teachers can "do" to help students who challenge us—in fact all students—to get past whatever challenges of their own they confront. Three practices help me differentiate instruction and classroom management in a way that helps everyone. 7.Set the right climate. At school, baseline rewards might include fair grading, a caring teacher, engaging lessons, and a clean classroom. If such needs aren't met, Pink (2009) notes, the student will focus on "the unfairness of her situation and the anxiety of her circumstance. … You'll get neither the predictability of extrinsic motivation nor the weirdness of intrinsic motivation. You'll get very little motivation at all" (p. 35). 8.Teach life lessons. Frontload your school year (or semester) with life-skills lessons. These simple, engaging activities help students see how it's in their short-term and long-term interest to try their best. For example, a lesson might highlight how the learning process physically alters the brain. This particular lesson encourages a growth mind-set.

16. Learn More? October 2012 | Volume 70 | Number 2 Students Who Challenge Us Eight Things Skilled Teachers Think, Say, and Do Larry Ferlazzo

17. January 22 Early Release WhoWhatWhenWhere Elementary K-5 Marzano: Writing in the Content Area [DQ 2: 6,9,10] January 22 3:00-4:30 K-1: Learn Lab 2-3: Banquet Room@ Manchester 4-5 & Specials (Art, Music, PE): Mayfield Cafeteria Highview, Central, MMS PLC in Buildings: Goal Setting for Evaluation Process Department Meetings January 22 2:00-3:30Buildings MHSPLC in Buildings: Goal Setting for Evaluation Process APEX {ELA} Department Meetings January 22 1:00-3:00Buildings

18. Student Services Early Release WhoWhatWhenWhere K-5 Intervention Specialists, ED & MD Growth MeasuresJanuary 22, 2014 – 3:00-4:15Matt Center Central, 6 th -8 th Intervention Specialists & ED Building PLCJanuary 22, 2014 – 2:20-3:35Buildings HS Intervention SpecialistsGoal Setting with Bldg CoachJanuary 22, 2014 – 1:30-2:45HS K-5 ED & MD TeachersGrowth MeasuresJanuary 22, 2014 – 3:00-4:15Matt Center 6 th -8 th MD TeachersTransition AssessmentsJanuary 22, 2014 – 2:20-3:35 Miller Ridge – Conference Room HS MD TeachersGoal Setting with Bldg CoachJanuary 22, 2014 – 1:30-2:45HS K-5 ParaprofessionalsEMIS ReportingJanuary 22, 2014 – 3:00-3:45Central Office – Discover Lab 6 th -8 th ParaprofessionalsEMIS ReportingJanuary 22, 2014 – 2:20-3:05Central Office – Discover Lab HS ParaprofessionalsEMIS ReportingJanuary 22, 2014 – 1:15-2:15Central Office – Discover Lab

19. Quirky “Quotes” To inspire, entertain, and intrigue. IntroductionsIntroductions | Professional Learning | Best of the Web | Quirky Quotes | Web 2.0 Tools | Announcements | CelebrationsProfessional LearningBest of the Web Quirky QuotesWeb 2.0 Tools AnnouncementsCelebrations

20. Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected. -Steve Jobs

21. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. -Aristotle

22. Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. -John W. Gardner

23. Web 2.0 Tools The interactive web for you and your students. IntroductionsIntroductions | Professional Learning | Best of the Web | Quirky Quotes | Web 2.0 Tools | Announcements | CelebrationsProfessional LearningBest of the Web Quirky QuotesWeb 2.0 Tools AnnouncementsCelebrations

24. inklewiter inklewriterinklewriter is a free tool designed to allow anyone to write and publish interactive stories. It’s perfect for writers who want to try out interactivity, but also for teachers and students looking to mix computer skills and creative writing.

25. You might wonder what happens every 60 seconds on the Internet. The volume of Internet traffic is staggering and you and your students are part of it. Check out the infograph Battle for Bandwidth for more information. Battle for Bandwidth An Internet Minute

26. Announcements Tell them you heard it on the Middie Mile! IntroductionsIntroductions | Professional Learning | Best of the Web | Quirky Quotes | Web 2.0 Tools | Announcements | CelebrationsProfessional LearningBest of the Web Quirky QuotesWeb 2.0 Tools AnnouncementsCelebrations

27. Third Grade Reading Guarantee Updated Third Grade Reading Guarantee teacher requirements have been placed on the MiddieNet’s Curriculum Third Grade Reading Guarantee page under the Teacher Certification heading.

28. Anthem Blue Access If you enrolled in the Butler Health Plan for 2014 and elected the ANTHEM BLUE ACCESS plan, watch for three mailers: 1.A mailer from Anthem will include your medical ID card. If you have not received your card call 1-855-825-1125 2.mailer from Allied Benefits will include your dental ID card. If you have not received your card call 1-800-288-2078 3.A mailer from Express Scripts will include your prescription ID card. Cards have not been mailed. The information from last year is still the same. If a new member please see previous email regarding instructions for a temporary card Note: You will be sent a set of two cards for each plan. If you need additional cards for your dependents, please call the numbers on your ID card.

29. Mercy Preferred If you enrolled in the Butler Health Plan for 2014 and elected the MERCY PREFERRED EPO or the HDHP plan, watch for three mailers: 1.One mailer will be from Allied Benefits and will include your ‘first’ set of medical and dental ID cards. If you have not received your card call 1-800-288-2078 2.One mailer will be from Allied Benefits and will include your ‘second’ set of medical and dental ID cards. If you have not received your card call 1-800-288-2078 3.One mailer will be from Express Scripts and will include your prescription ID card. Cards have not been mailed. The information from last year is still the same. If a new member please see previous email regarding instructions for a temporary card Note: You will be sent a set of two cards for each plan. If you need additional cards for your dependents, please call the number on the ID card after you receive it.

30. Celebrations Birthdays and such. IntroductionsIntroductions | Professional Learning | Best of the Web | Quirky Quotes | Web 2.0 Tools | Announcements | CelebrationsProfessional LearningBest of the Web Quirky QuotesWeb 2.0 Tools AnnouncementsCelebrations

31. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. If you have not read “I have a dream” lately, please take a moment to and be reminded of the power of beliefs.I have a dream “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

32. Happy Birthday! January 19 st to January 25 th Erin Hull01/19 Lindsey Brinegar 01/19 Stephen Hess01/21 Barbara Shepard01/21 Nancy Strauss01/22 Emily Peake01/22 Fran Amburgey01/22 Barbara Riggins01/23 Katrina Reed01/23 Melissa Prohaska01/23 Bradley Neeley01/24 Cody Colliver01/24 Catherine McCarthy01/24 Sherry LeForce01/25 Tami Moreland01/25

33. Till Next Week… Please email upcoming events and celebrations to be included in the Middie Mile to rsurland@middletowncityschools.com.rsurland@middletowncityschools.com