Welcome back to school!
It’s almost the end of August, and those of you who haven’t started school yet are probably preparing!
Are you using the North Star Approach this fall? Now’s the time to share your plans, or other sites where you find resources. How did you, or how will you start off the year?
(In related news, here’s an interesting suggestion for how to develop a better budget to support field trips for hands-on learning experiences!)
August 27th, 2007 at 5:56 am
Our North Star Classroom is ready to go. The children’s first day is September 4, but teachers return August 28. One of the first things I will do is share the North Star book with colleagues at a professional developement workshop on Wednesday. Last year, as I first began using the North Star approach, I shared this book and The Dot and Ish with our principal. She purchased the books for our library, so I am hoping that other teachers find ways to use these books with their classes. My students love these books, and we reference the content throughout the entire year. The children will writing their goals for the year on stars and paint their own ships (which represent the child) . The star with the goals is what will guide our “ships” through their second grade journey. Every few weeks I select 3-4 stars and ships to post on a “Featured Journeys” bulletin board. Each of the featured students choose a motivational PHR poster that they feel is especially needed for themselves or the class. This gives children a chance to reflect on their goals and to share their progress with the class.
August 28th, 2007 at 5:52 am
Are you leading the workshop on your own, or are there other North Star Teachers in your school?
Let us know how it goes!
September 1st, 2007 at 7:46 am
It was a workshop led by our literacy specialist. She wanted the K-2 teachers to share a book they read to their class. Several teachers are interested in reading The North Star, which is great start. There aren’t any other North Star Teachers in my school. I have been thinking about conducting a workshop with the North Star theme. One emphasis this year in our building is linking literature/reading lessons to social issues that affect children, so this as well as books like The Dot and Ish fit in perfectly at any grade level. I am hoping word spreads as more teachers read these books.
October 3rd, 2007 at 4:49 pm
I have used the North Star Approach in elementary and high school classrooms for the past seven years or so with great success. I believe sharing the book and utilizing the teaching practices has had positive affects on everyone who spends time with me discussing the story and reflecting on personal journeys. To be honest, listening to Peter speak at conferences and revisiting the story each year with new groups of student navigators keeps my teaching and personal interactions with young people fresh and meaningful. Therefore, a couple of goals I set for myself this year are sharing The North Star and the “Approach” with as many teachers and administrators as possible.
On October 29th, I will be sharing information with teachers at the district level. I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who has presented/shared the story with their colleagues, so I can do the best job possible.
Cheers…Kevin McGroary
E_Mail: kmcgroary@saugus.k12.ca.us
October 5th, 2007 at 5:05 am
That’s fantastic - let us know how the presentaton goes!
What are some of the tools you use to bring the approach into high school classrooms?
October 12th, 2007 at 7:02 am
I cannot wait to get my copy of the program!! This is exactly the kind of material I love to use with the 567 students that I am responsible for.1