Evaluations

 Two weeks ago we had our only inclement weather day of the year. No school and then a two hour delay for a 1/2 inch of snow, some sleet, and below freezing temps. Now, I'm not saying that the days were uncalled for, we southerners can't handle winter weather. In fact there's even a song about it. 

And now it's 80 degrees and sunny but I was able to make the most of the time by working on my self evaluation. As a charter school we are able to determine how we, the teachers, are evaluated and a team of us came up with the "PIP". The Personal Inquiry Project is a compilation of reflections from a set goal or project we want to work on, benchmark data, and peer observations. 

This is actually my first attempt at a PIP and I will probably write and rewrite it at least three more times before I submit it to the board for review. It was nice to have a day where I was stuck inside while all of this went on. 

So how are you evaluated? Do you have any say in it? Do you feel your voice is heard?

I want to be a VIP!

Though I have seriously been slacking on my blog writing, I have stayed up on my blog reading and am in LOVE with Rachel from The Tattooed Teacher's VIP table. I did some more research and found a beautiful table on Teaching Maddeness by Amanda and Aimee's VIP bucket from Primarily Speaking. Click their photos below to see how they are making their students want to be VIPs.

Now to put these ideas into action. I have some very and I do mean VERY wiggly students this year. To help conquer the daily shimmies I created a Donor's Choose project for 5 of these fantastic chairs.

They are pretty expensive (about $100 each) and I didn't really pursue my typical donors to try and get this project funded. Low and behold, it was funded anyway. Thank you Horace Mann Insurance for donating over $500 to put this project together. I will be using these chairs at what is now my guided reading table and make it a VIT (very important table!)

I love the idea of having students determine the VIP's qualifications, although I may change up what the acronym means. They may also come up with some reasons why one could get bumped from the VIP table Stay tuned for pictures of the completed project and comment below with what else you think VIP could stand for in second grade!