Our EME Focus
- Tier 1 Instruction
- Belonging
- Define what it means to be an Integrated Arts School
Thoughts of the Week
I recently came across an article, “Reframing New Teachers’ Misconceptions.” After reading it, I believe it still applies to many if not all of us. The author talked about how he hadn’t forgotten what it felt like to be on the verge of leaving the teaching profession. New-teacher attrition rates range between 28 to 35 percent for teachers with 1–2 years of experience and 25 to 29 percent for teachers with 3–7 years of experience, with high-poverty schools experiencing the highest turnover.
I remember having many misconceptions about teaching in my early days. Over time, I recognized some of the errors in my thinking. I often wonder how different my first years would have been if someone had helped address my misbeliefs proactively. These are the five common teacher misconceptions and what I think leaders should say to bring some relief.
Misconception #1: My principal expects me to be perfect.
What principals should say: “Perfection is not the goal. Reflection and openness to feedback are my expectations.”
Studies have consistently shown that effective leadership improves teacher-retention rates; school principals’ guidance and encouragement play a significant role in influencing teachers’ choice to continue in the profession.
I wish principals would emphasize that successful teachers identify issues, seek change, and apply feedback rather than getting everything right. I believe teachers would likely seek more support.
Speaking up as a teacher can take on unproductive forms, like complaining (“My class is so difficult.”) or blaming (“My students are the ones being disrespectful.”). But being vulnerable (“I’m struggling to find a viable solution to my classroom-management needs.”) is always acceptable; it indicates that you are reflective, determined, and willing to seek solutions—and that is what leads to growth.
Misconception #2: Classroom management depends on the class.
What principals should say: “Classroom management is about relationships, consistency, and structure.”
Classroom management is both a skill and an art. Like any skill, it gets better with practice, and like any art, it’s a work in progress. Some mixtures of students prove trickier than others, and what works for your colleague may not work for you. Consistency and empathy are two good places to start.
Sometimes teachers can take student behavior personally. It is hard not to! One skill I always leaned on heavily to redirect behaviors was to ask myself, Why might this child be presenting this behavior, and how might I meet the behavior’s need at its root? Sometimes, just having a one-on-one conversation with the student, where you seek to understand their perspective, can unlock the answer. Asking students questions with the goal of understanding them is one of the most effective ways to build mutually respectful student-teacher relationships.
Misconception #3: Parents are my partners.
What principals should say: “Parents understandably lack objectivity about their children.”
You may be tempted to discuss issues with parents and caregivers before genuinely seeking to understand their perspective. There’s one problem: Parents sometimes think their kids are perfect (when they aren’t) or sometimes think their kids can do no right (when they can). Your role is to empathetically communicate how their child is doing in a way they can hear you.
Misconception #4: You must grade everything you assign.
What principals should say: “Everything you assign should be worthy of feedback, and feedback comes in different forms.”
Many new teachers often grade their students the way they were “graded.” However, it’s important to consider that the objectives and implications of grading go beyond assigning letters or numbers and can significantly affect student experiences.
I once met a 1st grader in the office who had tears running down her face. She had gotten in trouble for throwing papers out of the bus window. When I asked why she did that, the student replied, “When my teacher grades our worksheets, she either gives us a sticker or writes ‘OK’ on it. I was throwing away my ‘OK’ papers, so I would only bring home papers with stickers.” This young student had already begun to form negative ideas about her capabilities from this seemingly innocuous grading practice.
As a new teacher, I remember thinking that feedback meant I needed to write long responses or find one-on-one time daily to confer with students. I know now that feedback is best served in small chunks; it should be objective, actionable, and let students know where they are in relationship to a learning target. And if my principal had explicitly de-emphasized “grades” in favor of feedback, it would have encouraged me to do the same. Asking students questions; making brief, pointed statements; or having a simple checklist aligned to learning – intentions and success criteria can provide this guidance.
Misconception #5: You must follow all new initiatives with fidelity.
What principals should say: “Don’t be afraid to speak up.”
When new teachers feel discomfort or uncertainty around new initiatives, it’s common to think there are only two choices: go along with them (and potentially let resentment build) or be vocal and risk being dismissed or seen as negative.
Instead, give yourself grace and reflect. If a new initiative isn’t working for you or your students, try to determine why by asking yourself, Is it the resource or my current skill level? Am I feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or confused by this initiative? Who can I approach for guidance or to communicate my concerns?
The Coming Week
- Monday
- Dibels Day!
- Robbie and Tracy AI Presentation 2:30-3:15
- Tuesday
- Care Teams Meeting 7:00-8:00
- Wednesday
- Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
- EA Meeting 1:00-1:30
- SIW Teacher Prep 1:00-2:30
- All Admin Meeting 3:00-4:30
- Thursday
- Smart Reading (Kindergarten) 9:45-10:45
- Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
- Friday
- Report Card Day – Work from anywhere.
- EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
UPCOMING DATES:
- February 2 – Groundhog Day
- February 3 – Core Effectiveness Meetings
- February 3 – Staff Meeting 2:30-3:15
- February 4 – Safety Meeting 7:00-7:30
- February 4 – Core Effectiveness Meetings
- February 4 – Elementary Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
- February 5 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
- February 5 – SIW – Extra Time for EL Planning 1:00-2:30
- February 6 – Smart Reading (Kindergarten) 9:45-10:45
- February 6 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
- February 7 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
- February 7 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
- February 7 – Valentine’s Dance 5:00-7:00
- February 10 – SRO Appreciation Week
- February 10 – Principal Meeting (Ben Out) 8:00-12:00
- February 10 – Meeting with Peter
- February 11 – Care Teams Meeting 7:00-8:00
- February 11 – Kinder Forest Field Trip
- February 11 – Admin/ICCL Training 3:30-5:00
- February 12 – Amy McDonald’s Brithday!
- February 12 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
- February 12 – OBOB Pool Play 8:00-8:30
- February 12 – SIW – Culture of Care with Amy Yillik 1:00-2:30
- February 13 – Smart Reading (Kindergarten) 9:45-10:45
- February 13 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
- February 14 – Happy Valentines Day!
- February 14 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
- February 17 – President’s Day – No School!
- February 18 – ICCL Meeting – 2:30-3:15
- February 19 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
- February 19 – OBOB Pool Play 8:00-8:30
- February 19 – SIW – Teacher Prep 1:00-2:30
- February 20 – Smart Reading (Kindergarten) 9:45-10:45
- February 20 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
- February 20 – Title Night – Elk Meadow Learning Summit 5:00-7:00
- February 21 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
- February 24 – Committee Meeting 2:30-3:15
- February 25 – Care Teams Meeting 7:00-8:00
- February 26 – Amanda Waldron’s Birthday!
- February 26 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
- February 26 – OBOB Pool Play 8:00-8:30
- February 26 – SIW – Staff Wellness Event 1:00-2:30
- February 27 – Heather Korman’s Birthday!
- February 27 – Smart Reading (Kindergarten) 9:45-10:45
- February 27 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
- February 28 – Nicole Dewes’ Birthday!
- February 28 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
- March 3 – Classified Employee Appreciation Week!
- March 3 – Staff Meeting 2:30-3:15
- March 4 – Safety Meeting 7:00-7:30
- March 4 – ICCL Meeting 2:30-3:15
- March 5 – Emma Keeton’s Birthday!
- March 5 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
- March 5 – OBOB Pool Play 8:00-8:30
- March 5 – SIW – Teacher Prep 1:00-2:30
- March 6 – Smart Reading (Kindergarten) 9:45-10:45
- March 6 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
- March 7 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
Updates from Downtown
Sharing a picture of something that makes me happy…Kermit the Frog! I have been in several third grade classes lately and have been seeing the EL module on Frogs, wishing I was 8 again, so that I could learn all about the amphibian that is so near and dear to my heart. As a life long Muppet fan, I think about the many ways we should try to channel our inner Kermit.
“Kermit’s lessons were always the same: Chip in. Share your stuff. Give of your time and genuine concern for the well-being of friends and neighbors. Forget about the glamour and the glitz which ultimately only provides superficial and fleeting happiness.” I couldn’t agree more!
Important Links
- January 22nd Elementary TLC Update
- Topics of Interest/Problem of Practice–Bear Creek is looking for Youth Truth engagement ideas!
- FAQs for Special Education Inclusion Topics—Keep checking in here! BEA and BLS supported
Notes from our Team:
Immigration Guidance: Principals, be sure relevant staff have access to the district immigration guidance shared with you last week. You may share with any/all staff, but at a minimum, it is expected that your entire front-office team be very familiar with the full guidance.
Please print the ICE Protocol (the document linked in the first section) and post for staff reference at the station where your check-in person sits and greets visitors. Reach out if you have questions or concerns.
From Becca Burda, Communications:
Good morning! SRO Appreciation Week is around the corner (February 10-14) and we’d like to plant the seed for schools to show their gratitude for their SROs. Can you please include the following in your blogs through the first week of February? I’ve also attached a few photos to spark ideas. Thank you!
Help celebrate our SROs! SRO Appreciation Day is Saturday, February 15 but we want to celebrate them all week long. Beginning Monday, February 11, do something special for your SRO. Please pick the day of the week that works best for your school.
Need some ideas?
- Ask students and staff to make them thank you cards
- Bring them donuts or other tasty morning treats
- Serve them lunch
- Decorate their office
Help us share the love on social media. Send your imagery to Becca Burda, Assistant Director of Communications, and we’ll keep the gratitude flowing online.
From the Culture of Care at the ESD
We still have space available for our upcoming Restorative Conferencing training on 1/30/25 (8:30am-12:30pm at COCC Redmond). This is the tier 3 formal, scripted circle used to repair specific and significant harm between individuals. This session is free and open to educators and our partners.
Register for all RP Opportunities here!
Culture of Care has also been updating our Restorative Practices resources:
- New and improved RP Overview
- Comparison of the different Types of Circles
- Fair Process Guide
- Consultation/facilitation Request Form
These resources can also be found on our website: cultureofcareoregon.org
Important Dates
- January 29: All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30–read chapter 1 in the Thriving Leaders book prior to coming.
- January 31: Progress Report work day. Mandatory Training options at 8, 11, or 2
- February 2: Progress Reports due by 5:00
- February 4: Horizontal meeting at Ensworth, 3:00-5:00 Hosted by ENS, BUC and LRE
- February 10: Admin ICCL Training on hold and will not happen today–please communicate that to your team. We will let you know of a future date.
- February 11-12: Tammy and Karen are in Salem at a COSA conference