The End is Just the Beginning

Thank you, friends, for your participation! I'm grateful for your responses and for the ways they have impacted my thinking. It's always so thankful for the insight others give to a topic and the way those ideas help direct my thinking.

Keep an ear out for a follow-up PLC that we'll have in August. We'll share our thoughts and observations about how our efforts are impacting our students. We'll also enjoy the movie The Ron Clark Story. My hope is that our time of of reflection and sharing will continue to lift each other up and encourage the best qualities our school has to offer.

Happy last days of summer. Enjoy every moment. :)

Beech Elementary Book Study: The Essential 11 By Ron Clark: Welcome!

Beech Elementary Book Study: The Essential 11 By Ron Clark: Welcome!: You have successfully found our Book Study Blog for Ron Clark's  The Excellent 11 . I'm so glad you've joined us! Read on to le...



Terry Newbill- So sorry I am late but I am going to catch up at the very end. I finished the book in the first week. My favorite snack for today is veggie sticks.

Discussion #3: Wrapping it Up

Okay, now that we've finished reading the book, let's talk about what we are going to do to put our ideas into action. I don't know about you, but I know that as I read, my mind is constantly thinking about what this might look like in my classroom. (And to be honest, other times I'm thinking about how ridiculous something is, or how I'd never do _____.) In other words, it is natural for us to react to our reading, right? That is precisely what we want our students to do as well. So here it is... the moment when the rubber meets the road.

Take a few minutes to share some ideas that have come to mind for you as you think about this next school year. Your ideas may include specific ideas for activities. You may choose to discuss the qualities you think could impact your classroom most significantly. Did something from the last three chapters (Common Sense, Appreciation, and Resilience) grab your attention? Or did you think of another quality of excellence that you think should be added to this book? (Like the author added "Passion" as part of the closing.) Whatever your response, it is yours. It's time for each of us to take ownership of our learning and use it to inspire our students. We don't want our thoughts and intentions to just remain somewhere in the cybersphere. No, we want our intentions to become actions. Often the first step is simply putting them in words. We are here to support each other through this, so let's get busy.

And, by the way,

"No aspirations are too high, no dream is too large, and no goal is out of reach when it comes to having hope for the future of all of our children. That is the power of being a teacher..." 

~Ron Clark

Discussion #2: The Next 4

***NOTE*** I have lifted the requirement of having to be a member to comment. This was a security measure, but has caused some difficulty for some of you. If it becomes necessary to put security back in place, I will let you know. REMEMBER to select your "Comment as" BEFORE typing your comment. Happy posting! :)

Balance, Compassion, Confidence, and Humor. We've certainly had a lot to think about this week. Please respond to both parts of this week's discussion.

What story, example, or anecdote stands out in your mind from this week's reading? Share with us why.

Secondly, if you were to choose one of these qualities for our entire school to embrace, which one do you think would have the most impact? Be sure to share with us why you feel that way. Remember, there are no wrong answers, so be honest. :)