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A Letter to Educational Professionals Who May Be Stuck in a RutBy Katie Newton
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Dear Educators -
In being selected to join a group of educators from all across Kentucky, called CTEPS, Classroom Teachers Enacting Positive Solutions, I have learned about leadership and placed my focus on school culture. I have learned it takes leaders. Leaders of culture can come from any corner of the school building. It helps to have administrative support as culture naturally trickles down from the top, but you can indeed make a difference in any position you hold. Leaders can lead from wherever need be. Being apart of a group of educators in CTEPS who are all excited, qualified, intense, motivating, and all about students has been such a boost in confidence of self as an educational leader.
We have all heard, and believe, “Kids don’t learn from someone they don’t like”. Let’s be the people they like and want to learn from.
Singing your school’s fight song in September does not make culture last through May. Our voices are stronger together. Unity is powerful! Get out there and celebrate our foundation...our students!! You can unite your students in your classroom and your peers in the hallways.
We are starting with an Attitude of Gratitude here at JTA. This season of Gratitude will break down an “island” mentality. You do not have to stand alone in anything you tackle. The season of Gratitude will offer support. As the media specialist, I look forward to being a resource for any teacher and the students. I look forward to showing how to use each other as well. Gratitude will also encourage recognition and love….and well, who doesn’t appreciate love?
This year our Voxer book club over “Poke the Box” was an exciting way to communicate with each other. It was a great way to find encouragement whilst sitting at home reflecting on the day/week/month. We could do it at our leisure and still use our voices to motivate and discuss the topics of the book. I look forward to doing more of these in the future. Finding a way to communicate with peers outside of school time can be full of reflection of practice and socialization that all teachers need. Don’t be afraid to get your teachers excited about a new piece of technology in this 21st Century Learning.
Pulling in resources for Math teachers has been super exciting for me, as the media specialist, this year. I do not always get to hang with my Math peers, and so it has been very enjoyable to help bring “maker” activities to your classrooms. I have worked with more new peers this year than any year prior, and that makes my librarian heart so happy. Find a way to collaborate with your peers. You do not have to be the media specialist to reach out and impact students. Every teacher deserves a “partner in crime” to help carry the workload that can become overwhelming at times. Get out there and find a partner...find a tribe even!
Setting up ways to share appreciation with my peers has been fun as well. “Love bombing” teacher doors has been a great experience. When I may not be having a “great” day I have learned to look outward and make someone else’s day brighter. When that happens, I always get love in return. It has been a beautiful sight to see students now leaving kind notes on teacher’s door to show some appreciation. Students will be kind when we show them the way! You will always start a chain reaction when sharing kindness. Pay attention (as my Daddy says) and notice what is going on around you. Let someone know you see them, and you will have made their day.
Let’s do this! Let’s develop our school culture. Our kids deserve it, and we deserve it. We want our students to grow and thrive in their environments. We want them to be successful no matter where they come to us from or where they leave us for. We care that our students are safe, healthy, clean, encouraged, supported, and celebrated. School culture magnifies all those things: good or bad. Let’s do the work needed to support each other positively so that we can support our students the way we know we dream of.
We all come into education because of kids. We want to be around them, work with them, and work for them. We are here to build life-long learners, all of us. Every school is their own world and family unit. Be kind and be a problem solver. Go out there and be the person that you would have wanted to learn from.
Even when you think no one is noticing, a student is ALWAYS watching.
Sincerely yours,
Katie Newton
In being selected to join a group of educators from all across Kentucky, called CTEPS, Classroom Teachers Enacting Positive Solutions, I have learned about leadership and placed my focus on school culture. I have learned it takes leaders. Leaders of culture can come from any corner of the school building. It helps to have administrative support as culture naturally trickles down from the top, but you can indeed make a difference in any position you hold. Leaders can lead from wherever need be. Being apart of a group of educators in CTEPS who are all excited, qualified, intense, motivating, and all about students has been such a boost in confidence of self as an educational leader.
We have all heard, and believe, “Kids don’t learn from someone they don’t like”. Let’s be the people they like and want to learn from.
Singing your school’s fight song in September does not make culture last through May. Our voices are stronger together. Unity is powerful! Get out there and celebrate our foundation...our students!! You can unite your students in your classroom and your peers in the hallways.
We are starting with an Attitude of Gratitude here at JTA. This season of Gratitude will break down an “island” mentality. You do not have to stand alone in anything you tackle. The season of Gratitude will offer support. As the media specialist, I look forward to being a resource for any teacher and the students. I look forward to showing how to use each other as well. Gratitude will also encourage recognition and love….and well, who doesn’t appreciate love?
This year our Voxer book club over “Poke the Box” was an exciting way to communicate with each other. It was a great way to find encouragement whilst sitting at home reflecting on the day/week/month. We could do it at our leisure and still use our voices to motivate and discuss the topics of the book. I look forward to doing more of these in the future. Finding a way to communicate with peers outside of school time can be full of reflection of practice and socialization that all teachers need. Don’t be afraid to get your teachers excited about a new piece of technology in this 21st Century Learning.
Pulling in resources for Math teachers has been super exciting for me, as the media specialist, this year. I do not always get to hang with my Math peers, and so it has been very enjoyable to help bring “maker” activities to your classrooms. I have worked with more new peers this year than any year prior, and that makes my librarian heart so happy. Find a way to collaborate with your peers. You do not have to be the media specialist to reach out and impact students. Every teacher deserves a “partner in crime” to help carry the workload that can become overwhelming at times. Get out there and find a partner...find a tribe even!
Setting up ways to share appreciation with my peers has been fun as well. “Love bombing” teacher doors has been a great experience. When I may not be having a “great” day I have learned to look outward and make someone else’s day brighter. When that happens, I always get love in return. It has been a beautiful sight to see students now leaving kind notes on teacher’s door to show some appreciation. Students will be kind when we show them the way! You will always start a chain reaction when sharing kindness. Pay attention (as my Daddy says) and notice what is going on around you. Let someone know you see them, and you will have made their day.
Let’s do this! Let’s develop our school culture. Our kids deserve it, and we deserve it. We want our students to grow and thrive in their environments. We want them to be successful no matter where they come to us from or where they leave us for. We care that our students are safe, healthy, clean, encouraged, supported, and celebrated. School culture magnifies all those things: good or bad. Let’s do the work needed to support each other positively so that we can support our students the way we know we dream of.
We all come into education because of kids. We want to be around them, work with them, and work for them. We are here to build life-long learners, all of us. Every school is their own world and family unit. Be kind and be a problem solver. Go out there and be the person that you would have wanted to learn from.
Even when you think no one is noticing, a student is ALWAYS watching.
Sincerely yours,
Katie Newton
Katie Newton is a Library Media Specialist at Hardin County Middle School.
