In my district, the administration is putting a high emphasis on student choice. In my recent post-observation evaluation, my principal said my lesson "went well,"  but sent me an email in which he had inserted a student choice menu board. He says that using the choice menu this is a good way to get students involved and take more ownership of their work,  since they have chosen it. 

Have you had a similar experience?   Is there emphasis being placed on student choice in assignments in your particular school/district?  How does it work in your district?   With regard to assignments, should there be a limit on choices students are given? Where should we draw the line between student choice activities and teacher-led activities?

Paul addresses the issue of teachers' salaries

This story aired on CBS Sunday Morning a few weeks ago, just in time for the start of the new school year.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-we-have-failed-our-teachers/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab6i&linkId=73701156&fbclid=IwAR0wYRZPcbUT0v-bUvOv2s24zfpEueM_fNnvg3moNzS8VkfomLb7ONkKg58

You'll see references to Horace Mann and A Nation At Risk as contributing factors of one of the most time-honored traditions in American public education: paying teachers low salaries. Today, the idea of raising teachers' salaries is a non-starter. My question is, how might we use our powers as educators in order to convince the policymakers and the public to support salaries that will make life as a teacher sustainable - and, in turn, make life as a teacher attractive to future college graduates?  

Christine and LIM

This year my school had received a grant of  $25,000 in order to  implement a program intended to improve the overall environment and performance of the school. This program is called "The Leader in Me" (LiM). Last year for our monthly meetings we had to read chapters in the book written for this program and discuss ways it would help improve our methods and strategies. This year we have a coach that is sent from the program to help implement its model into our current curriculum.

After reading this week's course readings on curriculum development I started to wonder if all schools adopted this method into its curriculum. Because goal setting is so important in developing and changing curriculum, I thought about this program and the goals that I started in the training of this program. I realized that LiM is aimed to empower individuality and create leaders in students to make education more student- centered and less teacher- led. The model is based on  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which is a book written by Stephen Covey. This model was originally made to improve workers in the business world and increase profits which ultimately creates successful individuals. Now with this program we are about to introduce it to schools.
About Leader in Me 

https://www.leaderinme.org/what-is-leader-in-me/   

Please check out the resources on the web site and watch the video labeled Why Leader in Me Works. 

Would you want to implement this program in your school?

 How would you apply the model to your own life?

 How can we teach students how to become leaders in their own education?

Why is this model important to you?

 Do you predict this will work in your school?