McKinley Elementary Staff Blog! : January 24 Update

Friday, January 24, 2025

January 24 Update

Happy Friday, McKinley!

I hope you had a great week of learning, collaborating, and relationships!

Observing Each Other & Seeing All OUR STRENGTHS!

McKinley is a place of life long learners. As continous learners, it's important we conitnue to learn and grow in the science of teaching. And, what better way to learn than from each of your gifts? This building is full of strengths and amazing educators. Below is a write-up from Karen Thurnau, 3rd Grade Teacher -

Have you ever wondered how you could teach something different? Could your students be engaged more than they currently are? Am I on the right track? These are all questions I’ve been asking myself while teaching BFF.

I had shared this with Justin and he suggested that I observe some other teachers teaching BFF. He helped me find coverage in my room so I could observe two other teachers while teaching BFF. It turned out to be a great experience. I found out that there were so many “little” things I could try and they have made a BIG difference in how I approached BFF this week. In addition, I saw some classroom management skills that I could add to my bucket as well which was an extra perk.

If you have been thinking about a different approach or looking for different strategies, I strongly recommend doing this! You never know what great things are happening next door!

Do This, Not That:

This week's highlight is vocabulary. Below is a great visual reminder of the research around vocabulary.