#sol15 March 13 Superintendent's Conference Days

Old School 

Superintendent's Conference Days

An entire district gathered in some different location,

A wonderful breakfast started the day,

More coffee than usual,

More conversation than usual, 

Talking about life, kids, students,

S\haring, life beyond the lesson plan.

Then the speaker, an expert, paid $$$$$$,

Began to share,
Began to drone on, 

Teachers listened for a few minutes,

Then, turned to papers,

Waiting for grades,
Lesson plans,
Waiting to be written,

Report cards,

Waiting for comments.

Knitting, doodling, reading,

To pass the time and await lunch,

Something to remember,

A real lunch hour spent sitting and talking,

Real food, not a bag lunch,

Perhaps even dessert was included.

"My papers are already graded,(before lunch)," 

They would celebrate,, 

"I'm so bored," they would moan,

"Begin that anesthesia drip," they would beg,

"How much more?" they would ask.  

We complained,

We begged for time to work in our classrooms,

Revamp curricula, revise assessments,

They listened,

They said, "You're right."

New School

"Forget that breakfast."
"Here is some coffee."
"Your colleagues can be the teachers!" 

"We'll save money!"
"You can work on curriculum."

"We'll get a work product."

"Forget that lunch."

"Well give your 50 minutes."

"Eat fast.  If your go out,'
Do not be late."

"Practice some new skills."
"You will need to know 

EUs,, EQs, RtI, ICT, CCS, Edline,

RtI M, IEP Direct, Nearpod,

 Google Drive, Twitter,and more.

NO excises, 

Your peers will help you,

You will give us a work product.

You will do this on Monday,

We're exhausted.
It was harder than a school day.
We had a work produce, a unit of study,
Revised, reflected on, re-purposed,
Reflecting CCSS and real learning,
We were exhausted from working hard,
Thinking deeply, challenging ourselves.
Real learning is always hard work,
Messy, uncomfortable.

Central Message" Be careful what you wish for; your wishes may come true!