mbavaro@cleveland.echalk.com
My name is Michele Bavaro and I am the principal of Little Flower Early
Childhood Center. On behalf of The Little Flower Early Childhood Center
we would like to extend a warm welcome to our school community. The
Little Flower staff, are committed to establishing a safe, nurturing,
and academically rigorous environment that offers opportunities to
value the unique gifts that each of our children bring to us.
We
look to accomplish these goals by fostering an environment that
promotes self-worth, creativity, mutual respect and responsibility. Our
instructional program is intended to challenge and prepare our students
to be analytical, effective communicators, proficient readers and
writers, and also to instill an appreciation and love of learning.
Little Flower takes pride in preparing students for life-long learning.
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| The Time is Now
Posted by Michele Bavaro, 6/2/04 at 5:22:34 PM.
July 1, 2004
A Final Thought
The Team Response
This class has
given a new definition to the term
"Cram Course." The concept of Action Research is extensive in and of
itself. Add the pressure of completing this process in six
weeks and you have a true challenge. As we reflect and connect
this concept to the possibility of change within our district, we must
conclude that it does not look promising. It is essential to note that
we are not pessimistic in
nature. However, we are realistic in recognizing that our school
district has yet to complete an Action Research Plan to date. The
possiblility
that we can be the first to initiate and COMPLETE this process is
exhilarating. We look forward to having a year to accomplish what we
have completed in six weeks time.
Some of the
challenges that we foresee are time constraints, consistency, lack of
participation, lack of support, and lack of motivation. We believe that
it is unfortunate that our district continues to struggle with dismal
test scores and yet refuses to create an Action Research Plan that
addresses these concerns. It seems as though we are in a vicious cycle
of failure. We implore our district to take note that change is
possible, if a well thought out plan is given the time to run its
course.
We feel fortunate to have had an abbreviated experience working
collabortively on the concept of change. This short period of time has
demonstrated for us that working together has helped us to reach our
goal with greater speed. What made this experience even more interesting and engaging is
the fact that the members of our Teacher Teamwork Team are from the
same school district. We better understand the challenges that face us and feel equipped to meet these challenges.
Thank you Dr. Brown for the informative experience!
June 28, 2004
HOLD FAST TO DREAMS
Hold fast to dreams,
For if dreams die,
Life is like a broken-winged bird,
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams,
For when dreams go,
Life is like a barren field,
Covered with snow.
-Langston Hughes-
While driving the other day, I passed a
cemetery and thought about all of the people who had passed without
ever realizing their full potential. So many lives unlived.
So many dreams unfufilled.
All too often people live lives devoid of hope. People go
about their business everyday and never stop to ask themselves if they
are truly doing what they have always dreamed of doing.
It
is my hope that the students that are grown here at the Miracle Grow
District will continue to grow and to follow their dreams. Sadly
enough I know too many adults that live frustrated lives because they
have clearly let go of their hopes and dreams. What do we have if
not the hope of fulfillment of our dreams?
June 23, 2004
BEYOND
Have
you ever allowed yourself to take a journey beyond your wildest
dreams? At the Little Flower school, we hope that our children
will see beyond and allow their minds to travel far away to the outer
reaches of the globe. It is so important that the staff and
students at Little Flower see the possibilities that exist within their
grasp and beyond.
Each year at the beginning of the school year we talk about the places
we would like to visit, the activities that we would like to
participate in and our hopes and dreams for the future. Both
staff and students alike gather to discuss their ultimate dreams and
ways to go about attaining them.
A wise educator once shared with me and an audience of appoxiamately
500 people that we place on our own limitations upon ourselves. I
agree with this thinking. The speaker's name was Dr. Lorraine
Monroe and she helped me to se that all people should empower
themselves and realize that with dreams, persistence and determination
that any journey is possible. I believe in the possibility to go
beyond.
June 28, 2004
LEMONS NEED NOT APPLY
It is evident from the sum of my blogs that I am a
dreamer. Clearly, I am idealistic and optimistic. Always looking to
find the glass half full as opposed to half empty. I resent the
fact that so often the people that I work with are negative. I
find that negativity drains me of my energy. I realize that as I
go through this journey that my energy reserves are precious to
me. I feel that rejuvenation and refilling the spirit and the
soul is necessary in order to accomplish your dreams and goals. I
ask the community to look inside of themselves to find the
positive. To make lemons out of lemonade.
Children
should be greeted with a fresh face and a positive outlook.
Teachers have the ability to shape a childs outlook. As the
principal of Little Flower I choose my staff members with great
care. I look to hire staff members that will help to create a
positive atmosphere where children believe in the impossible.
My colleague Lisa Finn Bruce quoted Dr. Lorraine Monroe and shared a valuable mantra
"Every life is a work of art." How amazing to help children to
realize that their life is a work of art. They have the ability
to journey anywhere they so desire.
To the
naysayers and lemons in the bunch, I raise my hand to you and exclaim
"You are not wanted here! Your negativity energy has destroyed
way too many lives." Our children are vulnerable and
fragile. I compare them to my most cherished fine china.
Take care of them, nurture them, believe in them, and help them to
believe in themselves. Help them to launch their dreams.
June 16, 2004
COLLABORATE
COLLEGIAL
COOPERATE
COORDINATE
CONNECT
CONTRIBUTE
So many words to express the process of team work...
Peter Senge discusses team work...
When you ask people about what it is like to be part of a great team,
what is most striking is the meaningfulness of the experience. People
talk about being part of something larger than themselves, of being
connected, of being generative. It becomes quite clear that, for many,
their experiences as part of truly great teams stand out as singular
periods of life lived to the fullest. Some spend the rest of their
lives looking for ways to recapture that spirit. (Senge 1990: 13)
______________________________________________________________
As
I struggle to work as a team member and analyze my team's engines of
change, I find myself in constant reflection of Peter Senge's
work. I often ask myself if I truly appreciate
the process that takes place daily in our educational system. Am
I
looking at the whole picture? Am I thinking about the educational
experience beyond the here and now?
I find that I need to constantly reflect on the community at
large. Are changes that take place important in the lives of our children? Are we working to
benefit ourselves, or to benefit the lives of our children?
Take a minute to reflect on things happening in the school system and
write down your thoughts. How can we best serve the children in
Miracle
Grow? Are we meeting the needs of our children?
______________________________________________________________
June 12, 2004
Riches Beyond Belief...
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The children are truly the richest members of our community. In
terms of their ability to grow and devlop into adults that will inherit
the future we must come to realize that our children are our most
precious resource. I ask then, why not treat our most precious
resource with all of the nurturing and guidance possible? We
spend large quantities of money on the attainment of various resources
that will assist the teacher in tapping into the most valuable resource
of all: our children. I implore the public at large to expose
their minds to the crystal clear reality that our children are the very
future of our country.
June 10, 2004
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PROGRESS BY DEFINITION IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT CHANGE
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I believe that one of my greatest challenges in transitioning from
teacher to supervisor will be fully comprehending how my practice will
impact the entire learning community, inclusive of the staff, students,
parents and community members. Of course what happens in our
schools will ultimately impact the way in which we live in our
democratic society and within
our educational institutions. I know that I want to be the best
that I can be. I want to reach out to all members of the
community in order to assist in the development of contributing,
valuable citizens. A good supervisor is dedicated to the success
of the school and will insist upon a democratic education for a just
and democratic society. Educators have an awesome
responsibility. Our society depends upon educators to meet this
challenge.
June 7, 2004
A Democratic Education
Glickman
"Collaboration appears to be the democratic way of doing things.
Most of us have been schooled in equality and democracy, and
collaboration appears to be democracy in action."
At the Little Flower Early
Childhood Center we strive toward providing our students with a
democratic education. We ask that both staff and students work
collaboratively. We give choices and the time needed to agree on
the best plan of action. Discussion and reflection are always a
part of the process. Open lines of communication enable our staff
and students to come to a consensus about decisions needed to be
made. Students work in cooperative groups in a classroom
environment that is constuctivist in nature. At Little Flower we
belive that in order to grow and blossom that we must practice taking
part in discussions and realize our full potential to become active
listeners.
June 3, 2004
Time Management
Knowing your obstacles are
your greatest defense in overcoming them. One of the obstacles
that we face daily within the school setting and outside of it is
time management. Assessing time can actually prove to be painful for
some, as feelings of never having enough time to accomplish all desired
goals may haunt their every waking though. Part of my plans is to
develop and keep a time log. I strongly believe that planning
your time is
essential in order to become a successful supervisor,
teacher, contributing member of any community. Time management is
the key to a smooth running organization.
Within the educational setting teachers often complain that they are
not given ample time to complete their desired goals. Teachers
clearly share that they are not given enough time to plan together, to
have
inter-classroom visitations, to brainstorm, to strategize etc.
Therefore, part of our plan at Little Flower is to assess and
clearly identify how time is being allocated
within the school day. We will strive to "find" time for teachers
to
communicate with one another. Assessing and planning enable us to
take stock of present conditions,
analyze consequences, and choose events, activities, and resources.
May 31, 2004
Transitioning...
I often find myself reflecting on the concept of an
"action plan." It is furthermore my belief that having a plan of
action is essential to attaining
goals. At Little Flower we believe that the time for change is
now. Like the caterpillar transitions into the from of a
butterfly, we strive to transform the lives of our students. How
can we make change possible? It is my belief that the first step
is setting goals. If we are to attain desired outcomes, a plan of
action must b put into place to acquire those desired changes and
goals. Let the phrase "The time is
now," guide us as our mantra for change. I am asking that the
entire community
make every effort possible to attend to details and time consuming work
of mapping out a plan of action. As a team we will gather
together to pool our resources. Growth is upon us, let us
embrace the changes that are about to occur.
May 27, 2004
CAUGHT IN A TIME WARP
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Our classrooms are caught in a time warp.
It is surely no secret that the business world is light years
ahead of our educational institutions; in terms of access to the latest
technology. When we recognize that children have easy access to
the latest technology outside of the classroom; why
not offer the students the latest technology inside of the
classroom? I feel passionately that the time is now to bridge the
gap between the business world and the world of education. Let's
work together to gather the
funds neccessary to offer our students twenty-first century learning
materials.
*
Currently, neighboring schools have made it a
priority to offer students the latest in technology. I was
fortunate to see first hand just how students were able to maximize
the use of technolgy in the classroom. Children of all academic
levels were engaged with the use of technology. I could feel the
excitement in the room. I feel that it is essential to offer the
children at The Little Flower Early Childhood Center the same
opportunities. Don't our "Little Flowers" deserve every
opportunity for growth in the classroom? The classroom should
serve as an arena intended to
promote growth and
prepare our young people for all that tomorrow offers. Let's step
out of the time warp and committ to the attainment of the latest
technology!
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