One of my favorite aspects of being a principal is the wonderful interactions I get to have with children. They say the neatest things, & I think we need to listen to kids more than we do!
I want to share with you some questions that are fun to use with students taken from the book entitled Funtastic Conversation Starters for Parents and Kids by Robert Crosby.
Great questions to ask your Preschooler: What is your favorite cartoon? When you're happy, what do you like to do? Why do we go to work? What kinds of things make you laugh? What is your favorite color? What new things did you learn today?
Great questions to ask your Grade-schooler: Other than recess & lunch, what hour do you enjoy the most at school? What is a conscience? What's your favorite joke? How do you decide who your friends will be? Why do kids like computer games? What is one thing you're looking forward to right now? What is the nicest thing a teacher ever said or did for you? What are five questions that most kids your age would love to be asked? If you were the head of our household, what would be your top five rules? What do you think we need to do more as a family? How do you think computers will change in the future? How will getting good grades now help you when you're twenty-five years old? What is the most incredible thing that has ever happened to you? What is one thing of yours you would never be willing to sell at any price?
Great Questions to ask your Teenager: Describe the kind of person you would like to marry one day. What is "Generation X?" What are your five favorite books? What are some of the best things happening in our world today? What is the most significant thing you have done this year? What do you like the most about growing older? Who is your favorite teacher? How do you show respect for your teachers? What does "cool" mean to you? Are you happy? What is the best time you have ever had with me? What are your top three strengths? Is happiness a decision or a result of circumstances? When you're choosing music, what is most important to you - the sound, the lyrics, or the lifestyle it promotes? What would you most like to do for the rest of your life? What is one thing you've never done that you would really like to do? What are the three nicest things anyone has ever said about you? What do you like most about being a teenager?
I hope you will find some of these questions useful with the important people in your life! I have used many of them with my own daughter & it's a great way to learn more about our precious children.
-Mr. McLain
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Denton Creek has earned Braggin' Rights - AGAIN!!!
Mrs. Evans, our current Teacher of the Year, Ms. Shelton, & I traveled to Austin this past Monday to attend a TBEC recognition ceremony where Denton Creek was honored for making the prestigious TBEC Honor Roll for the second year in a row!
Too often, recognizing our public schools for academic achievement takes a back seat to winning championships on the athletic field. Also, too often, the media seems to headline any event that has a negative slant, while rarely showcasing our many outstanding schools & their accomplishments.
The Texas Business and Education Coalition (TBEC) Honor Roll recognizes schools for academic performance & honors those students, teachers, principals, & superintendents who have won championships in the classroom.
Being named a TBEC Honor Roll school is the MOST prestigious academic award given in Texas. “Schools get on our honor roll the old fashioned way – they earn it,” says TBEC’s former business chair, Jack Lowe.
TBEC identifies Honor Roll schools by analyzing three years of performance data for every public school in Texas. A TBEC Honor Roll school must have a high percentage of students meeting state standards on every TAKS test for three consecutive years. That’s the easy part. TBEC Honor Roll schools must also perform at the state’s most rigorous standard – commended – in ALL subjects.
Each school is evaluated based on its commended performance over the past three years with the most recent year’s score being double weighted. Campus level TAKS data provided by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) are used in calculating the TBEC score.
Last year 206 Elementary schools across the state were recognized; this year the number was down to 191 schools. It is a real honor for Denton Creek to have made the TBEC Honor Roll two years in a row!
In addition to our TBEC Honor roll award, Denton Creek has also recently received Gold Performance Acknowledgements from the state in the following areas: Attendance, Commended Reading, Commended Writing, Commended Math, Commended Science. (Out of seven possible acknowledgements, Denton Creek received five!) This speaks well to the high caliber of our students & staff.
I couldn’t be prouder of the many accomplishments that Denton Creek has achieved & I know our school wouldn’t be as successful without your involvement & support. I hope you are as proud of our school as I am!
The Denton Creek staff wishes you & your family a very Happy Thanksgiving & best wishes for a joyous holiday season!
-Mr. McLain
Too often, recognizing our public schools for academic achievement takes a back seat to winning championships on the athletic field. Also, too often, the media seems to headline any event that has a negative slant, while rarely showcasing our many outstanding schools & their accomplishments.
The Texas Business and Education Coalition (TBEC) Honor Roll recognizes schools for academic performance & honors those students, teachers, principals, & superintendents who have won championships in the classroom.
Being named a TBEC Honor Roll school is the MOST prestigious academic award given in Texas. “Schools get on our honor roll the old fashioned way – they earn it,” says TBEC’s former business chair, Jack Lowe.
TBEC identifies Honor Roll schools by analyzing three years of performance data for every public school in Texas. A TBEC Honor Roll school must have a high percentage of students meeting state standards on every TAKS test for three consecutive years. That’s the easy part. TBEC Honor Roll schools must also perform at the state’s most rigorous standard – commended – in ALL subjects.
Each school is evaluated based on its commended performance over the past three years with the most recent year’s score being double weighted. Campus level TAKS data provided by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) are used in calculating the TBEC score.
Last year 206 Elementary schools across the state were recognized; this year the number was down to 191 schools. It is a real honor for Denton Creek to have made the TBEC Honor Roll two years in a row!
In addition to our TBEC Honor roll award, Denton Creek has also recently received Gold Performance Acknowledgements from the state in the following areas: Attendance, Commended Reading, Commended Writing, Commended Math, Commended Science. (Out of seven possible acknowledgements, Denton Creek received five!) This speaks well to the high caliber of our students & staff.
I couldn’t be prouder of the many accomplishments that Denton Creek has achieved & I know our school wouldn’t be as successful without your involvement & support. I hope you are as proud of our school as I am!
The Denton Creek staff wishes you & your family a very Happy Thanksgiving & best wishes for a joyous holiday season!
-Mr. McLain
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