The Hidden Opportunity of Fall Break - the reset button!

Ahhh, Fall Break... the weather's changing... you've had a moment to breathe, maybe read a novel, listen to some relaxing tunes, travel the world (through the internet) and sleep! You're rejuvinated and ready for 2 more months of school until winter break.

But, the reality of your situation is this - the students have had one to two weeks off as well. Do you think the majority of them took a moment to breathe, read a novel, listen to some relaxing tunes, travel the world? No, many of them stayed up all night, slept in most mornings, got all sugared up, and have forgotten all the procedures you carefully taught them. Who was supervising the students during the last one to two weeks of fall break? Parents are working... yes, it was an older sibling or self regulation! Yikes!! They are coming back like a hurricane if you're not prepared.

The hidden opportunity of fall break is found in the moment to hit a reset button. No matter what was going on in regards to classroom and instructional management, you can hit a reset button after fall break. Here's what I suggest you do - three simple things:

1. Pretend it is the first day of school.
2. Reteach all of your classroom procudures, rules, consequences.
3. Reteach all of your instructional and learning expectations.
4. Practice, practice, practice all of your procedures and expectations until they are automatic once again.

I promise you, if you will do these simple suggestions the student academic time on task will increase along with all student achievement data!

Visit, http://www.theprincipals-office.com/ for ideas on increasing student academic time on task.

Best wishes,

Dr. Brian

Arizona Charter School Association Conference - Please join me!

I am presenting two sessions at the Arizona Charter School Association Conference. We are paying for a videographer to tape the two sessions. I would love for some beautiful people like you to join in.

Session one: Forget About the Students... How Do I Get the Faculty to Follow the Rules?
Date: 11/02/2009

Time: 1:00 PM- 2:15 PM
Location: Radisson Fort McDowell Resort -- Room 107
This workshop is a fun look at leadership and organizational management. We will explore some of the personality types in your organization and how you can use leadership and organizational management to increase the effectiveness of your faculty.

Session two: Putting Away the Paddle: Consequences That Teach
My friend and colleague Rachel Hollenbeck and I are presenting this workshop.
The concept of “Consequences That Teach” is based on the premise that all consequences teach something. This session will present a Response to Behavioral Intervention structure for developing positive school and social skills in tough kids, systematically generalizing and reinforcing those skills through positive behavior supports, and applying consequences that re-teach and reinforce previously learned skills within the general environment of the classroom. Handouts and materials will be supplied.

Hope to see you at the conference. If you haven't registered yet... come one, get the lead out!
Register at http://www.azcharters.org/pages/register-online

See you there!

Dr.Brian