Upcoming Meetings
February 21, 2020 - Principals' Advisory Council
February 26, 2020 - Superintendents' Council
March 3, 2020 - Community Education Directors
Professional Development
Minnesota Kindergarten Association 2020 Spring Conference
Come to Jordan, MN May 1-2, 2020 for the Minnesota Kindergarten Association spring conference! We are looking forward to having Jessica Travis, Crystal Radke, Angie Bonthuis, and Jen Heyer as our keynote speakers. Start following these fantastic teachers and get excited to hear their wonderful ideas! Jordan is located just south of the Twin Cities metro area on Hwy 169. We can’t wait to welcome you to our town as we learn new things together! The Minnesota Kindergarten Conference on May 1 & 2 is going to be SWEET!
Click here to register for the 2020 MKA Conference.
No Small Matter - Documentary
No Small Matter is a feature-length documentary film and national engagement campaign that brings public attention to this vital question by sharing powerful stories and stunning truths about the human capacity for early intelligence and the potential for quality early care and education to benefit America’s social and economic future. This multifaceted project reveals how our country is raising its youngest citizens, why making the most of this time in their lives is so crucial, and most importantly, what we can do to change the perception of when learning begins. The first major theatrical documentary to tackle this topic, No Small Matter is designed to kick-start the public conversation about early care and education. The ultimate goal: to produce an entertaining, accessible, and inspiring film that redefines the audience’s understanding of the issue and helps drive it to the top of the political agenda. Or, as one advocate put it, “not just to make a documentary about early childhood education, but to make the documentary about early childhood education.”
There will be a screening of No Small Matter in Minneapolis on March 12, 2020.
There are some great tips and reminders in this section of the book Sanctuaries by Dan Tricarico. Be sure to read these chapters, it's a quick read that could change your life! In this section, Tricarico talks about the 5 S's: Silence, Stillness, Subtraction, Space, and Slowing Down.
Silence
Silence can be golden. Think about all the sounds you hear every second of every day. As a teacher, during your day, there are very limited, if any, times of silence. Bells ringing, kids asking questions, kids making noise, movie next door, drums being played down the hall, etc... What if you took 2-3 minutes every day and just sat in silence? How would effect would that have on your mood? Mental health? Life? This moment of silence can be done anywhere. Your car as you travel to and from work. Shut the door to your classroom. Right when you wake up. Whenever. Just give yourself permission to find a place of silence.
Stillness
Along the same token as silence. What if you just sat in stillness for a couple minutes. No sound. No movement. Just you and your mind. Tricarico says, "When we are still and quiet, we have to focus on what is; and sometimes that's not pretty" (Tricarico, 71). Couple stillness with meditation and you can train yourself to let those thoughts travel through your mind. Tricarico mentions starting small. Find a couple minutes in your day for silence and stillness. You don't have to be a monk and take a vow of silence for 10 years, just find a couple minutes. If you find it beneficial, you will make time for it during your day.
Subtraction & Space
It seems like subtraction and space go hand-in-hand. We all pack as much into everything as we possibly can. That can be our calendars or our physical space. Less can be more. Give yourself permission to get rid of something, either from your physical space or schedule. It's OK to not have everything or do everything.
Slow Down
Our world is so fast! We let great opportunities pass by us every day. Give yourself permission to slow down. You can start by pairing this with subtraction and space. If you clear things off your schedule, it will give you the time to slow down.
Book Study - Sanctuaries - The 5 S's
Silence
Silence can be golden. Think about all the sounds you hear every second of every day. As a teacher, during your day, there are very limited, if any, times of silence. Bells ringing, kids asking questions, kids making noise, movie next door, drums being played down the hall, etc... What if you took 2-3 minutes every day and just sat in silence? How would effect would that have on your mood? Mental health? Life? This moment of silence can be done anywhere. Your car as you travel to and from work. Shut the door to your classroom. Right when you wake up. Whenever. Just give yourself permission to find a place of silence.
Stillness
Along the same token as silence. What if you just sat in stillness for a couple minutes. No sound. No movement. Just you and your mind. Tricarico says, "When we are still and quiet, we have to focus on what is; and sometimes that's not pretty" (Tricarico, 71). Couple stillness with meditation and you can train yourself to let those thoughts travel through your mind. Tricarico mentions starting small. Find a couple minutes in your day for silence and stillness. You don't have to be a monk and take a vow of silence for 10 years, just find a couple minutes. If you find it beneficial, you will make time for it during your day.
Subtraction & Space
It seems like subtraction and space go hand-in-hand. We all pack as much into everything as we possibly can. That can be our calendars or our physical space. Less can be more. Give yourself permission to get rid of something, either from your physical space or schedule. It's OK to not have everything or do everything.
Slow Down
Our world is so fast! We let great opportunities pass by us every day. Give yourself permission to slow down. You can start by pairing this with subtraction and space. If you clear things off your schedule, it will give you the time to slow down.
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