MELT

MELT 2014
The MELT 2014 is upon us.  Here are some tips and reminders for Monday.

• First and foremost, the WEATHER POLICY - if the weather is inclement, any cancellation or delay relating to the MELT will be posted by 6:00 a.m. on the WCCO website under Quicklinks - School Closings. We will be listed under MRVED (just our initials.) This will also be posted on WCCO's TV channel.
• Dress in layers. The commons area (morning refreshments and lunch) could be cool because the main doors are there and people will be coming and going. Also, some of the rooms could be warm or cool depending on the number of people in the session. The gymnasium will be open and the bleachers will be down so you have a place for your jackets.
• Coffee and hot water for tea/hot chocolate (tea bags and hot chocolate not provided) will be available all morning in the commons area.
• Lunch (commons area) - there will be two lines so that lunch can be served in a timely fashion. There will be signs around the building directing you to the lunch lines.
• If you are not eating the catered meal, we suggest you bring a bag lunch. The school is out in the country and the nearby towns are not that close to allow you to drive there, eat a relaxing lunch, and return in time for the afternoon session which begins promptly at 1:00 p.m.
• An electronic evaluation will be sent out on Tuesday, January 21. Please complete it as soon as possible. We really listen to your suggestions and your feedback.
• If you are attending a networking session during the day, remember there is no "expert" presenting at these sessions. This is a time for you to bring items (websites, lessons, apps, projects, etc...) to share with others. There will be a facilitator at the networking sessions, but they are there to simply provide guidance and order to the session.
• Lastly, here are the session times in case you are not coming right away in the morning for the first session.
• Session 1: 8:40-9:40
• Session 2: 9:50-10:50
• Session 3: 11:00-Noon
• Lunch:       Noon-1:00
• Session 4: 1:00-2:00
• Enter through Door #5 (follow the walkway to the left of the eagle statue). The door also has the number 5 on it.
• Be sure to stop by the registration table in the commons area to pick up your registration packet (personalized agenda, clock hours, lunch ticket if applicable). We have over 500 people picking up packets that day so if you would be so kind as to say your name when it is your turn, registration will go that much faster. The tables will be divided up by the first letter of your last name, so look for the signs on the wall behind the tables to get into the correct line.

As of today, the weather looks like it will cooperate and it is set to be a great day of learning for all. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact either Brandon (braymo@mrved.net) or Mary (mbrown@mrved.net). We look forward to seeing you all on Monday!

COUNTDOWN CLOCK

MRVED Business

Upcoming Meetings:

January 20, 2014  MELT
January 22, 2014  Superintendents' Council
February 4, 2014  PE & Health Combined Best Practice meeting
February 5, 2014  MRVED Board (7:00 p.m.)
February 6, 2014  Social Studies
February 7, 2014  Title III Teachers
February 12, 2014  Principals' Council

MRVED Business

Happy New Year
The MRVED staff wishes you all a very happy new year!  We hope your year is filled with happiness and success!

Health Best Practice Meeting Rescheduled

The Health best practice meeting that was cancelled due to bad weather on December 5th will be rescheduled for February 4th.  This is the same day as the Physical Education best practice meeting as we will combine both groups this year.  If you have any questions, please let us know.  You will receive an agenda for the meeting approximately a week before.

MRVED Meetings:
January 20, 2014  MELT
January 15, 2014  Community Ed Meeting
January 22, 2014  Superintendents' Council
February 4, 2014  Phy Ed and Health Best Practices Combined
February 5, 2014  MRVED Board (7 p.m.)
February 6, 2014  Social Studies
February 7, 2014  Title III Teachers

MELT Update

It's Coming!

The MELT is only 10 days away.  We look forward to seeing most of you on January 20th, at LQPV.  Coffee and muffins will be ready by 8:00, so come early to get your registration materials, enjoy a light snack, find your room, and get comfortable for a great day of learning.  Look for an email next week with some instructions and great tips on making your day an enjoyable one.  The first sessions will start promptly at 8:40.  See you there!

COUNTDOWN CLOCK

Brandon's Brainwork

New Series

During the Fall we spent 12 weeks looking at the 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching by Bryan Goodwin and Elizabeth Ross Hubbell.  For the rest of the Winter we will have a series called Brandon's Brainwork.

The goal of this series is to get you to reflect and think about your teaching practice.  Each week will end with a variety of questions for you to consider and think about.  Feel free to interact in the comments section.

Week 1

Mindset, Mindset, Mindset

If I only could give one book recommendation for educators, Mindset would be the book I would choose!  Why Mindset?  Because, in my opinion, the difference between a good and great teacher is their mindset.  What is a mindset?  Watch the short video below to explain the difference between a growth and fixed mindset.

Brandon's Brainwork Questions
1. Which mindset do you have?
2. If you answered a growth mindset, do you really have a growth mindset?
3. Watch the video again, which areas can you get better at?  How will you get better at these areas?
4. How does having a growth mindset make you a better educator?
5. How do you instill the growth mindset into your students?

Ending Quote

"It's for you to decide whether change is right for you now.  Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.  But either way, keep the growth mindset in our thoughts.  Then, when you bump up against obstacles, you can turn to it.  It will always be there for you, showing you a path into the future." (Dweck, p. 246, Mindset)

Tech Tip

OmNomNomify It
Want to "wow" your kids or friends?  Use OmNomNomify It to make them laugh and scratch their heads.  OmNomNomify will turn any image on a website into a picture or video of Cookie Monster!  It's very easy to use.  Click on the link above and follow the directions about putting the shortcut to your favorites bar on your browser and you are good to go.

Kahoot
Kahoot is another player on the clicker in the classroom field.  What sets Kahoot apart from Socrative or Infuse Learning is the game-based approach.  Once you create a quiz or survey, students can answer the questions in a game-like manner.  Each question is worth 1000 points and the faster you answer the question, the more points you get.  Points are then accumulated throughout the quiz and a leader board is developed.  It's a pretty neat way to get some great feedback from your students in a fun and interactive way.