Google Drive

Technology has played a large part of what we do in each of our jobs. We use it differently and frequently.  Recently in the past couple years, Social Media has expanded my knowledge with being able to add "Friends" and "Colleagues from around the country to my learning circle.  It has also made dealing with students sometimes more difficult with many more ways for kids to communicate.  

When I look at myself and see how technology has best helped me, I look directly at the move our district made to Gmail a couple of years ago.  Google Docs has changed the way I can communicate with my staff members and the way that we can collaborate when it comes to helping kids become better.  

We have meeting notes, shared documents, presentations, endless data reports, etc. that is available for whoever you want to see that saves paper and saves time.  It's not necessarily anything new, but it has really helped the way that we use technology and communicate in our building.  

-Jarred

@jfuhrman3932

When You Aren't Looking ...

I can remember back when my daughter and son were born.  It was like it happened yesterday.  I remember the first time she crawled, the first time he said "Daddy", I can even still remember the first time she looked up at me and giggled.  It's amazing what kinds of things we remember and what kinds of things we forget or miss.

Each and every day as Educators we have a chance to see something that many people don't get to see.  We see growth, we see potential, and we see innocence.  The teachers that work in my building are wonderful. They have worked hard to harness potential and be there for kids.  I strive to tell every kid that in one way or another we will help them get to where they want to go.  But we as teachers, administrators, counselors have to keep turning our heads and stay focused.  We don't want to miss anything.  Kids grow up before our eyes.  Last week I stood in front of a Senior class that I can remember as young, innocent freshman.  Now they are sporting beards and maturity.  It's crazy how fast they grow up!

In this past week, I sent my baby girl to Kindergarten and my boy to Pre-school.  It's scary for many parents to send them off into the real world to learn things and to lose their innocence.  I work hard with our teachers to focus on character, caring and showing all kids that you are there for them when they need help......

Here's praying that teachers take time to "SEE" my kids.  

Will you as teachers make this a priority?  Will Parents at home?

It goes by too fast when you aren't looking...

Have a great week---

Jarred

@jfuhrman3932

2014-2015- It's Going to be Great!

Reflecting to Learn.  I started this blog about a year ago and have shared many things with all of you. I have learned the importance of transparency, honesty and true reflection.  If you can spot your weaknesses then you can work to make them stronger.  Last year when I started this blog, I wrote some goals that I wanted to attain for the 13-14 school year-Let's revisit those and see how I feel I did and then I'll list my goals for this upcoming year:

**Weekly Blog

regarding current practices, parental help, student support, personal reflection, school climate, etc.

I did pretty well on this one.(I am not sure on the quality of the blog, but I did receive a lot of feedback from parents) I have kept up during the summer writing 3-4 blogs. This was and continues to be a great way to reflect. I wish all of the teachers and all educators did this and did it honestly.

**Connect with community and parents

Phone at least one parent a week with a positive comment regarding his/her child

This has always been a chore for me to find time to do so. I did much better last year and will continue to have this as a goal for this upcoming year. To hear how proud some parent safe when you call them and let them know their kids are doing a great job, it something that makes it all worth it.

**Newsletter

Develop a monthly newsletter for the community

I send out 6 newsletters so I actually fell short on this one. I did begin putting some information on my blog regarding these.

**PLC development

Be more involved in the individual collaboration times for the departments, give feedback to each collaboration, attend one meeting a week(could be different subjects)

I fell way short on this goal.  After sitting back and reflecting on this I didn't spend near enough time helping with the development of the PLC times.  I plan on continuing to do so this next year.  

2014-2015 Goals

I had a difficult time coming up with these goals for this year. I thought a lot about what I wanted to accomplish but more importantly what I wanted to help others accomplish. I chose 4, measurable and attainable goals. If anyone has any thoughts, suggestions, or comments I appreciate the support as I strive to focus on these 4 items this year:

1. Live out my word for the year-Faithfulness.  Post it where I can see it.  Let others know of my word for the year.  Live it out.  (I will expand on this in a future blog. Check out this book: One Word

*Post my word in my office, post it in my car, Post it in my house where I can see it. Finally share it with an accountability group and my staff.

2. Schedule weekly times to visit classrooms- Develop Feedback forms for the teachers that they can read and actually use efficiently.  

*I will post a calendar in my office and list times and days each week that are planned out to observe teachers. I will try to keep sacred to these times.

* I will work with teachers and administrators to develop feedback forms and each quarter review and revisit to see how they are working

3. Keep up on my blog to parents and community members(Join an accountability group to help with communication). One blog every 2 weeks.  Includes a calendar of events, contact info, etc...

* By joining my accountability team(My PLN will help me through!)

4. Take time each week to write 2 positive notes to staff member. Make 2 positive phone calls to parents each week. This is all about developing relationships and I want to continue to develop strong and personal relationships.

*Again-set a calendar to make sure that I am getting the notes and phone calls each week.

I am looking forward to this year and all is has to offer. I am excited to work with all the kids, staff and parents. I am really excited to continue to connect with my PLN in many different ways this year and grow my relationships throughout the year.

-Jarred

@jfuhrman3932

jfuhrman.blogspot.com

Choices

Choices..

Every day we have a choice to make.  Every hour, minute and second of the day we are making choices of where we want our life to go.  We have the power to make our own decisions each day-There is always a wrong choice and a right choice.  Sometimes the choices we make hurt others-sometimes they can help others.  We make selfish choices, choices that are for others, decisions that make sense and some that don't.  Sometimes we think our choices through-other times we make quick, without thinking decisions.  Many times we make these choices by ourselves, where other times we have help.  Every choice or decision comes with a consequence.  Some of those are good and sometimes they are bad.  We have to live with each choice we make.

What will be the next choice you will make?  How will it effect you?  How will it effect others?  Did you make the right choice?  Are you trusting in yourself to make the right choice or others?

What will your choices look like today??

-Jarred

Follow me on twitter-@jfuhrman3932

Hope

Each and every day we have situations in our life where we struggle.  We have something go wrong, someone let us down or maybe a tragic thing happened in your life.  We can look at each of these situations differently.  We can turn away, curl up and think that nothing is going to go right for us. People will be tell you there is nothing that you can do, you start to believe it.---------OR-------You can have...

HOPE

Everything will work out....we can make it all better, with help from others and positive thoughts.  As educators we not only deal with these situations ourselves, but we are surrounded by hundreds of kids and adults each and every day that need HOPE in their life.

As you work to grow in your professional career, remember that you can be the HOPE for someone else.  Be that little voice of encouragement when others are putting them down.

Live to love today!

-Jarred
@jfuhrman3932

Be Great Every Day

I hear people say every day that, "Oh man I'm tired today, I hope today goes fast." "Really? Monday? I wish Friday would get here."  "I hope I at least do OK during that presentation today."

Do you think any of these people above thought they were going to be GREAT that day?  Did they miss a chance to make a difference in another person's life?

Be Great Every Day. Do the best that you can for other people not for yourself.  You can make a difference.  People don't realize what person they can have an effect on throughout their day.  It might be the person that you say hi to at the supermarket.  What if you paid for the person behind you in the drive-thru tomorrow?  Could you leave a note on a co-worker's desk that says-Have a good day! ?

Don't settle for being good, sort-of good or even OK.  Strive to be great every day!

Have a Blessed and GREAT Week!


Be GREAT Today!  Be GREAT NOW!


-Jarred
@jfuhrman3932

What if it did?

What if it did?

As a parent, have you ever heard that question? I have a hard time believing that if you have had a 5 year old that you haven't.

How important is that question? What if it did? 

What if every kid asked that question? What if all people asked that question?

What would happen if every time a kid asked that question he/she wasn't ignored or shot down?

As parents and as educators we are so quickly to worry about standards, what we have to get done, or what our priorities are we forget to stop and answer the question.  Kids ooze of creativity and we squelch much of that by just not answering the simple questions.

Ken Robinson, an author/educator has a fantastic TED talk that I would encourage you to watch. It talks of how schools can kill creativity.  Here is the link: How schools kill creativity.

1000 questions.  My daughter must ask a thousand questions. Why dad? Why is it? Honestly though it is the most beautiful thing to see her little mind work.  We need to take time to stop and answer the silly questions, the non important questions.  Rmember, what is important to you as a parent/educator will be important to your child.  If you don't read books, how do you expect them to do so.  If you sit in your room and watch TV do you expect them to do something different? If you use curse words or talk bad about other people, how will your kids respond? If you ignore their questions won't they eventually stop asking any? What are we doing to our kids?

Parents are the most important people in a child's life.  We can make such a difference, we can show our kids love and build up their self confidence more than anyone.  As Educators we shouldn't put down questions.  What's wrong with a kid questioning why something is like it is?  What's wrong with kids thinking outside the box?  We want to push critical thinking skills and problem solving skills.

My son loves his animals.  He plays with them all day, moves them around, they talk to each other, fight each other and hug each other.  He is using his imagination.   I would hate to take that away from him.   Every student has a dream.  We need to work to enhance that not squash it.

So the next time your child asks you a question, take a second to answer it.  Pay attention. Be a role model.  Remember-What's important to you will be important to them.

What if it did?

Have a Blessed and wonderful Easter weekend!



-Jarred








Dates to Remember

April 23rd-Academic Awards Program
April 26th- Prom
May 2nd- Senior Trip Day
May 16th- Graduation!
May 23rd- Last day of School