tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58191531426615998502011-07-08T03:01:41.603-07:00As principal of an elementary school, this blog is about the process of transforming our school into a school where every child is successful. You will find thoughts about traditional school practices, societal issues, parent involvement, instructional practices, etc.Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.comBlogger261100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-5715785889925532732009-09-05T17:24:00.000-07:002009-09-05T21:49:58.079-07:00

I have been more discouraged this week than ever. In my 19 years as an educator I have never come upon so much controversy as this one little speech is making. President Obama wants to tell our children to work hard, stay in school. He wants to stand in front of them and tell them how important school is and that they should make goals for themselves. FOR SHAME!I, for one, am thrilled that

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-8434529697878435042009-07-26T18:47:00.000-07:002009-09-05T21:49:58.080-07:00

At the beginning of every summer I spend two weeks or so doing absolutely nothing. This summer, I was able to sleep late, stay in my pajamas if I wanted and I forced myself not to work! After two weeks of this, I was fortunate enough to spend two glorious weeks with my son, traveling out west. I saw some beautiful scenery and spent many great moments with my family. When I came home I quickly

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-30712673204284620812009-06-05T22:05:00.001-07:002009-09-05T21:49:58.080-07:00

This is my 4Th attempt at writing this blog. I have erased all previous attempts due to privacy issues. This is one of those stories that when told, would be easy to figure out who I am talking about. Sometimes Google isn't a good thing.So, I won't bore you with the story, but I will bore you with my dilemma...........I have to make a decision that will directly hurt a colleague of mine. I

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-67157022636144908612009-06-05T22:05:00.000-07:002009-06-05T22:31:27.677-07:00

This is my 4Th attempt at writing this blog. I have erased all previous attempts due to privacy issues. This is one of those stories that when told, would be easy to figure out who I am talking about. Sometimes Google isn't a good thing.So, I won't bore you with the story, but I will bore you with my dilemma...........I have to make a decision that will directly hurt a colleague of mine. I

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-46484149285295340162009-05-04T19:48:00.001-07:002009-09-05T21:49:58.081-07:00

In college I had a professor that was big into theory. What was the origin of.....? What were the implications of.......? I hated that class. I wanted practical strategies that would make me a better teacher. I vowed that I would always remember his class and always deal with the practical issues. That is what would make me the best teacher I could be.Today I had my reality check. I have

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-84089470473125669642009-05-04T19:48:00.000-07:002009-05-04T20:19:56.704-07:00

In college I had a professor that was big into theory. What was the origin of.....? What were the implications of.......? I hated that class. I wanted practical strategies that would make me a better teacher. I vowed that I would always remember his class and always deal with the practical issues. That is what would make me the best teacher I could be.Today I had my reality check. I have

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-11319694032701878462009-04-27T19:37:00.001-07:002009-09-05T21:49:58.081-07:00

Aligning the curriculum, common assessments, pacing guides, national standards...all of these topics are part of every teacher and Principal's daily lives. Unfortunately, it has sparked my internal issues of being an absolute control freak.Yes, it's true. I like to be in control. I like to tell my husband what to do and how to do it. I like to be able to have my son quiver with fear by just

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-47346275238557958202009-04-27T19:37:00.000-07:002009-04-27T19:48:07.767-07:00

Aligning the curriculum, common assessments, pacing guides, national standards...all of these topics are part of every teacher and Principal's daily lives. Unfortunately, it has sparked my internal issues of being an absolute control freak.Yes, it's true. I like to be in control. I like to tell my husband what to do and how to do it. I like to be able to have my son quiver with fear by just

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-31599897728419908962009-04-18T12:09:00.001-07:002009-09-05T21:49:58.082-07:00

Finally, after 3 years of dreaming that the faculty would have a meeting where honest to goodness learning would take place, it happened! This past Thursday, we spent time learning about the stages of effective reading instruction, what our strengths were and what we needed to do better. As I looked around during the meeting, I heard an exchange of ideas, an affirmation that they were so glad

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-65769408415660757272009-04-18T12:09:00.000-07:002009-04-18T12:50:26.256-07:00

Finally, after 3 years of dreaming that the faculty would have a meeting where honest to goodness learning would take place, it happened! This past Thursday, we spent time learning about the stages of effective reading instruction, what our strengths were and what we needed to do better. As I looked around during the meeting, I heard an exchange of ideas, an affirmation that they were so glad

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-43494813941816875682009-04-07T17:43:00.001-07:002009-09-05T21:49:58.082-07:00

I am so excited! The Instructional Coaches for the district came over last week to help develop a schedule which will include 2 - 90 minute blocks of instruction. One block is for Communication Arts and one block is for Math. Since I've been a principal at the Elementary level, I continually hear frustration from the teachers about how many times students are pulled out of their class: special

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-2210251394141036722009-04-07T17:43:00.000-07:002009-04-07T18:40:04.545-07:00

I am so excited! The Instructional Coaches for the district came over last week to help develop a schedule which will include 2 - 90 minute blocks of instruction. One block is for Communication Arts and one block is for Math. Since I've been a principal at the Elementary level, I continually hear frustration from the teachers about how many times students are pulled out of their class: special

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-49817744945921241322009-04-01T17:51:00.001-07:002009-09-05T21:49:58.083-07:00

Aligning curriuculum, Marzano strategies, intervention groups, struggling students, naysayers.............whew! I feel like I'm a salmon swimming upstream trying to find my way home. When I get there, every one of my students will be reading on grade level, have an intrinsic desire to learn, and the parents and teachers will smile everyday. No frowning allowed.Everyday, I dodge that grizzly

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-8992553320538539172009-04-01T17:51:00.000-07:002009-04-01T18:29:04.399-07:00

Aligning curriuculum, Marzano strategies, intervention groups, struggling students, naysayers.............whew! I feel like I'm a salmon swimming upstream trying to find my way home. When I get there, every one of my students will be reading on grade level, have an intrinsic desire to learn, and the parents and teachers will smile everyday. No frowning allowed.Everyday, I dodge that grizzly

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-50579109357813279192009-03-18T19:28:00.001-07:002009-09-05T21:49:58.083-07:00

Picture this:A clown juggling 6 balls, a chimpanzee going 'ape' in his cage at the zoo, the Kracken on Pirates of the Caribbean. On any given day I feel like these characters. I feel like I need as many arms as the Kracken. I feel like I need limbs and a tail like the wild chimp flying through the rope course at the zoo. And, I usually feel like a clown, sometimes a clown that juggles. This

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-51152934994998289392009-03-18T19:28:00.000-07:002009-03-18T19:46:42.988-07:00

Picture this:A clown juggling 6 balls, a chimpanzee going 'ape' in his cage at the zoo, the Kracken on Pirates of the Caribbean. On any given day I feel like these characters. I feel like I need as many arms as the Kracken. I feel like I need limbs and a tail like the wild chimp flying through the rope course at the zoo. And, I usually feel like a clown, sometimes a clown that juggles. This

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-111189396576119252009-03-11T19:46:00.001-07:002009-09-05T21:49:58.084-07:00

Mr. President,I was truly inspired by your education speech the other day. I have been thinking about it since I read it. What I liked most was your awareness that schools should not be the only ones accountable, parents should be held accountable as well. I liked how you mentioned that children should not go home to war zones and that parents should be a child's first and most important

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-40990039536003307952009-03-11T19:46:00.000-07:002009-03-11T20:08:00.303-07:00

Mr. President,I was truly inspired by your education speech the other day. I have been thinking about it since I read it. What I liked most was your awareness that schools should not be the only ones accountable, parents should be held accountable as well. I liked how you mentioned that children should not go home to war zones and that parents should be a child's first and most important

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-22844084390083638412009-03-08T15:48:00.001-07:002009-09-05T21:49:58.084-07:00

Lately I have been thinking about assessment. Traditionally, teachers have given tests because they need grades to put in their grade book. Nowadays, we are much smarter. We know that the true purpose of assessment is to see which student has learned a specific objective, to see their level of performance. When I ask my teachers what the purpose of assessment is, they can give me some great

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-58945244307261071172009-03-08T15:48:00.000-07:002009-03-08T16:08:52.965-07:00

Lately I have been thinking about assessment. Traditionally, teachers have given tests because they need grades to put in their grade book. Nowadays, we are much smarter. We know that the true purpose of assessment is to see which student has learned a specific objective, to see their level of performance. When I ask my teachers what the purpose of assessment is, they can give me some great

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-43160838708525993022009-02-27T20:27:00.001-08:002009-09-05T21:49:58.085-07:00

As a principal, I deal with people everyday: staff, students and parents. Over the years I have gained wisdom, made mistakes, and learn something new everyday! In my current school the staff dynamics is challenging and mysterious. Is there anyone that can guide me through this maze of craziness? I work with a group of staff members that spend everyday doing what they think is best for

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-60279476999331350602009-02-27T20:27:00.000-08:002009-02-27T21:14:17.596-08:00

As a principal, I deal with people everyday: staff, students and parents. Over the years I have gained wisdom, made mistakes, and learn something new everyday! In my current school the staff dynamics is challenging and mysterious. Is there anyone that can guide me through this maze of craziness? I work with a group of staff members that spend everyday doing what they think is best for

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-76445345662340281522009-02-19T17:35:00.001-08:002009-09-05T21:49:58.085-07:00

Frustrated. That is the best way to describe what I am feeling today. I am frustrated because I fear for children. As educators, we have knowledge of abuse and neglect. Although we are mandated reporters, not investigators, we see the daily haunts of these children. We see the dirt under the fingernails. We see the tears and hear the stories of how mom and dad "cook" and have friends come over at

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-90786062319744024312009-02-19T17:35:00.000-08:002009-02-19T18:23:47.078-08:00

Frustrated. That is the best way to describe what I am feeling today. I am frustrated because I fear for children. As educators, we have knowledge of abuse and neglect. Although we are mandated reporters, not investigators, we see the daily haunts of these children. We see the dirt under the fingernails. We see the tears and hear the stories of how mom and dad "cook" and have friends come over at

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-42645867224237078222009-02-15T22:41:00.001-08:002009-09-05T21:49:58.085-07:00

It seems as though my husband is right. I am consumed with my job. Last week he asked me why I work so hard. My answer was this, "Right now I work in a good school. I want to work in a great school." Until all of my students, and yes I mean 100% of them, are successful, I will keep working like this.Every night I come home, spend time with my family and then start working some more. This is when

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819153142661599850.post-14686381623788566352009-02-15T22:41:00.000-08:002009-02-15T23:03:13.128-08:00

It seems as though my husband is right. I am consumed with my job. Last week he asked me why I work so hard. My answer was this, "Right now I work in a good school. I want to work in a great school." Until all of my students, and yes I mean 100% of them, are successful, I will keep working like this.Every night I come home, spend time with my family and then start working some more. This is when

Jackie Kocurekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04050695156842942728noreply@blogger.com2