Allen ISD Where Eagles Soar Magazine Summer 2018

Dr. Scott Niven, Allen ISD Superintendent of Schools I Message from Dr. Niven recently had the unique experience of spending an entire school day with a class of kindergarten students. I had offered to teach a day of school if our staff raised $75,000 during the Foundation for Allen Schools drive last fall. They exceeded the goal and the time finally came for me to fulfill my part of the bargain. I’ve flown airplanes, even skydived, but I’ve never had butterflies like the morning I prepared to teach Mrs. Kelli Johnson’s class at Chandler Elementary School. The title of teacher may be the same but every grade has its unique characteristics. A high school math teacher and a sixth grade history teacher may use the same tools but the approach is different. Then there is kindergarten… Thanks to some detailed plans from Mrs. Johnson and a great bunch of kids, we made it through a day that included “flashlight reading Friday” and of course recess. Hopefully they learned their lessons during the day but I learned even more. Lesson 1: What was most surprising and humbling was the trust young students place in their teacher and the responsibility that goes with it. They are anxious to learn and they patiently wait for the teacher to guide them through the day. There is no down time – finish an activity and there they are thinking “what’s next?” Their catch phrase “hocus pocus…time to focus” couldn’t be more accurate. Lesson 2: I learned that teachers and their students form a bond and create a system during the school year. Their teacher, Mrs. Johnson, had a system for everything from hanging coats to lining up for lunch. More than once I was reminded by my students how things go in Mrs. Johnson’s class. Lesson 3: I was reminded that schools are like families. The support I received from the teachers and administrators was helpful and much appreciated. Seeing the parents waiting outside at 3 p.m. also reminded me of the trust they place in our schools and staff each day. I did more than survive a day in kindergarten, I had a great experience. My wish is that decision makers at the state and national level could take time to visit classes like Mrs. Johnson’s and learn a few lessons from the kids as well. Sincerely, Dr. Scott Niven Superintendent of Schools 6

Allen ISD Where Eagles Soar Magazine Summer 2018 | 页面 6