[Winona] Bianchi

[Natalie Siderius]

Last night, Paul Bianchi delivered an encouraging talk with a sense of humor, humble manner and wisdom.  The essence of Paul Bianchi�s talk for me was that humane schools are about attitude.  Decency and respect for students, parents and faculty are at the core of the creation of schools that foster enthusiasm for learning thus achievement.   I particularly liked Paul�s thoughts on how the quality of the student�s day will be most influenced by the goodwill, attitudes and hard work of the teacher.  Therefore, the care and treatment of the teachers and staff is of utmost importance.  A work place environment with high morale creates the most effective teachers because they are motivated, responsible and hard working.  The idea that there is a �1to 1 correspondence between what happens to the adults in a school and what happens to the students� is great food for thought.   Parent involvement and making parents allies is another essential element within schools.  Parents and students want to be known and connected to their schools.  Having parent education opportunities and discussion groups within the schools builds community and connectivity.   Thanks to Tim Hatfield for bringing Paul here and to Paul for sharing with us.