The Answer - A blog about Education, Preparation, and Commitment.

Pastelpalooza at YES Prep East End

April 23, 2010 by Sarah Murphy

TAKS Prep. Common Assessments. Duty. Home Visits. Spring Trip. Grade Submission. Parent Communications. Lesson Plans. Unit Plans. Observations. Differentiation. Ahhhh! The END of the school year is chockfull of crazy just like the start of the year. So, how do you make it? How do you get teachers to come to school each day, energized and enthused, ready to close the achievement gap? 

Tough question. At YES Prep East End, we have stumbled upon one way to lighten the load. Enter PASTELPALOOZA, a friendly competition between teachers which involves a calendar of colors, a form of currency known as a ‘PEDDY’ (pastel Eddy…as in Eddy the Explorer), and a whole lot of good-natured, old-fashioned, friendly competition. 

A color of the day was communicated to teachers (e.g. creamsicle orange, soft yellow, robin’s-egg blue) and teachers would match their ensemble of the day to this color. Teachers received ‘Peddy’ bucks for wearing the color of the day. These tiny green bucks would earn them the right to participate in a drawing at the end of PastelPalooza for prizes of glory. I know what you are thinking. “Seriously? You made a calendar of non-bold colors and people had fun for two weeks? Really?” Hold it right there, Snarky McSnakerson. Let’s hear what some PastelPalooza participants had to say. Sixth Grade World Cultures teacher Kaitlyn King said: “PastelPalooza was the best thing to hit East End since Sweater Fest ’09! It brightened my day and gave me an opportunity for friendly competition with other teachers that I may not have normally interacted with in a regular school day. I think it was fantastic for students to see their teachers’ silly sides especially during this high anxiety pre-TAKS time. I loved it!” 

Ninth Grade Biology instructor and grade-level chair Amanda Rawlings remarked: “I have LOVED Pastel Palooza! Not only do I not have to think about what I am wearing for two weeks straight but there is a rush of joy when I see all of us wearing the exact same color in a serious meeting or in the hallways. I love the passion of participation from Dave Pedra's pants or painted shoes to Corey's agony to wearing the wrong color.  Pastel Palooza was the best two weeks of my life....after Sweater fest is.” 

The angst associated with wardrobe choice was removed, and for two sweet weeks teachers came to school swathed in the pastel pick of the day, unified with their fellow Explorers. We are a group of educators who are committed to helping students reach college. We are a group of educators who are committed to working extended hours each and every day. We are a group of educators who strive to make this campus a truly family-oriented school, and the friendly competition known as PastelPalooza helped us strengthen that family bond.

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