Rethinking

I taught junior high for 15 years. I was young, a new teacher, and full of enthusiasm. If there was a committee, I joined it. If it needed to be done, I did it.

When I transferred to the high school, I quit doing anything. I was burnt out. Tired of being the go to girl. A big part of not wanting to be involved was feeling like I was involved in a dog and pony show. No one really took what I thought seriously. I was just a teacher, after all.

Three years with my current principal has convinced me to throw my hat back in the ring. This year I volunteered to be on the 7-12 Academic Building Leadership Team (BLT). Tonight, my principal just made me smile and wish I had many more years to teach.

We've been talking about the classes we offer, whether they have to be leveled by grade or if we could open many of them up and let kids take them when they want. It was brought up that some areas need to be leveled. There are just some classes you need to take before others. We all agreed. Someone mentioned English might be one of those areas.

My principal knows me too well.

I must have been making a face.

"Speak up Mrs. Day." He knows that I hate speaking out in meetings, especially when I think my voice doesn't matter. I also don't really want to ruffle any feathers. But, I know that my voice matters to him. He really wants to know what I think. He really will make things happen if it's in the realm of possibility. He really listens.

Here's my thought. I don't think we need "English 9" and  "English 10". I think we need to make sure they pass the standards at those grade levels. Students should be able to read and think and write. They should be able to comprehend complex text and offer their opinions. They should ask questions and know how and where to find answers. They should solve their own problems. We should offer classes that help them meet those ideals and then let them move on.

We don't need the labels (Someone smarter than me called this Standards Based Grading). When I write a lesson plan, create a unit (or a class), I think about what I want my students to be able to do when they leave my room.But I don't believe that the 10th grade class depends on what is learned in the 9th grade class. I believe we give students two years to meet standards.

What made me smile was the rather rebellious remark by my principal (and I'm paraphrasing here).

"I'd like to throw it all out. All the grade levels, classes, all of it. We need to say here's what you need to know. How about it we said,' You need some help in English? Show up with Mrs. Day in the morning. You need to know how to do something in Math. Meet at 1:00."

I love that my principal wants to rethink school as we know it because I believe that needs to happen.

What will that look like?

I don't know. He doesn't know either.

I'm not sure it will happen in my teaching life.

But I sure would like to see it.

What's The Point?

A recent news story has me questioning why some school districts even bother with going 1to1.  In Los Angeles, the district began a 1to1 ipad initiative in at least three high schools. They blocked access to all social media sites, both at school and at home. In about a week, over 300 students figured out how to breach the security on their ipads and surf the Web and get on Facebook and Twitter at home. The districts response was to no longer allow the ipads to go home with students and to postpone the rollout of ipads to other students until they were able "to ensure it has 100 percent control over what is accessible" on the ipads.

Check out the story here: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/25/program-halted-after-la-students-breach-school-ipads-security-in-week/

We are a 1to1 school this year. All students from kindergarten through 12th grade have an Apple device of some kind (K-5 have ipads, 6-12 have MacBook Airs). As teachers, we have talked about the distractions that present themselves when students have constant access to the internet. Discussion of cyberbullying, digital citizenship, and time management happen among teachers daily. The question has been asked, "What do you block?"

In our district, we have chosen not to block most sites in the high school.  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest are all accessible to students and staff. Yes, I have to remind students once in awhile to get off of those sites, but I also have students access those sites. I find that accessing social media is more of a classroom management issue (and sometimes a time management issue) rather than a technology issue. We must teach students when its's OK to use those sites and when it isn't.

In Creative Writing, students and I have been known to tweet out pieces of our writing. Students are now creating a Digital Storytelling project. They'll be creating a movie using pictures and videos they have created. Want to know where today's students archives most of their pictures and videos? Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine..... How can they access those sites if we block things at school and at home?

Freshmen English students write blogs. We are now sharing those blogs with students in other parts of the state. I'd love to find classrooms in other parts of the country....the world.... to  connect with. They are beginning to get comments from people besides me. Remember your first blog comments from strangers?  It's pretty exciting.

Speech and Drama students create projects that require them to find information online, to access free images and sounds. They can't do that if we block their access to the internet or certain sites.

I'm not trying to say that going 1to1 is without it's hiccups, that everything is pie in the sky wonderful. It isn't. It takes work. You have some additional things to teach. But it is so totally worth it.

So, I don't understand handing your students the world in a device and then tell them not to explore and use that world. I don't understand limiting the resources they need to think about that world and get to know it. I don't understand not teaching them how to get along in that world. I'm sure there is fear involved, but fear needs to be conquered. No great discoveries were ever made locked inside a box.

I just don't understand.

But if you are going to hand them the world all the while telling them they can't be a part of it, spend your money on paper and pencils instead, and call it good.

Flying....

Last night, I read a blog post by Dave Mulder. I began to comment on it, and then realized, it was probably a blog post. Go ahead and click over there to read what he said.

I'll wait....

I substitute taught for a few years before I began teaching. It was probably one of the best ed classes I ever had.

One year, I took a long term sub position for an elementary teacher in our district who was actually quite well respected (at least I thought so). She was having a surgical procedure, so I had time to meet with her before she took her leave.

The day we met, she proudly showed me a file box on her desk.

Inside it were 180 notecards.

One for every day of the school year.

Her lesson plans.

They never changed.

She was my Carl. She lived in her little classroom and never changed a thing. She was too afraid to fly...although I don't understand why, she had some great ideas.

As a sub, I was thrilled. Here was every thing I needed to teach in this classroom for six weeks. No calls to the teacher. No having to fake it. No work involved.

Plans!

But it didn't take me long to start thinking about that little box on her desk. She had made it quite clear that I needed to make sure to put the days card in the back of the file box each day. I shouldn't write on them. I mustn't lose them.

She used them every year...and was proud of it.

Years later, when I took my first job teaching 7th grade English in the district, there were no plans, no ideas, no curriculum for me to follow. I asked the head of the department what I needed to teach. He told me, "Anything you want."

I longed for that little file box on the desk.

So I started. I made things up. I tried and failed. I tried and succeeded.

I flew.

And I kept all my lesson plans in a notebook (not a file box, mind you). But I did things a bit differently--- I wrote all over my plans. The notes were reflections on how the lesson went. What worked well, what needed to be canned. I also wrote ideas for the next year all over the place.

Then I started using binders for each unit.  And in the binder were always ideas for improving, new things to try. I seemed to instinctively know that I couldn't teach each new class the way I taught the old one. Heck, I couldn't teach each kid in one class the same way I taught his classmates. They were all so different!

No two years were ever the same.

And then, after seven years, I was a little bored. Our district was studying literacy and how to teach it. It excited me, so I switched over and began to teach 7th grade reading (English and Reading are two separate classes in our middle school).

Same thing. Binders full of units and ideas. No year was the same as the last.

And after seven years, I was bored again.

So I went to the high school. And instead of teaching one class, I teach four. And that could change every semester. I love it.

But, as a seasoned teacher, I understand the file box on the desk. It certainly makes your life easier. You don't have to fly into the unknown. Every day is predictable. Every day in the same.

Nothing changes.

It's comfortable.

It's boring.

Change is good for a teacher. 

Trying new things is good for a teacher. 

Failure is good for a teacher.

Learning is good for a teacher.

So each day, I remind myself to try something new, struggle with a new idea, and try not to be afraid to fail.....

Ugh. Cheesy.  I know. But I really do try to remind myself of this. 

Because each year, 

even though it might be your 25th year 

in this class, 

it's your students's first...

Through The Looking Glass

A week later, and I am still reveling in the experience of having Christy in my classroom. I've tried writing about it, but the right words just haven't appeared.

But, I'm going to try one more time.




Seeing your classroom through another's eyes

Nerve wracking, intimidating  What if she "looks behind the curtain" and sees I'm really just a crappy teacher? What if she thinks I don't really do anything all day long? Why the heck does she want to see me?

Seeing your classroom through another's eyes

affirming, exhilerating It was a validation of sorts. I must be doing something right.

Seeing your classroom through another's eyes

fun, wishful  Someone to laugh about the goings on of silly girls and crazy boys. Someone who talks books like I do. What a great room we would have together.

As soon as I walked through the motel door to pick her up, I felt like I'd known Christy forever. There was an immediate connection. Have you ever felt that? Knowing from the first minute that this is a person who you commect with, who will be/is an important commection in your life?

That's what it felt like with Christy.

Normal. That's what it felt like to have her in my room. Like she was meant to be there. We have often commented we wished we taught across the hall from each other. Now I wish we team taught a class. It was fun to introduce her to my classes. In each there was a look of disbelief that 1) she drove six hours to observe our classroom 2) Christy and I hadn't "met" before that morning.  The looks were priceless. We'd just look at each other and laugh. It's hard to explain to others how you can be friends without every having met face to face.

Dinner

Where we talked about what Christy saw in my room. Things I didn't know I did--she makes me sound so wonderful. I don't always feel so wonderful. I don't feel I intentionally do some of the things she saw. But I know I do them. They just don't seem so amazing on a day to day basis. But when Christy pointed them out, I saw those moments through someone elses' eyes and I realized sometimes I get it right. Although my room usually loud and crazy and may look like not a lot of work is getting done, sometimes that's just what it takes.

So a week later, I am more intentional in the things I do in my classroom. I'm trying to remember all those little things. I'm letting kids settle in, I'm giving them time to think and write and share. I'm laughing and enjoying them more. This visit came just at the right time in the year--right at the end, when patience is wearing thin and it's easy to say "they should know this by now."  They don't know this. They are kids, just like they have been since the beginning of the year. MY kids. And we'll work the way that fits us best.

And can you tell I'm still thinking about all of this? The words still don't make much sense. I'm not sure I've shared anything with all of you, but the reflecting will keep going.

And in the meantime, I think I've got some visiting to do...

Lost

What can I write about?
What can I write about?
Did my brain turn to mush?
Did all smart thought leave my brain?

I know they're in there.
They were there Sunday during #iaedchat.
People even commented and favorited
Things that I said!
And I had ideas to write about then.

I know there were thoughts in there
Yesterday--an ice day here in Iowa.
I chatted with people on Twitter
Watched the book awards online.
I had things to say about books!

I had things to write about the power of a thank-you.
I had things to write about Chloe.
I had things to write about teaching.
I had things to write about the grandkids.

But they're gone now.

Where'd they go?

All that's left are
Wandering Words
with
No connections
To my life.

Breathing

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My husband and I took a much needed breather over the four day weekend and traveled to Wisconsin to see his sister and her husband. Getting away was not without its obstacles, but we managed it. It is so wonderful to be able to spend time with family and not have the family drama!  We did nothing special, just enjoyed each other's company.

On Saturday, two of their grandsons came to spend the night with them, as both parents had to work overnight shifts.  Greg and I really enjoyed this since there were only two. Before you laugh, remember, usually there are so many people around when we are all together that we don't really get to enjoy the kids. With only two hanging out with us, we got to visit and talk and be entertained (Trust me. The Lady Gaga song was entertaining--as were the songs they made up)! Chloe got a kid fix, which she always needs.  We couldn't help but laugh as she licked them til they giggled!

We decided to take a trip to the Goodwill store (see how low key this trip was!) The kids were excited. They could pick out something to get "if it was worth it and wouldn't break before the afternoon was up".  I was excited--used books for the classroom. My husband was excited--he loves a bargain.  Off we went.

We split up and headed to our respective areas.

The boys found hula hoops.  The entertainment began.  Around their necks and around their waist. Those hula hoops were moving!  Of course, those had to go home. Later, hula hooping in the living room while playing catch with the football sounded like a good idea, but Grandpa quickly put the kabosh on that!

Greg found a game he'd always wanted. I found a lot of books to take back to school. Success.

Game night followed. First, the game Greg found Fact or Crap. Really, kind of a fun game. More guessing than anything. And the boys felt like they were being naughty since they can't use the word Crap at home.  They still didn't get to say it, but they did have the card!

Later we played Apples to Apples. Another fun one to play with kids.  Both of these will find their way into my classroom. Because they really make you think! And be creative in your thinking. Perfect for those days when students need a breather.

We left for home on Sunday...relaxed and ready to face the week ahead. And at least I got one more day to prepare myself for that!