Half-Way Through This &*%! School Year

Yup.

I'm shifting once again.

We're sent a letter saying that starting as soon as (could be) tomorrow, we may have students coming without masks. We're provided a Q & maybe A session after school to share our myriad questions about what this might mean - for student attendance, behavior, angst... Not a lot of people asked about staff concerns. We are truly concerned for the students - as is our role. As is our lifestyle, really. We've got concerns for ourselves, but they're always pushed to the side. Ooop! Now it could be next week. Whatever. This isn't anything I can control. I need to focus on what I can control.

So... 

Pandemic concerns aside (since that is what others not in our profession have decided)... I wanted to document a shift in my grading practices that happened as a result of our 1:1 end-of-term grading conferences I had with students this past quarter. I collect each student's evidence for reading comprehension and writing skills, we discuss their preparation for class, how much they read in class and out, and their participation, and then students come up with what they think is a fair grade based on our discussion. The first quarter I had some students who said they deserved some sort of "A," even though their comprehension was in the "C" range. I said something along the lines of, "I get it - you tried hard, this is new for you, you didn't know how all this goes... so let's focus on getting your comprehension up by reading more, slowing down, etc." And these students got the A- they suggested - with goals to help them the second quarter.

This (second) quarter that just ended Friday, I had some of the same students do the same thing again. Even with the added writing piece not looking like "A" work (and not revising it when provided the time in class), some were still not reflecting on their skills. After all, they "always" get As and Bs in ELA. I was bummed, to say the least. 

Then I reflected. I have not provided them help to can keep track of their own achievement. Sure, it's all on PowerSchool in the comments section, but do they know how to put it all together? Are any of them doing the math in class every time we have scores but don't let the computer average them? Since averages aren't the best, shouldn't we just go with the last couple? What if they're the same types of scores as the first few? 

I don't have enough scaffolding for the kids who aren't doing "A" work. And I'm not going to put in that effort this year. I thought the year would get better, but we're half-way through and it has not. In fact, I'm going to make things easier on me - and on them. About seven students and I have decided to put their points into the grade book to let the grade book average them - just like all their other teachers do. This way, they can see where they are throughout the quarter and look at the comments on PowerSchool to see how to revise, should they wish to do so.

If I was not concerned about masks, distancing, cleaning, disrespect, hallway behavior, vandalism, earbuds, phones, parents, apathy, students who will only work with certain other students, seating charts that crash and burn every time, then maybe I'd be more invested in making this "no-grades-until the-end-of-the-quarter" thing work for ALL students. This year is NOT that year.

I'm grateful for the students it works for - many seventh graders are reflective enough for me to agree with them and feel comfortable / justified with the grade they chose. I'm grateful my system this year is actually back in place (I skipped it last year) and our documenting is improved from two years ago. And I'm grateful I can go back to "traditional" grading (still more fair than my grades were years ago) for the students that are not reflective - yet.

And I still have some flicker of hope. Our Middle School Standards-Based Grading Committee is planning to once again meet in February. Our last meeting was in February of 2020. Maybe we'll have SBG at the middle school before I retire. Maybe. The last two years, I've learned to not count on anything when it comes to my profession. 

Today I feel I can't turn left, right, go forward or even go backward. I can shift things, however. It's better than last year, right?! For sure. Day by day. Step one: Stay physically healthy. Step two: Take care of your mental health. Step three: Connect with the kids you can. Day by day.

Shifting Grades Once Again

I was so very excited... I hadn't felt this way in over a year... We were ten days into the school year, and I was finally going to tell my students about our grading (or lack thereof). After a year of going back to grades, this felt so refreshing! 

First we talked about who liked grades and why, who didn't like grades and why, the unfairness of averages, late work, how the words "extra credit" make me want to puke, and then we talked about the goal of school (to learn! to improve!). I showed a video of how they can see their progress in the online grade book (how they can view the narrative or video feedback). And I left it with, "If you think this is not for you, and you go home and share with your parents, you can always let me know you'd like the computer to figure your grades for you, no problem."

I've already had to repeat a few things... No, your grade won't go down because you didn't turn it in yet - just turn it in, so I can provide feedback. No, the grade book won't have a grade until we chat and decide on one the last week of the quarter. This isn't worth ANY points - we're working on this, this, and this...

And I LOVE it. The language is shifting already. Students are still doing the work, because our lessons are useful and will help them learn and improve.

Here is some feedback from my seventh graders (I didn't get any negative ones yet!):

My teaching heart is full once again. #ShiftThis!

Genius Hour Shifts to Online

Thank you to online colleague and face-to-face friend Aric Foster for the push to write this post...

Aric asked me for three bullet points and tips for shifting Genius Hour (or whatever you'd like to call it) online... Here are the basics I sent to him...

1) What about heartbreak maps?? They would be perfect for this situation. That could be the start of "What's a problem in your world you want to help solve?" Right now, our students want change for themselves and for others. Two great questions to get them thinking (ask one at a time) - What is something YOU want to improve for yourself? What is something someone you know needs? What is something you think the world needs?  TIP for the brainstorming part of the process: GIVE THEM TIME. I used to jump in and have students' ideas due in one week (or so). But when I tried to do it myself, it was often difficult for ME to come up with an idea worthy of my time. If the ideas we push out of them too soon aren't something they're passionate about, it's going to flop. It's got to be something they really really want to do. So provide the time for the idea to come. Once ideas start coming in, have students share them with others. That way those without ideas (yet) can use those as inspiration (even if they do the same thing - who the heck cares, as long as they're doing something for themselves or others?!).

2) While students (and YOU! - TIP: You should be doing your OWN, so you can be a step ahead of the kids in everything you're asking them to do.) are coming up with a topic/issue, you can be figuring out a couple of logistics.

3) You'll also want to come up with some sort of process/system for them to follow.  TIP for the process: Make something visible, so students can see where their peers are and ask each other for help with a step (if needed).

Then... go from there... keep doing your own project and follow along with student projects, going with the flow. One more TIP: Since you won't be in the classroom, roaming from student to student to see how they're doing, have some sort of reflection or exit slip for students to complete at the end of the day or week... Something that shows what their plan is for the week, how it went for them, and what their next plans are for the next week would be helpful to you and them.

And remember... You are a genius, and the world needs your contribution! (Thanks, Angela Maiers!)

Looking for MORE? Check out... 

• this resource from Denise Krebs
• this resource from Andi McNair 
• this resource from Lanny Ball 
• and, of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't share this resource I've been curating since 2013.

The Dreaded Check Engine Light

Three and a half hours into our six-hour trip pulling the camper trailer to Cedar Point, we were laughing and sharing thoughts and ideas. Hubby and I are great travel companions.

"The check engine light just came on."

Silence.

Why is it, when the check engine light comes on, we gasp or become worried, when it's supposed to HELP us? Bob (Hubby) has a more positive outlook about it. He says the check engine light is a sign of something we're going to need to take care of.

My "check engine" lights are as follows:

• A headache is creeping down, and my neck has some nasty thick taut wires.
• I snap at something my husband says.
• I growl at something my students do (or don't do).
• Yawns are happening in the morning's shower.
• I'm dehydrated (checked by the level of my water bottle).
• I snack (a lot) after dinner.
• I cry. Sometimes for "no reason."

These signs show me I need to take better care of myself.
     My engine uses fuel to go.
     My check engine light shows me I'm low on fuel.
     My fuel is food, water, sleep, and peace in my mind.

When fuel is low... what do you do to fuel yourself?

The start of this school year had me teacher-tired to the max. Here's what I've done about it:

• Gotten outside whenever I could. This might only mean putting the top down on the convertible - everybody would benefit from having a convertible, in my opinion - or it may mean taking one class outside for a lesson, to read, or simply for a break. It could also mean getting out for a walk or a bike ride. Even 10-20 minutes fills me a bit. Since it's in the 30s here now, it means walking outside, or sometimes even simply sitting outside (as my body is telling me I must be going to hibernate soon...)
• Gone to bed earlier. I don't want this to be a habit, as I feel way past my 46 years when I head to sleep before nine... it worked for me in September. I'm now back to my 9pm bedtime.
• Eaten better. I loaded up on vegetables when I should, and got plenty of water throughout my day, even if it meant I'd head to the bathroom between classes. When there were treats in the school office, I took one, and then I didn't take another for home or for my lunch the next day.
• Stayed calm in school. When things weren't going well in class, I stopped. I breathed. I regrouped. I began again. I think the students caught my vibe, as well, and they, too, calmed down a bit. When the team of teachers was frustrated about something, I'd simply listen, and this kept my blood pressure steady.
• Talked. I've talked with my husband. I've talked with my teacher friends. I've gotten support from them, because they seem to know what I'm going through.

Now that we're in the middle of our second term already, I find I need to remember these tips, as that "teacher tired" may sneak up on me soon once again before it's time for our winter break. Hence the reason for me sharing them with you now.

What are your tips when you're low on energy? What am I missing?

Thanks for sharing in the comments below, so all readers can learn from you!

Independent Reading During Class Time

Is reading in class a novelty?
Or was it because we went outside?
My head is spinning as to why this spontaneous tweet I made on 9/19 has had so many "likes" and retweets...

Lots of the comments or retweets suggested congratulations, such as "Good for you!" and others sounded as if they've never taken their kids outside during the school day or even thought about it - ever.

Some responses asked about our reflection process. We use lots of plus/delta charts at the start of the year. Many are for the end of the week. What did we do well? = plus, and Where can we improve? = delta. I'll bring up our "delta" answers the next Monday, and we'll choose one on which to focus. If we fill in a plus/delta chart after reading independently outside, I'll bring up the "delta" part before we head out again the next time. Here is a good explanation of it. It's not a new idea, yet it may be new to some. When it was introduced to me, I embraced it wholeheartedly.

Other responses asked about the yard - why it's enclosed, why there aren't trees, etc. Personally, I think the video makes it seem like a prison yard - sterile with high walls (although I've never seen a prison yard up close). It's artificial grass. The area here was our school's vegetable garden before we had a renovation / gym addition the last two years. We have another courtyard (in the middle of the school) that has trees, grass, plants, dirt, rocks, painted artwork from students, benches, and picnic tables. We tried to go there once this year. I have a student who is highly allergic to the outdoors, and she sneezed so much that she asked to read in the library. She doesn't sneeze in the new yard, and the kids love laying on the fake grass. I haven't heard them say anything about it looking like a prison yard. They see it as a way to get some sun, a breeze, and fresh air. And sometimes a moth or cicada find their way in to join us.

This response from Matt Parker was one I wanted to "like" a hundred times. THAT is what I wanted the focus of this post to be. It's the fact that we have developed some amount of trust, respect has been given from me and from my students, and we've made the time to practice and reflect on the journey so we can continue to get better at our reading stamina:

We all (?) have students who aren't yet in love with reading. Getting them outside may or may not help them enjoy reading... It most likely depends on the individual (like so much). I struggle many days we head out because someone is distracted by a cicada or a moth... just the fact that we're on artificial turf seems to be so darn interesting... The reflection is what gets us back on track so we can continue to work on building our reading stamina. 

And then, of course, there had to be a negative reply (I've learned that my ideas shared are not really seen until someone rejects them) from a teacher with public tweets who (when I reached out) wanted to remain anonymous:

Instead of getting into what could become a public argument via 280 characters each, I decided I should write about it, much as others before me have done.

I am not "teaching" in this moment. That, I believe, is correct. And I believe that's okay. (So there's no need to feel "sorry.") One thing educators do in class is model. Another thing we do is confer with students about what they are reading. Sometimes this is done during independent reading; most often for me it's in passing. No matter what I'm doing (modeling or conferring), students should be reading. I'm providing them time to read in class, without distractions. Many of my students are still not reading at home, and it's been proven time and again that reading - frequent, voluminous reading - is the only way to become a better reader. (Much respect goes to Dr. Stephen Krashen, author of The Power of Reading: Insights from the Research. If you don't have time to read the book, simply search for him and you'll find the research.) This is much like keyboarding, learning how to use a computer program, writing, or playing an instrument... Practice is needed. Reflection afterwards helps us move forward with plans for next time to help us improve.

I'm so glad that a parent of a former student emailed this photo (from Facebook) to me:

Yes, yes, yes. It takes a lot of practice and reflection to build this type of community, and I'm sure we'll be revisiting that reflection piece again - and often.

I'm glad the video of this one class went a bit viral last week. If educators think it's valuable to change the scenery a bit, I'm glad they will consider getting their kids outside more than once if (when!) it doesn't work out the first time. Let's (students and teachers) reflect on what we're doing, all so we can continue to improve.

One Shift for 2019-2020

I've been meaning to write about this, and I'm glad this week's (week 6) prompt in the #8weeksofsummer blog challenge has this fitting question:

How are you planning to implement change next school year?

One of my larger changes to make next year is the "Question of the Day" (QoD). For the last few years, my QoD has looked like this, and has been near the front of the room by the door:

"When you eat dinner with your family, do you exude good manners?" - Yes, Sometimes, No.
One student added - "I don't eat with my family."
This was very telling, as I found out the boy who created the column ate by himself in his bedroom each night.

I reused the paper questions from year to year, and students also created their own questions (some of the best we had). My reason WHY for the QoD is in Shift This was originally for attendance and to provide a place for students to share their opinions. Not everyone answers, however, and I found that I loved hearing the chatter around the questions better than using it for attendance anyway. I loved seeing extra columns (such as the one above) that spoke volumes about the students and got me to head over and talk with those students further.

One shift I made last year was another board with more magnets with student names on them. That one looked like this, and was further in to the classroom (near the far wall):

My reason WHY for this SEL component is that the social-emotional status of my kids is not something else that I put on my plate - it IS the plate. Knowing how my students are doing will help me set the tone for the class. If they're not emotionally ready to learn, it doesn't matter what I do in that 80 minutes of my time with them. So... we talked about how to find where your magnet goes for when they walk in the room, and we started sharing ideas as to how they can self-regulate, depending on where they are in the quadrants. This is a simplified "mood meter," thanks to the ideas from Marc Brackett and his RULER approach.

WHY I'm shifting this aspect once again...
Not everyone was moving their names under the QoD, and it's a royal pain to set up each morning (I know, I know - it's not crazy bad, just enough to really get under my skin by the end of the year). It also has to be "multiple choice," and I'd love to ask students more open-ended questions. I want to move the SEL "mood meter" to the front of the room. I want that to be more prominent and I would like to take it more seriously. Also, I think I can ask more open-ended questions in a different fashion. My co-worker Karen next door would also like to have discussion questions at the start of every class. Therefore, we're going to use questions students created towards the end of last year, and the questions I've been using. I'll house them all on this document HERE, and we'll project a different one each day. (This document will always be under construction. It's kids' ideas, my favorites, and certain ones are day- or content-specific questions. I also have to be aware of the students in my room and make sure to not trigger any traumatic experiences. The questions I've used before are here.)

What I'll do...

1) Move the questions of the day to the projector - to start our day with students discussing the question with each other. After a month, I'll have them use something called a "conversation carousel" of sorts - Everyone gets a list of everyone's names. They cross out their own. They talk with everyone on the list before they talk with them again (there are columns so they can write the date next to the person's name). They can use this to discuss the QoD with lots of different people.

2) Move the SEL mood meter to the front of the room. Some students, I imagine, will not want to be public about this, and I want to respect their privacy. Thank goodness for Tara Mollo who I happened upon on Twitter - she uses cups and popsicle sticks for her students to share where they are on the "Zones of Regulation" scale. Thanks to Tara, I'm going to put colored cups (to correlate with the mood meter colors) below the grid so students can anonymously add their names there. I can then scoop them up and chat with those kids privately without anyone else knowing. I'll also provide coping strategies for students - we'll practice these together, and then students will have tools to use the rest of the year and in all of their classes. Here is a document of what my co-worker Yvette and I have tried so far.

This is my one small yet important shift for next year that I'm looking forward to trying. I think it could benefit all of us in the room, and it's something I know I can incorporate without added work on my part or the students' part.

What change(s) are YOU planning on implementing next year, and what are your reasons why? Feel free to comment below, or write your own blog post with an explanation and share that link in the comments! I'll share it with others, of course, so we can all learn from each other and keep the conversations going!

Teaching with Transparency

I was asked to present at the first ever USQ Conference - practically in my backyard in Schaumburg, IL. USQ stands for "Unhinging the Status Quo." What a great concept! Here's what the website said:

In order to present, however, I needed to present with students. OKAY! First names that popped into my husband's head were Robert and Rosann - our niece and nephew, going into 8th grade. Hmmm... this might actually be a great idea.

I composed and sent an email to them - asking them to answer without talking to the other one until they were finished with their thoughts. I asked this question: How would you change school (reasonably), and why? They both wrote about different things - homework and tests, bullying and isolation... and yet there was a theme that wove through them both. Teachers need to be more transparent. Here's our opening slide that the kids created:



The day prior to the conference, Rosann told Grandma (my mom) that this is going to be the most important thing she's ever done. That's pressure. I hoped and prayed that she felt the same when we were finished.

After the day we had, this may have been the most important thing I, myself, have ever done for these two young learners / leaders. They were on cloud nine that they could share their message. Other students were able to present and share their ideas, as well. There may have been as many as 20 students from various schools (Michigan, Illinois, and Jack McConnell's family came from Georgia - that's a whole 'nother post) attending and presenting. There were multiple times throughout the day that "non voters" were asked for their opinions, and they often took the microphone and added their ideas to the conversation. I don't know if I've ever seen them so empowered. Oh, I hope they keep this feeling with them as they grow further.

Some valuable tweets I'd love to keep here forever...

Next steps?

• Keep finding ways to open the lines (be more transparent!) of communication among educators and students.
• Keep providing opportunities for student input when making decisions related to education.
• Keep providing opportunities for students to share their ideas and teach us.
• Provide the venue (microphone included!), listen to ideas, follow through using their ideas, and students will learn to trust us and will want to help where they can.

We're working towards providing students with more and more say in school matters. Their voice matters, and their ideas are incredible. Let's keep moving towards providing them with the opportunities to make a difference in their own education.

What are your plans for providing more opportunities for students to provide input and lead?

Many many thanks to Sara Wilke, Dale Truding, and Nancy Wagner for this chance to help these two students (and so many others!) blossom and lead. Many thanks to Megan Hacholski and Michael Abramczyk - the volunteer social media ambassadors who shared our learning so we the rest of us could be truly present. BONUS: Here is USQ's post about Robert & Rosann's message.

This post is week 3 of 8 in the 8 Weeks of Summer Blog Challenge for educators. I went off-prompt for this one. It does relate, as it shows how I can be a leader and follower all in one day - just like at school... 😉

Resistance - Revisited

I was on my way to visit a group of local teachers who'd gotten together to for a Shift This book study. I had been asked to share stories of the resistance I've come across from our community.

I hadn't prepared anything, and didn't think it was necessary. If someone asks me to do a video chat with their group who read the book, I gladly agree if we can make a time work. No cost - it benefits me just as much as it does them, as I always hear something new or am asked a new question that helps me think and reflect once again. This time I wanted to show up in person since they were from the high school district that my own students will attend when they get to ninth grade. It's so much easier to feel the vibe in the room in person than through a computer screen.

I was driving the ten minutes or so and wondering... what is it about resistance that makes the shifts I've made so difficult? Why is it so hard for me to deal with resistance? Why does any sort of resistance break me down a bit (and often even make me cry)? Am I that unsure of myself and what I'm trying in the classroom?

Thinking back to the huge shifts I'd made (namely genius hour and going gradeless), I realized something that will help me the next time I encounter resistance. I would not be making these (difficult!) shifts without huge reasons for doing so. I made these shifts because I want my students to learn more of the curriculum. I made these shifts because I want to help make the curriculum stick. I made these shifts because I want my students to be lifelong learners. How can that be wrong? If parents or other teachers have a problem with that, I simply need to go back and share my "WHY."

I told this to the group at the high school, and also told them that if it does NOT work for a child, I'm free to backpedal. I'm free to discuss with them what's going on and make a decision with them as to what to do next. I truly want what's best for students, and I'm doing what I can in the limited time I have.

It's been a quiet year this year when it comes to resistance (knock on wood). Maybe it's because I communicate with parents every two weeks and also send good notes home. Maybe it's because I've been "gradeless" for a few years now, and parents have talked about it and figured it won't kill their children. Maybe... just maybe... it's because they, too, think it's a good idea and will help their child focus more on the curriculum and less on a letter or number.

It's time I shift my own thoughts about resistance. It's time I looked at resistance as simply another chance to chat about what we (together) believe is right and good for the children in front of us.

Let me know when you have a Shift This book study and want a virtual (or real) visit! I'd be glad to answer any questions and share any resources I can.

#ShiftThis... The Chat

The #ShiftThis chat is coming to a close a month from today. I need to explain my reasons WHY.

I. Love. The. People. The group of teachers that show up want to change things in education. They want to shift students' audiences (get the community involved!), assignments (towards more relevance!), attitudes (growth mindset, anyone?) and much, much more. You know who you are. I am so very grateful to all the passionate educators that have taken on moderating the chat on Tuesday nights. Take a look HERE at all of the fabulous moderators! We couldn't have had those wonderful chats without your valuable contributions.

So why is it ending? Technically, it doesn't have to end. Anyone can pick it up at any time and use the hashtag to share questions or ideas about shifting the classroom, school, district, or education in general. I am stepping down as facilitator, a year after I stepped down as the moderator. YOU can still be a moderator and I will support you by helping you publicize your topic and date and time!

I haven't answered the question, I know. There are myriad reasons why I feel the need to step down from the chat.

• I do not like to "sell" the chat. I feel that my Twitter feed should be much more than that, and yet I feel that when a person looks at my feed, all they see is #ShiftThis. I want to be able to celebrate others' ideas more than my own.
• I didn't write the book so we could have a chat dedicated to it. I am glad we had the two-year stretch so people now use the hashtag to share their shifts, and I hope to continue to see shifts educators and administrators are sharing.
• I feel out of touch with teachers on Twitter lately - I've lost touch with some educators because I'm totally focused on the one hashtag and creating tweets for advertising it that I miss the time browsing my feed and checking on those people that were there from the beginning for me. I know our connections morph as we use Twitter more, yet I don't want to lose sight of those educators who mentored me and have always been there. I want to support THEM now.
• I need to put my feelers out for other chats I could jump into and out of as they come by. I'd like to try some that I haven't been able to attend, since I often feel that one hour a week online in the evenings is enough for me. Tuesday at 7pm CST is a VERY popular time for Twitter chats. Sooo many good ones going on at that time. I'm excited to be able to join and learn from other chats and educators I feel I've been neglecting.

I have gained so very much from the inspiring educators who have joined the #ShiftThis chat the past two years. Thank you for all you contribute - to our chat and to many others! I love the fact that we are #BetterTogether, and I hope you continue to connect and contribute - #YouMatter!

10-Minute Teacher Podcast

I spent some time with Vicki Davis this month... we ended up talking about change...
Ten minutes? Sure, you've got time to listen!




Here is @CoolCatTeacher's podcast page.
Here is our first meet-up back in 2013.

Another Shift to Curriculum Night

I don't remember when we started calling it "Curriculum Night" vs. "Parent Night" or "Open House," but I'd like to share what I tweaked this year, and how it went. (Previous posts about parent night are here from 2017, and here from 2013.)

I kept the same question of the day (night?) for parents to answer with their child's magnet - they seem to like finding the magnet and moving it, then discussions continue as they sit down while I'm greeting more arrivals. (How much did YOU enjoy 7th grade?)

One thing I felt I NEEDED to do was to cover the white board tables. I went for - and received! - grant money four (?) years ago for IdeaPaint for my classroom tables. We'd painted 12 of the 15, as some students didn't want it. Since then, they've been scrubbed with some super-amazing cleaner that has now washed off the protective layer they used to have. So... those goofy drawings of odd faces? Yup. They now look pretty permanent. The questions about the text we're reading? Yup. Still there. It doesn't seem to bother the seventh graders, but it bothers me. Hubby went to the dollar store and bought me six white table cloths, and we folded them twice to place on six of the nine whiteboard tables that are left (I swapped out three of them for two smaller - and square - tables last year - students decided which tables needed to go). If I don't get the gumption to purchase this whiteboard contact paper a colleague recently used to cover his tables, I'll go with the table cloths again next year, too!

Then I collected many books from home. I wanted parents to understand that I keep up with professional development. I also thought - what if THEY read what I've read? They may understand my teaching a bit more, and perhaps share with other parents. So.... I created check out slips for the books I thought parents might enjoy reading. (Here they are - make your own!)

Some books I kept at home, thinking they would be more beneficial to teachers than parents, but I did bring over twenty, so the box was heavy enough as it was. ;)

Was my plan successful? Three points that make me think it was... I was able to share that The Power of Reading really simply stated, "The only way to understand reading more is to READ MORE." One parent (who also teaches ELA) said I had some "awesome books" there, and another parent CHECKED ONE OUT!! Yes! The Feedback Fix by Joe Hirsch was the winner of the night.

Side note: My husband and my co-teacher were the ones who said I should bring Shift This. I just couldn't! Plus, it was not a text that had influenced my own teaching. It was a result.

The rest of Open House / Parent Night / Curriculum Night went very well. I let parents know I was available after the night was over for further questions, and no one showed. (I figure the ones that need to ask weren't able to show this night.)


The next day, one student shared with me that his dad said we had a "touchy-feely" class. He said this right after I had touched his shoulder to say hello when he walked in to class. So I sprang back and said, "Oh, I'm sorry - I just do that automatically!"
He replied, "No. He means it's a comfortable class." I'll take it!

A Pleasant Surprise

Second day of school - first "normal" ELA classes.

I've spent two days doing what I love - with a great group of students. It's the end of that second day, and a new staff member to our school appears in class. Yippee! I introduce her to students, and she easily becomes a part of our day. Students finish the reading challenge, we chat about what they did well and where they can improve, we go over materials needed for tomorrow, we chat for two minutes on building stamina for reading starting tomorrow, and we move to the front of the room for "storytime." ;)

I'm able to read The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown to my students, just as I describe in Shift This (and in this blog post)...

This last class of the day actually acts differently from the first two - they are a gregarious bunch, and they actually react to what I'm reading instead of patiently waiting for me to finish. They make faces showing they don't agree with the text, asked a few questions under their breath or to a friend, and quickly did not agree with the author when she said the "most important thing about an apple is that it is round." THAT was refreshing to know. When it's like pulling teeth to get my first two classes to discuss, this class will be active, I'm sure.

Thank you to Lauren Salsinger for this photo to capture this lesson I love...

Feed One

Looking back through my posts on the Building Learning Communities conference, I notice a theme. It seems as if every year I've gone (2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, and now 2018), educators and administrators and keynoters are talking about CHANGE. Here are all my reflections on the BLC conference, if you want to take a gander.

Last year's last day keynote speaker, Dr. Robert Evans, told us that humans resist change, especially if this change was not their idea.  He also said resistance to change is normal and necessary. I read his book, The Human Side of School Change, and wrote three more posts reflecting on what he said. Myriad factors come into play when people have to deal with change, and his book helped me become a better listener to those who resist changes in education.

This year, my own keynote message was to stop asking why others won't change, and empower yourself. Take the risks, live up to the title of "educator," and do what you believe is right and good for students. Share these ideas with others, and explain your reasons WHY. Keep sharing - through social media, blogging, websites, presentations... keep the conversations going.

My Brief Keynote for BLC18

When Ted Dintersmith took the same stage the next day, he said that it's easier to start a new school than to change one that's already established. He added that we should embrace the pockets of change and grow by one teacher at a time. Leave other teachers alone - administration can try to make them change, but they'll just close their doors and keep doing what they've always done. Wasted effort on our part. Let's put the effort into celebrating those who are doing what is better for kids. Oh, and try not to say "best practice," because what is "best" today won't necessarily be "best" tomorrow. We can practice "better practices" with students. 😉

I go over and over with my husband Bob about what each session is about, and the things I've learned and want to take home and hold dear to my heart and head.

During our discussion about all this, he asked, "Is this whole thing pointless?"

"This whole thing" - referring to trying to get other teachers to reflect on their teaching and try something new, such as letting the students own more of the learning.

No. It's not pointless.

Trying to get other teachers to reflect on what they're doing, join in with what you're trying, and help bring students more to the center of all we do... is challenging for sure. But if you share ideas with just one... and just one teacher latches on and tries it and it changes his or her teaching, consider all the students you've affected. Mother Teresa said, "If you can't feed a hundred people, feed just one." I wouldn't say "just" one - because one can lead to another and another and the ideas can grow exponentially. (A few of the ideas I shared at BLC.)

I tweaked my keynote the evening prior, because I had to add this quote I'd heard from Darren Kuropatwa at his session - "The job of any leader is to make more leaders."

So take the lead. Share your ideas - through social media, blogging, websites, presentations... Share your reasons WHY. And feed ONE teacher. One at a time. Keep those conversations going!

Outside our house in the spring of 2017...

Ambiguity as a Learning Tool

The Building Learning Communities conference in Boston always inspires and challenges me.

Even though this was my fourth consecutive year presenting sessions, I was also asked to present one of the keynotes. Wednesday and Friday are reserved for one-hour keynotes, and Thursday is for three-four 15-20 minute keynotes. Thank goodness I was asked to present on Thursday!

I'd known about this presentation since November. Ideas percolated around my brain for months before I started putting ideas down on paper. I had not been told what to speak on, and the closer it got to July, the more I got to thinking I was on my own to decide.

This ambiguity was so difficult for me. Sure, I could set my own sessions for the week - those were based on where I felt my strengths lie, and I had many resources to share for when participants had questions. The 20 minutes in front of 500 people?? It was like choosing the right song for "American Idol"! (mine would be "Broken Wing" from Martina McBride!)

As I wrestled with what the message should be, and who my audience was, I never thought that not knowing - this ambiguity - this uncertainty - was what was so difficult for me.

That is, until the day AFTER my keynote, Ted Dintersmith - author of What School Could Be - said that ambiguity scares students. Taking a path where they might fail is scary. He says that we have many "Go fetch a dog biscuit" kids. They are really good at following our directions. They are not good with ambiguity.

I immediately thought - that's why the keynote was so difficult for me! If Alan November had told me what he wanted, I would do it. If nobody cared for the idea, I could blame it on someone else...

I figured it out. I had to! I did have parameters - It had to be ready by July 26th at 8:30 am, and it could be 15-20 minutes long. I also felt I had to share something about shifting... shifting SOMEthing. I didn't want to talk about Shift This (which of course, you can purchase right here 😉).

I also knew I didn't want to use the ideas from my "Shift the Culture" one-hour presentation. I had to create something new.

With these parameters, I thought about the history of my learning at BLC, what I've learned from others, and I decided it should be about shifting the language.

(Yes, deaf education is part of my journey.)

I was geeked to say hello (again) to the other two keynoters - both passionate educators on the other ends of the spectrum - Aaron Polansky from a vocational school in Massachusetts, and Pana Asavavatana who works with K-2 in Taiwan! When I got to BLC on Wednesday, Aaron said he'd changed his message a few times already, and he even changed it further the night prior! I think he had a tough time with the ambiguity, as well. I think Pana had her message about literacy ready to go (I could be totally wrong about that - we didn't have much time to talk) - even though we all had nerves galore!

I became more comfortable with the message in it as I went through sessions on Wednesday, the day prior to the most nerve-wracking thing I've had to do in a long time. Others at BLC were talking about change, and shifts they're trying to make, and how "others at my school" weren't on the same page.

The morning of the presentation, we were told our order (what a relief when I found out I'd go first!), and Alan said, "Your topic is genius hour, right?" My eyebrows went up and I froze for a moment. 

I said, "Nope. It's on shifting the language. Labels we're given and such."

He only said, "Interesting!" and went on explaining more plans for the next hour... Phew!

The ambiguity I was offered was a gift in disguise. I learned so much from brainstorming, trying different ideas, considering past conference messages, putting together much of what I've learned, and listening to the audience / participants the day prior. I tweaked two or three things based on what I'd learned Wednesday, and I was as ready as I'd ever be Thursday morning.

How did it go?

I'm happy with what I did. I have no idea what I actually said... I had my notes, but don't remember  using them. I did hear laughter in all the right places, and I saw many heads nod. Reactions and expressions of gratefulness from educators the rest of the day solidified that I had reached them in some way. They felt included. They felt as if I knew them. They felt empowered. Alan told me I'd done a "fabulous" job, and a few told me they had tears (which I didn't expect).

My lessons learned?

-Go with your gut. Say what you feel you need to say. Speak from the heart.

-Use the ambiguity as a learning experience. Research, reflect, brainstorm, tweak, get feedback...

-Provide students more chances every day to struggle with - and learn from - such vagueness.

-When they struggle with uncertainty, help them to notice all they are learning.

-Provide tools for them to persevere, so it will be easier for them the next time around.

-As always, these challenges should come without any grade attached...

-Um... hello - doesn't this sound a bit like Genius Hour? Or personalizing learning - ALL DAY?!

Challenge for all of us - How can we incorporate more opportunities for our children / students to struggle with ambiguity during our school days?

A HUGE thank you to Alan November and the BLC team for providing me this experience. More huge kudos to Aaron and Pana - we did it!! Everyone loved your messages! Let's put a handle on helping students and educators make more connections! I'm excited to read about your own reflections.

Here's the "moment" I made using Twitter - to capture some of the essence of my message. Stay tuned for further posts as a result of reflections from this fabulous conference!

Happy 1st Birthday, Shift This!

via GIPHY

20K?

What does "20K Followers" mean?

I used to want tons of followers. I was excited when more people followed me.
Then I became intimidated by the number of followers going up. I thought I really had to watch what I shared. I still watch what I share, but it's always been a professional account, so I don't really worry that I'll slip up. Much.

So... What does "20K Followers" mean to me now?

It means...

-My words, thoughts, and ideas are viewed my many.
-I am followed by men seeking women. (This is fairly new. Hubby and I get a kick out of it.)
-I am followed by companies as part of their advertising.
-I am followed by Harlem GlobeTrotters for some reason. (I'm not even a lefty...)

-I am asked to speak more often - and I have to remember that my own students and family come first. (By the way, head to #USMSpark in Milwaukee, WI while I'm still in school on June 11-12 and #NEXTSchool conference in Montreal while I'm camping with my niece and nephew the week of July 30th!)
-I am asked to moderate educational chats. (I've asked many educators, as well.)
-I am asked to retweet "please vote for my class" ideas (see why I won't retweet many here).
-I am asked to read books. (I've asked a handful of educators to read Shift This before it was published, as well.)
-I need to be an even better role model for my students than ever.
-I will continue doing what I'm doing - educators must find some value in it.
-I will continue to share other educators' ideas more often.
-I will continue to share ideas from my own book, along with other books that have transformed my teaching - I have a wider reach now and if other educators implement these ideas, students will benefit, and we won't run into so much resistance!
-I will continue to share my own workshops and presentations - again, so other educators implement these ideas, and students will benefit!
-I will continue to try to lead in these ways, by modeling what I think it means to be an educator.

What Is the Purpose of School?

This question was posed by Kim Darche in the ICE Google forum book study about Shift This.

Here are some of the responses...

• school is a place where students learn how to be successful people
• the purpose of school is to show students the benefits of learning
• as an educator, we are to help our students see their capabilities
• Our purpose it to be and create independent, life-long learners. 
• I look for the "lightbulb moments" where I see when a student truly understands and has made a lasting connection.  Then I know that what we are doing in the classroom will translate to what they will be able to do with that information outside the classroom...and if they are able to apply what they've learned on their own there is a true purpose.
• to give kids the tools to be successful in life
• school has three main purposes: cognitive, emotional, and civic development
• a place for students to gain the skills necessary to be life long learners - to be problem solvers - to learn how gain their short term and long term goals
• to have children grow in their abilities
• to educate and prepare any learner for their future
• It should be a place where kids learn to think for themselves.
• it's about developing their skills with all of the resources that we have to make them successful
• school is a place where students learn about the world around them through with from others
• school is meant to help prepare students for the future by leading them to become critical thinkers
• creating learners and future citizens, cultivating ideas and creativity, and teaching collaboration and critical thinking
• to learn
• learning

What IS the purpose of school?
Does your classroom reflect what you believe?

Please use the comments section of this blog post to share your thoughts and ideas and keep the conversation going!

They Say They Weren't Prepared for High School - 15 Questions

One of the middle school teachers I work with said that high school students came back to visit last week. They do this quite often - you'd never find ME going back to my 7th grade teachers, but our high schoolers do. It must say something about our school, right? Anyway, they said that middle school didn't prepare them for the work they'd have to do in high school.

Homework, that is.

This got our teachers going about how much is too much, how maybe we should be giving them more, about how things have been changing over the past few years, etc.

That next Tuesday night, Zach Rondot was our guest moderator for our #ShiftThis chat - such a great group of thinkers that come on Tuesdays! - and he asked questions about homework. Homework gets people riled up - students, teachers, and parents. No surprise. (Side note: Find all #ShiftThis archives here - on the right - including the homework chat on 10/17/17.)

What tugged at my heart strings was the tweet from friend and cohort Carrie - her daughter cried because her creative writing had a page expectation. And then this, from Michael Shunneson (who I luckily met at #DitchConference2017)...

Oh, this hurts my heart. This was almost 8pm. On a Tuesday.

If you've read Shift This, you've got some ideas for how to make homework more meaningful. If not, try chapter six. Or just go and get yourself a copy of Ditch That Homework, or perhaps The Homework Myth is more your style? And, in case you missed it from my book, here's the philosophy I share with parents. 

But really - we need to keep the conversation going. Even after all the research has been read and shared, many teachers still do what we learned to do - assign homework. Just because something is passed down to us doesn't mean we have to continue it. Whether you grade it or not (that's a whole other chapter) isn't even the issue. It's the homework itself that needs to be discussed.

So going back to my roots of asking questions to get to the heart of the matter, here are 15 I've come up with (from the ideas in last week's chat) so we can discuss this further at our own schools:

• What homework expectations change from elementary to middle to high school? Why?
• How is a student's home life already teaching responsibility?
• Is the volume of homework many of our high school students have really necessary?
• If our students need our help doing their homework, how will we make ourselves accessible? Or - what other resources could we provide for our students if we are not accessible? Do our students know how to access these resources?
• Which students will have an advantage over other students when it comes to homework?  Which will have a disadvantage? (Consider access to tech, home responsibilities, economic status, extra-curricular activities, etc.)
• Is homework given creating resistance to learning or inspiring learning?
• How can students in AP classes do homework that helps them learn the material - not just pass the test?
• How can subject-specific teachers share the amount of homework they're giving with other subject-specific teachers - so they can see the load students carry on a nightly basis?
• How and when can middle and high school administration get together to talk about amount and type of homework that has been given in the past, and that should be given in the future? How can they then convey this to their staff?
• What burning questions can we send home with students instead of worksheets or projects?
• How can we foster curiosity so students are learning on their own when they get home?
• How can we help students prioritize the work they're expected to do at home?
• How can students have choice and voice over what they're learning at home?
• How can we make any homework an authentic, engaging learning opportunity?
• How can we model lifelong learning?

Have the conversations. 

Please let me know other questions (in the comments section) we should be asking!

They Just Sat There

Our first few days of school are built around getting to know each other, and establishing some sort of routine. The first day I have students goes way too fast! We read First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg, and I share that the first day of school is nerve-wracking for me, too.

The second day of school, I read to them part of The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown. We discuss the "most important thing about an apple" before we read that page. At the beginning of chapter two in Shift This, I explain why I read this book to my scholars...

This year, I found myself going one step further. I went back to the page in the book where the author says that the "most important thing about snow is that it is white." WHITE?! I looked at my new seventh graders, and said, "You just sat there. You didn't say anything. Your faces didn't even give me any hint that you disagreed. You just SAT there. Is the most important thing about snow that it is white??" They immediately shook their heads and provided some of their own answers, which included wet, cold, falls from the sky, makes us have to shovel, great for sleds, for making snowballs, etc....

I nodded and repeated their ideas and then I felt myself getting agitated. I added something along the lines of, "Still. You just sat there. I think years of school have done this to you. Years of being asked to sit quietly and listen. To comply. For sure, I want you to hear my words - I feel as if I do have some wisdom to impart, but I also want you to ask questions - to share your opinions - politely, of course. When we are reading something you disagree with, I hope you ask us to stop for a moment and consider your thoughts and ideas, and we will, in turn, listen and respond to you."

I went on and on (rambling, ironically, as they sat there listening) until finally I said, "Thank you for listening and considering what this year could be like. I'll get off my soap box now."

As I reflected on it this weekend, it hit me - THIS is why my classroom management skills are lacking! THIS is why I have never gotten "distinguished" as a whole on the Danielson framework! I've been okay with it in the past - knowing I have tons still to work on, but now I know one giant reason why. I want my students to (eventually) run the class. It's messy!

I set the tone at the beginning of the year that I'm here to listen to students, and respond to their ideas. I'm here as a guide... a facilitator. I'll give them lots of time to practice, make mistakes, and practice again. I'm okay with the extra bit of noise or transition time if what we were working on was valuable to their learning or improving. Although I don't make working on my classroom management a priority, there's no doubt I'll continue to brush up on my classroom management skills year after year. However, that word "manage" may always strike a sore spot with me, due to personal reasons. I don't feel as if I need to earn "distinguished" in that realm. My students just sat there when I said the "most important thing about snow is that it is white." I don't want that. I want them to speak up when they think I'm wrong. I want them to stand up for something they believe in. I want to hear their ideas, and know that they're thinking - not just consuming.

I get many comments via Twitter. I'd LOVE to read your comments down below - keeping the comments all in one spot helps me when I revisit this idea. Please help me understand my position and help me grow by leaving me YOUR thoughts, ideas, and stories about this subject!