Day 56 - Word Shifts

Friday, May 8, 2020

I used to provide students with a lot of feedback - in class and on video recordings while reading their work. My feedback has now shifted to writing notes on student assignments and emails to them and their parents.

In these "unprecedented times" - and always, really - I'm very careful with my word choice when emailing students, parents, and coworkers.

Here are three of the word shifts I've made in the past six weeks (since we held the reins of what assignments we'll be providing):
     Instead of...   keep track   Try...  check in
          Example:
          NOT: I'd like to keep track of the assignments you're completing.
          YES: I'd like to check in the assignments you're completing.
     Instead of...   before we got stuck at home   Try...  earlier in the year
     Instead of...   you need to   Try...   please consider
     Instead of...   sincerely       Try...   missing you

I know there are more, but I've stopped writing them down. I'm making them on the spot. What are some of the words you've shifted with your students - and maybe with your family?

I will say, that when I get back into a school building, I'm not going to tip toe around peers. I'm going to ask things that need to be asked, and say things that need to be said, if by not saying them things will get weird or confusing. I've always been honest at school (I haven't lied since 2009 - I used to be a good liar - terrible, I know!), and I've also been kind. I think, in order for me to continue being kind, I need to not tiptoe around certain subjects. I'm just going to ask other teachers to hash it out with me. Just tell me what you're thinking, so we can work together as professionals in the best interest of our students.

More word shifts to read, if you'd like:

• Jen Roberts blogged here on the shift from "synchronous" and "asynchronous" to "real time" and "flex time."
• Erik Palmer blogged here about not saying "remote learning" but instead "remote assigning." If this weren't crisis learning, I'm sure we'd be doing things much differently
• Monte Syrie blogged here to share about moving from "if" to "when."

Day 48 - "Get to"

Thursday, April 30, 2020

You HAVE TO do certain things...
You WANT TO do certain things...

What did you GET TO do today?

I got to... 

• go for a walk
• see the flooding of the Salt Creek
• see three egrets, a big blue heron, purple martins, barn swallows, a red-winged blackbird
• show gratitude
• see my Peace Lily come back to life
• go grocery shopping for us and my parents
• meet with my team
• see the sun come out this afternoon
• visit my parents
• surprise my parents with strawberries
• make a tree face
• make lots of cards for Senior graduates
• listen to an audio book
• make plans to visit a state park this weekend
• talk with friends
• make a video for one of my students
• enjoy jokes sent by mom
• create questions so I can host May's #geniushour chat
• count the cars on A.H. Road (my five minute fix)
• have Hawaiian rolls with Land O' Lakes butter
• wash dishes with my husband
• have great laughs with my sister regarding the "contactless" birthday party she's hosting for her kids and husband Monday

Perspective.


Scenes from today:

• My plant is alive again! (We re-potted it last night. It was soooo droopy!)
• They don't have graduation cards at Meier. They still have Easter and St. Patrick's Day cards.
• The blue heron seen on our walk...
• The first discarded mask I've seen.

  

   

   

Eight Tips for Providing Feedback

After providing video feedback on myriad pieces of writing from my seventh graders, I was inspired to write this post. I'd read Matthew Johnson's post titled, "What Story Does Your Feedback Tell?" a few days ago, and thought now would be the perfect time to share some feedback tips I've learned. Most of these tips, if not all, can be applied to more than writing pieces. Consider using these for artwork, posters, presentations, and anything you'd like students to try improve the next time.

As an ELA teacher who has also authored two published books, I take providing feedback on student writing very seriously. I never liked writing until I started this blog and was able to write about whatever I wished. I remember all the red ink on my own papers, and I remember the lack of ink, as well, when a teacher simply put a letter grade at the top with a couple of words. ( From "Great job!" to "More thought needed.")

I remember when rubrics started becoming popular, and we had a heck of a time trying to make the words in each category become more and more objective. We even had some professional development time grading sample essays to help us become more objective. I remember on these days we'd give each sample a grade, write about one thing the student did well, and write one piece of feedback to help the student improve. Looking at other educators' ideas of feedback was very informative, and I found these days useful, even if they were exhausting.

I've since read a few books that have helped me to provide better and better feedback, even if I still have room to grow:

• The Feedback Fix: Dump the Past, Embrace the Future, and Lead the Way to Change by Joe Hirsch
• Feedback that Moves Writers Forward: How to Escape Correcting Mode to Transform Student Writing by Patricia M. McGee
• Creating a Culture of Feedback: Use Grading to Motivate Students to Move Forward by William M. Ferriter and Paul J. Cancellieri
• Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children's Learning by Peter H. Johnston

Since I am the curator of the Feedback in Lieu of Grades LiveBinder, I've also soaked up the articles and blog posts on this tab titled "How to Give Feedback."  Today we use all kinds of colored ink, yet as soon as we attach a grade to the piece, all our work on the feedback is often ignored. This, too, has come into play in how feedback is received by students, so the most important feedback is provided BEFORE students turn in the work to us. Conferring one-on-one is my favorite way to do this.

When students turn in completed work, I use the following tips...

1. Allow for multiple revisions. No, I cannot accept revisions the day before grades are due. I can, however, accept revisions one after another until I create a cut-off date. I've learned to provide time in class for students to revise, and I've learned to give them a time frame, as well. When they used to turn in a revised piece that was a month old only because they were worried about their grade, I would become so frustrated. I now say (in my recorded feedback), "Revise by (insert date here), or your revisions will be too far removed from when you wrote your original."
2. Record your feedback when you can. I used to use the free version of Screen-Cast-O-Matic. This year I splurged and paid for Loom. (The decision is explained in this post.) Video or screencasted feedback helps my students feel as if I'm sitting right next to them. They can hear the inflection in my voice, hear my smiles and laughter and thinking, and hear when I'm confused. With using a picture-in-picture, they can see me, as well, and knowing this actually helps me keep the feedback more positive. I focus more on next steps, rather than what went wrong.
3. Keep your feedback short and sweet. If using video feedback, definitely keep it under five minutes per child or piece of writing. If the writing is much longer, either read it ahead of time or only read the portion you can read on screen.
4. If all students have longer pieces of writing, ask them ahead of time to highlight the section they'd like for you to look at. This way, you're either looking at their best work or the work they would like help with. 
5. First, share how proud you are of what they've done. Share the positives - where you can hear their voice come through, where they've used a technique practiced in class, the strong start they had (yes - even if you told the class exactly how to begin), a literary element they implemented... anything you see that shows a skill they've used.
6. Share ONE thing students COULD improve upon, if they so desire. (See below for phrases that promote ownership.) This may be a grammar skill that they can work on throughout the piece. This may be giving more background information so readers can understand the evidence they used. This may be the introduction or the conclusion. It will be tempting to ask them to revise MANY aspects of their writing, but in my experience, they'll only edit one item anyway. Since you're providing opportunities for students to revise their writing, you and the student can tackle one issue at a time. The research I've read shows that students learn each skill better in this fashion.
7. Have a system for letting students know you provided feedback and for students to let YOU know they've revised and are ready for more feedback.
8. If you can, do NOT put the grade on the writing until all feedback and revisions have been completed. For my own notes, I jot down where I believe students are on the rubric(s) I've shared with them, but I try my hardest to not tell them until they decide to stop revising. (Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam's research titled "Inside the Black Box" persuaded me to update this practice, and my own observations in 2016 settled it once and for all for me.)

Ever since I started writing what I've wanted to write (instead of "back in the day" when teachers chose what I wrote), I've become more defensive about my writing. Much (real) writing is personal. Writers can get offended if someone tells them something looks "wrong" or could be said "in a different way." Since becoming a writer of my own blog, I've learned that I don't have to conform to anyone else's way of writing. It's MINE. If I had a teacher now who told me how to "fix" my writing, I may simply quit. I don't want to be the reason my students stop writing. I want to be the one to help them put strategies in place to improve.Therefore, I've learned how to approach what they could improve upon with certain phrases. For example, if a student's grammar is horrendous, I may say, "As a reader, I get distracted with your choice to not use our rules of grammar here, and it makes me either not understand what you're saying, or not want to continue reading. If you decided to capitalize names and spell words correctly, your message would come through clearer to your readers."

Phrases I use often that provide choice and ownership of their writing:

• "What would happen if you..." (ex: ...added more evidence here...)
• "You may want to think about..." (ex: ...moving this piece over here...)
• "You might want to consider..." (ex: ...getting rid of this sentence because it distracts or refutes...)
• "Your readers might appreciate..." (ex: ...if you elaborated more here...)

Sometimes, after all this, I am exhausted. I hit "stop recording" on a video with one particular tough piece of writing, and my smile falls. I sigh. I've figured out that my students respond to more positive growth statements, so I keep them up for the video, and then I copy the link to the video, paste it into the online grade book for them to watch, and move on to the next child. I don't linger on the myriad issues we need to address until it's time to teach in front of them once again. In essence, my "red pen" isn't flying all over the page - my voice reflects that of hope and encouragement.

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Edu Celebrities

I've seen the term a TON via tweets from educators I admire and also educators I don't follow.

I wonder who "qualifies" as an "Edu Celebrity..."

I wonder if I am one, or if I even want to BE one. Based on the mixed messages I find on social media sites, I have no clue.

Opinions range from pure love of certain "Edu Celebrities" to pure anger and rage against said "Edu Celebrities." Sometimes they're called different things, such as "Edu Rockstars" or "Edutainers."

What is the definition? I checked Urban Dictionary - I'm actually glad they don't have it - yet.

So... what IS the definition? According to the tweets I've seen shared, some people believe it has a positive and some believe it has a negative connotation. It depends on the person sharing, and whether they're in a mood to uplift or put down.

Here's a sampling of some of the tweets floating around, and my questions about them:

*I, too, love learning in person from those I respect on social media - some have even become what I would call "teacher friends," for sure.

*I've totally gotten my photo taken with more educators than musicians!

*I'm always look forward to meeting educators from whom I've learned!

*Getting your thoughts retweeted when you're new to Twitter (#NT2t = new teacher to Twitter) is one way to grow your network and become more connected. This most likely means you'll learn more than you ever knew before, as you're learning from so many educators around the world.

*I thought teachers shared this type of information as a pick-me-up or reminder, even during the hard times. And... aren't NONE of us "ordinary" teachers, especially if "we know what's good for kids"? Note: This person later shared with a friend "edu-celebrity" that SHE (the friend) was tweeting the "right" way for edu-celebrities... ?? This is confusing to  me.

*Does this mean Edu-celebrities are not in classrooms anymore? And don't some of them present to others to affect MORE students than they could when they were in the classroom?

*Here I see more suggestion that perhaps edu-celebrities have left the classroom. I have no idea what their experience was like. I have no idea what type of money they were (and are now) making. Perhaps they feel they can affect more children by presenting? Perhaps it was a better move for their family situation? Perhaps where they were teaching was a terrible situation? Plus, I haven't heard someone in a long time tell me that what I'm doing is "wrong," only that maybe I could try something different. I feel that much professional development goes in that direction... for "development" that we can take or leave.

*Here's more thinking of these educators being out of the classroom as a generalization. Wondering... do many people share theory first, then when asked, share the practicality? Seems as if social media is for small doses, not entire lessons on how to implement...

*This one was talking about how edu-celebrities should not be presenting at conferences - that students should. I agree that we should hear more from students. I also know I've learned a TON from other educators who share their learning.

*Why should ANY educators stop sharing? And who says they didn't schedule those posts to go out on the holidays when they're with their families and other educators are online reading them? And perhaps some don't have families to be with on holidays? I have more questions now.

*I don't know what to say. I know I'm privileged. I also know I have ideas to share. Where do I go from here???

*Then I saw more about "edu-heroes." I'll bet people have different definitions of them, as well. I can see that term being both affirming and full of pressure, for sure.

*One doesn't have to pay attention to ANYone. I, for one, however, am better when I hear success and failure stories from others who've tried things I don't (yet) dare.

*And yes, there is even a Twitter account mocking educators labeled "EduCelebrities." I wonder... does this educator hide behind this name so she/he/they can be rude online without their students knowing? This educator has a lot of followers - does that mean that many educators support it?

*This tweet is one I want to end my string with, as he's giving the benefit of the doubt to educators trying to do their best. I love how he used "edu role model" for those educators who are sharing and doing what they can with what they have.

More questions I've got...

• Isn't it okay for people tweet what they'd like?
• Isn't social media often used as a platform to share opinions?
• Isn't social media connecting us to people from around the world who have experienced many different things?
• Isn't it up to each person on social media platforms to decide who to follow, who to share engage with, and who to listen to - same as those we meet in person?
• Isn't it up to each person to decide who to listen to or who to support?
• Isn't it fair to ask, "Is this person bringing value to my life?" and then decide to follow (or mute or block) or not depending upon the answer?

What I've learned...

• People ("edu celebrity" or not) like to share their (positive and negative) opinions online.
• No one can please everyone.
• People on social media can choose to mute, block, unfollow or follow anyone they choose.
• People have feelings, and people can be hurt by what other people share.
• Educators aren't exempt from hurting others, and some educators don't always model what they want their students to share online.
• There is research that social media INCREASES isolation and DECREASES social skills.

I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do, how to share online, or what to believe. I'm taking this post to share the various ideas around one word that keeps popping up in my feed. Words are important, and I try to choose mine wisely. If I wouldn't tell a person face to face what I'm thinking, I won't be sharing those thoughts online, either.

Teacher and friend Jennifer Ledford wrote about "Edu-stars," and it rings true to me. We're all at different stages of our education, and our educating. Thank you, Jen, for writing a post that has stuck with me all this time. If we're doing what we can for those students in front of us, is that what truly matters? In my mind, ALL teachers are "Edu Celebrities" to some child out there, and most likely to multiple children. That's the type of EDUCATOR I strive to become every year - in the classroom and online.

I am in disbelief you read to the end... That, too, is a choice we make. Thank you for keeping polite conversations going - either on social media, the comments section here, or in your own school in front of your students.

Complaints

Because I know I want to get rid of them in my own life, I wrote about complaints in Word Shift...

and gossip...

When I hosted a #tlap chat about Word Shift, I mentioned my desire to stop complaining.

I don't know if Will Boden had the original idea to use a bracelet as a reminder, but it was so very good that it's taken off like wildfire!

I decided to give it a try. Here's the premise: Try to not complain for 21 days in a row. Put the bracelet or rubberband on one wrist. If you complain, put it on the other wrist, and you're back to Day One (and Will Boden shares there's no shame in being on Day One).

Here's what happened when I started...

At first, I accidentally complained, and then regretted it.
Then, I found out that once I broke the complaining rule, I'd complain a bunch all at one time.
Next, I learned how to complain without "complaining." It went like this... I'd say, "Here's a fact..." or "I noticed something today..." or even "so-and-so said this today..." and then I would say something that sounded like a complaint to me.

It was time to step up my game.

Here are the rules I'm currently living by:

1. No complaints / gripes / "facts" that are negative.
2. No talking about others if it's negative.
3. If I have a solution to a complaint, I will bring the solution to someone who can help implement it.
4. One-on-one with my husband, I allow myself to complain a bit (although my complaints have definitely decreased). He says I'm not complaining; I'm simply sharing about my day. Of course, he loves me, so he can say that. ;)

That's it.

Nope. Actually, here's the reason for one more of my "rules" for myself: I had my second migraine of the week yesterday, and as I was driving in to school, I wondered how I would answer peers and friends when they asked me, "How are you?" I was torn, because I'd want to know if they were suffering so I could help a bit or be understanding, yet I didn't want to complain. Turns out no one asked me how I was (that's unusual). I hid it well, too. Until... I was driving home with the top down (I love my car). A taxi driver next to me started a conversation (a common occurrence with a convertible), got me to laugh, and then said, "Laughter is a good therapy." He saw my pain. Either I was holding my head or grimacing or sitting there with a mad face on... I don't know. I do know he saw my pain and wanted to help. So... Rule #5 for myself is...

• It's okay to let others know I'm not up to par when something is wrong. I'm deciding to not go into detail about what's ailing me unless it's going to be chronic or something I'll feel I might need support for in the future.

Here's how it's working for me so far:

• I'm listening more than I'm talking.
• I'm asking questions more than providing opinions.
• I'm learning A LOT. I'm learning more about people than ever before. I'm learning that I don't have to share everything that pops up in my head. I'm learning that it's easier to be quiet and listen than it is to talk (and maybe put my foot in my mouth or hurt someone's feelings or...).
• I'm noticing others' complaints more often. I'm not quite at the point where I try to turn the direction of the conversation, as I am loving this listening gig. ;)
• I notice that with good friends, I'm fine with them complaining to me because I can simply listen and be there for them.
• I'm sticking up a bit more for those who don't always have their voices heard. If someone is cut off during a discussion, I am able to bring the discussion back to their point.
• I'm not caring as much what others think of me. It may be because I'm not thinking of those people I might complain about, so there's no need to think of what they think of me.
• I'm not giving thinking space to complaints, so I'm happier than normal.

Just this week, I received an official "complaint-free world" bracelet from our district superintendent. That day, I went back to Day One. Today is Day Five, and it's the first time I'm counting. I don't really want to keep track. I used to be a numbers girl when I ran - dates, times, distances, miles per min, etc. - and I've even stopped keeping track of mileage on my bikes.  I don't need to know what number I am on during a streak. [Streaks kick me in the butt and stress me out. I learned that when my Duolingo streak was reset somehow. Sadly (due to pride?) I'm still keeping track of that one on my own.]  I simply want to stop complaining. I simply want to stay away from gossip. I don't need a streak to tell me that I'm doing well. I'll mess up again and again, and yet it counts that I'm focusing on this every day. I want steering away from complaints and gossip to become a habit. It requires conditioning, just like with the other words I suggested we consider in Word Shift.

It's the implementation that counts.

What my lips say, my mind thinks.

I'm training my mind to think differently.

It's a process I'm enjoying quite a bit.

Thanks, Dr. Bein, for the fabulous bracelet!

My Hopes for Word Shift

My hopes... dreams... impact for Word Shift?

What's the big deal about this dictionary of sorts?

It happens. It's happened to me. It happens to teachers I greatly admire and respect, and it will happen again. A word will come out of an educator's mouth to describe a student or a coworker, and this word (Is it a label? An adjective?) is now attached to the person being described. If it's a negative word, it's usually due to stress, and these stressors are not going away any time soon. Our minds tuck the word away. We head to our next task, and the next time this person's name comes up, that word wraps its way around our thoughts, etching itself deeper into our subconscious. We may even become irritated by the person who said it and caused this word to stick in our minds. Negative labels fester in our minds, infecting us and those around us. What will bring about positive shifts in school culture? Choosing different words will change our thoughts and our actions. I believe it could be as simple as that.

Could it be as simple as that when it comes to our mental wellbeing? With directives coming at us (educators and administrators) from all directions, the teaching field is more stressful than ever. Some words we use seem to stop progress in its tracks. So many teachers shrug their shoulders and put up their arms and say, "I'm just a teacher. It's not in my control." I disagree. I believe we are readers, researchers, writers, contributors, explorers, collaborators, hypothesizers, experimenters, adventurers, risk takers, learners, visionaries, coaches, guides, amplifiers, leaders, and change makers! We are trying to do what we believe is right and good for the young learners in front of us every day.

I shared this message in my first keynote session in Boston last year, after I'd written that part of Word Shift. (I'll be sharing it again at IETC in November - come join us!) I then dug into the tough stuff... how educators speak at school when there are no children around, and how this affects our students.

My goal of writing Word Shift was three-fold.

1. For ME to note, recognize, and stop using words that make me think negatively (subtly or overtly) - about myself, peers, and students.
2. Help others recognize and reconsider some words we use with children and peers.
3. Keep the conversations going - and focus on what will bring about much-needed positive shifts in school culture.

If more positive words would be planted and take root in our minds so they can bloom, we can share their positivity and effectiveness. Hopefully this awareness will extend to our families and online presence - so we can speak up with more focused intent...

I told a friend "I've thrown a lot of teachers under the bus - myself included" - in this book. If you recognize yourself and are uncomfortable with it, what will you do? Will you complain to me? Will you look inside yourself and reflect? Will you choose to change your language and share that with us?

This book is not based on research - it's based on 24 years of observing classrooms and teacher interactions. I'm still an educator in the American school system, striving to do better. Striving to learn, to grow, and to help my students succeed and be the best people they can. As you read - and long after you read - Word Shift, please share what words you feel we could omit, shift, or add to our language in the educational system and beyond.

Let's get this conversation started.

Choosing the "Right" Words...

...was so difficult for this writing-on-all-the-Ticonderoga-pencils gig to prepare for school to begin!

After I started writing one set (I eventually made three sets of 30), I thought more about the words I chose, and how one slight shift can make a huge difference.

For instance, if I wrote "be kind," it sounded like a demand, or at least a request. By changing it to "thank you for being kind," I'm making an assumption (usually a no-no) that they already ARE kind, and I'm still encouraging kindness. I modified it even more - "thank you for choosing to be kind," as then students can see it as a choice they have. They often think they have no choices. This is one they can make on their own, every chance they get.

I found many of my words meant the same idea, and were said in many different ways.
"You matter" is now written as "you are important," "your perspective is worth sharing," "we need your ideas," etc. Words strike people differently, and I didn't want to leave any messages unclear.

Here is one set:

The words I used this time around:
     Smiles & laughter:
     People smile when they see your smile!
     Your smile lights up our days!
     Smiling makes you happier.
     Your laugh is infectious.
     Keep smiling!
     Life is good.
     Regarding tough times:
     Dream big!
     You can do this!
     You've got this!
     You will persevere.
     Keep on keepin' on...
     Embrace the struggle. (Added thanks to @innovatenlearn.)
     Reach out if you need anything.
     Appreciation:
     Thank you for being caring.
     Thank you for your positive attitude.
     Thank you for being you.
     Thank you for being a friend to others.
     Thank you for choosing to be kind.
     What are you grateful for? (The grammarian in me wants to say "For what are you grateful," and then I think... these are for 7th graders. Would they relate?)
     Mattering:
     You matter.
     You are important.
     You inspire others.
     You are loved.
     You have a contribution to  make in this world.
     Your perspective is worth sharing.
     We need your voice to be used for good.
     We need your ideas.
     This world needs you.
     We're happy you're here.
     Our lives are better with YOU in it.
     Be the change you wish to see. (Thanks to @blocht574.)

Then... My husband came in from the garage to show me his progress on his newest whirligig that he's making for a friend of ours. I saw that Ticonderoga tucked behind his ear - it looked naked! I asked him if I could write on it. I wrote, "Your creativity makes others smile." I know I'll be doing this once I run out of these pencils... For each student that needs one, I'll look at them and find a personal message meant just for them, and then find that ultra fine point Sharpie!

I'm thinking of pre-sharpening them when I get to my good pencil sharpener at school... Too much??

Please comment below any messages that you might share with your own students!

Word Shift!

Here's the inside story...

If you read this post, you may feel a tad bit uncomfortable.
The same goes for when you read Word Shift...

http://shiftthis.weebly.com/

Shift This had been out for a few months, and readers had been connecting with me about the resistance they had felt, and how, after reading the last chapter (on resistance!), they felt less alone. They felt less "crazy." We are not alone. There are a TON of educators who want to shift what's happening in their classrooms.

And we are not crazy - we are readers, researchers, writers, contributors, explorers, collaborators, hypothesizers, experimenters, adventurers, risk takers, learners, visionaries, coaches, guides, amplifiers, leaders, and change makers! We are trying to do what we believe is right and good for the young learners in front of us every day.

I shared this message in my first keynote session in Boston last year, after I'd written that part of the book. (I'm sharing it again at IETC in November.) I then dug into the tough stuff... how educators speak at school when there are no children around, and how this affects our students.

One student who had issues at home was an angry child. He was angry with his parents for their divorce, I'd heard he was not a fan of his step-dad, and I'm not sure he was getting the attention he desired at home, as much of it was being directed to his younger sister for various reasons. This is how I saw him in our class. I saw him as someone needing my attention and caring. He wasn't the best behaved, for sure, and it was pretty rough on me. So... I did what I could. I learned about him slowly over the first few months. We developed a pretty good relationship, as we figured out a plan that worked for him, and we even shared a couple of jokes (the ones that didn't distract the class too much). He knew how to make me sing, even - he would hum the first five notes of "Try Everything" by Shakira, and I was hooked!

Then my mind was spun in circles one day. Frustrations can run high in school settings, and educators (I'm no exception) don't always say the perfect words. One coworker of mine, while talking amongst other teachers, called this child an a-----. I tried to help steer my own thoughts by saying even though he may ACT like an a-----, he's still a child. That day, the next day, and the day after that, my brain was tainted with this label for this child. NO. Nonononono. I did NOT want to think of this child as an a-----, and yet the seed had been planted. I worked my butt off the rest of that year trying to get that word out of my head. Trying to get this LABEL out of my head.

We use so many labels. It makes my stomach turn. I started writing down all the labels I've heard used and have used myself. I then began to listen better and hear more words I've used that may be better left unsaid.

What pushed me over the edge was the last day of the 2017-2018 school year. My coworker Yvette and I asked students for further feedback. The question that day was, "What did we do well, and where can we improve for next year?" One sweet seventh grader said, "Thank you for not saying you're going to chop off my knee caps," and another piped in with "...or light us on fire!"

Nonononono. Some twelve year olds do not do well with sarcasm. These words were the ones that encouraged me to write with the full intent to ask the DBCI group to help me publish it. The ideas in this book came from many educators' words from around the world, not solely from my experiences at my current school, obviously.

I've said some harsh things to students - and teachers - in my past. For sure I won't be perfect moving forward. (Oh, goodness, how I have to learn how to listen more than I speak!!) I want to be better. I want to communicate precisely what I mean, without attaching any negative labels to students or peers. There are also all those words we leave unsaid, that really need to be said - to students and to peers. Consider when we close our mouths in class, and yet we could use that instance to teach about grief, mental health, racial inequalities, or any of the myriad other relevant topics that our students know more and more about due to their access to information.

Writing this book has helped me consider words we use in a new light. As we read Word Shift (yes, I'll be reading bits and pieces again), I hope we evaluate words we, our peers, and our students use, and share others that work more effectively and can be used more often in our schools. How will we find our voice and use it when we hear negative language in schools? How will we elevate and amplify positive messages so they reach more students and colleagues?

#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!