If Only

I have met Amy one time - we were presenting at IATE, thanks to Fremd High School English teachers! And then I hear... she's writing a book. A BOOK! Well, isn't everybody?

That's the thing. The answer is NO. I am not. My husband is not. I know nine seventh graders who are writing a book, and I know teachers who've written professional books, but I don't know any other adult who is writing a fiction book.

I started watching her tweets more closely (she's on my "met face-to-face" list on Tweet Deck), and sure enough, it was going to be published in March! So I watched even more closely... surely I could get an ARC, yes? After all, I followed AJ Pine when she was AMY Pine! ;-)

YES! I received an electronic copy in my email last week, and immediately uploaded it to my iPad. I finished it today (during ISATs), and wrote a quick review of If Only on GoodReads here. Since this blog is about what I've learned, however, I'm going that route...

What I've learned about myself, writing, and reading...
     * From line one, I knew this book was NOT for my seventh graders!
     * This was the first book I've read on my iPad. I'm a paper person. However, I learned I was okay with bookmarking a page in the middle of a chapter... This does NOT happen when I read paper books.
     * I realized it's okay to read a romance every now and then! (Especially when Noah is in it!)
     * I have a feeling Amy went through the Scotland adventure herself - she knew so much of what she was writing. We start by writing what we know, right? She also threw in 80s and 90s references - I caught a few, and found I connected more with her when she threw in lines from mine and my husband's favorite movie (I'm not spoiling it - you'll have to read it yourself - even the lines on the last page hit home for me)!
     * I found myself looking at sentence structure, seeing vocabulary I loved, and recognizing character traits and patterns of speech more than I ever have. Was I wondering what I would write for a review? No. I was wondering how I could write like this. I was wondering how people come up with stories. I was wondering how authors come up with believable characters.
     * I stayed on the lookout for good quotes - we have a "literary graffiti" ceiling in room 239. Here's one of my favorites:  I'm suddenly aware that my lack of success in the male/female relationship department might have something to do with my preference for boys made from words. (p94)
     * I was reminded that I am illiterate when it comes to "Literature" (with a capital L). I don't know the books (or even movies) Jordan (the main character - and I'm sure Amy, too) is in love with. I have added the movie (I don't think I'd understand the book!) "A Room With a View" to my list, and even one of Shakespeare's works...... I've got some work ahead of me. I'm still working through one of the quotes at the beginning of one of the sections of If Only...
     * I was inspired. I would like to say I was inspired to write my own novel...... It's not that I don't consider myself a writer (sigh...I still really don't), but I have often wondered... What would I write about? I don't consider myself creative. I'm pretty good at copying what others do, but I'm not great at coming up with ideas on my own. And a story? HAH! I have never even written a short story. That doesn't mean I can't... It means I must try. If I expect my students to try, I need to try, as well. Ugh.
     * I wondered how many books or short stories Amy has written.... How many times has she "failed?" How many edits has she made? How many times has she felt her writing was "not good enough?" I wonder if she'll Skype with my writers' group some day this year???  (Go ahead, Amy - please answer in the comments!)
     * I realized once again that we bring our background to what we read. My husband and I are on page 31, and again on page 331... In fact, I had to read a few parts aloud to him...

And my last thought for tonight...
     * If you know the author, but the book is written well, you will forget that that person read it, and just be swept up in it...

-----

Embrace is excited to be announcing the release of Amy Pine’s If Only, which readers are already raving about!  Plus you can pick up If Only on sale for just $.99 right now.

 On Sale: March 24, 2014

About If Only:

Sometimes it takes crossing an ocean to figure out where you belong.

It's been two years since twenty-year-old Jordan had a boyfriend—which means it's been forever since she, well, you know. But now she’s off to spend her junior year in Aberdeen, Scotland, the perfect place to stop waiting for Mr. Right and just enjoy Mr. Right Now.

Sexy, sweet (and possible player) Griffin may be her perfect, no-strings-attached match. He’s fun, gorgeous, and makes her laugh. So why can’t she stop thinking about Noah who, minutes after being trapped together outside the train’s loo, kisses Jordan like she’s never been kissed before? Never mind his impossible blue eyes, his weathered, annotated copy of The Great Gatsby (total English-major porn)…oh, and his girlfriend.

Jordan knows everything this year has an expiration date. Aberdeen is supposed to be about fun rather than waiting for life to happen. But E. M. Forster, Shakespeare, and mistletoe on Valentine’s Day make her reconsider what love is and how far she’s willing to go for the right guy.

Find If Only Online:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Goodreads</ a>

Find A.J. Online:

Website | </ span>Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway

Prize:
If Only Swag Pack -An “I love you from here to Scotland” print, Ahava pendent, A pack each of Much Ado about Nothing and A Room With a View confetti, Much Ado about Nothing travel mug and A Room With a View Blu-ray (a $25 Amazon gift card will be substituted if winner is outside the US).                      a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fishbowl Discussions

We should have started these types of discussions back in September or October, but I'm so very glad we're starting now. I needed to get my reflections down on how "fishbowl discussions" went in my 7th grade ELA classes this week. Why are we trying these? Because the 7th grade ELA team of teachers knows that to get students doing most of the work is how they learn. We want to keep them engaged in the lesson by being able to share their ideas, and we want to help them be able to listen to and learn from one another.

Day 1:  I began by asking, "What are the components of a good discussion?" I then asked WHY we have discussions. Their answers were as follows: To figure out answers to questions, to practice listening, to get other's viewpoints, to learn something new, to share what we know.
     Next, we watched the first 6 minutes of Paul Bogush's fishbowl discussion video. Students asked, "Are we going to do this?" Yup! We then practiced moving the tables and chairs - I feel that since I pointed it out during the video that they would be moving their own tables, they rose to the challenge. Since I wanted an easy discussion first, we read a scenario* (here are some we may use in the future), and asked for our first volunteers. Reviewed "rules," and started discussing. I kept notes on who talked, and who chose to stay in the background. With 7-10 minutes left to spare, we moved the tables and chairs back and I asked students to suggest how to incorporate more people into the discussion.

Student suggestions -

     * When you're done speaking, you can get out of the discussion without someone being waiting to come in. That way there's an open invitation of an empty seat.
     * You can join just to ask one question if you'd like.
     * You can encourage someone to come in for you - make a suggestion to someone.
     * You can give your question or idea to a friend and he or she can come in for you.

My observations -
     * I love how my three classes moved the tables differently. I gave my first class too many directions, I realized, after my second class went right to it without my help. Their middle table formation was different than the first class, and my last class had a different outer circle formation. Let the students to figure it out!
     * My first class (the quiet, compliant class) was still quiet, but they listened well to each other, and responded positively to each other.  One thing they did not do - disagree. It almost seemed as if they were too nice. (Is that possible?) There wasn't much dissension.
     * My second class (the tech-loving, opinion sharing class) was very disappointed to see their discussion end. I heard one student on his way out say, "I like this. We actually have a chance to get a word in." I did notice that a handful were in the fishbowl more often than others, and they started to get frustrated with each other near the end, repeating what they'd said prior.
     * My third class (the after-lunch exuberant class) was the most active - jumping in and out and in and out like a whirlwind! However, it was the same few students throughout, and they didn't respond "bounce ideas off each other" like they said they had listed in their "components of a good discussion."

My changes for the next session -
     * Ask block 3/4 how to get more students involved, and show them how they can nicely disagree.
     * Limit students in block 5/6 to two times in the circle, saying two solid ideas each time.
     * Create small handout of response starters for them to use so they begin listening to each other. (I also put these in the fishbowl for block 5/6.)

Day 2: We have a question of the day in the back of the room. Students' names are on individual magnets, and they move their names over under the answer to the question. This day's question was, "On a scale of 1-10, how well do you think our fishbowl discussion went yesterday?" They answered as they came in.
We then looked at our ideas from the day before so they could see what they did well and on what they could improve, and asked the question again. Each class seemed determined to do better than the first discussion. Students had a few suggestions that they were willing to try, and I was excited to see how each class could improve.
     We first voted on a scenario from two choices. We read, moved the tables and chairs (oh so quickly this time!), and students were in the middle, ready to go. There was an added job today, however. I asked students to take notes on what other students said - anything that surprised them, made them think deeper, etc.
     With 10 minutes left to spare, we moved the tables and chairs back and I asked students to share with me what they wrote down. I projected these quotes on the board, and showed them how we will be using our notes to write about the experience (during tomorrow's scenario). I asked for a quick "thumbs up, middle, or down" as to how well we did today - and celebrated with them their progress.

My observations -
     * Thank goodness for wheels on my tables. Students were quick to figure out what tables go where.
     * The same amount of students participated in my first class, but one was different than yesterday. They also disagreed more often, but still in a respectful way.
     * More students in block 5/6 were able to participate! It seemed as if they were choosing their words carefully, as well, as they didn't want to leave the circle too quickly.
     * My last class made me laugh - they used the response starters to the hilt! They sounded sarcastic, but it did encourage them to listen more to each other. One student pulled out a line from our last huge unit about neuroscience - "How old is he (the "new kid" in the scenario we read)? He's in high school? Well, then we know his brain isn't fully developed yet!" I was cracking up!

My changes for the next session -
     * Make sure students on the outside of the circle are sitting two to a table only. At times there were three, and that seemed to encourage whispers.
     * I will NOT give the class a time limit that they can see - I did this for my last class and it backfired. They stopped talking early, and asked that they not know how many minutes they had until they only had two minutes left. Done.
     * Make sure, for tomorrow, each student is ready to take notes on what their classmates say. This was difficult for many today. I'm glad we tried it with no pressure of a prompt first, and I'm glad I'm not grading their prompt they'll turn in tomorrow.

Day 3: Our question in the back of the room was the same.
We first celebrated what we did well the day before, and then suggested goals for the day. I shared my goal - students taking notes on what their classmates were saying. Before we read today, I asked students to write about success. "What does success mean to you? What does it mean to be successful?" Students had 10 minutes, and wrote a full page on average. We then read Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Success."  Then the discussions began.
     After discussions, I asked students to add to their writing, using the text, comments from their classmates, and their own reflections.  My prompt when they began writing - Explain how the text or the discussion changed their thinking.

Student suggestions -
     * Drop the poem. They wanted to have the discussion based on their writing, not on the poem.
     * One said that if we grade them on their participation, more will go in the middle.
     * My middle class likes the new rule of going in only two times.

My observations -
     * Students wrote (before the discussion) for a long time... some wanted more than 10 minutes.
     * Students were eager to move the tables, and did so very quickly.
     * Two students went into the circle and did not say anything. They were finally tapped out, and did not resist.
     * I found it very hard to not "rein in" my middle class, as they got off topic once (I popped in to say, "Let's remember our focus"), and right before I was ready to pop in again, they came back on topic themselves.
     * When the sub for our teaching assistant asked a question from outside of the circle, the students near him quietly explained that he could "tap in" if he wanted to talk.
     * My last class really focused just on the lines in the poem, and finally got so frustrated with it they asked me if they had to discuss it. I said, "Go ahead and discuss 'success.'"
     * Students who were listening had a lot to write after the discussion. Students who were not in the middle or did not listen had a very difficult time writing more than one or two sentences.

My changes for next session -
     * Let students discuss their own writing first, then add the poem when they've run out of steam.
     * Let students know how many times they've been in a discussion so far (0/3, 1/3, 2/3, 3/3) so they know I'm aware. If they have been in 0/3, give them pointers on the bottom of a note so they feel that they can jump in. (I created this document for now, but can modify later.)
     * Keep asking students to reflect on what went well, and on what they can improve. They're so good at this, and it seems to give them focus when they begin a new session.
     * I've created a self-reflection sheet, as well (which will probably work better than me giving them the notes I wrote about above).
     * Give students a goal of TWO quotes that they will use in their writing after the discussion.
     * Give any substitute the directions for fish bowl discussions. ;-)

Student quotes I wrote down regarding "success" (from all three classes) -
     "...depends on your goal in life."
     "If you are NOT successful, you learn more from failing."
     "It's not what others want you to do; it's different for everyone."
     "...friends, family, and education..."
     "...who you surround yourself with..."
     "If you hate yourself, are you not successful?"
     "It's how you feel about yourself - what makes you happy."
     "It's giving back..."
     "...doing the right thing..."
     "...helping others... bubbling with excitement..."
     "Success is hard work."
     "...if I tried my hardest... be patient..."
     "...persistence - don't be a quitter..."
     "You've succeeded if you have friends that are there for you."
     "Success is something YOU determine."
     "You have to keep elevating it... want to be superior to others..."
     "...make your way up there with smaller goals..."
     "You don't feel like you've successfully completed something if no one knows about it."
     "...as long as you do something that helps others..."
     "You might have to miss out on things..."
     "Do what is important to you."
     "Live in the present."
     "Only you can say that you've succeeded."

Oh, be still my heart. I love it when seventh graders make sense... Scroll down on this page to see some of their writing.

We will continue to add to this writing regarding success - after we read, analyze, and have more discussions regarding the first two chapters of Outliers by Malcom Gladwell.

* We have read two scenarios provided by Michael Smith - co-author of Fresh Takes on Teaching: Literary Elements - He had come to our school to share some great ideas!

Stepping it up a notch...

Oh, boy. I like calm waters. I don't like to stir things up. But I think it's time for me to step it up a notch...

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to see Rick Wormeli this week. Oh, the enthusiasm that emanates from that man! He came skipping into the room, and even asked, "Is Joy Kirr here?" (No, I'm NOT a Twitter stalker, just an admirer!)

My big take-away from the (stellar) professional development today: I need to bring these ideas back to my team. The strongest question I heard today was, "To what degree will you allow your colleagues to keep doing what they're doing, even if you think it is not right?" Team time can be difficult when there are many strong opinions in the room, and we all think we're right. I feel I need to stop staying quiet (because I get intimidated), and start speaking up.

I'm always the one that supports good ideas - I get on the bandwagon and cheer! I try to help out where I can. I'm not one to challenge others. However, Rick got me thinking. Later in the afternoon, I found myself on Twitter asking someone about their tweet & the name of a contest for students - It's called the "Smart Student Blog Contest." The name just rubbed me the wrong way, so after a three-minute struggle in my mind about whether to even go there or not, I replied to the person who tweeted it out...

As soon as I tweeted it out, I regretted it. And yet, I didn't delete it. I wondered, "What's the worst that could happen - he unfollows me?" I don't follow him (for various reasons), but he was on a list of mine that showed up on my TweetDeck - the reason I saw his tweet. Still, I wasn't looking for a fight. I looked back at my tweet and saw that it wasn't negative, just inquisitive. I received this in reply:

And I replied back, because I was still irked by the name "Smart Student..."

Phew! That tiny challenge took a lot out of me. It was time for met to get off Twitter for the day!

This morning, I saw this tweet from a very well-respected member of my PLN:

I smiled, and replied...

What ensued at 6:15am today was a valuable conversation between Jill and I about what our role is as educators. Do we want the best for only OUR students, or for ALL students?

What am I scared of? I'm worried I'll be known as the teacher who thinks she knows it all. (But if they really knew me, they'd know I have no clue what I'm doing!) I don't want to be the bad guy. I don't want to look like a jerk. I don't want to stir the pot.

Do I have a record for stirring the pot? No. I did one time, two years ago, on opening day. I remember it clearly. I asked another teacher why she would ask the teachers in the grade below her to give her notes on students before she'd even met them. I asked, "Whatever happened to a 'clean slate?'" She has just started talking to me again... I don't want to burn bridges. Heck, I want to be liked - especially where I work.

It is, however, time for me to step it up a notch. I now have Rick Wormeli's question taped to my open laptop. It's there to remind me, while speaking with other teachers in a meeting about students, to challenge ideas I don't believe in. But how? How can I do so - nicely - so as to not burn bridges and keep the conversations going? I think I'm going to start with another tip from Rick and from many others I've heard from in the last two years I've been on Twitter - ask the right question, and then let the answers go around the room. Once it's been discussed by others, reflect what I hear, and ask again, if need be. Or... is it better to have this conversation one-on-one? Hopefully my coworker who attended with me will support my endeavors.

I need your help now... How do you do find this balance at your school? Or do you not? Let's keep the conversation going and encourage each other to do the same!

5/27/18 - I need to add this article about LISTENING here - it goes so well with continuing the conversations from here on out.

8/4/18 - Update... what I left out...
The day after this workshop with Rick, I was approached by a teacher who was upset about a tweet I shared that day that said, "How can I share his messages the rest of my team who decided to not come today?" This person was upset and after tip-toeing around it for a walk down the hall, as we rounded the corner, finally shared, "We won't need to be doing this (standards-based grading / SBG) for years. Why should we care?" I responded, "Because it's best for kids." The conversation ended there. And here we are, four years later, on our way to SBG (still). After being the only one in my school going w/o points and marks through the term for three full years now, I'll be ready. I'll be soooooo ready.

Deeper Learning

“After all is said and done, more is said than done.” ~Aesop

Sam LeDeaux’s latest post, “Do Educators Actually DO Anything?” made me think about this past weekend’s visit up north to EdCamp Madison, Wisconsin. It also inspired me to watch the next episode of the MOOC I’ve joined this month: DLMOOC = Deeper Learning. After watching the Google Hang Out session with the following participants, I decided I need to be an active participant - I need to put these ideas into action.

Rob Riordan facilitated this meeting, and was joined by

Karen Fasimpaur, Ron Berger, Joseph McDonald, Dr. Carissa Romero, Iza McGawley  (7th grade student) & Edrick Macalaguim (7th grade Humanities teacher).

Week Two is about delving into looking at student work, considering the elements of deeper learning: content mastery, critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, effective communication, self-directed learning & academic mindsets.

A question posed was, “Why look at student work?” My notes from the discussion follow:

...to create a vision of what we’re aiming for.

...to provide students with a vision of what a great ____ (essay, creation, blog post, etc…) is by showing them a beautiful model/example of it. This creates a model and discussion point for what we’re aiming for.

...in order for teachers to find out how well we are scaffolding lessons, or how well we are communicating the material, process… and helps the teacher guide direction & make adjustments.

But looking at student work is not just for teachers.
What benefits could STUDENTS get out of looking at student work?

...to help students understand each other more.

...to connect to each other more and build more of a relationship with each other.

...to compliment others on their work. Students strive to be the “model” so they can be recognized by the class and feel special.

...to view mistakes as good - critiques are valuable. They show us what we have learned, and how much we have to learn. They help us know how we’re progressing toward our learning goals. This can help move the classroom culture towards the direction that school is for LEARNING.

…to celebrate mistakes & recognize the value of them.

…to point out what’s working and find strengths. We can often learn more from finding out what’s working / what’s effective than from what’s not.

...to celebrate each other’s work and build each other up.

Of course, teachers have concerns with showing models… Models might influence students. Ron Berger had this to say about these concerns - There is not one time to introduce exemplars - at the beginning, in the middle, at the end when you’re trying to push quality… Don’t worry about squashing creativity - worry about inspiring quality.

If your students are critiquing other student work, you could try giving “two stars and two wishes” - two things at which they did well, and two things they’d like to see. Keep this in mind, however… Rob Riordan mentioned something I learned from reading Choice Words by Peter Johnston - exclude the word “but” - the only thing students hear is what you say AFTER the word “but.” Here’s an example: “I love how you described that character, but I’d love for you to add some dialogue.” As I learned in Choice Words, say the word “and” afterwards, and give the student an OPTION… making it his or her choice to improve the writing. For example, “I love how you described that character, and if you want your reader to know him more, you could add in some dialogue.”

Do you have students who are sensitive to critique? Tell students WHY you’re giving feedback - “because I have very high standards for you, and I know that you can meet those standards.” The teacher’s message says that the work is important, and s/he wants the student to learn and achieve.

Having taken all these notes from the one hour of conversation, it’s time for me to take action.

Within the next two weeks, I will...

* Share student progress during group work - Our discussion will center around what groups worked well, and why? What hindered productive discussion? What helped the discussion flow smoothly?

* Spotlight specific actions of students that show aspects of quality writing. Get the camera out and project this writing - leads, transition words, tier two vocabulary, quality evidence cited, etc…

* Pair students to look at each other’s work and give two wishes and two stars. I will have a sentence structure on the board so that no one is using the word, “but” in his or her oral or written feedback during this pairing.

With this plan in mind, it is my hope that more is DONE rather than simply SAID in my classroom. I’ll shut my mouth now and let the students get to work.

Fall Take-Aways

Fall is definitely over, as I sit here in temperatures below zero for two days off of school. I've been reading some great books - fiction and professional books. For a full list, see the shelf on the right of this blog. But here are the latest that I just had to share...

Professional Literature

*** Choice Words: How our language affects Children's Learning by Peter H. Johnston ***

     --> EVERY person who works with children should read this book.  How many of us have unwillingly (or sadly - consciously) shamed children by the words we use?* This book reminded me of the language Angela Maiers uses in Classroom Habitudes to let students know they matter, but it also reminded me of Ellin Oliver Keene's Talk About Understanding - using the power of our language to help students stretch their thinking. While reading, I frequently wondered, "HOW will I be able to think automatically and use these phrases on a consistent basis?" In chapter 8, the author explains that first your goal must be true. If your goal is valuable, then your lessons will be valuable, and your words will more likely reflect what you want your students to believe... The teachers in this book all cared about their students, more than they cared about what their students said or did. This makes all the difference. I know, after reading this, that I will be much more in tune to what words come out of my mouth.

Whole Novels for the Whole Class: A Student-centered approach by Ariel Sacks
     --> I've created a document with so many (all?) of her ideas in it so I can use this approach as we read The Outsiders this year. It just makes sense. What got me hooked was this Education Week article. If you teach middle school or high school english, you've got to read this one. If you need teacher's ideas to get you to purchase the book, check out our #ELAchat archives of the chapters.

Common Core English Language Arts in a PLC at Work: Grades 6-8 by Douglas Fisher & Nancy Frey
     --> You need your coworkers in order to efficiently create common assessments that are actually USEFUL to you and your students. You need TIME, provided by your district, so you can talk about your goals, the structure of any rubrics, and the lessons you've planned and implemented. This time needs to be given frequently, and it needs to be used well.

Teaching with Tablets: How do I integrate tablets with effective instruction? by Nancy Frey, Doug Fisher, and Alex Gonzalez
     --> The tech department at your school should review this book first, then disseminate the information to teachers and students while using the tablet apps suggested. Keep in mind, too, the gradual release of responsibility as you are delving in to any of the myriad activities suggested.

My "professional reads" this fall...

Children's Fiction - My Latest Favorites
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
The Liberation of Gabriel King by K.L. Going
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

Any of these can be read by my 7th graders - some are easier than others, but students will be engaged in all four!

If you're reading this, you've probably learned a TON this past fall as well, from books and your PLN. What is your one (hah!) take-away?

*In September, I came across a scathing video from Brene Brown, wrote her a letter, and she responded to the teachers who'd written to her in this post - regarding shame. I have heard me use phrases since that would be considered shaming, and I'm not proud of it. Reading Choice Words has shed even more light on how I want to change my language, especially in the classroom.

Gratitude

I'm not going to write a "best of 2013" post.

In fact, I wasn't going to write another post this year. This break has been a true "break!" Still amazed at the power of sharing ideas with teachers from across the nation and the world, I thought I'd just let others write and share while I sat back and enjoyed reading them.

Alas, Michelle Haseltine inspired me last night. There were a few gems in her Sunshine Award blog post. Here's the one that was the catalyst for this post:

Many teachers choose one word for their year. I haven't done this...yet. I guess it's time, because I already knew my word.

Made with the app "Over" on a photograph of an apple a student gave to me this year.

I knew this, as I am reminded daily of how grateful I am - and I need to show it more. But what reminded me one more time that I am right where I'm meant to be...is that I received this piece of jewelry this year from a student, and it came with this explanation:
   GRATEFUL 4 
   We are all Grateful 4 something
   Many different things, each and every day
   Look at your wrist and 4malize your thoughts!

What was even MORE serendipitous, was that prior to me reading Michelle's post, yet on the very same day, I saw this tweet from Rik Rowe.

Appreciation / gratitude also makes people... happier. The person who is grateful, and the person who is receiving the appreciation (once you show it!) simply become happier.

This has spurred an idea a few of us are going to roll with in 2014, that will hopefully let others share their gratitude in a new format. We are very grateful for all of our PLN - passionate teachers who love to learn, question, share... You rejuvenate me in my 19th year of teaching, and I am very grateful for each one of you. 2014 will be the year I express this gratitude in all I do.

Authors's Note, January, 2014 - Here is the blog that has spurred from this one word 

- The Power of Appreciation -

Feel free to jump in and thank someone you appreciate!

** January, 2024 update: This website is no longer accepting submissions.

Learning from Your PLN

The Sunshine Blog...
The PLN Challenge...
The Homework Meme...
Liebster - Discover New Blogs...

I've seen it called many things, and the idea is "a way to share and broaden our PLN" (@WillGourley).
Here is how it works:
     1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
     2. Share 11 random facts about yourself.
     3. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
     4. List 11 bloggers. They should be bloggers you believe deserve some recognition and a little blogging love! (The first one @CoughlinLaura shared with me back in July said 5-11 bloggers. This might be easier for those of us not connected as much!)
     5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer, and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. (You cannot nominate the blogger who nominated you.)

I've seen the trend going around for awhile now on Twitter, and I thought it was interesting, but I immediately poo-pooed it. Why would I want to write about myself in my blog? Is that what my blog was for? I was forced to think about my own blog - why do I use it? Who are my readers? What qualifies as a "worthy" topic to post?

This thinking has led to changes in blogging with my students, as well. If they are to have a blog, is it just to turn in assignments for class? Not ONE person has told me what I should post on my blog. It's mine. It's personal. Some people use their blog as a platform - to get their ideas across, their thoughts about an issue, their complaints. Some use their blog to share successes of their students or themselves, celebrate their learning, or share about their own personal lives. I left the options WIDE open for my students. Simultaneously, I'm finding out more about my own writing, and what ideas I consider "worthy" of posting.

Since two "nominations" (Or are they challenges? This was difficult!) came in during winter break, it made me think about this idea once more. I love reading about other teachers' lives - much like I enjoy hearing about teachers I work with, or meeting my PLN in person at an EdCamp. Who is this teacher personally? How can I connect with this person so I can understand him or her better? The questions posed and answered by these teachers are enlightening, and my favorite part is the "eleven random facts" people share. If these teachers are so open about their lives, does that allow me to be as well? Will this idea fit into my blogging parameters I've subconsciously set for myself?

I've figured some things out. Here are my parameters:
  1. Be positive. I've realized that not much comes out of being negative, except more negativity.
  2. Share what I've learned, if I believe it will benefit others.
  3. Reflect - to share my personal learning or growth.
  4. Show my gratitude.
  5. Add a photograph (one I've taken or created - I learned this in person from @langwitches).

With these parameters in mind, I'll tackle this task. (I've also FINALLY answered Laura Coughlin's first question!!) Read on if you will, but know I have learned from this experience - about myself, my writing, and my PLN. Teachers in my PLN are very open and honest, and they write from the heart. I wish I could thank them personally for all I have learned from them. Please help me thank them by visiting their blogs and commenting - we all love it when the conversation continues! I'm going to go against the grain and start with my list of bloggers I love - some may have already completed this challenge, but they're still on my list. Please visit them!

Bloggers I believe deserve some recognition and a little blogging love (in alphabetical order!):
     Gary Anderson - An English teacher's dream blog!
     Garnet Hillman - Standards-Based Grading, and best practices for students.
     Denise Krebs - It's all about the kids.
     Shawn McCusker - A bit of this and that - ALWAYS useful for me.
     Hugh McDonald - Hugh thinks in a different way than I do - It's always interesting to read and decipher what he says - I love when it clicks for me!
     Fran McVeigh - Close Reading / Common Core for ELA teachers
     Allison Petersen - Something you can use that day!
     Amy Smith - Optimistic & grateful.
     Paul Stolt - Always reflecting on interesting points.
     Tom Whitford - Not in it for the fame. Just common sense for leaders.
     Gallit Zvi - Sharing what she learns to benefit others.

     There are so very many MORE!! How can I possibly name them all?!?! I love them all for many different reasons, as well. Ugh. Please see my RTs and check out those blogs/posts for all of them. There is NO way anyone can "catch up" with all the resources available...

Time to recognize those who have nominated me...
  1. Laura Coughlin - Laura is on my "first" list on Twitter. She didn't know it until she read this, but my "first" list is a private list of people. They don't know they're on the list. These are the people I don't want to miss. They don't tweet a ton, and what they tweet is valuable to me. So I keep this list on my TweetDeck so I don't miss out with all the tweets flooding in! She currently teaches middle school, and has not tweeted lately, but I see she's still blogging here. I hope she is doing well, and I hope she doesn't mind me blowing her off when she first asked me to do this challenge back in July!
  2. Kimberly Hurd - I was able to meet Kimberly face to face in October, and I'm so very glad! Not only is she as spunky in person as on her tweets, but she's much shorter than I imagined! ;-) She also sings karaoke - a girl after my own heart! Her blog is here, and she is very spiritual in what she writes - I believe this is because she, too, is very grateful for all she has, and she chooses to recognize it often. I'm blessed to know Kimberly, and have her on my "f2f" list on my TweetDeck - another column I check quite often!
  3. Will Gourley - I have Will on my "first" list on TweetDeck as well. I feel that he is very well-rounded and must be a stellar person, as well as a stellar teacher. He is thoughtful, thankful, and gracious in sharing / retweeting great ideas. Some of his ideas are here. I need to get to know him more - I was astounded that my name came up in his list! Hubby and I just got our passports and are heading to the eastern side of Canada with the travel trailer some time this summer - looking forward to a tweet up!

I'll pose my questions next... things to think about and maybe BLOG about!
  1. What's been the happiest day of your life so far? (Yes, feel free to name more than one!)
  2. What's the latest success you've seen happen in your classroom?
  3. What have you NOT blogged about, even though you've thought so much about it? What's stopping you?
  4. Who has influenced you the most AT YOUR SCHOOL, and how?
  5. Write a letter to that person (in number 4), and read it aloud to him or her.
  6. If you had to choose just one song to listen to in your car, what would it be?
  7. What's your favorite holiday? Why?
  8. What is a favorite quote of yours?
  9. What is coming up that you are excited about?
  10. What will you do when you retire?
  11. What should you be doing that you're not, because you're reading this?

With
Next... questions nominating bloggers have asked...
From Laura...
  1. Why do you blog? --> To reflect, share, and celebrate. When a post comes out, it's mostly because it's been percolating in my brain. The more I write about it, the more clear it becomes to me. I find a way to connect it to my teaching, and it's something I want to share. I do not think I'm a skilled writer, but I am writing more, so I know I'm growing as a writer.
  2. Does your classroom have a "color scheme?" --> Nope. My classroom is decorated by the kids and their work. If they want to put up a piece of art, feel free. If they want to make snowflakes, here's some yarn. If they want to put something on the ceiling, be careful on that chair. The walls are full? Find a spot, or take down something else you have up. Color scheme? Chaotic or eclectic. ;-)
  3. What is one teaching goal you have for this school year? --> Do the best I can with each day given to us. That includes being a "on" with my last class as I am with my first. (Thanks to Dave Burgess for that reminder!)
  4. Who/what is your teaching inspiration? --> The kids.

From Kimberly...
  5. What app is the biggest addictive time waster for you? --> So glad you put in the words "time waster," or it could be Twitter! I have a love/hate relationship with a simple game called "Beat Beans." My current high score is 192, and I believe the highest I can ever get is 200, so I just keep plugging. My wrist hurts from holding the iPad & reminds me of when I was addicted Atari... My husband knows not to ever get me a video game unless it's attached to an exercise torture device.
  6. If you could have a personal mascot just for you, what would it be? --> A bird - I feel like I can fly most days (I'm high on life), and I try to soar away from negativity when possible. If a wing breaks, I have people in my life who can help me repair it.
  7. What would be the best field trip to take students - do not hold back! --> A bike tour of countries that do not have the wealth my students have. Let it be led each day by a different resident of these places, so they can give us insight into what happened there and what they need in order to get back on their feet. During this trip - no wifi, television, phones, and only the local food to eat and shelter under which to sleep. We would have a bus (or two or three!) with us to carry food & clothing to residents of our host villages.

From Will...
  8. If you could have lunch with anyone, living or deceased, who would it be? Why? --> I'd want to meet my husband's parents. They passed away just before I was able to meet them, and I would love to hear them talk about him and how he was when he was young. I'd like to see how Frank loved Stella, because I know that's the love Bob shows to me.
  9. What is your ultimate vacation destination? --> Somewhere sunny, warm, with a sand beach, waves to play in (and not get knocked down!), with my husband. The beaches I play in are all on Lake Michigan - COLD! ;-)
  10. What are you reading right now? --> I'm actually reading an ADULT book! Hah! Crazy unbelievable! The Storyteller, by Jodi Picoult. I love this author, and I'm not disappointed in this one, of course.

And one from Pernille Ripp...
  11. What is one song you secretly or not so secretly want to sing at karaoke? --> My favorite song on karaoke night is "Broken Wing" by Martina McBride. I can hit the notes, and feel her words pouring through me.

And here's the picture I'm choosing for today - because the gifts I get from my PLN are more precious than these gifts under the tree - ideas can grow and bloom! (And none of these gifts is a ChiaPet!)

Eleven random facts that readers may not know about me... I saved this for last, because this is not why I wanted to write this post, and it's hard to put these ideas in writing, too!
  1. I am fairly recently divorced. It feels like yesterday, but we went through counseling in 2009. I learned a TON from my first marriage - and I wouldn't change a thing. If I did, I might not have met my soul mate, who I married on the beach in Holland, MI in 2011. This love we have seeps into everything I do. If I had a personal blog, you'd see the whole story & believe in soul mates!
  2. I'm seen in Catholic eyes as a "Chreaster..."  someone who only attends church on Christmas and Easter. I do, however, thank God every day for all I have, and pray that he help those in need. I know I am blessed, and I give Him credit for all I can experience on this great planet.
  3. I cry a lot. I cry when I'm happy, and when I'm sad. Of course, I laugh a lot, too!
  4. I have taught from age 3 to age 21... children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. I keep thinking I'm a special education teacher, but have been teaching reading now for 12 years, which is five more than the seven years I taught children who are deaf! Time flies...
  5. I love taking photographs of insects and flowers, but mostly insects ON flowers. I love my camera. Maybe some day I'll get a macro lens - my telephoto lens sure gets a work out, though, too!
  6. I have three blogs in addition to this one... One for what I've accomplished thanks to Pinterest, and one for my own Genius Hour ideas / projects. I was hoping I could share the latter with my students, but I don't require them to blog anymore... One more - for our travel bug, Corn Boy Jr. If you don't know what a travel bug is, look it up - you may acquire a new hobby!
  7. I'm very insecure & a bit of a worrier, although I can psych myself out of almost anything by singing along with Julie Andrews to "I Have Confidence!" If I can hit all the notes, I know everything will be fine. (I keep singing until I DO hit all the notes!)
  8. I love to eat. I'm currently wolfing down "Peanut butter ball screw-ups..." They didn't work as balls, so... but they are very tasty!
  9. I've run a marathon, biked a century, skied the Korteloppet, and done rolls in my whitewater & sea kayak. I used to have exercise as a priority. Things have changed. I now love to walk & showshoe. I'd love it if I knew how to wax my own cross-country skis, but... I also still love to ride my bicycle in the warmer months. I'm as heavy as I've ever been, but I'm just as happy as I've ever been, as well!
  10. I love to geocache! My husband and I try this whenever we are in a new area - what great fun for the whole family.
  11. After attending my fifth, I figured something out - EdCamps are my version of Disneyland! If you haven't been, GO!!

Coach Your Class

I live eight houses away from one of the 8th grade P.E. teachers at our school, Kathy. We've been over to each other's houses many times since I moved to the neighborhood three years ago. She's heard about our Genius Hour, but most importantly, she's caught a little of the bug...

This summer, Kathy and I concocted a way to have students own their learning in P.E. class. She grappled with the idea, tweaked much of it, then felt like she could share it with her 8th grade comrade. He liked the idea, so they sprung it on the kids first quarter! Students may teach about a sport they love, something they practice outside of school, or present on nutrition or exercise. They are beginning their presentations this quarter, and I've been fortunate enough to be able to witness a few.

I thought I'd lay out what she did in this post, because she's not on Twitter and does not have a blog (they just seem to go hand in hand these days)...

Difficulties 
   * setting up the projector for those students with a slide show presentation
   * trying to get kids to NOT rely on the Keynote/PowerPoint slides
   * giving up class time when it's not an ACTIVE presentation
   * giving up class time during a specific unit - they have limited days for each unit
   * SCHEDULING & RE-SCHEDULING - This is the big problem. Each 8th grader needs to be in health at a certain time. What if two students want to present together, but they have health different quarters? Rescheduling if a student is absent is another problem... I can only imagine how they struggle with this issue!

Grading
   See the rubric here. I'm not always a big fan of rubrics, but it's a huge step when two teachers can agree upon one! Feel free to copy and tweak as you please, of course.

Best news to date -
Today, a group of five 8th graders presented on bowling. Each had a script, access to the microphone (they presented in the large gym), bowling lanes, pins, and balls from the elementary school, and a large, very captive audience of two P.E. classes. Each had a subtopic: the history of the game, the ball, the rules, and the adaptations of bumpers and the ramp. What did they practice today? Oh, sure, they had to research the sport, write what they would say, and then show their part in front of the audience. But what did they demonstrate today in front of two classes of peers?

These students had never held a microphone before.
They had never spoken in front of so many people.
They had never taught anyone a formal lesson.

Here's the kicker - these particular students are in the Individualized Learning Program at our middle school.

I really enjoy seeing students share in a different way about their favorite sport or hobby, but today really takes the cake. To see the smiles on these five students' faces when the applause came for their turn was priceless. They are very fortunate their teachers decided to take on this type of learning.

#nerdlution - Taking My Student's Lead...

On November 15th, I celebrated a student of mine on our class Weebly. Izzy had taken Matt Cutts' 30-Day Challenge, and created her own 50-Day Challenge - to draw something new each day. This was great for her - she was going to go out of her box with something she loves. Students (and I) gave her ideas for themes to use each day, and she just started checking them off, one by one. When I finally published it, she'd been working at it for 15 days already.

Fast forward another 15 days. I wake up today to find a new hashtag on Twitter - #nerdlution. I quickly found this post by Katherine Sokolowski (@katsok) to describe it, and I thought on it. I've tried things like this before, and they always end up going by the wayside. But then I thought of Izzy. She took the video I used in class to inspire her. Why didn't it inspire ME?! I guess I needed a little push.

Tips:
  Start small.
  Don't over-promise.
  Do what is healthy for you, but something you know you CAN do.

Since I'd taken almost four full days off of Twitter to be with family in Michigan for Thanksgiving, I knew it gave my brain a much-needed break, & I realized how much of a time-sucker it really could be. I'd been trying to read INSTEAD of tweet, and I'd read three YA books!

So... I'm in.

What's your #nerdlution? Will you take the challenge? Thanks to Matt Cutts, Izzy, and my PLN!

If you want to jump in, add your post to Colby Sharp's (@colbysharp) blog post comments here.

The Spelling Bee

"I'm just going to say D-O-G if my word is 'chair.'"

This is just one of the complaints I heard my students say when I mentioned we were going to have the spelling bee. What could I say to help students try their best? What could motivate students who think they can't spell to even TRY? How can I convince them if I don't really believe it myself? I had to find some way to connect to the event so my students could, too.

24 Hours Later...

I sat students in a circle, and I joined in the perimeter. We had a discussion based on the following questions:

• Why do we have spelling bees?
• How long does the spelling bee last?
• What good can come of the spelling bee?
• Who is nervous or bothered by the spelling bee? Why?

Some of the best answers... 

• We will (at the very least) learn how to spell one word - the word we got wrong.
• ALL of us (except for the one winner) will "lose."
• If we give up on the spelling bee in 7th grade (when all but one of us will lose!), what will we do when something really important to us comes along? On what else will we give up?
• ALL of us are nervous. No one likes to be told they're wrong in front of others. But we will learn from making a mistake.
• Even Mrs. Kirr is nervous - what if she doesn't hear a student right?!
• Mrs. Kirr feels sympathy for all students - the ones who don't want to be in the spelling bee, yet don't want to make a mistake, and the ones who DO want to be in the spelling bee and are very stressed about it.
• A lot of it is about luck - based on who begins, and what words come up next.
• We will exhibit the genius "habitudes" of perseverance and most of all - courage.

Talk to your students about it. Children in different grades may feel differently about it, but I'd bet most of them are scared. Scared of being humiliated... scared of losing. Let's help them tackle the spelling bee like they could any competition.

Side note... One student asked to sit next to me - I haven't really connected yet with her this year, and I'm so glad she asked. I wanted to hold her hand, because I knew she'd struggle. Another spelled "apiary" right - just because he TRIED. I later told him he made my day. Today, during advisory, I received a small note from him - thanking me. These treasures are the ones that keep me heading back to school each day.

Update 8/22/15 - This post talks about spelling as an aid to communicating.