Tuesday, May 31, 2016

If you give a student a worksheet

Children's author, Laura Numeroff is famous for her "If you give..." series of children's books. Each one demonstrates the relationship between cause and effect.  Her books fabulously illustrate the practice of strategic thinking. There are obviously many factors to consider before giving a mouse a cookie or a pig a pancake. The same is true for educators ---there are many factors to consider when planning to give an assignment to students. What if a part of my planning was visualizing the outcome of the educational experience I am designing for my students? Would it change what I would do? What are the outcomes when I give a student a worksheet, or when I give my class a lecture....

If I give a student a worksheet:

  • he will pick up a pencil and fill in the blanks or circle the best answer or perhaps write a short answer to surface level questions
  • he will demonstrate compliance by completing the assignment and demonstrate memorization by answering correctly
  • he will turn the worksheet in to me to grade
  • once I grade and return the worksheet, he will look at the grade, shrug his shoulders and stuff the worksheet back in his binder
  • at the end of the school year, he will take the worksheet and toss it in the recycle bin
But if I give a student a blank page:
  • he will demonstrate his learning through drawing, writing, and designing his own explanation of his learning. 
  • he will utilize critical thinking and creativity
  • he will be able to explain his learning to his classmates and me 
  • he will demonstrate not only compliance and memorization, but also application and understanding
  • he will experience learning....deep learning.

If I give a student a lecture:
  • she will demonstrate compliance by listening quietly as you talk
  • she will be a receptacle for knowledge dispensed by me
  • she will fill in a graphic organizer with words and thoughts given to her by me
  • she will turn in the graphic organizer for me to grade
  • once I grade and return the graphic organizer, she will look at the grade, shrug her shoulders, and stuff the organizer in her binder
  • she will use the organizer to memorize the facts given to her by me for the test she will take
  • at the end of the school year, she will take the graphic organizer and toss it in the recycle bin
But if the student gives me a presentation:
  • she will demonstrate her learning verbally and visually; she will talk while I listen and respond
  • she will explain her learning to her classmates and me
  • she will be a dispenser of knowledge
  • she will research and design a visual representation of her knowledge utilizing technology
  • she will utilize critical thinking, decision making and creativity
  • she will experience learning....deep learning.
Let's be real ----you and I are most likely products of a worksheet-laden, lecture-filled educational experience, and truthfully, you turned out just fine. So did I. After all, we are now rock star educators, but what we experienced does not align with what our students need. In an age when they are bombarded with information constantly ---information that may or may not be reliable--- they need to become experts at discernment, decision-making, and problem-solving. Worksheets and lectures may not be the best way to prepare them for their time (not our time) so we must invite them to be active participants in their education. 

Whenever possible, embrace and implement alternatives to the traditional worksheet or lecture, but if you just can't resist an occasional lapse consider these hacks for student engagement:
  •  Infuse it with discussion. Add expectations to the worksheet requiring students to discuss with one another or explain items to the class. Provide opportunities within the lecture to turn and talk with those around you. 
  • Allow students to re-design a worksheet. Have them upgrade a basic worksheet to one requiring more from the students. 
  • Incorporate movement. With worksheets, cut them into strips and hang them on the wall around the room. It goes from completing ten items at your seat to visiting 5 stations where you complete items collaboratively with other students.  For lectures, allow for brain breaks where students stand and compare notes with students across the room. Give a strolling lecture, where you stage the lecture at different locations across the campus. While walking to the next stop, students review the previous information with one another. 
Read these articles to reflect more about the use of worksheets and lectures in the classroom. 

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

To those who have been pushed off the path

In my quest to read Sixty Books this year, I've been reading Jinx by Sage Blackwood, the story of a young boy who is kidnapped from his home in the Urwald by a wizard. In the Urwald, Jinx had been taught to fear the unknown, never stray from the path and to stay at home. Some point later in his journey, he returns to the Urwald. Below is an encounter between himself and a girl named, Inga, who although she used to bully him as a child, does not recognize him at all:
       "You shouldn't go to a witch's house," said Inga. "You should stay home in your own clearing. It's dangerous to go places."
       "Even if you stick to the path," Jinx said.
        He was being sarcastic. It made him sad that Inga nodded in agreement. He couldn't believe that he'd once let himself be held facedown in a pigsty by a girl who was afraid to leave Gooseberry Clearing.
        Anyway, she wouldn't be able to do it to him now ----she was taller than him, but he bet he was stronger. 
        Except maybe he wouldn't have been strong if he'd been stuck here, subsisting on toad porridge and cabbage soup. And he wouldn't even be able to read! It was unthinkable. If he's stayed here, he wouldn't be himself. 
        Anyway, they hadn't wanted him. They'd made him leave the path. 
        And I never even thanked them, Jinx thought. 
  
      In the moment, when that person or those people in your life force you off your path, you are devastated. This was the path you chose, you thought you belonged, you even called it home. 
      At first, you fight to return to the path, to somehow work your way back into favor with those who pushed you off, but that's to no avail. There's no room for you on their path. 
      So you start looking for new paths, and although it takes awhile, you gradually find a place where you can be who you are meant to be, where you can grow. You're surprised to find that there are paths that don't lead to dead-ends ---where you are not pushed off the path for being too fast or too loud or too different or given fear-fueled directions to avoid unknown areas. There are places that exist to not only tend to the current path but to support you as you blaze new ones.  
      At that moment, you realize that while being pushed off the path was hurtful and wrong, it was also the best thing to ever happen to you. It made you wiser. It made you stronger. It freed you to be more you than you ever thought you could be with them. At last, you are able to turn to the ones who cast you off and say "Thank you for the push".


Tuesday, April 26, 2016

What learning should be

To create conditions optimum for learning, educators must understand how students learn. Hand in hand with nurturing a growth mindset is the understanding of the role of learning in our lives. Benjamin Barber, a political theorist, once observed, "I don't divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the the successes and the failures. I divide the world into the learners and the non learners."

As educators, it is imperative to define for ourselves what learning should be. What educational practices are in the best interest of young learners and how can you best  bring those theories into practice? Here a few ideas:
  • Learners should be challenged. Through differentiation and a teacher's understanding of her individual learners and grade level standards, each student should have assignments and assessments that are appropriately challenging requiring him to initially struggle, yet develop perseverance as he progresses toward mastery. Students should be asked to think critically, solve problems, and reflect. 
  • Learners should be leaders. According to National Training Laboratories, students retain 90% of the material when they are required to present it or teach it to others (http://www.teachinontario.ca/employment/En/3b_strategies.html). In classrooms, opportunities should be given for students to present materials and instruct one another. When students are given the freedoms of choice and voice in the classroom, they learn. 
  • Learners should be active. Learning is not a passive verb and learners are not merely spectators. Allow students to interact with one another and move away from the desk. Embrace the practice of small group activities that require students to actively learn through playing on the floor, competing in games, or participating in campus-wide scavenger hunts. 
  • Learners should be creative. Give opportunities to create in different ways using technology, scientific experiments, visual and performing arts. Hands-on opportunities regularly enrich the learning experiences of students. 
Establishing what you believe about learning helps you be more intentional in both modeling and implementing these practices. 

That's not how I learned Math!

The following post was written by me for the Nashville Christian Elementary Blog in September, 2014.

"That's not how I learned Math"

Picture this "hypothetical" situation: You are sitting at the kitchen table with your fourth grader, and he is working on Math homework. He struggles with a problem and asks you for help. You read the directions and try to explain to him how you would solve the problem. Your son says, "But that's not how we did it in class". The gauntlet is thrown down, and for the next hour, you argue with him on how to solve the math problem. Finally, you give up, saying the words "Fine, do it that way! I give up!" and both of you end the evening stressed out.

This not-so-hypothetical situation happened to me a few years ago, and I found I was not alone when I posted on my Facebook page about the battle of long division. Mom after mom, and a few dads, echoed my frustrations.

It's painfully obvious to those of us raising children, that our educational experience was different than our children's, and it should be. The world has changed exponentially in the last few decades. From the way we gather, process, and communicate information to the way we complete day-to-day tasks, life is more complex and technical. Our list of basic skills needed to function in society has expanded, so it's no surprise that homework, and Math homework in particular, would be different and deeper.

Why has Math changed?
It hasn't, but in order to better prepare our students to function in a global, high-tech society, our approach to teaching Math has changed.  In the elementary school of my childhood, we developed a basic procedural knowledge of Math. We were given a recipe to follow. "This is how you do long-division. Follow the steps religiously and repeatedly without variation, and you will have the perfect answer each time." At school, we would practice and then for homework we would complete 50 of the same problem.  We understood the "what" and even the "how", but didn't do very much with the "why". Today, we are teaching math conceptually. The concept of "long division" is taught and students are given many methods to use in various situations to solve problems. They are asked to think not only about how to divide, but why the processes work and in which real-life situation they apply. Students are required not only to solve a problem but to be able to explain how they found their answer.

Why is this approach better?
In spite of the difficulty, this approach is in the best interest of our students. Research shows that students who are taught conceptually outperform students who merely learn and practice procedures. Additionally, by requiring more of our students, we are instilling in them qualities like grit, perseverance, and resilience.

How can I support my child as they learn Math?

  • Learn the Language - With each new chapter, take a moment to learn the vocabulary words that accompany the math lesson. Before starting homework, look through your child's Math Journal or textbook. If that is unavailable,  use online resources likeMath.com to learn the meanings of words or You Tube which has many demonstration videos pertaining to math concepts. 
  • Listen first - Before you tell your child how you learned to work a math problem, let him explain to you what he has learned, and believe them. Choose words wisely. Words like "That's not right" or "This makes no sense" tells your child that you don't trust him or the teacher. 
  • Let it go - When you reach a stalemate over an assignment, let it go. Let your child do the assignment his way. He will either find out he was right, or have an opportunity to learn from a mistake. Either option is beneficial to his growth.  If you and your child have worked hard but just can't seem to figure out the assignment, communicate with the teacher by writing a note on the assignment or sending an email about the questions you had, and then put the assignment away. The teacher can then address the issue the next day. 
  • Witness the struggle - As a parent, it can be tempting to want to protect our children from difficulties, but struggling is a natural and necessary part of life. Our brains are muscles and they need to work out and be challenged to develop. Grow comfortable with watching your child struggle. Encourage them to be persistent and not devastated when something is difficult. Share with them your academic struggles and how you overcame. 
  • Proactively address areas of weakness - If your child chronically struggles with math, be open to providing tutoring and other supplemental support to help bridge the gap. If a child in elementary has not mastered math facts by 3rd or 4th grade, math will continue to be a struggle. Math facts are essential tools used in a variety of math concepts. Be aware of your child's strengths and weaknesses and form a plan to aggressively address the gaps. Assessment tools like STAR Math and TCAP scores can give indicators not only for our teachers to use to direct instruction, but also for parents to identify areas of need. Partner with the school to form an educational plan. 
RESOURCES:

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Extreme Homework Make-over for Secondary Students

I often hear from secondary educators that getting students to do homework is challenging. "The students just won't do it, so why bother assigning it." The focus in these conversations is typically on the students ----they are irresponsible, they are unmotivated, but I wonder if the problem could be in the actual assignments given. Perhaps students aren't doing homework because they don't see the relevance.  It doesn't inspire them. Maybe after a day of sitting at desks doing work, when they get home, the last thing they want to do is sit at a table and do more work. That being said, if students are going to succeed in college, they need to develop responsibility and study skills.  Completing independent assignments outside of class can spur that growth. How can we as educators inspire secondary students to extend their learning beyond the school day?

I recently read two blog posts about re-thinking the idea of homework:

I agree with Bethany Hill's suggestions for homework for elementary students, but it caused me to reflect on how these same principles could transfer into meaningful, engaging homework for Middle School and High School students while also preparing them for college. 

Some engaging variations on traditional homework at the secondary level could be:
  • Free Writes and Free Reads - give students the choice of completing either a 15 minute time of free writing or free reading relevant to what you are studying and come prepared to share in class the next day. If necessary, provide a list of topics or articles, but give students the freedom to choose. 
  • Interviewing a person or leading a family discussion about a reading passage or topic and then writing a blog post about it. 
  • Having students plan a mini-lesson to teach students the next day. This can be particularly useful for vocabulary words. Every day a different student leads the class in reviewing concepts and terms relevant to your current topic of study or reviewing past units. 
  • Complete a relevant service project.
  • Watching videos, movies, or TV shows. 
  • Students make a video demonstrating skills or re-enacting historic events. 
  • Do research - Assign students a topic or concept you will be studying the next day. Ask them to spend 10 minutes researching and then be prepared to share at least 3 things they learned the next day. (Or make it FREESEARCH - students choose the topic to research and you choose the way they share the information through writing, presenting, etc.)
  • Twitter Chat - have students participate with one another in a Twitter chat about the current topic of study. One person leads with questions, the others answer. They turn in the chat transcript to the teacher to review. 
Two wacky ideas I'd love to try:
  • Make homework optional - Give assignments regularly, but let students know they can choose whether to complete it outside of class or inside of class. Students who choose to complete the homework spend the first part of class engaging in an interactive, energetic extension activity while those who did not do it, complete the assignment independently at their desks.  I wonder if eventually students would all choose to complete the assignments? 
  • Establish a homework council. Meet with a panel of students weekly or monthly to plan homework for the upcoming unit of study. Students determine and even design the assignments. Each homework council member is assigned to a group of students. They provide accountability, encouragement and support to peers about completing assignments ---in essence, a study group or cohort. Rotate council membership every few weeks, so all students can participate. 
There are many who would like to just get rid of homework entirely. The problem is that type of drastic change can only work if it happens across the board (from college down to elementary). The better option is to work on developing homework strategies that are purposeful, engaging, and manageable by all. 

Other articles to consider:

Friday, March 25, 2016

Redemption in the Classroom

This past week, I had the chance to watch the movie "Risen", the story of a Roman soldier charged by Pilate to investigate the death of Jesus. In other words, to find the body that would prove the death of Jesus. One of the scenes depicted on the screen came from a passage of scripture in which Jesus re-instates Peter. Prior to the crucifixion, Peter had denied Jesus, yet, in this particular moment taken from John 21, Jesus asks Peter, in spite of the denial, to go forward and feed His sheep. In other words, Peter is allowed to redeem the moment ---take that moment of failure, grow through it and do better. 

Redemption is a powerful gift, and,for those who believe, the most precious gift of redemption was given to us by Jesus. But the gift of redemption can also be exchanged between us from friend to friend, parent to child, or teacher to student whenever someone is allowed the opportunity to rebuild, re-do, or replace something they have said or done. Redemption in the classroom can be as simple as:
  • allowing students to re-take or re-do bad grades
  • after giving students a moment to reflect on poor behavior choices, inviting them to redeem the moment as they return to class
  • letting students have a "second chance" to complete that group work assignment that bombed the day before instead of scrapping the lesson plan altogether
  • having students in conflict re-do a conversation in a way that resolves the issue positively
A couple of years ago, I reflected in this blog post on ways we can communicate to students that they are valuable. I talked about planning, preparing, engaging students, but the most impactful way, we can communicate to a student his/her intrinsic value is the practice of redemption. Redeeming the moment, no matter how significant, sends the message that you are worth the effort, worth the second, third, fourth, or fiftieth chance to do better. When a student feels valued by witnessing and experiencing redemption, the learning and growing will take care of itself. 




  

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

2 questions every educator should ask

This past week, I read an excellent article by Jennifer Gonzales called 5 Questions to Ask Yourself About Unmotivated Students.   In it, she masterfully models the practice of reflective teaching and offers five vital considerations to make when working with unmotivated students. 

As I read the article, I kept thinking that there might be two questions to consider about yourself as an educator  before you can address the needs of unmotivated students in your classroom. They are:


  • Do I believe ALL of my students are capable of learning and growing? 
  • Am I willing to do whatever it takes to help my students achieve beyond their capabilities?


Success for students essentially comes down to their teachers' answers to these two questions. If the answer is "no" to either of these, then the ability to motivate students will always be hampered. 

In his book, Teaching with Poverty in Mind, Eric Jensen talks about  how schools can empower students living in poverty to be successful. He believes the number one factor on student achievement in schools with high poverty is the faculty ---the impact of the teacher in the classroom. He offers the following observation on the power of possibility:

"The first prerequisite for change is your belief in it ---and your willingness to change yourself first. At school, embody the change you want to see in students. We can help kids rise about their predicted path of struggle if we see them as possibilities, not as problems."

As educators, we have to constantly remind ourselves that what we believe about our students is communicated not only with words but also through the lessons we plan, the set up of our classroom, and the time we give. May the message we convey be one that is filled with possibility. 
         
President Barack Obama


































Thursday, February 25, 2016

The gift of a good goodbye

I've often heard that to truly ascertain the culture of a school, notice how you are greeted in the halls, but you can also learn how a school values individuals by the way it says goodbye. 

Goodbyes are a natural part of life. Some are anticipated and expected like the goodbyes that come when students move from elementary school to middle school, middle school to high school, and high school to college. With those goodbyes, schools typically plan special events or ceremonies to acknowledge the memories made and the growth gained during the students' time at the school. But what happens when the goodbye comes unexpectedly ----a student transfers or a teacher moves and has to leave or even leaves to work at another location? How do you acknowledge those goodbyes? While the timing may not allow for a ceremony or celebration, there are three things you can do to make sure you part on good terms:

HOW YOU CAN GIVE A GOOD GOODBYE:
Acknowledge the person's time and her value to your school: It's important to verbalize not only the length of time spent together, but also that person's positive contributions to your culture. 
For example, you might say to the student who is transferring, "Even though I've only been your teacher for a few weeks, I am thankful you were in my class. You are a student who always contributes positively to our class discussions." The more specific and personal the comment is, the greater its impact will be. 

Affirm the person's place in your school AND his potential in his new placement: For children, switching schools can be confusing especially if they have moved around often. They can feel lost and as if they don't have a place to belong. When I worked as elementary principal, I would always tell my students who withdrew, "Remember ---once an Eagle, always an Eagle no matter where you are" and then add "I know you will be a blessing to your teachers and new friends at your new school." 

If possible, give a small token as a memorial to your time together: Whether it's a handwritten note, flowers, a picture, or some other keepsake, taking the time to give a gift, sends the message that the person is valued. It also gives them a tangible reminder of the time with your school. 

Whether these three actions occur in a brief five minute conversation or in front of a room full of people,  regardless of the circumstances surrounding the departure, it is imperative to both the school and the person leaving that the separation be an intentional, good goodbye. For the school community, it serves as a testimony of their commitment to valuing the individuals they serve. And for the person leaving, it transforms a closing door into a gateway to a bold, fresh start. 


Sunday, February 14, 2016

Burnt biscuits

It was May 1997 and my husband, David, and I had just moved into a new house. One evening, we cooked dinner for my Aunt Carline to thank her for all she had done to help us get settled. In fact, she had singlehandedly packed up and then unpacked my kitchen. I wanted everything to be perfect for her, so I set the table with pretty placemats and lit candles. I even wrote out place cards. Rather than serving the food from pans on the stove, I actually put it in serving dishes on the table. This was a high class meal....except for the fact that I forgot to pull the biscuits out of the oven. We didn't realize until halfway through the meal, and the biscuits were completely black.  I was embarrassed and disappointed in myself. I apologized profusely as David started to move to the trash can with the smoking biscuits, but then Aunt Carline indignantly cried out "What are you doing? You can't throw those away? Put them on this table." David and I watched as Aunt Carline grabbed and opened a biscuit. Surprisingly, the center of the biscuit was perfectly cooked. I thought she was only going to eat the center, but instead she ate the whole thing. As she swallowed the biscuit, she looked at me and smiled. "Those were delicious. Don't you dare throw those away!" She insisted that we wrap up the remaining ones for her to take home.

While it is possible that my Aunt Carline truly enjoyed the taste of burnt biscuits (She is known for her eclectic tastes --- apple pie with a slice of cheese, peanut butter on bologna.), it is more likely that she was trying to go out of her way to make me feel better about my failure. She unknowingly taught me what to do with burnt biscuit moments:


  • Realize that burnt biscuits have value. Don't rush to throw them out, or pretend they aren't flawed. Savor the moment, grow through it, learn from it and years later, laugh about it.
  • Use burnt biscuits as a speed bump not a road block. Aunt Carline could have criticized me and made me feel like a hopeless cook. Instead she responded with a grace that gave me room to grow. 
  • Burnt biscuits are a product not a person. Moments of failure are not meant to define a person; rather they are meant to develop a person. Despite my failure, I wasn't henceforth branded the biscuit burner. It was just one moment in my culinary journey. My aunt's response gave me permission to keep trying even when you fail. 
Although this happened almost twenty years ago, these lessons didn't come to me until recently. In fact, it was this past Saturday morning as I pulled another batch of burnt biscuits out of the oven. I looked at my son, Johnny, who eyed them warily and said, "Johnny, let me tell you what your Aunt Carline does with burnt biscuits..."






Tuesday, February 2, 2016

The Power of the Moment

This past summer, my family was in the midst of uncertain times. I had lost my job at the private school where my sons attended. Without the employee discount, we could no longer afford to send them to the school they had gone to since kindergarten. They were heartbroken. To try and cheer everyone up, I took them to see the new Disney movie "Inside Out". I thought it would be a light-hearted distraction and maybe give the boys and me something to laugh about, but then the scene in the video above came on the screen. While Bing Bong mourned the loss of his childhood friendship with Riley,  my sons and I sat in the theater holding hands and crying.  On the way home, my son, Johnny, said, "Mom, when you first lost your job, my sadness took over, but now, I think my joy is coming back." It was as if taking that moment in theater freed him up to feel happy again, to move on into our new normal. 

In May 2010, my hometown of Nashville, experienced a devastating flood. The neighborhoods around the Youth Center that my husband  and I directed were destroyed. We partnered with non-profits and churches to open an emergency shelter out of our gym, serving meals and collecting supplies. We took in dear friends whose homes had been flooded. I kept busy sorting through donations, washing clothes for flood victims, and delivering food, but as I kept moving from one job to the next, inside I felt sad, scared, confused, overwhelmed, and even guilty because our home remained standing while homes two streets behind us were gone. One busy morning, I stopped by my friend Velma's house to pick up food she had prepared for one of the community meals. I left my car running while I quickly stepped inside her door. When she asked me "How are you?", I started to answer "I'm fi---", but the tears took over to the point that I could barely speak. Embarrassed, I uttered, "I'm sorry I'm crying". Velma reached out and hugged me. She rubbed my back and whispered, "It's ok...take your moment...sometimes you just have to take your moment".  So I did, and after that moment, I was able to focus and move forward. 

Sometimes you just need to take the moment ----to cry, to rage, to feel, to breathe, and by doing that, you allow yourself to get back to living. Unfortunately taking the moment is not something we are wired to do. It has to be learned and re-learned which means at times, you have to be the one who gives the moment ----to your spouse, your children, your friend, your co-worker, your student. By providing that safe harbor for those around you where they can feel and speak openly without fear of judgement or reproof, you give them the fuel needed to press on. 






Tuesday, January 26, 2016

The Value of Student Voice

In my previous post, I wrote about my response to Clint Smith's "The Danger of Silence". This teacher's commitment to developing student voice is inspirational. Imagine a school culture defined by this commitment!

Educators are blessed to have both the means and opportunity to help our students break the silence by creating classroom cultures that embrace student voice. Many teachers believe that they allow student voice in their classrooms by giving students menu boards or letting them turn and talk with a partner. Perhaps that is Student Voice at its basest level, but what Mr. Smith describes at the beginning of his video concerning the culture he creates with his students is Student Voice at its best. By requiring students to work through the silences in their lives and giving them permission to speak their truth and to listen and responds to the truths of those around them, he is building their capacity for empathetic words and actions. 

In a healthy school culture, students have ample opportunities to participate in decision making and to refine the skills of discussion and dissent, but this does not happen in school cultures where:
  • decisions are handed down rather than collaboratively decided
  • questioning is discouraged or punished 
  • compliance is valued and rewarded
  • a "good student" is defined as one who obediently completes tasks without speaking
  • lessons are tightly scripted with most of the lines delivered by the teacher 
  • disagreement is not allowed or modeled
Student voice is an essential component of a school's culture because it empowers students to take ownership of the culture with which they surround themselves. If they are allowed to do that as children, they will also do it as adults. Incorporating Student Voice rarely happens organically. Instead it should be an intentional focus of the school. 

For more insight on Student Voice, read the following articles:

Monday, January 25, 2016

The Curse and Blessing of Silence



I've watched this TED Talk video by slam poet and teacher Clint Smith over and over the last few days. Mr. Smith reflects on "The Danger of Silence" and asserts that "Silence is the residue of fear." His words are bold as he awakens us to the vital imperative of not only using our voices but also providing a culture for others in which they can use theirs. 

There is danger in silence when it is used, as Mr. Smith says, to "appease ignorance", to give permission for words and deeds that are inhumane. His words convict me as I remember times I chose to remain silently safe rather than speak up for what was right. 

 But then I know there are also times that my silence can be a gift:

  •  when I choose to stop and listen when my teenage son says, "Can I tell you my side of the story?"
  • when I listen to the story of a stranger
  • when I seek to listen to that person with whom I disagree and try to understand his viewpoint
  • when I receive negative feedback
  • when I allow other ideas to be shared before mine
So as Ecclesiastes 3 says there is "a time to be silent and a time to speak".  My silence can be a danger or a gift ---my challenge is to learn the difference. 



Friday, January 22, 2016

Snow Shovel Epiphany about Inclusion

It's January 22 and we are in the midst of an epic snowstorm. We could get a foot of snow before it's all over (that's epic in the South), and for my husband, it is a winter paradise because he gets to break out the snow shovel. My husband, David, loves to shovel snow. In fact, I would say he is a champion snow shoveler. I have no doubt that he could win American Ninja Warrior if snow shoveling were involved. Today I decided to join him to see if I enjoyed it as much as he. He started at one end of the driveway and I started at the other end with the plan to meet in the middle. After what felt like an hour (but was really only ten minutes), I had gone 10 feet and he had gone 1/3 of the driveway. I was thinking I had reached my snow shoveling capacity, but then David looked at me and said "You tired already?" Something sparked within me. I stuck out my chin and said, "Of course, not. In fact, I won't stop shoveling until you do". So I kept on shoveling until David stopped. There was just something about his challenge and his faster pace that made me want to push myself past what I thought I could do.

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about an inservice I attended with Dr. Richard Villa about Inclusion. It challenged my thinking about homogeneous vs. heterogeneous groupings. Is it in the best interest of the student to group them by ability level? If not, then why do we continue to place students on "tracks" from middle school through high school. Why put all the "advanced" students in one class segregated from the "remedial" group? If I had been shoveling with someone like myself today, we both would have stopped shoveling after ten feet, but because I was with someone with a greater capacity, I was pushed to go further. Heterogeneous groupings provide a win-win for all.

  • An opportunity for higher level students to experience the deepest level of learning and retention because they are presenting and teaching others. 
  • An opportunity for lower level students to see models of how far they can go and to be inspired to aim higher and farther. 
  • An opportunity for teachers to think critically about their instruction as they continually differentiate to meet the needs of all students in their classrooms. 
What magic are we missing in our classrooms by ability grouping our students?

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

How to build a wall

The first book I completed as part of my #SixtyBooks challenge was A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen. It tells the story of a young girl named Gerta who wakes up in her hometown of Berlin on August 13, 1961 to find a wall being constructed ---the wall that would divide East Berlin from West Berlin for the next 30 years. For Gerta's family, the wall also meant separation from her father and brother, Dominic, who had travelled to West Berlin looking for work and did not return prior to the wall's construction. This left Gerta, her mother and her brother, Fritz to fend for themselves in East Berlin. The book details Gerta's desire and ultimate decision to defy the wall and risk everything to gain freedom and be reunited with her family. 

As I read the book I reflected on the experience of living in a world where citizens were told what to think, what to say, and even how much to eat---a world where dissent was a punishable offense. The wall was built in Berlin long before the wire and cement appeared. The wall was merely a tangible symbol of a culture nurtured by fear and apathy. While it may not be to the extreme of walls and armed guards, there are businesses, schools, churches, and communities that are building walls when the leaders operate by the following norms:

  • Maintain the status quo at all costs -Make decisions based on preserving the power, position, and privileges of those in the inner circle. Use those on the outer circle to protect and provide for the inner circle. 
  • Intentionally surround yourself with people who make you comfortable and agree with you - Value blind loyalty above all else. See anyone who makes you uncomfortable or asks challenging questions as an enemy. View conflict as an obstacle rather than a pathway to growth. 
  • Ostracize bold opinions and personalities - Send messages both directly and indirectly that disagreement equals disloyalty. Suppress discussion. Make decisions in secret.
  • Ignore or rationalize any feedback that implies shortcoming on the part of the leadership or organization - Any discussions about the issues raised in the feedback should involve intense problem admiration and/or vilification of the ones who gave the feedback.
You would think that any community that embraces these norms would not be able to survive and thrive; however, as long as the individuals within them choose to stay constrained by and compliant to these tenets, then walls remain. 

So the burden of freedom rests not on the nation, city, school, or organization that builds the wall; rather it is on the individuals who choose to reside within its shadow.  










Thursday, January 7, 2016

A deeper look at inclusion (courtesy of Dr. Richard Villa)

My second semester kicked off with two exceptional days of inservice facilitated by international educational expert Dr. Richard Villa. He worked with our faculty on building an inclusive culture. I could have gladly spent the whole week listening and learning from him. He greatly challenged my thinking, convincing me that inclusion isn't merely an option or one strategy but is rather a right to which all students are entitled. Inclusion goes far beyond "taking care of the special ed. students"; it is cultivating a culture in which all members are valued---learning and growing together. 

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Villa pointed out that many schools define themselves as inclusive when they are not because they operate with a flipped hierarchy of needs. When you look at Maslow's hierarchy of needs, he places belonging before achievement. But some cultures flip the hierarchy by sending a message directly (or indirectly) that only when you achieve can you belong. We send that message when we insist on homogeneous groupings of students, when co-teachers designate "your students" and "my students", when we label classes or groups by ability, and when we insist on planning "one size fits all" lessons. The basic need of belonging should never have to be earned. 

One way to address this hierarchal flip is to stop labeling students as "problems". Dr. Villa walked our faculty through the process of pro-active, strength-based brainstorming to address when a student is struggling. He emphasized that when a student has difficulties in a classroom, it is not due to a bad teacher or a bad student, but merely a mismatch between the student's strengths and learning preferences and the teacher's methods, materials, and processes. He taught us how to collaboratively identify the mismatches and brainstorm many possible solutions. The conversation resulted not only in solutions for this particular student, but also strategies that could be utilized to meet the needs of all learners. 

After these two days of inservice, I came away with a revitalized understanding of co-teaching and differentiation and how they support the essential element of inclusion in a school culture. As educators we can not condone the practice of sorting students by ability. The key to effective education is not found in academic segregation. According to Villa, 'as long as you can send away anyone who challenges the status quo, then you never change the status quo." Inclusion makes us better and keeps us moving forward. Ultimately it causes all of us----teachers and students to embrace and celebrate our differences as we support and compel one another's growth. 

BOOKS BY VILLA





Sunday, January 3, 2016

Resolution Re-mix: It's all about the verbs

Since it is the beginning of a fresh, new year and I haven't blogged for over six months, it seems appropriate to kick-off this re-emergence with a resolution re-mix. 

Every January, I, like many others make resolutions. I typically come up with five or six of them written in lengthy sentences with exact details:

  •  By (insert date here), I will do (insert verb here) for (insert time here) long every day 
  •  I won't (insert verb here) anymore. 
  • I will give up (insert vice here) for an entire year. 
I've always figured the more specific I am the more likely I am to complete it, but unfortunately my resolutions drift to the wayside about halfway through January. I fall short of the specific target and just decide to give up. I didn't achieve it in the exact way I had planned, so in my mind I have failed. And for some reason, I've also convinced myself that you only have one chance to achieve a resolution. If for some reason, you fail on January 15th, then you can't try again until next January when it is officially time for making resolutions again. 

So this year, I'm going to do a resolution re-mix. The concepts of reflecting and resolving are ones I believe in and want to practice, but this cycle of resolving and giving up isn't getting me anywhere. For 2016, my resolution list is going to be simpler and cleaner ---no more wordy sentences, no more rigid timelines. I'm getting rid of the adjectives, adverbs, nouns, and prepositions and just going with a bulleted list of verbs ---the action words. 

2016 RESOLUTIONS

  • Blog - As a literacy coach, I have been convicted that I can not teach writing if I am not regularly engaged in the practice of writing. I can not model reflection, if I am not utilizing regular methods of reflection. I seem to blog in spurts. I hope this year to make it a part of my normal routine. 
  • Read - I am taking part in the Sixty Books reading challenge and tracking the books I read on Goodreads
  • Run - I'm hesitant to even include this one. I'm fairly certain it is just a holiday delusion that will quickly pass when I get back on my regular schedule.  I barely walk consistently for exercise, but lately I've been thinking about trying to run. I can count on one hand the number of times I have actually run in the last year. When I see people running in my neighborhood, they don't even look like they are having fun... yet, much like Forrest Gump, I just have this urge to take off running. This is the one verb that is pushing me to an unknown realm, the one I am most doubtful of. I'm going to use Couch to 5K for my plan. 
  • Believe (again) - Yes, I know. I broke my own rule and put in an adverb, but I had to. This past year, I lost my job. I was "fired", and it was the first time anything like that had happened to me. Thankfully, I had many friends and family members who shared with me similar experiences, so I knew I wasn't alone, but I have to admit it shook me to the core. I started doubting my own worth, my own abilities and perceptions. I doubted the sovereignty of God. I doubted the goodness of people. For the last half of 2015, I spent many moments pulling back from people and places afraid to trust again. This year, I desperately want to grow through that experience and use it as a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block---to learn, change, and most of all believe (again).
Here's to 2016 and a year full of verbs.